One of the more important criteria that help determine insurance cost is where you choose to live. Cities with more crime and/or more people tend to have more expensive auto insurance rates, whereas areas with lower crime rates and fewer weather claims have the enjoyment of a little cheaper coverage.
The illustration below ranks the most costly cities in Texas for 18 year olds to buy an auto insurance policy in. San Antonio comes in at #13 with a yearly cost of $1,722 for the average policy, which is approximately $144 per month.
| Rank | City | Premium Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McAllen | $1,956 |
| 2 | Brownsville | $1,927 |
| 3 | Dallas | $1,911 |
| 4 | Houston | $1,909 |
| 5 | Laredo | $1,851 |
| 6 | Garland | $1,832 |
| 7 | Pasadena | $1,794 |
| 8 | Grand Prairie | $1,793 |
| 9 | Amarillo | $1,786 |
| 10 | Irving | $1,772 |
| 11 | Mesquite | $1,771 |
| 12 | Lubbock | $1,733 |
| 13 | San Antonio | $1,722 |
| 14 | Beaumont | $1,702 |
| 15 | Arlington | $1,692 |
| 16 | Austin | $1,676 |
| 17 | Fort Worth | $1,670 |
| 18 | Corpus Christi | $1,636 |
| 19 | McKinney | $1,609 |
| 20 | Plano | $1,608 |
| 21 | Carrollton | $1,598 |
| 22 | Waco | $1,584 |
| 23 | El Paso | $1,568 |
| 24 | Abilene | $1,515 |
| 25 | Killeen | $1,473 |
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Rates are approximated as the specific area where the vehicle is garaged can revise premium rates noticeably.
Finding dependable, budget insurance is hard enough, and deciding which companies offer the cheapest insurance rates for 18 year olds takes even more shopping around.
Each auto insurance company has a unique formula to establish rates, so we’ll go over the insurance companies with the overall cheapest rates in San Antonio, TX.
Find the Cheapest Car Insurance for Teens
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Travelers | $1,052 |
| 2 | USAA | $1,128 |
| 3 | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,235 |
| 4 | Germania Mutual | $1,256 |
| 5 | Esurance | $1,365 |
| 6 | California Casualty | $1,424 |
| 7 | Mercury | $1,506 |
| 8 | State Farm | $1,510 |
| 9 | Nationwide | $1,553 |
| 10 | Safe Auto | $1,613 |
| 11 | Allstate | $1,701 |
| 12 | Amica | $1,705 |
| 13 | Progressive | $1,715 |
| 14 | GEICO | $2,072 |
| 15 | Home State | $2,155 |
| 16 | MetLife | $2,183 |
| 17 | Unitrin | $2,241 |
| 18 | Encompass | $2,324 |
| 19 | 21st Century | $2,469 |
| 20 | Titan | $2,568 |
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Travelers generally has some of the lowest car insurance rates in San Antonio at around $1,052 per year. This is $852 less than the average rate paid by Texas drivers of $1,904. USAA, Texas Farm Bureau, Germania Mutual, and Esurance also make the cut as some of the more affordable San Antonio, TX insurance companies.
In the above rates, if you currently have a policy with USAA and switched to Travelers, you might realize an annual savings of upwards of $76. Texas drivers with Texas Farm Bureau might save as much as $183 a year, and Germania Mutual customers might lower prices by $204 a year.
To find the cheapest rates for your vehicle, click here to get a free quote or visit any of the companies below.
Be aware that those rates are averaged for all insureds and vehicles and and are not calculated with a specific location for 18 year olds. So the company that has the lowest price for you may not even be in the list above. That emphasizes why you need to compare as many prices as possible using your own personal information and vehicle type.
The make and model of vehicle driven is probably the biggest factor that determines if you can find cheaper insurance for 18 year olds. Vehicles with limited speed and performance, good safety features, or a low likelihood of having liability claims will cost quite a bit less to insure than high performance models.
