Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers with a Bad Driving Record in San Jose?

Finding out which insurers offer the lowest-priced auto insurance rates for drivers with a bad driving record may require more time in order to find the most economical policy. Each insurer has a different process to establish rates, so we’ll go over the auto insurance companies with the overall best prices in San Jose.

It’s important that you understand California auto insurance rates are calculated based on many things that will increase or decrease the cost of having a policy. Improving your credit rating, moving to a new city, or getting a reckless driving citation can trigger rate changes resulting in some companies being cheaper than competitors.

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California auto insurance company rankings
Rank Company Cost Per Year
1 USAA $1,121
2 Wawanesa $1,181
3 Nationwide $1,213
4 Century National $1,214
5 CSAA $1,234
6 21st Century $1,379
7 Grange $1,491
8 Allstate $1,497
9 Mercury $1,533
10 Allied $1,556
11 Progressive $1,558
12 GEICO $1,575
13 MetLife $1,590
14 The Hartford $1,623
15 Unitrin $1,682
16 Esurance $1,705
17 State Farm $1,733
18 Travelers $1,806
19 Bristol West $1,831
20 Farmers $1,966
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USAA normally has some of the most affordable car insurance rates in San Jose at around $1,121 each year. Wawanesa, Nationwide, Century National, and CSAA also rank well as some of the more affordable San Jose, CA car insurance companies.

As the example above demonstrates, if you are currently insured with Century National and switched to USAA, you may realize savings of about $93. Customers with CSAA could save as much as $113 a year, and 21st Century insureds might cut rates by $258 a year.

If you would like to find cheaper car insurance rates, click here to start a quote or visit any of the companies below.

Remember that these premiums are averaged across all drivers and vehicles in California and and are not calculated with an exact vehicle garaging location for drivers with a bad driving record. So the auto insurance company that can offer the best rates for your situation may not even be in the top 24 companies in the list above. That emphasizes why you need to get rate quotes from many companies using your own individual information.

The type of vehicle requiring coverage is a large factor that determines if you can find cheaper car insurance for drivers with a bad driving record. Vehicles with lower acceleration and performance, a great safety record, or a low likelihood of having liability claims will cost significantly less to insure than adrenaline junky models.

The data below showcases coverage costs for some of the most budget-friendly vehicles to buy coverage for.

Cheapest Vehicles to Insure in San Jose, CA
Vehicle Make and Model Estimated Cost for Full Coverage
Honda Accord EX 4-Dr Sedan $3,309
Honda CR-V EX 4WD $3,316
Toyota Prius $3,417
Ford Escape Limited 4WD $3,490
Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon $3,495
Ford F-150 XL Regular Cab 2WD $3,530
Jeep Wrangler Sport Islander Package 4WD 2-Dr $3,554
Ford Explorer XLT 4WD $3,694
Volkswagen Jetta SE 2.5 Station Wagon $3,707
Toyota Tacoma 4WD $3,743
Chevrolet Equinox LT AWD $3,760
Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid $3,765
Toyota Camry LE $3,760
GMC Sierra SLE Crew Cab 2WD $3,875
Chevrolet Impala LT $3,881
Toyota RAV4 Limited 2WD $3,875
Ford Edge Sport AWD $3,932
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Premium data assumes single male driver age 50, two speeding tickets, two at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle. Rates do not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can lower or raise rates significantly.

Based on these rates, you can presume that vehicles like the Honda Accord, Honda CR-V, and Toyota Prius should be a few of the more affordable vehicles to insure for bad drivers. Prices will tend to be more expensive anyway because of the fact that there is more exposure for drivers with a bad driving record, but overall those specific models will probably have the lowest insurance rates available.

For bad drivers, one of the largest criteria that determine insurance cost is where your residence is in San Jose. Cities with larger populations or higher claim trends tend to have more expensive auto insurance rates, whereas less populated areas benefit from lower coverage costs.

