Establishing which company offers the cheapest car insurance rates in Sacramento involves a tad more effort in order to find the lowest price. Each insurance company uses a different method for determining prices, so let’s rank the car insurance companies that tend to have lower prices in Sacramento.
It’s important to understand that California car insurance rates are influenced by many factors that can increase the price you pay. Simply having another birthday, filing a claim, or getting a few speeding tickets can trigger changes in premium resulting in some rates now being more affordable than others.
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,143 |
| 2 | CSAA | $1,186 |
| 3 | Wawanesa | $1,192 |
| 4 | Nationwide | $1,213 |
| 5 | Century National | $1,214 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,325 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,491 |
| 8 | Progressive | $1,512 |
| 9 | Allstate | $1,543 |
| 10 | Mercury | $1,548 |
| 11 | GEICO | $1,575 |
| 12 | Allied | $1,588 |
| 13 | MetLife | $1,606 |
| 14 | The Hartford | $1,623 |
| 15 | Esurance | $1,705 |
| 16 | State Farm | $1,733 |
| 17 | Unitrin | $1,750 |
| 18 | Bristol West | $1,777 |
| 19 | Travelers | $1,806 |
| 20 | Farmers | $1,946 |
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USAA offers some of the best car insurance rates in Sacramento at around $1,143 each year. This is $508 less than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. CSAA, Wawanesa, Nationwide, and Century National also are some of the lowest-priced Sacramento, CA auto insurance companies.
As shown in the rates above, if you are a policyholder with Wawanesa and switched to USAA, you may see a yearly price reduction of approximately $49. Policyholders with Nationwide could save as much as $70 a year, and Century National customers might realize rate reductions of up to $71 a year.
To discover how much you can save, click here to begin a quote or visit any of the companies below.
Bear in mind that those prices are averaged for all types of insureds and vehicles and are not factoring in a specific location in Sacramento. So the car insurance company that has the cheapest price for you may not even be in the list above. That point stresses why you need to compare rates from as many companies as possible using your own specific driver and vehicle information.
One of the many factors that help determine insurance cost is your zip code. Areas with more people or even just a higher incidence of claims are more likely to have higher rates, whereas areas with lower crime rates and fewer weather claims have the gratification of cheaper auto insurance rates.
The information below sorts the most expensive places in California to buy car insurance in. Sacramento is ranked #5 with an annual cost of $1,669 on average, which is about $139 monthly.
| Rank | City | Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glendale | $2,142 |
| 2 | Los Angeles | $2,104 |
| 3 | San Francisco | $1,711 |
| 4 | Oakland | $1,687 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,669 |
| 6 | Fontana | $1,581 |
| 7 | San Bernardino | $1,580 |
| 8 | Long Beach | $1,578 |
| 9 | Stockton | $1,556 |
| 10 | Garden Grove | $1,554 |
| 11 | Moreno Valley | $1,551 |
| 12 | Santa Clarita | $1,548 |
| 13 | Riverside | $1,542 |
| 14 | Santa Ana | $1,497 |
| 15 | Modesto | $1,487 |
| 16 | Fresno | $1,472 |
| 17 | San Jose | $1,437 |
| 18 | Anaheim | $1,430 |
| 19 | Huntington Beach | $1,402 |
| 20 | Fremont | $1,389 |
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Premium costs are estimated as the specific garaging location can alter rates considerably.
The type of vehicle requiring coverage is probably the most important factor when looking for the lowest-priced auto insurance in Sacramento. Vehicles with economical engines, modern passenger safety features, or a positive history of liability claims will cost significantly less to insure than higher performance models. The list below illustrates auto insurance premiums for a handful of the cheaper automobiles to insure in California.
| Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda Accord EX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,276 |
| Ford Escape XLS 2WD | $1,284 |
| Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $1,400 |
| Honda Odyssey LX | $1,405 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,413 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan CV | $1,428 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 2WD | $1,479 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LS Extended Cab 4WD | $1,507 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 2WD | $1,516 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LTZ AWD | $1,619 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $1,629 |
| Volkswagen Jetta LE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,652 |
| Ford F-350 XL Super Cab Turbo Diesel 2WD | $1,675 |
| Ford Explorer Limited AWD | $1,683 |
| Ford Focus SES 2-Dr Coupe | $1,698 |
| Nissan Altima 2.5 S 2-Dr Coupe | $1,729 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LT | $1,739 |
| Toyota Tacoma X-Runner 2WD | $1,744 |
| Hyundai Sonata GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $1,770 |
| Toyota Corolla XRS | $1,775 |
| GMC Sierra SLE Crew Cab 2WD | $1,780 |
| Ford Edge Sport AWD | $1,780 |
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara 4WD 4-Dr | $1,787 |
| Compare Cheap Rates Go | |
Premium data assumes single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, safe-driver, multi-policy, homeowner, and claim-free. Premium amounts do not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can decrease or increase premium rates noticeably.
