For new drivers, one of the more important components that are used to help calculate insurance cost is where you call home. Areas with more people or even just a higher incidence of claims will most likely pay more, whereas areas with lower crime rates and fewer weather claims benefit from lower rates.
The information below sorts the highest-priced places in California for first-time drivers to buy car insurance in. Riverside ranks #13 with the annual price of $1,542 for car insurance, which is around $129 each month.
| Rank | City | Average Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glendale | $2,142 |
| 2 | Los Angeles | $2,083 |
| 3 | Oakland | $1,755 |
| 4 | Sacramento | $1,703 |
| 5 | San Francisco | $1,693 |
| 6 | Long Beach | $1,610 |
| 7 | San Bernardino | $1,596 |
| 8 | Fontana | $1,581 |
| 9 | Stockton | $1,556 |
| 10 | Moreno Valley | $1,551 |
| 11 | Santa Clarita | $1,548 |
| 12 | Modesto | $1,547 |
| 13 | Riverside | $1,542 |
| 14 | Garden Grove | $1,508 |
| 15 | Fresno | $1,502 |
| 16 | Santa Ana | $1,497 |
| 17 | Anaheim | $1,488 |
| 18 | Huntington Beach | $1,402 |
| 19 | San Jose | $1,381 |
| 20 | Irvine | $1,371 |
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Rate quotes are approximated as zip code location can influence coverage rates considerably.
The vehicle requiring coverage is probably the largest consideration when comparing low-cost insurance for first-time drivers. Vehicles with lots of speed or power, poor crash test ratings, or a track record of large liability claims will cost substantially more to insure than more modest models.
The table below presents coverage prices for a number of the most affordable automobiles to buy insurance for.
| Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLS 2WD | $4,641 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 2WD | $4,685 |
| Volkswagen Jetta S 2.5 Station Wagon | $4,968 |
| Toyota Prius | $5,012 |
| Honda Odyssey LX | $5,174 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LS Regular Cab 4WD | $5,181 |
| Ford Explorer XLT 4WD | $5,218 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan CV | $5,225 |
| Ford Edge SEL 2WD | $5,457 |
| Honda Civic DX 4-Dr Sedan | $5,466 |
| Chevrolet Impala LT | $5,501 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 2WD | $5,511 |
| Nissan Altima 2.5 4-Dr Sedan | $5,501 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $5,508 |
| Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid | $5,501 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LS 2WD | $5,507 |
| Ford Fusion S 4-Dr Sedan | $5,501 |
| Ford F-150 FX4 4WD | $5,545 |
| Hyundai Elantra Blue 4-Dr Sedan | $5,741 |
| Toyota Corolla S | $5,785 |
| Toyota Camry SE | $5,795 |
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara 2WD 4-Dr | $5,822 |
| GMC Sierra SLE Extended Cab 4WD | $5,829 |
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Above prices assume single male driver age 16, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, and safe-driver. Table data does not factor in vehicle garaging location which can influence rates greatly.
Based on these rates, we can presume that models like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Volkswagen Jetta, Toyota Prius, and Honda Odyssey are most likely going to be the most affordable vehicles to insure for new drivers. The price for an auto insurance policy will trend higher because of the fact that there is more claim exposure for first-time drivers, but in general those specific models will most likely have the least expensive rates compared to all other vehicles.
Locating low-priced auto insurance is not the easiest thing to do, and figuring out which companies have the best auto insurance rates for first-time drivers may require additional perseverance. Each auto insurer uses a slightly different approach to set policy rates, so let’s take a look at the overall cheapest auto insurance companies in California.
It’s important that readers know that California auto insurance rates are impacted by many factors that control the policy price. Events like turning one year older, buying a safer car, or having an at-fault accident can trigger price changes that may make certain companies higher when they were quite affordable.
Find Cheaper Auto Insurance for Inexperienced Drivers
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wawanesa | $1,146 |
| 2 | USAA | $1,155 |
| 3 | CSAA | $1,222 |
| 4 | Century National | $1,226 |
| 5 | Nationwide | $1,250 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,366 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,447 |
| 8 | Allied | $1,541 |
| 9 | Allstate | $1,543 |
| 10 | Mercury | $1,548 |
| 11 | Progressive | $1,558 |
| 12 | GEICO | $1,575 |
| 13 | The Hartford | $1,591 |
| 14 | MetLife | $1,654 |
| 15 | Unitrin | $1,699 |
| 16 | Esurance | $1,739 |
| 17 | State Farm | $1,750 |
| 18 | Travelers | $1,788 |
| 19 | Bristol West | $1,849 |
| 20 | Farmers | $2,006 |
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Wawanesa may offer some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Riverside at around $1,146 per year. This is $505 less than the average rate paid by California drivers of $1,651. USAA, CSAA, Century National, and Nationwide are also some of the cheapest Riverside, CA insurance companies.
