The words “cheap” and “auto insurance” really should not be used together, especially when you are trying to find the lowest insurance prices for inexperienced drivers. To help control this cost, let’s learn about some of the things that can significantly affect auto insurance prices, and find out if you can cut the cost of the next policy you buy.
One of the more important criteria that are looked at to determine the price you pay for insurance is your address. Areas with more people or more claims tend to have more expensive auto insurance rates, whereas areas with less crime or weather claims benefit from lower coverage costs.
The illustration below lists the highest-priced places in Washington for inexperienced drivers in which to buy car insurance. Seattle is ranked #5 with an annual cost of $1,391 for the average insured, which is approximately $116 per month.
| Rank | City | Average Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Federal Way | $1,435 |
| 2 | Tacoma | $1,427 |
| 3 | Auburn | $1,408 |
| 4 | Renton | $1,403 |
| 5 | Seattle | $1,391 |
| 6 | Lakewood | $1,378 |
| 7 | South Hill | $1,354 |
| 8 | Kent | $1,337 |
| 9 | Shoreline | $1,326 |
| 10 | Marysville | $1,258 |
| 11 | Everett | $1,238 |
| 12 | Kirkland | $1,231 |
| 13 | Bellevue | $1,219 |
| 14 | Redmond | $1,214 |
| 15 | Vancouver | $1,192 |
| 16 | Sammamish | $1,184 |
| 17 | Lacey | $1,122 |
| 18 | Spokane | $1,104 |
| 19 | Olympia | $1,072 |
| 20 | Spokane Valley | $1,054 |
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Rate information is comparative as specific Seattle garaging address can influence coverage prices greatly.
The vehicle you are buying coverage for is a large consideration when shopping for the most economical auto insurance for inexperienced drivers. Vehicles with high performance features, a lack of safety features, or a high likelihood of having liability claims will cost quite a bit more to insure than safer models. The table below showcases car insurance premiums for a number of the most affordable automobiles to insure in Washington.
| Vehicle Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda Accord EX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,502 |
| Honda CR-V EX 2WD | $1,510 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $1,745 |
| Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid | $1,778 |
| Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Super Cab 4WD | $1,812 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,825 |
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport 4WD 4-Dr | $1,831 |
| Ford Escape Limited 4WD | $1,834 |
| Ford Fusion Sport 4-Dr Sedan | $1,905 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LTZ AWD | $1,911 |
| Nissan Rogue S 2WD | $1,905 |
| Nissan Altima 3.5 SR 4-Dr Sedan | $1,914 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 4WD | $1,947 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $1,956 |
| Ford Explorer Limited AWD | $1,986 |
| GMC Sierra SL Extended Cab 2WD | $2,002 |
| Hyundai Elantra Blue 4-Dr Sedan | $2,016 |
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Prices based on single male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Washington minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, claim-free, multi-policy, homeowner, and safe-driver. Table data does not factor in vehicle location which can raise or lower coverage prices considerably.
By looking at the data, you can figure that cars like the Honda Accord, Honda CR-V, and Chevrolet Impala are likely to be some of the more affordable vehicles to insure for new drivers.
Deciphering which insurers offer the cheapest car insurance rates for inexperienced drivers involves a little more work than just quoting one company’s rates. Each auto insurer has a proprietary method to establish rates, so we need to take a look at the most budget-friendly car insurance companies in Washington.
It’s a good idea to be aware that Seattle, WA car insurance rates are impacted by many things that will increase or decrease the price you pay for coverage. Simply getting older, getting married, or getting a few speeding tickets can trigger price changes resulting in some companies being cheaper than competitors.
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Capital offers some of the lowest car insurance rates in Seattle at around $784 per year. This is $628 less than the average policy premium paid by Washington drivers of $1,412. Grange, Nationwide, PEMCO, and Travelers would also be considered some of the most economical Seattle, WA car insurance companies.
