The words “economical” and “auto insurance” really should not be used together, especially when searching for the cheapest auto insurance for 17 year olds. Because it’s not cheap, let’s get started by showing you some things that have an impact on auto insurance rates, and find out if you can cut the cost of your next policy.
One of the more important components that help determine car insurance rates is where you live in San Antonio. Cities with more crime and/or more people are more likely to have higher rates, whereas areas that tend to be more rural benefit from lower rates.
The following table lists the most expensive areas in Texas for 17 year olds to purchase car insurance in. San Antonio is ranked #12 with an annual premium of $1,739 for the average insurance policy, which is around $145 per month.
| Rank | City | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McAllen | $1,956 |
| 2 | Houston | $1,909 |
| 3 | Laredo | $1,907 |
| 4 | Brownsville | $1,870 |
| 5 | Amarillo | $1,858 |
| 6 | Dallas | $1,855 |
| 7 | Garland | $1,850 |
| 8 | Mesquite | $1,825 |
| 9 | Grand Prairie | $1,793 |
| 10 | Irving | $1,772 |
| 11 | Pasadena | $1,758 |
| 12 | San Antonio | $1,739 |
| 13 | Beaumont | $1,720 |
| 14 | Lubbock | $1,716 |
| 15 | Austin | $1,659 |
| 16 | Arlington | $1,658 |
| 17 | Carrollton | $1,647 |
| 18 | El Paso | $1,632 |
| 19 | Fort Worth | $1,621 |
| 20 | Corpus Christi | $1,620 |
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Prices are comparative as the specific garaging location can revise price quotes noticeably.
Deciphering which company quotes the cheapest auto insurance rates for 17 year olds involves a bit more effort in order to find coverage that fits your budget. Every insurance company uses a little different formula to set premium rates, so let’s look at the rankings for the auto insurance companies with the overall cheapest rates in San Antonio.
It’s important to know that Texas auto insurance rates are calculated based on many things that may substantially change the price you have to pay. Improving your credit score, having a claim, or getting a DUI may cause policy rate changes that can cause some rates to be more affordable than the competition.
Best Insurance Companies for Teens
Travelers normally has some of the best car insurance rates in San Antonio at around $1,021 a year. This is $883 less than the average price paid by Texas drivers of $1,904. USAA, Texas Farm Bureau, Germania Mutual, and Esurance also rank well as some of the more affordable San Antonio, TX insurance companies.
In the above rates, if you currently have a policy with Texas Farm Bureau and switched to Travelers, you might achieve an annual premium reduction of about $190. Texas drivers with Germania Mutual could save as much as $235 a year, and Esurance insureds might lower prices by up to $344 a year.
It’s important to note that these prices are averages across all drivers and vehicles and and are not figured with a specific zip code for 17 year olds. So the auto insurance company that fits your needs best may not even be in the list above. That helps illustrate why you need to get car insurance quotes using your own driver information and specific vehicle type.
How to get discounts on San Antonio insurance rates
Insurers that provide policies for 17 year olds may have rate discounts that could lower prices by as much as 25% or more if you qualify for them. A list of companies and their offered discounts can be read below.
- State Farm offers discounts including good student, multiple autos, Steer Clear safe driver discount, passive restraint, and Drive Safe & Save.
- American Family policyholders can earn discounts including defensive driver, mySafetyValet, early bird, TimeAway discount, good student, and bundled insurance.
- AAA may include discounts for education and occupation, pay-in-full, AAA membership discount, good student, anti-theft, multi-policy, and good driver.
- GEICO includes discounts for military active duty, seat belt use, anti-lock brakes, multi-vehicle, daytime running lights, and multi-policy.
- Mercury Insurance may offer discounts for low natural disaster claims, professional/association, multi-policy, age of vehicle, anti-theft, and type of vehicle.
- Farmers Insurance discounts include homeowner, electronic funds transfer, pay in full, alternative fuel, youthful driver, multi-car, and business and professional.
- Progressive offers discounts for multi-vehicle, multi-policy, online signing, homeowner, and online quote discount.
The diagram below illustrates the comparison of insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the premium. Data assumes a female driver, no violations or claims, Texas state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows insurance cost with no discounts. The second bar shows the rates with good student, continuous coverage, vehicle safety, anti-theft, paperless filing, and passive restraint discounts applied. With discounts applied, theaverage yearly reduction on auto insurance for 17 year olds is 28% or $902.
Responsible drivers pay cheaper auto insurance rates
The best way to earn affordable auto insurance prices in Texas for teen drivers is to pay attention while driving and avoid tickets and accidents. The information below highlights how speeding tickets and at-fault fender-benders influence annual premium costs for different age groups of insureds. The rate quotes are based on a single male driver, comp and collision included, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.
The data above shows the average cost of an auto insurance policy per year with no violations or accidents is $2,671. Get written up for one speeding ticket and the average cost increases to $3,012, an increase of $340 each year. Next add two accidents along with the one speeding ticket and the 12-month cost of auto insurance for 17 year olds increases to an average of $5,965. That’s an increase of $3,294, or $274 per month, just for not keeping your driving record clean!
Auto insurance companies ranked
Picking the right auto insurance provider is difficult considering how many choices there are in San Antonio. The ranking information listed below may help you choose which insurers to look at when comparing rates.
The ratings below include companies that insure vehicles across America, so companies that may only write in Texas will not be included in this list. To check prices from the most competitive companies in Texas, click here.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travelers | 93 | 98 | 99 | 88% | A++ | 95.1 |
| USAA | 83 | 99 | 100 | 91% | A++ | 94.1 |
| Mercury Insurance | 97 | 96 | 88 | 89% | A+ | 93.4 |
| AAA Insurance | 91 | 95 | 92 | 90% | A | 93.3 |
| Nationwide | 85 | 95 | 97 | 89% | A+ | 92.4 |
| Allstate | 77 | 100 | 97 | 88% | A+ | 90.7 |
| State Farm | 80 | 94 | 96 | 88% | A++ | 90.6 |
| The Hartford | 88 | 93 | 91 | 87% | A+ | 90.4 |
| Safeco Insurance | 91 | 95 | 85 | 88% | A | 90.2 |
| Progressive | 88 | 94 | 83 | 88% | A+ | 90.1 |
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Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies