The words “low-cost” and “insurance” really shouldn’t be used in the same sentence, in particular when looking for the best car insurance rates for drivers with a bad driving record. Because it’s not cheap, let’s lead off by showing you some things that have an effect on auto insurance prices, and find a way to take a little off the next policy you buy.
One of the many components that aid in calculating car insurance rates is where you live. Areas with more people or higher crime rates tend to have higher auto insurance costs, whereas areas with lower vehicle theft rates and fewer weather claims receive better rates.
The table below shows the highest-priced places in Texas for drivers with a bad driving record to purchase a policy in. San Antonio ranks #14 with an annual rate of $1,671 for car insurance, which is approximately $139 each month.
| Rank | City | Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McAllen | $1,936 |
| 2 | Laredo | $1,889 |
| 3 | Amarillo | $1,858 |
| 4 | Brownsville | $1,851 |
| 5 | Dallas | $1,837 |
| 6 | Houston | $1,835 |
| 7 | Garland | $1,832 |
| 8 | Grand Prairie | $1,811 |
| 9 | Mesquite | $1,771 |
| 10 | Pasadena | $1,740 |
| 11 | Irving | $1,719 |
| 12 | Beaumont | $1,702 |
| 13 | Austin | $1,676 |
| 14 | San Antonio | $1,671 |
| 15 | Fort Worth | $1,670 |
| 16 | Lubbock | $1,665 |
| 17 | Carrollton | $1,664 |
| 18 | Arlington | $1,642 |
| 19 | McKinney | $1,625 |
| 20 | Plano | $1,576 |
| 21 | Corpus Christi | $1,572 |
| 22 | El Paso | $1,568 |
| 23 | Abilene | $1,561 |
| 24 | Waco | $1,537 |
| 25 | Killeen | $1,518 |
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Prices are comparative as vehicle location can affect prices noticeably.
The vehicle needing coverage is one of the main factors when shopping around for the most economical coverage for drivers with a bad driving record. Vehicles with economical engines, excellent safety ratings, or a positive history of liability claims will cost substantially less to insure than high performance models.
The next table outlines car insurance prices for the most cost-effective vehicles to buy coverage for.
| Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLT 2WD | $3,519 |
| Honda CR-V LX 2WD | $3,686 |
| Toyota Prius | $3,789 |
| Honda Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $4,027 |
| Ford Edge SE AWD | $4,128 |
| Honda Odyssey EX W/Rear Entertainment | $4,133 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SXT | $4,209 |
| Toyota Corolla XLE | $4,355 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 2WD | $4,364 |
| Volkswagen Jetta S 4-Dr Sedan | $4,371 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 4WD | $4,364 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LTZ 2WD | $4,395 |
| Ford Explorer Limited 4WD | $4,407 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LT | $4,413 |
| Ford F-150 XLT Crew Cab 4WD | $4,407 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $4,469 |
| Chevrolet Impala LT | $4,475 |
| Ford Focus SEL 4-Dr Sedan | $4,519 |
| Nissan Rogue S AWD | $4,535 |
| Toyota Camry SE | $4,562 |
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Prices above based on single female driver age 50, two speeding tickets, two at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, and multi-policy. Estimates do not factor in specific garaging location which can revise coverage prices substantially.
Based on these rates, we can presume that vehicles like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Toyota Prius are going to be the less-costly vehicles to insure for bad drivers. Auto insurance rates will tend to be more expensive because of the fact that there is more liability exposure for drivers with a bad driving record, but overall those particular vehicles will tend to have the cheapest car insurance rates compared to other vehicles.
Discounts on San Antonio insurance rates
Car insurance companies that offer coverage for drivers with a bad driving record may also offer rate discounts that could potentially reduce rates by as much as 40% or more if you meet the requirements. Companies and a partial list of their discounts include:
- State Farm has savings for student away at school, good student, accident-free, Drive Safe & Save, multiple policy, defensive driving training, and good driver.
- American Family offers discounts including bundled insurance, Steer into Savings, air bags, defensive driver, and early bird.
- AAA discounts include pay-in-full, anti-theft, education and occupation, good driver, multi-policy, multi-car, and good student.
- GEICO policyholders can earn discounts including multi-vehicle, military active duty, air bags, defensive driver, driver training, membership and employees, and emergency military deployment.
- Mercury Insurance has discounts for good student, low natural disaster claims, good driver, location of vehicle, age of vehicle, accident-free, and anti-theft.
- Farmers Insurance offers premium reductions for pay in full, electronic funds transfer, homeowner, early shopping, and good student.
- Progressive may have discounts that include online quote discount, continuous coverage, multi-policy, homeowner, and online signing.
The chart below visualizes the comparison of auto insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the premium. The price estimates are based on a male driver, one at-fault accident and two violations, Texas state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $1,000 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows insurance cost with no discounts. The second shows the rates with marriage, vehicle safety, multiple vehicle, passive restraint, anti-theft, and paperless filing discounts applied. When drivers qualify for the discounts, theamount saved on car insurance for drivers with a bad driving record is 28% or $993.
Ending up with the top company can be rather challenging considering how many choices there are in Texas. The rank data in the lists below may help you decide which auto insurers to look at when shopping insurance around for drivers with a bad driving record.
The ratings below are only made up of large, nationwide insurance companies, so companies that only write business in Texas or surrounding areas will not be included in this list. To get price quotes from these top insurers and more, just click here.
Top 10 Major Auto Insurance Providers in San Antonio Ranked by Customer Satisfaction
- USAA – 91%
- AAA Insurance – 90%
- Esurance – 90%
- Mercury Insurance – 89%
- Nationwide – 89%
- Travelers – 88%
- Progressive – 88%
- Safeco Insurance – 88%
- State Farm – 88%
- Allstate – 88%
Top 10 Major Auto Insurance Providers Overall in San Antonio
- Travelers
- USAA
- Mercury Insurance
- AAA Insurance
- Nationwide
- Allstate
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- Safeco Insurance
- Progressive
How to find the cheapest insurance for drivers with a bad driving record
It’s not impossible to find cheaper rates, and here are a few penny-pinching ideas that can help you quote lower-cost car insurance.
- Increase your physical damage deductibles
- Increase your credit score
- Having at-fault accidents will increase rates
- Safe vehicles cost less to insure
- Do not get tickets
- Compare price quotes at least once a year
The last tip in the list is especially crucial, as was stressed in this piece. Insurance rates can change significantly in a year, so don’t be tentative to buy a policy from a new company if a lower-cost policy is available.
Brand loyalty is great, but is isn’t recommended if that dedication is costing a considerable chunk of change every month. It takes less than five minutes to shop around and find cheaper auto insurance for drivers with a bad driving record in San Antonio.
If you would rather get some guidance when shopping for cheaper insurance for bad drivers, the agents shown below can answer your questions and help you decide which is the best policy.
To locate a San Antonio insurance agent using an interactive map, click the link at the bottom or click here to compare price quotes now.
- Rivers Schara – State Farm Insurance Agent
1775 Encino Rio Boulevard – San Antonio, TX 78259 – (210) 496-9533 - Chuck Laubach – State Farm Insurance Agent
14425 Brook Hollow Blvd Suite 101 – San Antonio, TX 78232 – (210) 494-7695 - Affordable Health Insurance Agency, LLC
7330 San Pedro Ave #150 – San Antonio, TX 78216 – (210) 738-3537 - State Farm: Allen Kaufmann
1583 Thousand Oaks – San Antonio, TX 78232 – (210) 496-5616 - Toubin Insurance Agency
7410 Blanco Rd #385 – San Antonio, TX 78216 – (210) 446-0109