Wouldn’t life be great if you could just magically know one specific company that has the cheapest policy rates for a learners permit? Unfortunately, it’s just not that easy, as there are a whole slew of unknown factors such as where you live in San Antonio, how far you drive each year, if you have ever let your coverage lapse, and whether you just need liability insurance, that all impact the price you pay. This article will cover some of these things and will hopefully give you some help in finding cheaper rates.
Finding reliable, cheap auto insurance is not most people’s favorite thing to do, and determining which company has the cheapest auto insurance rates for a learners permit requires more quotes for comparison. Every insurance provider uses their own calculation for determining prices, so first we will examine the overall cheapest auto insurance companies in Texas.
It’s important to know that San Antonio, TX auto insurance rates are determined by lots of factors that can increase the policy price. This price variation is why it is critical to perform an extensive rate comparison when trying to find the best car insurance quotes for a learners permit. Insurance rates can be altered by many factors and change dramatically, so the lowest-price company six months ago may now be priced much higher than other options.
Cheapest Insurance Rates in Texas
Travelers normally has some of the best car insurance rates in San Antonio at around $1,052 per year. USAA, Texas Farm Bureau, Germania Mutual, and Esurance are also some of the lowest-priced San Antonio, TX auto insurance companies.
In the above rates, if you currently buy coverage from Texas Farm Bureau and switched to Travelers, you might achieve a yearly price reduction of around $159. Texas drivers with Germania Mutual may save as much as $192 a year, and Esurance policyholders might reduce prices by as much as $313 a year.
These premium estimates are averaged across all drivers and vehicles and and are not figured with a specific vehicle garaging location for a learners permit. So the car insurance company that fits you best may not even be in the top 23 companies shown above. That emphasizes why you need to quote rates from as many companies as possible using your own driver information and specific vehicle type.
The vehicle model that is being insured is one of the main factors when looking for the most economical auto insurance for a learners permit. Vehicles with reasonable performance levels, an excellent safety record, or low incidents of liability claims will cost quite a bit less to insure than adrenaline junky models.
The data below outlines car insurance costs for a selection of the cheaper automobiles to buy coverage for.
| Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V LX 2WD | $3,919 |
| Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $3,927 |
| Ford Escape XLT 4WD | $3,956 |
| Honda Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $4,204 |
| Toyota Prius | $4,241 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sahara 4WD 2-Dr | $4,400 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $4,611 |
| Ford Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan | $4,621 |
| Ford Edge SEL AWD | $4,611 |
| Honda Odyssey EX | $4,616 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 4WD | $4,648 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $4,657 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 2WD | $4,648 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SXT | $4,686 |
| Ford Explorer Limited 4WD | $4,692 |
| Toyota Corolla S | $4,896 |
| GMC Sierra SLT Extended Cab 4WD | $4,933 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LTZ AWD | $4,938 |
| Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T 4-Dr Sedan | $4,933 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LTZ | $4,941 |
| Ford F-150 Lariat Crew Cab Harley 2WD | $4,933 |
| Ford Fusion Sport 4-Dr Sedan | $4,942 |
| Nissan Rogue S AWD | $5,034 |
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Prices based on single female driver age 17, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, and safe-driver. Information does not factor in your specific San Antonio, TX location which can increase or decrease coverage rates noticeably.
Looking at the data, we can assume that vehicles like the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Elantra, Ford Escape, Honda Accord, and Toyota Prius are some of the cheapest vehicles to insure for new drivers. The cost of a car insurance policy will be higher anyway because of the fact that there is more exposure for a learners permit, but overall those particular models will most likely have the least expensive rates compared to other types of vehicles.
For new drivers, one of the largest things that are used to help calculate the annual cost of car insurance is where you normally keep your vehicle in San Antonio. Areas with increased crime or more people tend to pay slightly more, whereas areas with less people or fewer weather incidents tend to receive cheaper rates.
