The words “low-priced” and “auto insurance” probably shouldn’t be used in the same sentence, especially when you are trying to find the cheapest car insurance for first-time drivers. Because it’s not cheap, let’s start off by going over a few of the things that have an impact on auto insurance prices, and find out if you can take the sting out of the next policy you buy.
The make and model of vehicle that is being insured is one of the largest considerations when consumers are trying to find the cheapest coverage for first-time drivers. Vehicles with more horsepower, poor safety features, or an increased likelihood of liability claims will cost more to insure than safer, lower-performance models.
The information below ranks auto insurance premiums for some of the cheapest vehicles to insure.
| Insured Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda Accord LX-P 4-Dr Sedan | $4,913 |
| Honda CR-V EX 2WD | $4,919 |
| Ford Escape XLS 2WD | $4,913 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $5,269 |
| Toyota Prius | $5,316 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SE | $5,515 |
| Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T Station Wagon | $5,627 |
| Ford Edge Limited 2WD | $5,777 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $5,784 |
| Ford Focus S 4-Dr Sedan | $5,777 |
| Toyota Tacoma 2WD | $5,784 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LS AWD | $5,824 |
| Toyota RAV4 4WD | $5,830 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LT | $5,871 |
| Ford F-150 FX4 4WD | $5,877 |
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Data rating is based on single female driver age 17, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Arizona minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Prices do not factor in vehicle location which can change price quotes considerably.
Looking at the rates, we can tell that makes and models like the Honda Accord, Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Hyundai Elantra, and Toyota Prius are most likely going to be the more affordable vehicles to insure for new drivers. The price for car insurance will tend to be higher because of the fact that there is more liability exposure for first-time drivers, but overall those vehicles will most likely have the cheapest auto insurance rates that you’ll find.
Buying cheap car insurance is not most people’s favorite thing to do, and finding out which companies have the most affordable auto insurance rates for first-time drivers may require even more work.
Each auto insurer has a proprietary formula to determine rates, so we need to take a look at the auto insurance companies with the most affordable rates in Chandler, AZ.
Best Insurance Companies for Inexperienced Drivers
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Hartford | $820 |
| 2 | Safeco | $896 |
| 3 | Auto-Owners | $897 |
| 4 | USAA | $1,080 |
| 5 | Travelers | $1,119 |
| 6 | Progressive | $1,130 |
| 7 | GEICO | $1,131 |
| 8 | Ameriprise Group | $1,172 |
| 9 | CSAA | $1,189 |
| 10 | Allied | $1,245 |
| 11 | Farm Bureau Mutual | $1,297 |
| 12 | Safe Auto | $1,297 |
| 13 | Unitrin | $1,303 |
| 14 | Farmers | $1,350 |
| 15 | State Farm | $1,364 |
| 16 | Titan | $1,433 |
| 17 | American Family | $1,463 |
| 18 | Amica | $1,473 |
| 19 | MetLife | $1,505 |
| 20 | California Casualty | $1,506 |
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The Hartford normally has some of the cheapest car insurance rates in Chandler at around $820 per year. Safeco, Auto-Owners, USAA, and Travelers also make the cut as some of the best Chandler, AZ auto insurance companies.
In the above rates, if you are a customer of Auto-Owners and switched to The Hartford, you may see savings of approximately $77. Policyholders with USAA might save as much as $260 a year, and Travelers policyholders might lower prices by $299 a year.
Be aware that those premiums are averages for all drivers and vehicles in Arizona and are not factoring in an exact vehicle garaging location for first-time drivers. So the company that fits your needs best may not even be in the top 28 companies in the list above. That points out the importance of why you need to compare as many prices as possible using your own personal information and vehicle type.
One of the many components that aid in calculating insurance cost is where your residence is. Areas with increased crime or more people tend to have higher rates, whereas more rural areas profit from lower rates.
The illustration below shows the most expensive areas in Arizona for first-time drivers to buy an auto insurance policy in. Chandler comes in at #13 costing $1,093 for the average policy, which is about $91 per month.
| Rank | City | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Avondale | $1,222 |
| 2 | Phoenix | $1,218 |
| 3 | Glendale | $1,190 |
| 4 | San Tan Valley | $1,161 |
| 5 | Buckeye | $1,156 |
| 6 | Mesa | $1,147 |
| 7 | Goodyear | $1,120 |
| 8 | Scottsdale | $1,117 |
| 9 | Gilbert | $1,108 |
| 10 | Maricopa | $1,107 |
| 11 | Tempe | $1,106 |
| 12 | Peoria | $1,104 |
| 13 | Chandler | $1,093 |
| 14 | Catalina Foothills | $1,082 |
| 15 | Casas Adobes | $1,072 |
| 16 | Tucson | $1,072 |
| 17 | Surprise | $1,048 |
| 18 | Casa Grande | $1,047 |
| 19 | Oro Valley | $1,031 |
| 20 | Yuma | $983 |
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Prices are estimated as the specific garaging location can impact coverage prices considerably.
