The words “affordable” and “insurance” probably shouldn’t be used in the same sentence, especially when looking for the best insurance rates for infrequent drivers. Because it’s not cheap, let’s lead off by showing you some things that influence car insurance premiums, and figure out some ideas to lower the cost of the next policy you buy.
The make and model of vehicle you are insuring is a significant factor in finding the cheapest car insurance for infrequent drivers. Vehicles with lots of horsepower, poor crash test ratings, or high incidents of liability claims will cost much more to insure than safer, lower-performance models. The information below showcases car insurance costs for a handful of the most budget-friendly automobiles to insure in California.
Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
---|---|
Honda CR-V LX 2WD | $1,115 |
Honda Accord LX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,123 |
Jeep Wrangler Sport 4WD 2-Dr | $1,158 |
Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $1,209 |
Ford F-150 XL Super Cab 2WD | $1,225 |
Toyota Prius | $1,235 |
Ford Escape XLS 4WD | $1,276 |
Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 2WD | $1,319 |
Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer AWD | $1,345 |
Toyota Corolla S | $1,386 |
Toyota Tacoma X-Runner 2WD | $1,391 |
Honda Odyssey LX | $1,403 |
Chevrolet Silverado LS Crew Cab 4WD | $1,412 |
Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD LT Crew Cab 4WD | $1,420 |
GMC Sierra 3500HD SLT Extended Cab 2WD | $1,436 |
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Table data assumes single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, claim-free, and safe-driver. Rate quotes do not factor in specific location information which can change coverage rates significantly.
Looking at the rates, we can presume that makes and models like the Honda CR-V, Honda Accord, and Jeep Wrangler will be some of the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure for low mileage drivers.
For low mileage drivers, one of the largest criteria that are looked at to determine the amount you pay each year for auto insurance is where your car is garaged. More densely populated places tend to have higher auto insurance costs, whereas areas with fewer weather claims and lower vehicle theft rates benefit from having to pay less for coverage.
The information below shows the highest-priced areas in California for infrequent drivers to purchase a policy in. Stockton makes the list at #8 with the annual price of $1,588 for the average policyholder, which is around $132 monthly.
Rank | City | Average Per Year |
---|---|---|
1 | Los Angeles | $2,104 |
2 | Glendale | $2,058 |
3 | San Francisco | $1,711 |
4 | Sacramento | $1,703 |
5 | Oakland | $1,687 |
6 | Long Beach | $1,610 |
7 | Santa Clarita | $1,595 |
8 | Stockton | $1,588 |
9 | San Bernardino | $1,580 |
10 | Moreno Valley | $1,536 |
11 | Fontana | $1,519 |
12 | Garden Grove | $1,508 |
13 | Modesto | $1,502 |
14 | Riverside | $1,497 |
15 | Fresno | $1,457 |
16 | Santa Ana | $1,439 |
17 | San Jose | $1,437 |
18 | Anaheim | $1,430 |
19 | Irvine | $1,384 |
20 | Huntington Beach | $1,374 |
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Premium costs are comparative as specific Stockton zip code can alter rates substantially.
The example below illustrates how choosing a deductible can affect annual premium costs when trying to find cheap insurance for infrequent drivers. The data assumes a married female driver, full coverage, and no discounts are factored in.
A 40-year-old driver could pocket $420 a year by switching from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $634 by choosing a $1,000 deductible. Youthful drivers, like the 20-year-old example, have the ability to save as much as $1,042 every year just by choosing larger deductibles.
When insureds make the decision to increase the deductibles on their policy, it is a good idea to have plenty of discretionary funds to enable you to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the main inconvenience of larger deductibles.
Get discounts on Stockton auto insurance rates
Insurers that sell policies for infrequent drivers may also offer discounts that could reduce prices by as much as 40% or more if you meet certain criteria. Popular car insurance companies and their offered discounts can be found below.
- State Farm has discounts for driver’s education, defensive driving training, passive restraint, good driver, multiple autos, accident-free, and student away at school.