As shown in the rates above, if you buy coverage from Century National and switched to Wawanesa, you could realize annual savings of upwards of $80. Insureds with Nationwide could save as much as $104 a year, and 21st Century customers might see rate reductions of $220 a year.
If you want to see how much you could save, click here to begin a quote or feel free to get quotes from the companies below.
Remember that these premiums are averages across all ages of drivers and types of vehicles and and are not figured with a specific vehicle garaging location for first-time drivers. So the company that can offer you the best rate may not even be in the list above. That underscores the importance of why you need to compare prices as often as possible using your own personal information and vehicle type.
Get discounts on Riverside insurance
Car insurance companies that provide policies for first-time drivers may provide premium discounts that could potentially reduce rates by 30% or more if you are eligible for them. The best auto insurance companies and a selection of discounts can be found below.
- State Farm discounts include Drive Safe & Save, multiple policy, anti-theft, student away at school, safe vehicle, and multiple autos.
- Progressive has savings for multi-policy, good student, homeowner, continuous coverage, and multi-vehicle.
- Travelers may offer discounts for home ownership, early quote, IntelliDrive, save driver, multi-car, and continuous insurance.
- American Family may have discounts that include good student, good driver, defensive driver, early bird, mySafetyValet, and bundled insurance.
- Liberty Mutual offers discounts for hybrid vehicle, preferred payment discount, new move discount, good student, and safety features.
The information below illustrates the difference between insurance prices with and without discounts applied to the rates. The rate quotes are based on a female driver, no claims or driving violations, California state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The lower bar shows the rates with vehicle safety, good student, passive restraint, continuous coverage, paid-in-full, and paperless filing discounts applied. When discounts are factored in, theaverage amount saved on auto insurance for first-time drivers is 28% or $772.
Impact of careless driving on Riverside auto insurance rates
One of the best ways to enjoy cheap auto insurance prices for new drivers is to drive safe and not receive tickets or have accidents. The illustration below illustrates how traffic citations and accidents can drive up insurance rates for each different age category. The data assumes a single female driver, full coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
In the chart above, the average cost of an auto insurance policy in Riverside per year with no accidents and a clean driving record is $2,661. Get one speeding ticket and the average cost increases to $3,013, an increase of $353 each year. Now add two accidents along with the one speeding ticket and the yearly cost of auto insurance for first-time drivers jumps again to an average of $5,889. That’s an increase of $3,228, or $269 per month, just for being a careless driver!
If you aren’t sure which coverage to buy and prefer to have some professional guidance when comparing insurance rates for first-time drivers, the agents shown below can help you decide which insurance coverage will be best for you.
To find an agent in your neighborhood, click the button at the bottom or click here to compare rates now.
Enrique Martinez – State Farm Insurance Agent
9305 Magnolia Ave – Riverside, CA 92503 – (951) 351-2085
Lynne Dattilo – State Farm Insurance Agent
6560 Van Buren Boulevard a – Riverside, CA 92503 – (951) 689-3700
Farmers Insurance – Sampson Cummings
10250 Indiana Ave – Riverside, CA 92503 – (951) 364-8020
Chris Folsom Insurance Agency
3727 6th St – Riverside, CA 92501 – (951) 680-0575
Find a Riverside, CA insurance agent near you
Tips to find budget-friendly auto insurance for first-time drivers
It is possible to find better rates, and here are many penny-pinching suggestions that can help California drivers find cheaper coverage.
- Staying accident-free helps keep rates low
- The safer your car, the less it costs to insure
- Good credit can mean cheaper rates
- Increase physical damage deductibles
- Avoid speeding and other traffic citations and pay less
- Assess whether full coverage is needed
- Compare quotes from other companies often
The last item on the list is remarkably crucial, as was discussed in this write-up. Rates change a lot, so you should be ready to change insurance companies if a more affordable rate is found. Brand loyalty is great, but we do not recommend it if that stubbornness costs you major coinage every year. It only takes a couple minutes to shop around to find cheaper insurance for first-time drivers in Riverside.