How Much are Auto Insurance Rates for High Risk Drivers in Stockton?

For high risk drivers, one of the more important considerations that are used to help calculate the annual cost of car insurance is where you choose to live in Stockton. Cities with larger populations tend to have more expensive car insurance rates, whereas areas with lower vehicle theft rates and fewer weather claims have the gratification of cheaper auto insurance rates.

The following table sorts the priciest cities in California for high risk drivers to buy an auto insurance policy in. Stockton shows up at #7 with an annual premium of $1,603 for the average insurance policy, which is approximately $134 each month.

Premium amounts are comparative as zip code location can affect rates considerably.

The make and model of vehicle you are buying coverage for is a significant factor when looking for the best coverage for high risk drivers. Vehicles with high performance engines, poor safety ratings, or high incidents of liability claims will cost quite a bit more to insure than more modest models.

The next table estimates insurance premiums for the cheaper automobiles to insure in California.

Table data represents single male driver age 50, two speeding tickets, two at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and homeowner. Price estimates do not factor in your specific Stockton, CA location which can affect premium rates significantly.

By looking at the data, we can presume that models like the Honda Accord, Hyundai Elantra, Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Toyota Prius will be some of the cheaper vehicles to insure for high risk drivers. Auto insurance rates will trend higher just due to the fact that there is a higher risk for high risk drivers, but in general those particular models will have the lowest insurance prices that you’ll find.

Finding out which company quotes the cheapest insurance rates for high risk drivers requires a bit more effort than just getting one or two price quotes.

Each auto insurance company has a proprietary method for determining rates, so we’ll take a look at the most competitive insurance companies in Stockton. It’s important to know that Stockton insurance rates are influenced by many factors that can increase your annual premium. Simply having a birthday, buying a different vehicle, or having a fender bender can trigger changes in premium resulting in some companies being cheaper than competitors.

Compare Cheap Insurance Quotes for Risky Drivers

Click Here to Start Your Quote

USAA normally has some of the lowest car insurance rates in Stockton at around $1,143 each year. Wawanesa, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide would also make the list of some of the more affordable Stockton, CA auto insurance companies.

In the above example, if you currently buy coverage from CSAA and switched to Wawanesa, you may see a yearly savings of approximately $42. Customers with Nationwide might save as much as $58 a year, and 21st Century policyholders might cut rates by $146 a year.

To find the cheapest coverage for you, click here to get quotes or quote prices from the following companies.

Be aware that those policy rates are averaged for all ages of drivers and types of vehicles and do not factor in an exact zip code location for high risk drivers. So the car insurance company that can offer you the lowest price may not even be in the list above. That’s why you need to compare as many prices as possible using your own individual information.

Safe drivers pay less for insurance

In a perfect world, the ideal way to find good insurance prices in Stockton for high risk drivers is to be an attentive driver and avoid accidents and keep your driving record clean. The chart below highlights how traffic violations and at-fault collisions drive up insurance costs for each age group. The price estimates are based on a married male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no additional discounts are factored in.

The chart shows that the average cost of a car insurance policy per year with no violations or accidents is $2,091. Add in two speeding tickets and the average cost hikes up to $2,876, an increase of $785 each year. Then add in one accident along with the two speeding tickets and the yearly cost of insurance for high risk drivers goes up to an average of $3,686. That’s an increase of $1,596, or $133 per month, just for not driving safely!

Ending up with the best company can be rather challenging considering how many companies sell insurance in Stockton. The rank data shown next may help you analyze which companies to look at when buying insurance for high risk drivers.

These ratings are only made up of companies that insure vehicles across America, so companies that may only write in California are not factored into the list. If you’d like to compare prices from the most competitive companies in California, click here.

Top 10 Major Car Insurance Companies in Stockton Ranked by Customer Service

1. AAA of Southern California
2. GEICO
3. State Farm
4. The Hartford
5. Mercury Insurance
6. The General
7. Progressive
8. Allstate
9. AAA Insurance
10. American Family

Top 10 Major Car Insurance Companies in Stockton Ranked by A.M. Best Rating

1. USAA – A++
2. Travelers – A++
3. State Farm – A++
4. GEICO – A++
5. Esurance – A+
6. Nationwide – A+
7. Allstate – A+
8. Mercury Insurance – A+
9. Progressive – A+
10. Titan Insurance – A+

Rate comparison of full coverage and liability-only

Buying cheaper insurance is the goal of most vehicle owners, and one of the best ways to reduce the cost of insurance for high risk drivers is to only buy liability coverage. The diagram below compares insurance costs with full physical damage coverage and with liability coverage only. The price estimates are based on no claims or violations, $100 deductibles, single status, and no other discounts are factored in.

As an average for all age groups, physical damage coverage on your policy costs an additional $2,525 per year more than just insuring for liability. Many people question if buying full coverage is a good investment. There is no definitive formula for dropping comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is about 10% or more of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then you might consider buying liability only.

For example, let’s say your vehicle’s replacement value is $9,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most your company will settle for is $8,000 after the deductible is paid. If you are currently paying more than $800 annually for full coverage, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.

Here’s why price comparisons are so important

California insurance rates are influenced by many factors that will increase or decrease the cost of your policy. Simply having another birthday, buying a different home, or getting a reckless driving citation can trigger price changes that can cause some rates to be cheaper than others. In addition, car insurance companies file new California car insurance rates every year or even multiple times each year in order to be able to pay unexpected claims. Larger than normal claims may cause high rates, while lower claims can produce cheaper Stockton car insurance rates.

The data below shows rates for the cheapest car insurance in Stockton, CA for a 45-year-old male driver with no prior claims, no tickets, and excellent credit. If we estimate rates based on his personal risk profile, USAA might offer the cheapest car insurance rates in Stockton at $1,364 annually. This is $287 less than the average premium paid by California drivers of $1,651. Century National, Wawanesa, CSAA, and Nationwide also make the list of the best Stockton, CA auto insurance companies.

Now we will give the driver from the above example a claim, a lower credit rating, and a traffic ticket or two. Due to the fact that every auto insurer has a proprietary method to determine rates, comparing insurance quotes may now show a slightly different list of affordable Stockton car insurance companies as shown below.

Grange now has the best auto insurance rate in Stockton, CA with Allstate, Mercury, Progressive, and GEICO now rounding out the top five. This example illustrates why California drivers need to perform a complete rate comparison when trying to find the most budget-friendly car insurance quotes for high risk drivers. Insurance prices consist of many risk factors and change dramatically, so the most economical option a year ago may now be an over-priced policy.