The next table shows insurance prices for a handful of the more affordable automobiles to buy coverage for.
| Vehicle Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLT 4WD | $3,187 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 2WD | $3,197 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $3,398 |
| Toyota Prius | $3,434 |
| Honda Odyssey LX | $3,494 |
| Ford Focus S 4-Dr Sedan | $3,706 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 4WD | $3,741 |
| Chevrolet Impala LT | $3,751 |
| GMC Sierra SLE Crew Cab 2WD | $3,741 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LT Extended Cab 4WD | $3,750 |
| Volkswagen Jetta LE 4-Dr Sedan | $3,741 |
| Ford Fusion S 4-Dr Sedan | $3,750 |
| Toyota Camry LE | $3,741 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Crew | $3,777 |
| Ford F-150 FX2 2WD | $3,787 |
| Ford Explorer Limited 2WD | $3,777 |
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara 2WD 4-Dr | $3,884 |
| Honda Civic VP 4-Dr Sedan | $3,920 |
| Toyota Corolla XLE | $3,955 |
| Toyota Tacoma X-Runner 2WD | $3,963 |
| Ford Edge Sport AWD | $3,955 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LTZ | $3,991 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LTZ AWD | $3,999 |
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Cost estimates assume single female driver age 18, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Price estimates do not factor in specific location which can raise or lower price quotes greatly.
Based on these rates, we can presume that vehicles like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Prius, and Honda Odyssey will be the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure for teen drivers. Auto insurance rates will tend to be higher because of the fact that there is more exposure for 18 year olds, but in general those particular vehicles will probably have the lowest insurance rates that you’ll find.
Does full coverage make sense?
Finding cheaper insurance is important to most vehicle owners, and an easy way to buy cheaper insurance for 18 year olds is to only pay for liability coverage. The information below visualizes the comparison of car insurance costs when comparing full coverage to liability only. The prices are based on no accidents or driving violations, $500 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are applied.
If averaged for all ages, comp and collision coverage costs $1,963 per year more than insuring for liability only. Many drivers will wonder if paying for full coverage is a waste of money. There is no written rule to stop paying for physical damage coverage, but there is a broad guideline. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than around 10% of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
For example, let’s assume your vehicle’s book value is $10,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most you would get paid by your company is $9,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If premiums are more than $900 a year for comprehensive and collision coverage, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
There are some cases where dropping physical damage coverage is not advised. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you have to maintain full coverage in order to prevent the bank from purchasing higher-priced coverage. Also, if your savings is not enough to buy a different vehicle in case of an accident, you should not opt for liability only.
How accidents and violations affect rates
One of the best ways to earn good insurance rates in San Antonio for teen drivers is to be a safe driver and not have accidents or get tickets. The chart below demonstrates how citations and at-fault accidents can increase car insurance costs for different ages of insureds. The data is based on a married male driver, full physical damage coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.
The data above shows the average cost of car insurance in Texas per year with a clean driving record and no accidents is $1,358. Get written up for two speeding tickets and the average cost rises to $1,864, an increase of $506 each year. Then include one accident along with the two speeding tickets and the 12-month cost of insurance for 18 year olds goes up to an average of $2,377. That’s an increase of $1,019, or $85 per month, just for not driving safely!
If you wish to have professional advice when comparing insurance rates for 18 year olds, the professional agents shown below are willing to help you decide which coverage meets your needs best. To locate an agency using an interactive map, click the button following the list or click here to compare price quotes now.
Joe Trevino – State Farm Insurance Agent
4951 De Zavala Rd – San Antonio, TX 78249 – (210) 694-0866
IBC Insurance Agency Ltd
5300 Walzem Rd – San Antonio, TX 78218 – (210) 646-9870
Donna Vaughn – State Farm Insurance Agent
6722 S Flores St – San Antonio, TX 78221 – (210) 922-8787
Bapodra Insurance Agency, Inc
8607 Wurzbach Rd #101 – San Antonio, TX 78240 – (210) 696-1133
More insurance agents in San Antonio, TX
How to find economical auto insurance for 18 year olds
Lowering your rates is not difficult, and here are many penny-pinching solutions that can help San Antonio drivers quote more affordable car insurance.
- Buy safe vehicles
- Pay lower rates with good credit
- Avoid accidents
- Save money by insuring older vehicles for liability only
- Raise comprehensive and collision coverage deductibles
- Keep your driving record clean
- Shop around for lower rates once a year
The last item on the list is very crucial, as was affirmed in the prior information. Rates in San Antonio vary greatly, so don’t be afraid to switch companies if you find a cheaper price.
Brand loyalty is not necessarily bad, but it’s not a good idea if that devotion results in you overpaying thousands of dollars over the life of your policy. Spend a few minutes and compare rates to find cheaper auto insurance for 18 year olds.