Buying competitive car insurance for a Nissan Altima hinges on a complex formula that considers things such as annual miles driven, the size of your vehicle, and physical damage deductibles. Drivers will pay around $1,262 a year for Altima insurance, but that amount is an approximation calculated based on a 40-year-old single male driver with full comprehensive and collision coverage and $1,000 deductibles.
The issue that arises when projecting rates is that it’s very likely that you aren’t exactly 40 years old or even a male, married instead of single, or maybe you have a teen driver on your policy that needs to be considered. Just a very minor change in rating criteria may result in significant differences in the policy cost.
Everone’s needs are different, and this illustrates why the only real way to find cheap auto insurance rates for your Nissan is to just take the time to compare rates yourself. Rate quotes are easy and you will get price quotes from the best companies that sell coverage in California.
Compare Nissan Altima Insurance Rates
The trim level of your vehicle will have an impact the insurance rate, so the price you will pay to insure a Altima 2.5 4-Dr Sedan will be $270 less expensive the insurance cost for the high end Altima 3.5 SR 2-Dr Coupe version, as shown below.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altima 2.5 4-Dr Sedan | $206 | $416 | $534 | $32 | $160 | $1,348 | $112 |
| Altima 2.5 S 4-Dr Sedan | $206 | $490 | $534 | $32 | $160 | $1,422 | $119 |
| Altima Hybrid 4-Dr Sedan | $234 | $490 | $534 | $32 | $160 | $1,450 | $121 |
| Altima 2.5 S 2-Dr Coupe | $234 | $490 | $604 | $36 | $180 | $1,544 | $129 |
| Altima 3.5 SR 4-Dr Sedan | $234 | $490 | $534 | $32 | $160 | $1,450 | $121 |
| Altima 3.5 SR 2-Dr Coupe | $234 | $564 | $604 | $36 | $180 | $1,618 | $135 |
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Data assumes single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, homeowner, and safe-driver. Premium amounts do not factor in your specific San Diego location which can modify prices noticeably.
Insuring your vehicle with the right insurer can be a challenge considering how many companies provide coverage in California. The company ratings in the lists below could help you analyze which insurers to look at shopping your coverage with.
These ratings are for companies who write in the majority of U.S. states, so smaller regional companies are not factored into the list. If you wish to compare prices from these and other competitive companies, simply click here.
Top 10 Large Car Insurance Companies in San Diego Ranked by Customer Satisfaction
- Titan Insurance – 95%
- USAA – 94%
- AAA of Southern California – 92%
- AAA Insurance – 91%
- Nationwide – 90%
- State Farm – 90%
- The Hartford – 89%
- GEICO – 89%
- The General – 88%
- 21st Century – 88%
Top 10 Large Car Insurance Companies in San Diego Ranked by Customer Service
- AAA of Southern California
- GEICO
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- Mercury Insurance
- The General
- Progressive
- Allstate
- AAA Insurance
- American Family
Full coverage or liability only
Reducing premiums for insurance should be important to most people, and a great way to lower the cost of insurance for a Nissan Altima is to only pay for liability coverage. The illustration below compares insurance prices with full physical damage coverage and with liability coverage only. The costs are based on a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, single status, and no additional discounts are factored in.
If we average the cost for all age groups, comp and collision coverage costs an additional $2,341 per year more than carrying just liability coverage. That is a large expense and it proposes the question if buying full coverage is worth the expense. There is no set rule of when to exclude comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can use. If the annual cost of having full coverage is more than around 10% of replacement cost minus your deductible, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your vehicle’s book value is $11,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most your company would pay you is $10,000 after paying your deductible. If you are paying in excess of $1,000 a year for full coverage, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.
The chart below demonstrates how choosing different deductibles can affect insurance costs when quoting cheap insurance for a Nissan Altima. Data assumes a single male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no discounts are applied.
The data above shows that a 30-year-old driver could lower their policy premium by $552 a year by changing their physical damage coverage from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $830 by changing to a $1,000 deductible. Even younger drivers, like the age 20 example, could shave $1,640 each year by choosing a higher deductible.
If you do decide to increase your deductibles, it is necessary to have additional funds squirreled away to enable you to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense, which deters some people from using high deductibles.
The benefits of price comparisons
California insurance rates are impacted by many factors that control your annual premium. Simply having a birthday, buying a new vehicle, or getting a reckless driving citation can trigger changes in premium resulting in some companies being cheaper than competitors.
In addition, car insurance companies change their prices as often as every three months to help ensure profitability. An unexpected high level of claims can result in rate hikes, while lower claim expenses can produce cheaper Altima insurance rates.
To help illustrate this point, the data below shows which companies have the cheapest car insurance in San Diego, CA for a 40-year-old female driver with no violations or accidents, and excellent credit. When quoting prices based on her personal risk profile, USAA may have the lowest car insurance rates in San Diego at $1,157 annually. This is $494 less than the average policy premium paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide are also on the list of the cheapest San Diego, CA auto insurance companies.
The next chart shows rates after we give the driver in the first example an accident surcharge, slightly worse credit, and a few blemishes on her driving record. Since every car insurance company has their own process for determining rates, analyzing rate quotes may now result in a different ranking of the cheapest San Diego car insurance companies as shown below.
Grange now has the best auto insurance rate in San Diego with Progressive, Mercury, GEICO, and Allied now being in the top five. This example demonstrates why it is critical to spend some time comparing rates when trying to find the best car insurance rates for a Nissan Altima.
Insurance prices can be altered by many factors and change dramatically, so the most economical option when you bought your policy may now be quite expensive.
If you aren’t sure which coverage you need and prefer to have some advice when buying car insurance for an Altima, the agents below can most likely help you determine which auto insurance policy would work best for you.
To locate a San Diego insurance agent close to you, click the button link following the list or click here to compare price quotes now.
- Allstate Insurance: Patrick Wang
8650 Genesee Ave Ste 108 – San Diego, CA 92122 – (858) 623-3344 - Myles Collins – State Farm Insurance Agent
9920 Mira Mesa Blvd A – San Diego, CA 92131 – (858) 271-6400 - Mike Morrell – State Farm Insurance Agent
2207 Garnet Ave a – San Diego, CA 92109 – (858) 273-3001
View more San Diego, CA insurance agencies
How to find budget-friendly auto insurance for a Nissan Altima
The list below details many penny-pinching suggestions that can help you get lower-cost auto insurance.
- Violations like speeding or DUI increase rates
- Too many claims can make car insurance unaffordable
- Bundle home and auto and save
- Raise comprehensive and collision coverage deductibles
- Maintain a safe distance and avoid accidents
- Clean up your credit
- Compare rates once a year for cheaper prices
The last suggestion is remarkably crucial, as we noted in this piece. Coverage prices change constantly, so don’t be hesitant to switch to a new company if you can save money.
Staying with the same car insurance company is fine, but it’s not a good idea if that stubbornness costs you a small fortune year after year. In less than five minutes you could compare rates and find cheaper car insurance for a Nissan Altima in San Diego.