One of the many considerations that are used to help calculate insurance cost is where you normally keep your vehicle in San Diego. Areas with high crime rates or more dense population tend to pay more, whereas areas that tend to be more rural benefit from lower coverage costs.
The table below lists the priciest cities in California for drivers requiring a SR22 to purchase car insurance in. San Diego shows up at #20 with the annual price of $1,381 for coverage, which is about $115 monthly.
| Rank | City | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | $2,083 |
| 2 | Glendale | $2,058 |
| 3 | Oakland | $1,755 |
| 4 | San Francisco | $1,693 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,652 |
| 6 | San Bernardino | $1,644 |
| 7 | Fontana | $1,581 |
| 8 | Long Beach | $1,562 |
| 9 | Santa Clarita | $1,548 |
| 10 | Riverside | $1,542 |
| 11 | Stockton | $1,541 |
| 12 | Moreno Valley | $1,536 |
| 13 | Modesto | $1,532 |
| 14 | Garden Grove | $1,524 |
| 15 | Fresno | $1,457 |
| 16 | Santa Ana | $1,453 |
| 17 | San Jose | $1,437 |
| 18 | Anaheim | $1,430 |
| 19 | Huntington Beach | $1,402 |
| 20 | San Diego | $1,381 |
| 21 | Fremont | $1,348 |
| 22 | Oxnard | $1,344 |
| 23 | Irvine | $1,343 |
| 24 | Bakersfield | $1,340 |
| 25 | Chula Vista | $1,337 |
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Prices are approximated as the vehicle garaging location can influence rates substantially.
The car, truck, or SUV requiring insurance is a significant factor when quoting economical auto insurance for drivers requiring a SR22. Vehicles with lower performance, modern passenger safety features, or a track record of few liability claims will cost less to insure than fast, unsafe models.
The information below illustrates coverage prices for some of the most affordable vehicles to insure in California.
| Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $3,322 |
| Honda CR-V EX 4WD | $3,365 |
| Ford Escape Limited 2WD | $3,373 |
| Toyota Prius | $3,493 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sport 4WD 2-Dr | $3,531 |
| Honda Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $3,546 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $3,634 |
| Toyota Camry LE | $3,670 |
| Toyota RAV4 4WD | $3,678 |
| Ford Explorer Limited AWD | $3,704 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab TRD Sport Package 4WD | $3,712 |
| Ford F-150 XL Super Cab 2WD | $3,710 |
| Honda Civic EX 4-Dr Sedan | $3,799 |
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Prices above based on single female driver age 30, two speeding tickets, two at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and homeowner. Prices do not factor in specific location information which can revise coverage rates substantially.
Based upon the table data, you can presume that vehicles like the Hyundai Elantra, Honda CR-V, and Ford Escape should be the most economical vehicles to insure for high risk drivers. The price for car insurance will trend higher just because there is more exposure for drivers requiring a SR22, but in general those particular models will probably have the least expensive rates compared to other vehicles.
Full coverage versus liability only rates
Finding cheaper car insurance is important to most drivers, and one of the quickest ways to pay lower rates for insurance for drivers requiring a SR22 is to not buy comprehensive and collision coverage. The example below shows the difference between insurance costs with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying liability only. The premium estimates are based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are single, and no policy discounts are applied.
Averaged out for all age groups, physical damage insurance costs $1,849 per year over liability only. That is a large expense which might make you wonder when is the right time to remove full coverage. There is no specific rule of when to stop paying for full coverage on your policy, but there is a general school of thought. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is about 10% or more of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
For example, let’s assume your vehicle’s book value is $5,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most you would receive is $4,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If premiums are more than $400 a year for physical damage coverage, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
There are a few cases where only buying liability is not advised. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you have to keep full coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should not drop full coverage.
The diagram below highlights how deductible choice can affect insurance prices when researching cheap insurance for drivers requiring a SR22. The rates are based on a single female driver, comp and collision included, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
The chart above illustrates that a 40-year-old driver could save $420 a year by increasing from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $632 by choosing a $1,000 deductible. Youthful drivers, such as the Age 20 example, could reduce their rates $1,068 every year by choosing a higher deductible.
When choosing a higher deductible, it will be important to have emergency funds available to be able to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the main inconvenience of larger deductibles.
Responsible drivers pay cheaper car insurance rates
The recommended way to obtain cheap car insurance prices in California for high risk drivers is to pay attention while driving and avoid traffic citations and accidents. The diagram below demonstrates how speeding tickets and at-fault collisions can influence insurance costs for each different age category. The premium estimates are based on a single male driver, comp and collision included, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
The data in the chart shows the average cost of a car insurance policy per year with no accidents or violations is $2,525. Get written up for one speeding ticket and the average cost rises to $2,844, an increase of $319 each year. Then add in one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the yearly cost of car insurance for drivers requiring a SR22 jumps again to an average of $3,742. That’s an increase of $1,217, or $101 per month, just for not driving attentively!
What aren’t you shopping around?
San Diego, CA car insurance rates are determined by lots of factors which can substantially decrease or increase the price of your policy. Simply having a birthday, buying another vehicle, or having an accident may generate price changes that can make some companies more affordable than before. Not only may things change on your end, but insurance companies modify pricing as often as every quarter to reflect underwriting profits or losses. Larger than normal claims may cause high rates, while better underwriting can cause lower-cost San Diego car insurance rates.
For instance, the data below demonstrates which company has the cheapest car insurance in San Diego, CA for a 35-year-old female driver with a clear driving record, no claims, and good credit. If we estimate rates based on her current risk profile, USAA may have the cheapest car insurance rates in San Diego at $1,204 a year. This is $447 less than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, CSAA, Century National, and Nationwide are the rest of the top five cheapest San Diego, CA auto insurance companies.
Now let’s give the driver from the first rate comparison an accident claim, a lower credit rating, and a traffic ticket or two. Because every insurance company uses their own formula for setting prices, comparing quotes most likely will result in a significantly different list of affordable San Diego car insurance companies as shown below.
Grange now has the best insurance rate in San Diego with Progressive, Allstate, Mercury, and Allied now being in the top five. This illustrates why it is crucial to compare as many rates as possible to get the lowest insurance quotes for drivers requiring a SR22.
Car insurance prices are made up of many different factors and can change without notice, so the cheapest company the last time you compared rates may now cost much more than other companies.
The professional agents shown below can help you make a decision which coverages and limits you need, as some drivers aren’t sure which coverage they need and prefer to have some professional guidance when trying to find the best insurance rates for drivers requiring a SR22. It can be hard to find the cheapest rates, so insurance agents licensed in the state of California can add comfort knowing your coverage gives you sufficient protection if you have a claim.
To find an agent close to you, click the button link following the list.
- John Tran – State Farm Insurance Agent
2820 Camino del Rio S Ste 310 – San Diego, CA 92108 – (619) 291-1787 - ARROWHEAD General Insurance Agency, Inc.
701 B St #2100 – San Diego, CA 92101 – (619) 744-5000 - Duane Werner – State Farm Insurance Agent
6663 El Cajon Blvd j – San Diego, CA 92115 – (619) 668-5414 - Alcott Insurance
3945 Idaho St – San Diego, CA 92104 – (619) 293-3800