The next table shows the priciest cities in Texas for a learners permit to buy auto insurance in. San Antonio ranks #13 with an annual cost of $1,739 for car insurance, which is about $145 monthly.
| Rank | City | Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McAllen | $1,936 |
| 2 | Houston | $1,909 |
| 3 | Brownsville | $1,908 |
| 4 | Laredo | $1,907 |
| 5 | Dallas | $1,837 |
| 6 | Garland | $1,832 |
| 7 | Mesquite | $1,825 |
| 8 | Amarillo | $1,804 |
| 9 | Irving | $1,789 |
| 10 | Grand Prairie | $1,757 |
| 11 | Beaumont | $1,754 |
| 12 | Pasadena | $1,740 |
| 13 | San Antonio | $1,739 |
| 14 | Lubbock | $1,682 |
| 15 | Austin | $1,676 |
| 16 | Fort Worth | $1,670 |
| 17 | Carrollton | $1,664 |
| 18 | Arlington | $1,658 |
| 19 | Corpus Christi | $1,636 |
| 20 | El Paso | $1,584 |
| 21 | McKinney | $1,561 |
| 22 | Plano | $1,560 |
| 23 | Abilene | $1,545 |
| 24 | Waco | $1,522 |
| 25 | Killeen | $1,473 |
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Annual rates are approximated as the specific San Antonio residence address can change coverage prices considerably.
Rate comparison of full coverage and liability-only
Saving money on auto insurance is important to most drivers, and an effective way to lower the cost of insurance for a learners permit is to only pay for liability coverage. The chart below compares car insurance rates when comparing full coverage to liability only. The data assumes no claims or driving citations, $500 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
As an average for all age groups, comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy costs an extra $1,793 per year over and above liability only. At some point, about every driver wonders if paying for full coverage is worth it. There is no set rule for phasing out full coverage, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the annual cost of having full coverage is about 10% or more of the settlement you would receive from your company, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
Accidents and violations increase rates
The common sense way to find affordable auto insurance premiums in Texas for new drivers is to be a good driver and not receive tickets or have accidents. The diagram below highlights how traffic violations and fender-benders can impact premium costs for each age group. The rates are based on a married male driver, full coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
In the example above, the average cost of a car insurance policy per year with no accidents or violations is $2,490. Get written up for two speeding tickets and the average cost increases to $3,450, an increase of $960 each year. Now add in two accidents along with the two speeding tickets and the yearly cost of auto insurance for a learners permit increases to an average of $6,890. That’s an increase of $4,400, or $367 per month, just for not maintaining a clean driving record!
How to get discounts on San Antonio insurance rates
Insurance companies that offer coverage for a learners permit may also provide premium discounts that can reduce rates by as much as 30% if you meet specific eligibility requirements. The best auto insurance companies and some of the discounts are outlined below.
- Farm Bureau has savings for safe driver, youthful driver, driver training, multi-policy, 55 and retired, multi-vehicle, and renewal discount.
- Liberty Mutual may include discounts for new vehicle discount, hybrid vehicle, multi-car, safety features, preferred payment discount, multi-policy, and new move discount.
- State Farm has discounts for multiple policy, defensive driving training, good student, anti-theft, and Steer Clear safe driver discount.
- Auto-Owners Insurance offers premium reductions for mature driver, paid in full, air bags, paperless, safe driver, and teen driver.
- GEICO may have discounts that include defensive driver, anti-theft, seat belt use, daytime running lights, air bags, multi-policy, and emergency military deployment.
- SAFECO includes discounts for teen safety rewards, drive less, multi-car, homeowner, safe driver, teen safe driver, and anti-lock brakes.
The information below illustrates the comparison of insurance premiums with and without discounts being applied to the rates. The price estimates are based on a male driver, no violations or accidents, Texas state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows the average rate with no discounts. The second bar shows the rates with paid-in-full, good student, continuous coverage, paperless filing, anti-theft, and passive restraint discounts applied. With discounts applied, the average savings per year on auto insurance for a learners permit is 28% or $695.
How to find budget-friendly car insurance for a learners permit
It is possible to find better rates, and here are some of the better money-saving suggestions that can help Texas drivers quote low-cost coverage.
- Good credit can help you save money
- Increase your policy deductibles
- Bundle home and auto and earn a discount
- If possible, pay for small claims out-of-pocket
- Drive attentively and avoid accidents
- Avoid getting tickets or violations
- Look for cheaper rates once a year by shopping around
The last suggestion is notably vital, as we hit on in the article above. Coverage prices fluctuate constantly, so drivers shouldn’t be resistant to switch to a new company if a better deal can be had.
Staying with the same car insurance company is fine, but is isn’t recommended if that inflexibility results in costing you lots of hard earned cash every month. In less than five minutes you could shop around and find cheaper car insurance for a learners permit in San Antonio.