- GEICO may have discounts that include membership and employees, federal employee, anti-theft, anti-lock brakes, and military active duty.
- Liberty Mutual may offer discounts for multi-policy, new move discount, safety features, preferred payment discount, new vehicle discount, newly retired, and teen driver discount.
- The Hartford policyholders can earn discounts including driver training, vehicle fuel type, defensive driver, bundle, air bag, good student, and anti-theft.
- MetLife offers discounts including multi-policy, accident-free, defensive driver, good student, good driver, claim-free
- Progressive may include discounts for good student, homeowner, multi-vehicle, continuous coverage, multi-policy, online signing, and online quote discount.
The chart below shows the comparison of insurance costs with and without discounts. The rate quotes are based on a female driver, a clean driving record, no claims, California state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $500 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows insurance cost with no discounts. The second bar shows the rates with safe-driver, passive restraint, multiple policy, vehicle safety, marriage, and accident-free discounts applied. In this example, theaverage amount saved on car insurance for infrequent drivers is 28% or $549.
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California car insurance rates are based on many factors that can increase the cost of having a policy. Simply turning a year older, having a claim, or having an at-fault accident can trigger changes in premium resulting in some companies being cheaper in comparison to the competition.
In addition, insurance companies change rates as needed to adjust for gains or losses. A period of increased losses may cause price increases, while lower claims may cause cheaper Stockton car insurance rates.
For example, the bar chart below shows the cheapest car insurance in Stockton, CA for a 45-year-old female driver with a clear driving record, no claims, and a good credit history. When comparing rates based on her current risk factors, USAA has the lowest car insurance rates in Stockton at $1,330 a year. This is $321 less than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, CSAA, Century National, and Nationwide round out the rest of the best Stockton, CA auto insurance companies.
Now we will pretend the driver in the first example a claim surcharge, slightly worse credit, and a few traffic violations. Since each insurance company has a different formula to set their prices, getting updated rate quotes will most likely result in a different set of cheap Stockton auto insurance companies as shown below.
Grange now has the best insurance rate in Stockton, CA with Mercury, Progressive, Allstate, and GEICO completing the list. This demonstrates why drivers need to compare rates to find the most budget-friendly car insurance quotes for infrequent drivers. Insurance prices can be altered by many things and can change without notice, so the lowest-price company the last time you checked may now be quite expensive.
How to find the cheapest car insurance for infrequent drivers
It’s not impossible to find cheaper rates, and here are some thrifty suggestions that can help you get lower-cost coverage.
- At-fault accidents can raise rates significantly
- Discounts for being claim-free can be substantial
- Bundle home and auto and earn a discount
- Serious violations like DUI or careless driving can make car insurance unaffordable
- Safer vehicles cost less to insure
- Shop your coverage around for the best deal
The last item on the list is incredibly crucial, as we stressed in this article. Coverage prices fluctuate constantly, so don’t be hesitant to change insurance companies if a better deal can be had. Loyalty to a specific company is fine, but we do not recommend it if that faithfulness ends up costing you a wad of cash every year. In just a couple of minutes you could shop around and find cheaper insurance for infrequent drivers in Stockton.
The Stockton, CA, insurance agents below are a good start to help you determine which car insurance policy is best, as some drivers aren’t sure which coverage they need and prefer to get help from a professional when trying to find the best insurance rates for low mileage drivers. It’s not always easy to find the best policy on your own, and agents can add satisfaction knowing you have sufficient coverage at claim time.
To find an agent close to where you live, click the button following the list or click here to compare price quotes.
Ann Harvie – State Farm Insurance Agent
5637 N Pershing Ave, Ste E22 – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 956-2525
Nationwide Insurance: Maffei Ins and Fin Services
2540 Pacific Ave #1 – Stockton, CA 95204 – (209) 957-9433
Banuelos Insurance Agency
2300 Waterloo Rd – Stockton, CA 95205 – (209) 513-3248
Insurance Services of Stockton
1150 W Robinhood Dr # 1A – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 474-6174