The words “bargain” and “auto insurance” really shouldn’t be used together, especially when shopping around for the best car insurance for safe drivers. Let’s introduce you to a few of the things that have an impact on auto insurance prices, and figure out some ideas to take the sting out of the next policy you buy.
For good drivers, one of the big things that are used to help calculate the price you pay for insurance is where you live. Larger areas tend to have more expensive car insurance rates, whereas areas with fewer weather claims and lower vehicle theft rates have the gratification of cheaper auto insurance rates.
The next table lists the highest-priced areas in California for safe drivers in which to purchase auto insurance. Riverside makes the list at #14 costing $1,527 for the average policyholder, which is approximately $127 per month.
| Rank | City | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | $2,146 |
| 2 | Glendale | $2,142 |
| 3 | Oakland | $1,738 |
| 4 | San Francisco | $1,693 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,669 |
| 6 | Long Beach | $1,610 |
| 7 | Santa Clarita | $1,580 |
| 8 | San Bernardino | $1,580 |
| 9 | Stockton | $1,556 |
| 10 | Garden Grove | $1,554 |
| 11 | Moreno Valley | $1,551 |
| 12 | Fontana | $1,535 |
| 13 | Modesto | $1,532 |
| 14 | Riverside | $1,527 |
| 15 | Anaheim | $1,488 |
| 16 | Santa Ana | $1,483 |
| 17 | Fresno | $1,457 |
| 18 | Fremont | $1,403 |
| 19 | San Jose | $1,395 |
| 20 | Huntington Beach | $1,374 |
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Premium amounts are approximated as the vehicle garaging location can revise insurance rates substantially.
The vehicle driven is one of the largest considerations when looking for affordable auto insurance for safe drivers. Vehicles with lots of speed or power, a lack of advanced safety features, or a high likelihood of having liability claims will cost significantly more to insure than safer, lower-performance models.
The next list features insurance prices for a number of the cheapest vehicles to buy coverage for.
| Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda Accord LX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,112 |
| Ford Escape XLT 2WD | $1,216 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD | $1,245 |
| Ford Explorer XLT AWD | $1,253 |
| Ford Edge SE AWD | $1,288 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,352 |
| Hyundai Elantra Blue 4-Dr Sedan | $1,359 |
| Honda Odyssey EX-L W/Rear Entertainment | $1,385 |
| Chevrolet Impala LTZ | $1,395 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SE | $1,414 |
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara 4WD 4-Dr | $1,428 |
| GMC Sierra 3500HD SLE Crew Cab 2WD | $1,433 |
| Toyota RAV4 2WD | $1,440 |
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Prices above based on single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, safe-driver, multi-policy, claim-free, and homeowner. Estimates do not factor in your specific Riverside, CA location which can affect prices significantly.
Based on these rates, we can expect makes and models like the Honda Accord, Ford Escape, and Honda CR-V are some of the most economical vehicles to insure for good drivers.
Rate comparison of full coverage and liability-only
Buying cheaper auto insurance should be important to the majority of vehicle owners, and one of the fastest ways to reduce the cost of insurance for safe drivers is to not buy full coverage. The diagram below illustrates the comparison of car insurance rates with and without physical damage coverage, medical payments, and uninsured/under-insured motorist coverage. The premiums are based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, single status, and no additional discounts are factored in.
If we average the cost for ages 20 through 70, full coverage on your policy costs $2,075 per year more than just buying liability insurance. At some point, every insured wonders if it’s worth it to buy full coverage. There isn’t a steadfast formula of when to drop physical damage insurance, but there is a general guideline. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than around 10% of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
For example, let’s say your vehicle’s claim settlement value is $3,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most you would receive is $2,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If premium cost is more than $200 annually to have full coverage, then you might consider buying liability only.
Riverside auto insurance companies
Insuring your vehicle with a high-quality company can be rather challenging considering how many companies are available to choose from in Riverside. The company ratings in the next section may help you select which car insurance companies to look at when comparing rate quotes. These rankings are only comprised of the companies with a significant amount of written premium nationwide, so companies that only write business in California or surrounding areas are not taken into consideration for this list.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | 98 | 100 | 100 | 94% | A++ | 98.6 |
| American Family | 98 | 89 | 100 | 86% | A | 95.4 |
| AAA of Southern California | 91 | 94 | 97 | 92% | A+ | 94.1 |
| State Farm | 88 | 93 | 96 | 90% | A++ | 92.4 |
| The Hartford | 94 | 92 | 90 | 89% | A+ | 91.7 |
| AAA Insurance | 88 | 89 | 95 | 91% | A | 91.2 |
| GEICO | 84 | 93 | 93 | 89% | A++ | 90.3 |
| The General | 89 | 91 | 89 | 88% | A- | 90 |
| Titan Insurance | 90 | 87 | 91 | 95% | A+ | 89.6 |
| Progressive | 84 | 91 | 93 | 87% | A+ | 89.5 |
| Mercury Insurance | 88 | 91 | 90 | 85% | A+ | 89.4 |
| Allstate | 85 | 90 | 92 | 88% | A+ | 89.3 |
| Nationwide | 87 | 88 | 84 | 90% | A+ | 88.7 |
| Liberty Mutual | 84 | 87 | 93 | 88% | A | 88.5 |
| 21st Century | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88% | A | 86.7 |
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Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
Tips to find cheaper auto insurance for safe drivers
The list below shows a few thrifty ideas that can help you quote more affordable coverage.
- Buying your home and auto policies from the same company can earn a discount
- Avoid accidents and claims
- Good credit can save money
- Raise your deductibles
- Discounts for being claim-free can be substantial
- Be a cautious driver
- Shop around for lower rates once a year
That last tip is certainly valuable, as we noted in the article above. Coverage rates in Riverside adjust frequently, so don’t be tentative to buy a policy from a new company if a lower price can be found. Staying with the same company for years is fine, but we do not recommend it if that faithfulness ends up costing you a considerable chunk of change every month. If you have a few minutes, now is a great time to shop around and find cheaper car insurance for safe drivers.
The agents shown below are willing to help you make a decision which is the best policy, since some people prefer to get some guidance when comparing insurance rates for safe drivers. It can be complicated to find the best policy on your own, so getting advice from a licensed California insurance agent can give you peace of mind knowing you have suitable coverage if you ever need to use it. To locate an agency in your neighborhood, click the link at the bottom or click here to compare prices now.
- Allstate: Gene P. Johnson
7201 Arlington Ave – Riverside, CA 92503 – (951) 689-3211 - Farmers Insurance: Asif Sial
6325 Rutland Ave – Riverside, CA 92503 – (951) 527-5050 - AIS | Auto Insurance Specialists | Riverside
1600 Iowa Ave #100 – Riverside, CA 92507 – (951) 782-8100 - Mercury Insurance Agent – Quotes
3410 La Sierra Ave – Riverside, CA 92503 – (951) 732-7770 - Steve McDonald – State Farm Insurance Agent
2900 Adams St, Ste C10-J – Riverside, CA 92504 – (951) 785-6140