For state and federal workers, one of the largest considerations that help determine insurance cost is where you keep your vehicle. Regions with more people or even just more weather-related claims tend to have higher auto insurance costs, whereas less populated areas have the luxury of lower rates.
The information below shows the highest-priced places in California for government employees to purchase a policy in. San Diego makes the list at #24 with an annual rate of $1,327 for car insurance, which is about $111 each month.
| Rank | City | Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glendale | $2,121 |
| 2 | Los Angeles | $2,083 |
| 3 | San Francisco | $1,763 |
| 4 | Oakland | $1,755 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,669 |
| 6 | Long Beach | $1,626 |
| 7 | San Bernardino | $1,596 |
| 8 | Santa Clarita | $1,580 |
| 9 | Fontana | $1,566 |
| 10 | Stockton | $1,556 |
| 11 | Modesto | $1,547 |
| 12 | Garden Grove | $1,524 |
| 13 | Fresno | $1,502 |
| 14 | Santa Ana | $1,497 |
| 15 | Riverside | $1,497 |
| 16 | Moreno Valley | $1,491 |
| 17 | Anaheim | $1,444 |
| 18 | San Jose | $1,423 |
| 19 | Huntington Beach | $1,402 |
| 20 | Fremont | $1,361 |
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Rate information is approximated as the specific garaging location can alter auto insurance rates substantially.
The vehicle you are trying to insure is a significant factor when trying to find cheaper auto insurance for government employees. Vehicles with reasonable performance levels, excellent safety ratings, or a low likelihood of liability claims will cost less to insure than adrenaline junky models. The data below estimates auto insurance prices for a handful of the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure in California.
| Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $812 |
| Honda Accord EX 4-Dr Sedan | $821 |
| Toyota Tacoma 4WD | $910 |
| Ford Focus S 4-Dr Sedan | $940 |
| Ford Escape XLT 4WD | $951 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 2WD | $959 |
| Toyota RAV4 2WD | $968 |
| Ford Explorer Limited 2WD | $977 |
| Toyota Camry XLE | $1,010 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 2WD | $1,020 |
| Ford Fusion SE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,028 |
| GMC Sierra SL Crew Cab 2WD | $1,037 |
| Ford F-150 FX2 Super Cab 2WD | $1,041 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan CV | $1,048 |
| GMC Sierra 2500HD SLT Extended Cab 4WD | $1,077 |
| Ford Edge SE AWD | $1,087 |
| Chevrolet Impala LT | $1,098 |
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Data assumes single female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Rate quotes do not factor in specific location information which can change premiums substantially.
Looking at the data, we can tell that vehicles like the Hyundai Elantra, Honda Accord, Toyota Tacoma, and Ford Focus are most likely to be the cheaper vehicles to insure for state and federal workers.
Discount San Diego auto insurance rates
Car insurance companies that provide policies for government employees may also provide policy discounts that could lower prices by 30% or more if you are eligible. Large car insurance companies and their possible discounts can be read below.
- State Farm may offer discounts for multiple autos, Steer Clear safe driver discount, accident-free, Drive Safe & Save, defensive driving training, and safe vehicle.
- American Family offers discounts for defensive driver, early bird, multi-vehicle, Steer into Savings, bundled insurance, and air bags.
- AAA offers premium reductions for anti-theft, multi-car, good student, multi-policy, and education and occupation.
- GEICO discounts include federal employee, good student, emergency military deployment, driver training, daytime running lights, anti-theft, and anti-lock brakes.
- Mercury Insurance has savings for accident-free, multi-policy, age of vehicle, annual mileage, professional/association, multi-car, and good driver.
- Farmers Insurance offers discounts including pay in full, multi-car, homeowner, alternative fuel, youthful driver, and mature driver.
- Progressive has discounts for online quote discount, online signing, continuous coverage, multi-policy, homeowner, multi-vehicle, and good student.
The diagram below illustrates the difference between auto insurance costs with and without some available policy discounts. The rates are based on a male driver, no violations or claims, California state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $250 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows the average rate with no discounts. The second shows the rates with homeowner, marriage, anti-theft, accident-free, multiple policy, and multiple vehicle discounts applied. When drivers qualify for the discounts, the average savings per year on car insurance for government employees is 28% or $863.
Impact of violations and accidents on rates
In a perfect world, the best way to obtain good car insurance rates for state and federal workers is to be an attentive driver and avoid accidents and keep your driving record clean. The example below demonstrates how traffic citations and at-fault claims raise insurance premiums for different age groups of insureds. The rates are based on a single male driver, full physical damage coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.
In the prior example, the average cost of an auto insurance policy in California per year with no accidents and a clean driving record is $2,501. Get one speeding ticket and the average cost surges to $2,824, an increase of $323 each year. Now add two accidents along with the one speeding ticket and the annual cost of car insurance for government employees goes up to an average of $5,847. That’s an increase of $3,346, or $279 per month, just for not maintaining a clean driving record!
What aren’t you shopping around?
California car insurance rates are impacted by many things which can significantly increase or decrease the price of coverage. Getting older, getting divorced, or getting a reckless driving citation may prompt premium changes that can make some companies cheaper than competitors.
In addition, companies file new California auto insurance rates as needed to help ensure profitability. An extended period of higher than normal claims may result in additional premium costs, while profitable underwriting may cause lower-cost San Diego car insurance rates.
For example, the data below shows rates for the cheapest car insurance in San Diego, CA for a 35-year-old female driver with a clean driving record, no accidents, and a high credit rating. Based on her personal risk profile, Wawanesa quotes the cheapest car insurance rates in San Diego at $1,171 per year. This is $480 less than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. USAA, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide also make the list of the most affordable San Diego, CA auto insurance companies.
The chart below compares rates after we give the driver from the first rate comparison an accident claim, poor credit, and an imperfect driving record. Because each company has their own unique process for setting rates, comparing insurance quotes could now result in a different list of the cheapest car insurance companies in San Diego as shown below.
Grange now has the cheapest price in San Diego with Mercury, GEICO, Allied, and Progressive also having competitive pricing. This example demonstrates why drivers need to take the time to shop around to find the most economical insurance rates for government employees. Rates can be determined by many factors and can change without notice, so the best company two years ago may now be one of the higher cost companies.
How to find economical auto insurance for government employees
Lowering your rates is not difficult, and here are some money-saving solutions that can help California drivers quote cheaper car insurance.
- Better credit scores save money
- Keep your driving record clean
- Accidents can significantly increase rates
- Discounts for being claim-free can be substantial
- Drive safe vehicles
- Ensure you have the best deal by shopping around regularly
That last tip is particularly critical, as was stressed in the prior article. Coverage prices in San Diego adjust frequently, so don’t be tentative to change to a new company if a better rate can be found. Staying with the same car insurance company is fine, but it’s not a great idea if that devotion results in you overpaying hundreds every year. It only takes a couple minutes to compare prices to find cheaper insurance for government employees.