The words “low-cost” and “auto insurance” really should not be used together, in particular when you are looking for the best car insurance rates for used cars. In an attempt to save some money, let’s teach you a few of the factors that can significantly affect car insurance rates, and find a few ways to take a little off your next policy.
Figuring out which company has the best insurance rates for used cars will require more time than just getting one or two price quotes.
Each auto insurer uses their own calculation for determining rates in each state, so let’s take a look at the insurance companies with the overall cheapest rates in California. We do need to point out that Stockton, CA insurance rates are impacted by many things that may substantially change the policy price. Turning one year older, moving across town, or having an accident can trigger rate changes resulting in some rates now being cheaper than competitors.
Best Car Insurance Prices for Used Cars
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,143 |
| 2 | Wawanesa | $1,181 |
| 3 | Century National | $1,190 |
| 4 | CSAA | $1,198 |
| 5 | Nationwide | $1,226 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,366 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,491 |
| 8 | Progressive | $1,496 |
| 9 | Mercury | $1,533 |
| 10 | Allstate | $1,543 |
| 11 | GEICO | $1,559 |
| 12 | Allied | $1,603 |
| 13 | The Hartford | $1,623 |
| 14 | MetLife | $1,638 |
| 15 | State Farm | $1,699 |
| 16 | Esurance | $1,739 |
| 17 | Unitrin | $1,750 |
| 18 | Travelers | $1,806 |
| 19 | Bristol West | $1,849 |
| 20 | Farmers | $2,006 |
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USAA quotes some of the best car insurance rates in Stockton at around $1,143 each year. This is $508 less than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide would also make the list of some of the cheapest Stockton, CA car insurance companies.
As depicted above, if you are a customer of Century National and switched to USAA, you could see savings of in the neighborhood of $47. Insureds with CSAA might save as much as $55 a year, and Nationwide policyholders might realize rate reductions of up to $83 a year.
To see if you’re overpaying, click here to start a quote or feel free to get quotes from the companies below.
Bear in mind that those premiums are averaged across all ages of drivers and types of vehicles and do not factor in an exact vehicle garaging location for used cars. So the auto insurance company that fits your needs best may not even be in the list above. That underscores the importance of why you need to get auto insurance quotes using your own specific driver and vehicle information.
The type of vehicle you are insuring is one of the largest considerations when comparison shopping for low-priced car insurance for used cars. Vehicles with more horsepower, poor safety features, or a track record of large liability claims will cost much more to insure than more economical and safe models. The next list shows insurance rates for a selection of the most economical vehicles to buy coverage for.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $1,115 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sport Islander Package 4WD 2-Dr | $1,225 |
| Honda CR-V LX 4WD | $1,275 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $1,295 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 4WD | $1,319 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 2WD | $1,327 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab TRD Sport Package 4WD | $1,345 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Crew | $1,354 |
| Ford Escape Limited 4WD | $1,383 |
| Volkswagen Jetta SE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,412 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LTZ AWD | $1,418 |
| Nissan Rogue S AWD | $1,417 |
| Ford Edge SEL 2WD | $1,482 |
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Data variables include single female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, and multi-vehicle. Table data does not factor in zip code location which can decrease or increase coverage rates substantially.
Looking at the data, makes and models like the Hyundai Elantra, Jeep Wrangler, Honda CR-V, and Chevrolet Impala are likely to be the most economical vehicles to insure for pre-owned vehicles.
Finding the top insurance company can be rather challenging considering how many companies there are to choose from in Stockton. The ranking data displayed below can help you decide which car insurance companies to look at comparing prices from. The rankings below are only made up of companies who write in the majority of U.S. states, so smaller regional companies are not taken into consideration for these rankings.
Top 10 Major Auto Insurers in Stockton Ranked by A.M. Best Rating
- USAA – A++
- Travelers – A++
- State Farm – A++
- GEICO – A++
- Esurance – A+
- Nationwide – A+
- Allstate – A+
- Mercury Insurance – A+
- Progressive – A+
- Titan Insurance – A+
Top 10 Major Auto Insurers in Stockton Ranked by Claims Service
- AAA of Southern California
- State Farm
- Esurance
- AAA Insurance
- Progressive
- Liberty Mutual
- GEICO
- Allstate
- Titan Insurance
- The Hartford
The diagram below illustrates how your choice of deductibles can impact insurance rates when researching cheap insurance for used cars. The costs are based on a married male driver, comp and collision included, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
A 50-year-old driver could lower rates by $428 a year by switching the physical damage coverage from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $648 by selecting a $1,000 deductible. Even younger drivers, such as the Age 20 example, could roll back prices $1,434 each year by choosing a larger deductible amount. When insureds make the decision to increase the deductibles on their policy, it’s a good idea to have enough spare savings to allow you to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the one shortcoming of high deductibles.
Discount Stockton car insurance
Auto insurance companies that provide coverage for used cars may provide premium discounts that can reduce rates by 35% or more if you meet eligibility requirements. Companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts are:
- State Farm includes discounts for student away at school, passive restraint, accident-free, good student, and Steer Clear safe driver discount.
- Farmers Insurance may have discounts that include mature driver, switch companies, teen driver, multi-car, distant student, alternative fuel, and business and professional.
- Progressive offers discounts for multi-policy, good student, online signing, continuous coverage, and multi-vehicle.
- GEICO has savings for military active duty, membership and employees, good student, defensive driver, air bags, and five-year accident-free.
- Auto-Owners Insurance may offer discounts for company car, group or association, teen driver, paperless, anti-lock brakes, and air bags.
- The Hartford may include discounts for anti-theft, bundle, good student, driver training, and vehicle fuel type.
- Farm Bureau has discounts for driver training, youthful driver, multi-vehicle, safe driver, multi-policy, and good student.
- USAA offers discounts including good student, new vehicle, driver training, family discount, multi-policy, vehicle storage, and annual mileage.
The chart below visualizes the comparison of auto insurance costs with and without discounts applied. The premiums are based on a male driver, no accidents or driving violations, California state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $1,000 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows the price with no discounts. The lower bar shows the rates with homeowner, anti-theft, accident-free, claim-free, defensive driving course, and marriage discounts applied. When drivers take advantage of discounts, theamount saved on insurance for used cars is 28% or $695.
Why it’s important to shop around
Stockton, CA insurance rates are calculated based on many things which can substantially change the policy premium. Improving your credit rating, buying a new vehicle, or having a fender bender can trigger changes in premium that can cause some rates to be cheaper in comparison to the competition. Not only that, but companies change their prices as needed in order to protect their financial rating. Significantly higher losses may cause additional premium costs, while profitable underwriting can produce cheaper Stockton car insurance rates.
To illustrate this point, the chart below shows rates for the cheapest car insurance in Stockton, CA for a 40-year-old female driver with no prior claims, no tickets, and excellent credit. If we estimate rates based on her current situation, USAA offers the cheapest car insurance rates in Stockton at $1,371 each year. This is $280 less than the average rate paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Nationwide, Century National, and CSAA round out the rest of the most affordable Stockton, CA auto insurance companies.
The chart below compares rates after we give the driver from the first set of rates a chargeable claim, less-than-perfect credit, and a few traffic violations. Because each company uses their own method for determining prices, comparing insurance quotes may result in a different list of the cheapest Stockton car insurance companies as shown below.
Grange now has the best price in Stockton with Mercury, GEICO, Progressive, and Allstate now rounding out the top five. This example proves why consumers need to take the time to do a thorough rate comparison when trying to get the lowest insurance quotes for used cars.
Insurance rates can be altered by many things and change substantially, so the best company three years ago may now be priced much higher than other options.