Based upon the table data, you can figure that makes and models like the Honda Accord, Ford Escape, and Hyundai Elantra should be some of the more affordable vehicles to insure for drivers in Sacramento.
Careless Sacramento drivers pay higher rates
The easiest method to score low car insurance prices for drivers in Sacramento is to be a careful driver and avoid traffic citations and accidents. The information below demonstrates how speeding tickets and accident claims drive up insurance premiums for different age groups. The data assumes a single female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $500 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.
The data charted above shows the average cost of an auto insurance policy in California per year with a clean driving record and no accidents is $2,161. Get written up for one speeding ticket and the average cost hikes up to $2,450, an increase of $289 each year. Now add one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the annual cost of car insurance in Sacramento goes up to an average of $3,257. That’s an increase of $1,096, or $91 per month, just for not maintaining a clean driving record!
Get discount Sacramento car insurance rates
Car insurance companies that offer coverage in Sacramento may also give you special discounts that may potentially lower prices by 30% or more if you are eligible. Popular car insurance companies and their possible discounts can be found below.
- GEICO discounts include anti-lock brakes, multi-vehicle, daytime running lights, seat belt use, and military active duty.
- SAFECO includes discounts for multi-car, homeowner, anti-theft, safe driver, teen safe driver, anti-lock brakes, and teen safety rewards.
- State Farm offers discounts for good driver, anti-theft, Steer Clear safe driver discount, Drive Safe & Save, passive restraint, and multiple policy.
- MetLife has savings for defensive driver, good driver, accident-free, claim-free, and good student.
- 21st Century offers discounts including 55 and older, student driver, homeowners, theft prevention, teen driver, and anti-lock brakes.
- Progressive offers premium reductions for multi-policy, online signing, continuous coverage, good student, multi-vehicle, and homeowner.
The chart below illustrates the comparison of insurance rates with and without discounts being applied to the rates. The information is based on a male driver, no accidents, no driving violations, California state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $500 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multiple vehicle, multiple policy, claim-free, passive restraint, vehicle safety, and anti-theft discounts applied. When drivers take advantage of discounts, theamount saved on car insurance in Sacramento is 28% or $630.
Full coverage or liability only
Paying less for car insurance is the goal of the majority of people, and one good way to find cheaper insurance in Sacramento is to not buy full coverage. The illustration below compares auto insurance rates when comparing full coverage to liability only. The data is based on no violations or accidents, $100 deductibles, single status, and no other discounts are factored in.
Averaged out for all age groups, physical damage insurance costs an additional $3,444 per year more than just insuring for liability. At some point, about every driver wonders if physical damage coverage is worth the money. There is no exact formula of when to stop paying for full coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can use. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than about 10% of the settlement you would receive from your company, then it might be time to buy liability only.
For example, let’s say your vehicle’s claim settlement value is $7,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, you would only receive $6,000 after paying your policy deductible. If you are paying more than $600 a year to have full coverage, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
There are a few situations where eliminating full coverage is not a good plan. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you have to carry full coverage as part of the loan requirements. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should not buy liability only.
The Sacramento, CA, insurance agents below can provide answers to your questions and help you determine which coverage meets your needs best, since some drivers have questions and prefer to have professional advice when comparing insurance rates in Sacramento. It can be hard to find the best coverage yourself, and getting advice from a licensed agent can give you satisfaction knowing you have enough coverage if you have a claim. To locate a Sacramento auto insurance agent in your neighborhood, click the link at the bottom.
- Rich Williams – State Farm Insurance Agent
1001 26th St – Sacramento, CA 95816 – (916) 447-8560 - Apna Insurance Agency
3022 Stockton Blvd #5 – Sacramento, CA 95820 – (916) 454-4495 - Farmers Insurance: Brewer Insurance Agency
6700 Freeport Blvd #101 – Sacramento, CA 95822 – (916) 424-4357
View more Sacramento, CA insurance agents
How to find more affordable insurance in Sacramento
The list below details some of the recommended penny-pinching ideas that can help you find cheaper coverage.
- Do not insure for full coverage
- Increase your deductibles
- Home or renters coverage can save on auto insurance
- Pay for small claims rather than turning them in to your insurance company
- Buy a car with high safety ratings
- Good credit can save money
- Look for cheaper rates once a year by shopping around
That last tip is certainly necessary, as was emphasized in this write-up. Coverage rates can be adjusted at any time, so don’t be unwilling to switch to a new company if a cheaper price is available. Many drivers prefer to stick with one company, but we do not recommend it if that inflexibility results in costing you a fortune every year. It only take a few minutes to compare rates to find cheaper auto insurance in Sacramento in Sacramento.