One of the many factors that are used to help calculate the amount you pay each year for auto insurance is your address in San Diego. Regions with more people or even just more weather-related claims are more likely to have higher rates, whereas less populated areas receive better rates.
The table below ranks the highest-priced places in California for 17 year olds to purchase a policy in. San Diego shows up at #22 with an annual cost of $1,368 for the average insurance policy, which is approximately $114 monthly.
| Rank | City | Premium Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | $2,146 |
| 2 | Glendale | $2,079 |
| 3 | Oakland | $1,738 |
| 4 | San Francisco | $1,693 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,669 |
| 6 | San Bernardino | $1,628 |
| 7 | Stockton | $1,603 |
| 8 | Fontana | $1,581 |
| 9 | Long Beach | $1,562 |
| 10 | Moreno Valley | $1,536 |
| 11 | Santa Clarita | $1,533 |
| 12 | Modesto | $1,532 |
| 13 | Garden Grove | $1,524 |
| 14 | Riverside | $1,497 |
| 15 | Anaheim | $1,474 |
| 16 | Fresno | $1,472 |
| 17 | Santa Ana | $1,453 |
| 18 | San Jose | $1,423 |
| 19 | Fremont | $1,389 |
| 20 | Bakersfield | $1,381 |
| 21 | Huntington Beach | $1,374 |
| 22 | San Diego | $1,368 |
| 23 | Oxnard | $1,344 |
| 24 | Irvine | $1,330 |
| 25 | Chula Vista | $1,311 |
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Price information shown is estimated as the specific San Diego residence address can influence premiums substantially.
The car, truck, or SUV you are insuring is one of the primary factors when looking for the cheapest car insurance for 17 year olds. Vehicles with reasonable performance levels, good crash test ratings, or a low likelihood of liability claims will cost less to insure than adrenaline junky models. The next list ranks insurance rates for some of the most economical automobiles to buy coverage for.
| Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLT 4WD | $2,896 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD | $2,906 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $3,076 |
| Toyota Prius | $3,104 |
| Honda Odyssey LX | $3,192 |
| Ford F-150 STX Super Cab 2WD | $3,202 |
| Ford Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan | $3,372 |
| Toyota Camry LE | $3,400 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LT 2WD | $3,406 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LS | $3,400 |
| Toyota RAV4 2WD | $3,408 |
| Ford Explorer Limited 4WD | $3,428 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SXT | $3,437 |
| Toyota Tacoma X-Runner 2WD | $3,582 |
| Ford Edge Sport 2WD | $3,591 |
| Chevrolet Impala LTZ | $3,582 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 2WD | $3,610 |
| Nissan Altima Hybrid 4-Dr Sedan | $3,617 |
| GMC Sierra 2500HD SLE Extended Cab 4WD | $3,610 |
| Volkswagen Jetta SE 4-Dr Sedan | $3,615 |
| Ford Fusion Sport 4-Dr Sedan | $3,610 |
| Toyota Corolla XRS | $3,618 |
| GMC Sierra SLE Extended Cab 4WD | $3,610 |
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Table data represents single female driver age 17, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Rates do not factor in San Diego, CA location which can affect prices significantly.
Looking at the data, we can conclude that vehicles like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Prius, and Honda Odyssey will be some of the cheapest vehicles to insure for teen drivers. Auto insurance rates will tend to be higher because there is a higher risk for 17 year olds, but generally speaking those particular vehicles will most likely have the lowest insurance prices that you’ll find.
Selecting the right company can be a challenge considering how many companies sell coverage in California. The company information displayed below can help you analyze which providers you want to consider shopping prices with.
The ratings below are only comprised of large insurance companies, so companies without a large exposure will not be included in this list. If you wish to compare prices from these companies and more, simply click here.
Top 10 Major Auto Insurers 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 Major Auto Insurers Overall in San Diego
- USAA
- American Family
- AAA of Southern California
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- AAA Insurance
- GEICO
- The General
- Titan Insurance
- Progressive
Safe drivers pay cheaper rates
The recommended way to obtain cheap insurance rates in San Diego for teen drivers is to drive attentively and avoid traffic citations and accidents. The diagram below demonstrates how citations and at-fault accidents can impact annual premium costs for each different age group. The data is based on a single male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $100 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.
In the prior example, the average cost of a car insurance policy per year with no accidents or violations is $3,385. Get two speeding tickets and the average cost jumps to $4,499, an increase of $1,114 each year. Now add one accident along with the two speeding tickets and the annual cost of insurance for 17 year olds goes up to an average of $5,640. That’s an increase of $2,256, or $188 per month, just for not being attentive to the road!
The example below shows how different deductible levels can increase or decrease annual premium costs when quoting cheap insurance for 17 year olds. Data assumes a married female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no discounts are factored in.
The data above shows that a 40-year-old driver could save $300 a year by switching from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $456 by selecting a $1,000 deductible. Even younger drivers, like the Age 20 chart data, could shave as much as $750 or more just by choosing higher deductibles.
When insureds make the decision to increase the deductibles on their policy, it will be required to have enough funds in savings to allow you to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense. That is the one disadvantage of using higher deductibles.
Why you should be shopping around
California insurance rates are calculated based on many things which can substantially change the cost of coverage. Turning one year older, buying a home instead of renting, or getting a ticket for running a stop sign may generate price changes that can now make some companies affordable when they were higher priced.
Not only may things change on your end, but insurers modify pricing as often as every three months in order to remain profitable. Heavier than normal losses may cause increased policy costs, while less frequent claims can produce cheaper San Diego car insurance rates.
For example, the bar chart below demonstrates which company has the cheapest car insurance in San Diego, CA for a 35-year-old female driver with a good driving record, no prior claims, and excellent credit. When comparing rates based on her current rating profile, USAA might offer the cheapest car insurance rates in San Diego at $1,143 a year. This is $508 less than the average rate paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide are the rest of the most affordable San Diego, CA auto insurance companies.
Let’s now give the driver from the first rate comparison some claims, bad credit, and an imperfect driving record. Due to the fact that every insurance company has their own unique process to set policy rates, comparing quotes may result in a completely different list of affordable San Diego car insurance companies as shown below.
Grange now has the best auto insurance rate in San Diego, CA with Mercury, Progressive, Allstate, and GEICO also being competitive. This example illustrates why it is important to shop around to find the cheapest car insurance quotes for 17 year olds.
Rates are impacted by many factors and change substantially, so the cheapest option two years ago may now be costing you a lot of money.
The insurance agents in San Diego listed below can provide answers to your questions and help you determine which car insurance company is the best fit, since some people have coverage questions and would like to have a professional recommendation when buying car insurance for teen drivers. It can be difficult to do it yourself, and insurance agents can provide satisfaction knowing your coverage gives you sufficient coverage at claim time.
To locate an agency by location nearest to you, click the button link following the list.
- B H Gold Insurance
9699 Tierra Grande St # 100 – San Diego, CA 92126 – (800) 421-4653 - Allstate Insurance: PGC Insurance Agency
6919 Paradise Valley Rd, # A9 – San Diego, CA 92139 – (619) 773-2300 - Allstate Insurance: Philip Mullane
3555 Rosecrans St Ste 202 – San Diego, CA 92110 – (619) 223-2191