The illustration below ranks the highest-priced places in California for drivers with a bad driving record in which to buy car insurance. San Jose makes the list at #18 with an annual cost of $1,395 for the average insured, which is about $116 each month.

How much does car insurance cost in San Jose, CA?
Rank City Annual Rate
1 Los Angeles $2,168
2 Glendale $2,142
3 Sacramento $1,720
4 San Francisco $1,711
5 Oakland $1,704
6 Long Beach $1,626
7 San Bernardino $1,596
8 Garden Grove $1,554
9 Santa Clarita $1,548
10 Modesto $1,547
11 Stockton $1,541
12 Fontana $1,519
13 Moreno Valley $1,506
14 Anaheim $1,488
15 Riverside $1,482
16 Fresno $1,457
17 Santa Ana $1,439
18 San Jose $1,395
19 Irvine $1,384
20 Bakersfield $1,381
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Annual rates are estimated as the specific garaging location can impact insurance rates substantially.

Impact of violations and accidents on rates in San Jose

A great way to find affordable auto insurance premiums for bad drivers is to be a cautious driver and not receive tickets or have accidents. The diagram below shows how traffic citations and fender-benders increase car insurance costs for different age groups. The data is based on a single female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $100 deductibles, and no other discounts are factored in.

The data in the chart shows the average cost of car insurance per year with no violations or accidents is $3,204. Receive two speeding tickets and the average cost rises to $4,318, an increase of $1,114 each year. Now include two accidents along with the two speeding tickets and the yearly cost of auto insurance for drivers with a bad driving record goes up to an average of $8,307. That’s an increase of $5,103, or $425 per month, just for not driving carefully!

San Jose auto insurance companies ranked

Selecting the right car insurance company is hard considering how many choices there are in San Jose. The company rank data shown next could help you decide which auto insurance companies to look at to insure your vehicles. These rankings are only made up of large insurance companies, so companies with more of a regional focus are not factored into this list.

Top 10 Large Auto Insurers in San Jose 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 Large Auto Insurers in San Jose Ranked by Value

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

The illustration below shows how different deductible levels can influence insurance premiums when researching cheap insurance for drivers with a bad driving record. The premiums are based on a single male driver, full coverage, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

In the chart above, a 50-year-old driver could reduce rates by $362 a year by changing their physical damage coverage from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $546 by using a $1,000 deductible. Younger drivers, such as the 20-year-old chart data, could roll back prices up to $1,190 every year just by choosing larger deductibles. When increasing deductibles, it is necessary to have additional funds in a savings account to enable you to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the main disadvantage of using high deductibles.

How to find economical insurance for drivers with a bad driving record

The list below details some of the recommended money-saving ideas that can help drivers buy more affordable auto insurance.

That last tip is remarkably critical, as was pointed out in this write-up. Coverage prices go up and down frequently, so drivers shouldn’t hesitate to buy a different policy if a better rate can be found. Many drivers have brand loyalty and that’s fine, but it isn’t a good idea if that dedication is costing a wad of cash every year. In just a couple of minutes you could compare prices to find cheaper insurance for drivers with a bad driving record in San Jose.

The insurance agencies below can probably help you make a decision which insurance coverage will be best for you, as some people have coverage questions and would like to have some advice when shopping around for cheaper insurance for drivers with a bad driving record. It can be complicated to find the best policy yourself, so a professional agent can provide satisfaction knowing your coverage gives you sufficient coverage for your assets.

To locate a San Jose auto insurance agent nearest to you, click the button link following the list or click here to compare prices now.

Dick Alesch – State Farm Insurance Agent
164 N Bascom Ave aSan Jose, CA 95128(408) 918-0877

Kathy Barber – State Farm Insurance Agent
5615 Cottle RdSan Jose, CA 95123(408) 365-7268

Mike Murillo – State Farm Insurance Agent
1449 Park Ave #3San Jose, CA 95126(408) 295-0554

View map of San Jose, CA insurance agents