Selecting the top auto insurance provider can be a challenge considering how many different companies insure vehicles in Arizona. The rank data in the lists below may help you decide which auto insurers you want to consider when comparing insurance rates for first-time drivers. These rankings are only made up of companies with a nationwide focus, so smaller companies will not be included in this list.
Top 10 Large Auto Insurers in Chandler Ranked by A.M. Best Rating
- USAA – A++
- Travelers – A++
- State Farm – A++
- GEICO – A++
- Esurance – A+
- Nationwide – A+
- Allstate – A+
- Mercury Insurance – A+
- Progressive – A+
- Titan Insurance – A+
Top 10 Large Auto Insurers Overall in Chandler
- USAA
- American Family
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- AAA Insurance
- GEICO
- The General
- Titan Insurance
- Progressive
- Mercury Insurance
Full coverage versus liability only rates
Finding the cheapest auto insurance is the goal of most drivers, and one common way to find cheaper insurance for first-time drivers is to only pay for liability coverage. The information below visualizes the comparison of yearly insurance costs with full coverage compared to only the Arizona minimum liability coverage. The premiums are based on no claims or driving violations, $1,000 deductibles, marital status is single, and no other discounts are factored in.
Averaged for all age groups, physical damage coverage costs $1,366 per year over having just liability coverage. Lot’s of drivers question when is the right time to remove full coverage. There is no clear-cut rule to eliminate full coverage, but there is a guideline you can use. If the annual cost of coverage is more than around 10% of the settlement you would receive from your company, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your vehicle’s claim settlement value is $5,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, you would only receive $4,000 after paying your policy deductible. If it’s costing in excess of $400 a year for your policy with full coverage, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
Types of discounts on Chandler insurance
Insurers that provide coverage for first-time drivers may also offer rate discounts that could reduce prices by 35% or more if you meet specific eligibility requirements. A few popular companies and their possible discounts are detailed below.
- GEICO policyholders can earn discounts including air bags, driver training, emergency military deployment, military active duty, federal employee, and anti-theft.
- Travelers offers premium reductions for driver training, multi-car, student away at school, good student, continuous insurance, home ownership, and hybrid/electric vehicle.
- Farm Bureau may include discounts for 55 and retired, renewal discount, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and good student.
- Liberty Mutual offers discounts for good student, newly retired, safety features, teen driver discount, and preferred payment discount.
- American Family has discounts for TimeAway discount, air bags, good driver, early bird, multi-vehicle, accident-free, and good student.
- Progressive has savings for online signing, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, continuous coverage, homeowner, good student, and online quote discount.
The example below illustrates the comparison of annual premium costs with and without discounts applied to the policy rates. The rate quotes are based on a male driver, no violations or claims, Arizona state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $500 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second bar shows the rates with passive restraint, anti-theft, paperless filing, good student, paid-in-full, and vehicle safety discounts applied. When these discounts are applied, the average savings per year on auto insurance for first-time drivers is 28% or $503.
The Chandler, AZ, insurance agents below are a good start to answer your questions and help you decide which car insurance company is the best fit, since some drivers have questions and prefer to get some professional advice when comparing insurance rates for first-time drivers. It can be difficult to find the best policy on your own, and agents can provide you peace of mind knowing your coverage gives you adequate coverage if you have an accident or claim.
To find an agent by location nearest to you, click the button at the bottom of the list or click here to compare rates now.
- American Family Insurance – Craig Lloyd
1801 W Queen Creek Rd #1 – Chandler, AZ 85248 – (480) 899-8549 - Allstate Insurance: Thomas Lane
1835 W Chandler Blvd Ste 201 – Chandler, AZ 85224 – (480) 857-1384 - American Family Insurance – Michael Pinta Agency Inc.
5505 W Chandler Blvd Ste 19 – Chandler, AZ 85226 – (480) 785-1500 - State Farm: Debbie Wiltse
4980 S Alma School Rd #A6 – Chandler, AZ 85248 – (480) 792-9468