As the example above demonstrates, if you are currently insured with PEMCO and switched to Grange, you could earn an annual premium reduction of upwards of $166. Drivers with Travelers could save as much as $200 a year, and USAA policyholders might reduce rates by $212 a year.
Bear in mind that those prices are averaged for all types of insureds and vehicles and do not factor in a specific location for inexperienced drivers. So the insurer that fits your situation best may not even be in the top 25 companies in the list above. That affirms the importance of why you need to quote rates from many companies using your own individual information.
Careless driving habits raise Seattle car insurance rates
The obvious way to score the cheapest car insurance rates in Seattle for new drivers is to drive cautiously and avoid at-fault accidents and violations. The information below demonstrates how traffic citations and at-fault fender-benders can impact premium costs for different age groups. The information is based on a married 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 in Seattle per year with no violations or accidents is $1,776. Get written up for two speeding tickets and the average cost jumps to $2,534, an increase of $757 each year. Next add two accidents along with the two speeding tickets and the annual cost of car insurance for inexperienced drivers increases to an average of $5,202. That’s an increase of $3,426, or $286 per month, just for not driving responsibly!
Best car insurance company in Seattle
Picking the top insurance provider can be a challenge considering how many different companies sell coverage in Washington. The rank data in the lists below can help you choose which car insurance companies to look at purchasing from.
The ratings below only include the largest auto insurers in America, so companies without a large exposure are not included in these rankings. To view rates from these and other companies in Washington, simply click here.
Top 10 Large Auto Insurance Providers in Seattle Ranked by Customer Service
- GEICO
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- The General
- Progressive
- Allstate
- AAA Insurance
- American Family
- Nationwide
- Liberty Mutual
Top 10 Large Auto Insurance Providers in Seattle Ranked by A.M. Best Rating
- USAA – A++
- Travelers – A++
- GEICO – A++
- State Farm – A++
- The Hartford – A+
- Esurance – A+
- Nationwide – A+
- Allstate – A+
- Titan Insurance – A+
- Progressive – A+
The diagram below highlights how deductible choice can influence insurance costs when quoting cheap insurance for inexperienced drivers. The prices are based on a single female driver, full coverage, and no policy discounts are applied.
A 40-year-old driver could lower rates by $234 a year by changing their physical damage coverage from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $354 by using a $1,000 deductible. Young drivers, like the 20-year-old example, could roll back prices up to $592 or more by using higher deductibles when buying full coverage.
When insureds make the decision to increase the deductibles on their policy, it will be necessary to have enough in a savings account to be able to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense. That is the one disadvantage of using higher deductibles.
Why you are probably overpaying for car insurance
Seattle, WA car insurance rates are determined by lots of factors which can substantially decrease or increase the policy price. Turning one year older, moving to a new city, or getting a couple of tickets can trigger changes in premium that can make some companies cheaper in comparison to the competition.
In addition, auto insurance companies modify rates as needed in order to remain profitable. Significantly higher claims may result in rate hikes, while a lower level of claims can produce lower-cost Seattle car insurance rates.
To illustrate this point, the data below shows the company with the cheapest car insurance in Seattle, WA for a 30-year-old female driver with no prior claims, no tickets, and excellent credit. When comparing rates based on her personal risk profile, Capital has the cheapest car insurance rates in Seattle at $1,072 a year. This is $340 less than the average price paid by Washington drivers of $1,412. Grange, Nationwide, PEMCO, and Mutual Enumclaw are the remaining best Seattle, WA auto insurance companies.
Now let’s give the driver from the first example an at-fault accident, poor credit, and a traffic citation. Since each company has a unique approach for setting prices, getting updated rate quotes may result in a different list of the cheapest Seattle car insurance companies as shown below.
USAA now has the best insurance rate in Seattle, WA with The Hartford, California Casualty, Allied, and Chubb now rounding out the top five. This shows why consumers need to take the time to shop around with many companies when trying to find affordable insurance rates for inexperienced drivers.
Rates are made up of many different factors and change substantially, so the cheapest company three years ago may now be wasting a lot of money.