It’s impossible to miss the captivating ads from car insurance companies like GEICO and Allstate that claim big savings, so drivers should just pick one randomly, right?
It’s not that simple, unfortunately, as there are a whole slew of unknown elements such as how high your deductibles should be, any tickets or violations, if you need full coverage or just liability, and how well you maintain your credit, that all have an effect on the price. The content below will cover the best ways to avoid overpriced car insurance and should give you a good beginning to your quest for cheaper car insurance.
For drivers with no prior coverage, one of the big things that help determine the amount you pay each year for auto insurance is where you call home. Cities with larger populations or higher claim trends will most likely pay more, whereas areas with less people or fewer weather incidents have the luxury of lower rates.
The information below shows the most expensive places in California for uninsured drivers to purchase a policy in. Stockton is ranked at #8 with an annual premium of $1,588 for the average insured, which is approximately $132 each month.
| Rank | City | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | $2,146 |
| 2 | Glendale | $2,058 |
| 3 | San Francisco | $1,745 |
| 4 | Oakland | $1,687 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,652 |
| 6 | San Bernardino | $1,644 |
| 7 | Santa Clarita | $1,595 |
| 8 | Stockton | $1,588 |
| 9 | Long Beach | $1,562 |
| 10 | Garden Grove | $1,554 |
| 11 | Modesto | $1,547 |
| 12 | Riverside | $1,542 |
| 13 | Moreno Valley | $1,536 |
| 14 | Fontana | $1,535 |
| 15 | Fresno | $1,472 |
| 16 | Santa Ana | $1,453 |
| 17 | Anaheim | $1,444 |
| 18 | San Jose | $1,423 |
| 19 | Fremont | $1,361 |
| 20 | Huntington Beach | $1,360 |
| Quote Best Rates Go | ||
Information shown are approximated as specific Stockton zip code can affect coverage prices noticeably.
The type of vehicle requiring coverage is probably the largest consideration when comparing affordable insurance for uninsured drivers. Vehicles with high performance engines, a lack of advanced safety features, or a history of substantial liability claims will cost significantly more to insure than safer, lower-performance models.
The next list showcases insurance prices for a selection of the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure in California.
| Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Edge SE 2WD | $1,223 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,233 |
| Honda Accord EX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,273 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4WD | $1,316 |
| Nissan Altima 2.5 4-Dr Sedan | $1,321 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SXT | $1,343 |
| Ford Focus SES 4-Dr Sedan | $1,359 |
| Hyundai Elantra Blue 4-Dr Sedan | $1,369 |
| Honda CR-V LX 4WD | $1,364 |
| Ford Escape XLT 2WD | $1,374 |
| Toyota Camry XLE | $1,383 |
| Hyundai Sonata GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $1,410 |
| Nissan Rogue S 2WD | $1,418 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | |
Prices above based on single female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, claim-free, homeowner, safe-driver, and multi-policy. Rate information does not factor in specific garaging location which can alter coverage prices substantially.
Based upon the rates shown, you can assume that cars like the Ford Edge, Toyota Prius, Honda Accord, and Jeep Grand Cherokee are most likely going to be the most economical vehicles to insure for drivers with no prior coverage.
Discounts on Stockton auto insurance rates
Insurance providers that sell policies for uninsured drivers may provide special discounts that could lower prices by as much as 30% if you meet specific eligibility requirements. A few popular companies and their possible discounts include:
- AAA policyholders can earn discounts including good driver, anti-theft, pay-in-full, education and occupation, and multi-car.
- Progressive may include discounts for continuous coverage, online quote discount, homeowner, good student, multi-policy, and online signing.
- State Farm may offer discounts for passive restraint, safe vehicle, multiple policy, Steer Clear safe driver discount, Drive Safe & Save, anti-theft, and good driver.
- Esurance has savings for online shopper, DriveSense, anti-lock brakes, renters, good driver, and emergency road assistance.
- Nationwide offers premium reductions for easy pay, good student, business or organization, Farm Bureau membership, anti-theft, accident-free, and defensive driving.
The chart below shows the difference between insurance rates with and without discounts being applied to the rates. The premium estimates are based on a female driver, a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, California state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows the price with no discounts. The lower bar shows the rates with homeowner, marriage, claim-free, anti-theft, safe-driver, and accident-free discounts applied. When these discounts are applied to the policy premium, the average savings per year on auto insurance for uninsured drivers is 28% or $905.
The example below highlights how deductible choice can change insurance costs when searching for cheap insurance for uninsured drivers. The data is based on a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, and no discounts are factored in.
The data above shows that a 50-year-old driver could pocket $350 a year by switching the physical damage coverage from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $530 by selecting a $1,000 deductible. Young drivers, such as the 20-year-old example, could possibly save up to $888 each year by using a higher deductible.
If you do raise deductibles, it will now be necessary to have enough funds in savings to enable you to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense. That is the one disadvantage of using higher deductibles.
The benefit of shopping around
California auto insurance rates are impacted by many things which can substantially change the cost of your policy. Simply improving your credit, buying a home instead of renting, or having an at-fault accident can trigger changes in premium that can cause some rates to be cheaper than competitors.
Also, car insurance companies change their prices every year or even multiple times each year to adjust for unexpected claims or profits. An unexpected high level of claims can result in price increases, while lower claim expenses can produce cheaper Stockton car insurance rates.
The graph below shows the cheapest car insurance in Stockton, CA for a 45-year-old female driver with no prior claims, no tickets, and a good credit history. Based on her current risk factors, USAA might quote the most affordable car insurance rates in Stockton at $1,341 each year. This is $310 less than the average premium paid by California drivers of $1,651. Century National, Wawanesa, CSAA, and Nationwide round out the rest of the top five cheapest Stockton, CA auto insurance companies.
Now let’s give the driver in the first example a chargeable claim, slightly worse credit, and an imperfect driving record. Due to the fact that every insurance company has a proprietary method to determining premium rates, analyzing rate quotes may now present a new list of affordable companies as shown below.
Grange now has the cheapest price in Stockton, CA with Progressive, Mercury, Allied, and Allstate now rounding out the top five. This example demonstrates why consumers need to compare lots of rates when trying to get the lowest auto insurance quotes for uninsured drivers.
Insurance rates consist of many different factors and can increase or decrease at any time, so the most economical company six months ago may now cost much more than other companies.
How to find the cheapest insurance for uninsured drivers
Here are many money-saving ideas that can help California drivers get cheap car insurance.
- Increase your deductibles
- Try to pay small claims out-of-pocket
- Speeding tickets and other violations increase rates
- Accidents can significantly increase rates
- Older vehicles may not need full coverage
- Compare rates once a year for cheaper prices
The last suggestion is incredibly valuable, as was pointed out in this article. Auto insurance prices change frequently, so drivers shouldn’t hesitate to switch carriers if a more affordable rate is found. Staying with the same company for years is fine, but it isn’t a good idea if that inflexibility results in costing you hundreds of dollars a year. If you have a few minutes, shop around to find cheaper car insurance for uninsured drivers in Stockton.
If you have coverage questions and would like to get some help when shopping for the best coverage for uninsured drivers, the agents shown below can aid you in deciding which policy is best.
To find an auto insurance agency in your neighborhood, click the button below the list.
- Farmers Insurance: Linda Uribe
2120 Pacific Ave – Stockton, CA 95204 – (209) 944-9400 - Farmers Insurance – Beatriz Salazar Perez
2111 W March Ln b201 – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 463-2302 - Lucchesi Jr Dan A
2522 Grand Canal Blvd # 9 – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 957-6515