One of the more important components that help determine the annual cost of car insurance is your address. Areas with more people or more claims likely pay more, whereas areas with lower crime rates and fewer weather claims can boast about having cheaper rates.
The next table lists the highest-priced areas in California to purchase auto insurance in. Oakland ranks #4 costing $1,687 for car insurance, which is approximately $141 monthly.
| Rank | City | Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glendale | $2,121 |
| 2 | Los Angeles | $2,104 |
| 3 | San Francisco | $1,763 |
| 4 | Oakland | $1,687 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,669 |
| 6 | San Bernardino | $1,596 |
| 7 | Fontana | $1,566 |
| 8 | Long Beach | $1,562 |
| 9 | Stockton | $1,556 |
| 10 | Garden Grove | $1,554 |
| 11 | Santa Clarita | $1,548 |
| 12 | Moreno Valley | $1,536 |
| 13 | Modesto | $1,532 |
| 14 | Fresno | $1,517 |
| 15 | Santa Ana | $1,497 |
| 16 | Riverside | $1,497 |
| 17 | Anaheim | $1,474 |
| 18 | San Jose | $1,395 |
| 19 | Fremont | $1,389 |
| 20 | Huntington Beach | $1,374 |
| Compare Prices Now Go | ||
Annual rates are approximated as zip code location can alter auto insurance rates greatly.
Now that we understand where Oakland ranks for car insurance prices, finding out which companies quote the lowest-priced insurance rates in Oakland involves a little more effort in order to find a policy that fits your budget. Every car insurance company has a proprietary formula for filing rates in each state, so let’s take a look at the lowest cost insurance companies in California.
It’s important that readers know that California insurance rates are impacted by many factors which can substantially change the cost of your policy. Improving your credit score, getting divorced, or having an at-fault accident may prompt premium changes that can now make some companies cheaper than competitors.
Cheapest Insurance Rates in Oakland
USAA generally has some of the cheapest car insurance rates in Oakland at around $1,155 per year. This is $496 less than the average rate paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide are also some of the cheaper Oakland, CA car insurance companies.
As shown above, if you have coverage with Wawanesa and switched to USAA, you might realize an annual premium reduction of upwards of $2. Insureds with Century National might save as much as $59 a year, and CSAA insureds might realize rate reductions of up to $79 a year.
Bear in mind that those estimates are averaged for all types of drivers and the different vehicles they drive and do not take into consideration a vehicle location in Oakland. So the car insurance company that fits your situation best may not even be in the top 24 companies in the list above. That is why you need to get auto insurance quotes using your own specific driver and vehicle information.
The vehicle model requiring coverage is a significant factor when shopping around for the cheapest car insurance in Oakland. Vehicles with high performance features, a lack of safety features, or a history of substantial liability claims will cost much more to insure than safer models. The table below features auto insurance premiums for a number of the more affordable vehicles to insure in California.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape Limited 2WD | $1,459 |
| Honda CR-V EX 4WD | $1,511 |
| Honda Civic DX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,513 |
| Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T Station Wagon | $1,531 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab TRD Off-Road Package 4WD | $1,572 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LT | $1,581 |
| Ford F-150 XLT Super Cab 2WD | $1,596 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SE | $1,605 |
| Ford Focus SEL 4-Dr Sedan | $1,598 |
| Chevrolet Impala LTZ | $1,627 |
| Toyota Corolla XLE | $1,635 |
| Hyundai Elantra GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $1,627 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,629 |
| Kia Optima LX | $1,652 |
| Nissan Altima 3.5 SR 4-Dr Sedan | $1,657 |
| Ford Fusion Sport 4-Dr Sedan | $1,666 |
| Dodge Ram Crew Cab TRX 2WD | $1,683 |
| Start a Quote Go | |
Prices based on single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-vehicle, homeowner, safe-driver, and multi-policy. Price information does not factor in vehicle location which can increase or decrease rates substantially.
Based on these rates, you can figure that cars like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Honda Civic, Volkswagen Jetta, and Toyota Tacoma will be some of the cheaper vehicles to insure for drivers in Oakland.
Impact of violations and accidents on rates
The common sense way to receive affordable car insurance prices in California for drivers in Oakland is to be a cautious driver and avoid accidents and keep your driving record clean. The information below illustrates how traffic citations and at-fault fender-benders drive up insurance costs for different age groups. The rate quotes are based on a married female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $100 deductibles, and no additional discounts are factored in.
In the prior example, the average cost of an auto insurance policy per year with no accidents or violations is $2,596. Add in one speeding ticket and the average cost hikes up to $3,023, an increase of $427 each year. Now include one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the yearly cost of car insurance in Oakland jumps again to an average of $4,252. That’s an increase of $1,656, or $138 per month, just for not being more responsible behind the wheel!
How to find more affordable car insurance in Oakland
Below you’ll find some of the better money-saving ideas that can help Oakland drivers buy more affordable coverage.
- Being accident-free can lower rates significantly
- Increase your credit rating
- Increase your deductibles
- Save money by observing traffic laws and speed limits
- Get cheaper liability coverage by choosing a safer vehicle
- Do not pay for full coverage on older vehicles
- Comparison shop frequently
That last piece of advice is very vital, as we emphasized in the prior article. Coverage prices can change considerably in a year, so don’t be hesitant to change insurance companies if a more affordable rate is found.
Having a favorite company is great, but it’s not recommended if it’s costing you money that could be going to better use. Now is a great time to compare prices and find cheaper insurance in Oakland in Oakland.