The words “low-priced” and “auto insurance” really shouldn’t be used together, especially when trying to find the cheapest car insurance for first-time drivers. To help control this cost, let’s take a look at some situations that significantly impact insurance prices, and find a few ways to slash the price of the next policy you buy.
The vehicle model that is being insured is a large factor that determines whether or not you can buy the lowest-priced insurance for first-time drivers. Vehicles with high performance engines, poor crash test ratings, or a history of substantial liability claims will cost significantly more to insure than more economical and safe models. The information below presents insurance rates for some of the most affordable vehicles to buy coverage for.
| Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape Limited 2WD | $6,093 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD | $6,101 |
| Toyota Prius | $6,550 |
| Ford F-150 XL Crew Cab 2WD | $6,763 |
| Ford Explorer XLT 2WD | $6,770 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SE | $6,763 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $7,093 |
| Honda Odyssey EX | $7,099 |
| Ford Edge Limited 2WD | $7,093 |
| Ford Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan | $7,098 |
| Toyota Camry LE | $7,157 |
| Volkswagen Jetta LE 4-Dr Sedan | $7,165 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $7,157 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LT Extended Cab 4WD | $7,167 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 2WD | $7,157 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LT | $7,220 |
| Ford F-350 XL Super Cab 2WD | $7,283 |
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Price data assumes single male driver age 17, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Massachusetts minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, and safe-driver. Premium amounts do not factor in specific Boston, MA garaging location which can increase or decrease coverage prices noticeably.
Based upon these rates, we can infer that models like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Toyota Prius, Ford F-150, and Ford Explorer are most likely going to be some of the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure for new drivers. The cost of auto insurance will tend to be more expensive because of the fact that there is more inherent risk for first-time drivers, but generally speaking those specific models will probably have the best insurance prices that you are likely to find.
One of the many criteria that aid in calculating auto insurance rates is where you live in Boston. More populated areas are more likely to have higher rates, whereas areas with less crime or weather claims have the luxury of cheap car insurance rates.
The illustration below sorts the most costly cities in Massachusetts for first-time drivers to buy auto insurance in. Boston is listed at #7 having an annual price of $1,752 on average, which is about $146 each month.
| Rank | City | Average Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Revere | $2,148 |
| 2 | Brockton | $2,080 |
| 3 | Lynn | $1,979 |
| 4 | Malden | $1,917 |
| 5 | Springfield | $1,851 |
| 6 | Lawrence | $1,839 |
| 7 | Boston | $1,752 |
| 8 | New Bedford | $1,698 |
| 9 | Worcester | $1,678 |
| 10 | Fall River | $1,666 |
| 11 | Medford | $1,622 |
| 12 | Somerville | $1,616 |
| 13 | Quincy | $1,596 |
| 14 | Lowell | $1,527 |
| 15 | Weymouth | $1,506 |
| 16 | Cambridge | $1,491 |
| 17 | Chicopee | $1,455 |
| 18 | Brookline | $1,442 |
| 19 | Haverhill | $1,438 |
| 20 | Framingham | $1,432 |
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Prices are comparative as specific Boston zip code can increase or decrease coverage rates noticeably.
Finding reasonably-priced auto insurance is tough enough, and finding out which companies have the most affordable car insurance rates for first-time drivers will require additional perseverance. Every insurance provider has a unique formula for setting prices, so let’s begin by taking a look at the car insurance companies with the most affordable rates in Massachusetts.
Keep in mind that Boston, MA car insurance rates are impacted by many things that control the policy price. Things like getting older, buying a higher-value vehicle, or getting a couple of tickets can trigger changes in premium resulting in some companies being more affordable than the competition.
Find the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Inexperienced Drivers
State Farm quotes some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Boston at around $711 per year. National Grange Mutual, GEICO, Commerce Group, and OneBeacon also are some of the cheaper Boston, MA car insurance companies.
In the above rates, if you are insured with Commerce Group and switched to National Grange Mutual, you may see a yearly price reduction of upwards of $112. Drivers with OneBeacon might save as much as $113 a year, and Arbella policyholders might realize rate reductions of up to $201 a year.
If you want to see how much you could save, click here to start your custom quote or visit several of the following companies.
These premium estimates are averaged across all drivers and vehicles and do not take into consideration a specific location for first-time drivers. So the insurer that is most affordable for your situation may not even be in the top 21 companies shown above. That underscores the importance of why you need to get auto insurance quotes using your own specific driver and vehicle information.
The example below highlights how deductible selection can affect insurance costs when searching for cheap insurance for first-time drivers. The premiums assume a single female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no policy discounts are applied.
The data above shows that a 50-year-old driver could cut expenses by $358 a year by changing from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $538 by selecting a $1,000 deductible. Even younger insureds, like the 20-year-old category, could potentially save $920 or even more by choosing a higher deductible. When using a larger deductible, it is necessary to have plenty of discretionary funds to enable you to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense associated with higher deductibles.
How to get discounts on Boston car insurance rates
Insurance providers that sell policies for first-time drivers may also offer policy discounts that may potentially lower prices by as much as 40% or more if you can meet the requirements. Companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are detailed below.
- State Farm policyholders can earn discounts including Steer Clear safe driver discount, driver’s education, accident-free, multiple policy, and Drive Safe & Save.
- Esurance offers discounts for defensive driver, renters, online quote, good student, good driver, multi-car, and anti-lock brakes.
- Progressive includes discounts for multi-vehicle, multi-policy, continuous coverage, good student, homeowner, online quote discount, and online signing.
- Liberty Mutual discounts include safety features, newly married, newly retired, new vehicle discount, new move discount, multi-car, and new graduate.
- Auto-Owners Insurance may include discounts for teen driver, safe vehicle, air bags, safe driver, multi-policy, paperless, and multiple vehicles.
- GEICO offers discounts including driver training, military active duty, anti-theft, membership and employees, and federal employee.
The example below illustrates the difference between auto insurance costs with and without policy discounts. The costs are based on a female driver, no claims or driving citations, Massachusetts state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision 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, vehicle safety, paperless filing, continuous coverage, anti-theft, and passive restraint discounts applied. When these discounts are applied to the policy premium, theaverage yearly reduction on car insurance for first-time drivers is 28% or $713.
The importance of shopping around
Boston, MA car insurance rates are influenced by many factors that will increase or decrease the cost of a policy. Simply getting older, moving to a new city, or having a fender bender may generate price changes that may make certain companies more affordable than competitors. Not only may things change on your end, but insurers modify pricing without warning in order to remain profitable. Unexpectedly high claims can cause increased rates, while lower claim levels can produce more affordable Boston car insurance rates.
To illustrate this example, the graph below shows which companies have the cheapest car insurance in Boston, MA for a 40-year-old female driver with no accidents, a clean driving record, and good financial standing. If we look at prices based on her current situation, State Farm quotes the most affordable car insurance rates in Boston at $1,020 annually. This is $215 less than the average price paid by Massachusetts drivers of $1,235. National Grange Mutual, GEICO, OneBeacon, and Commerce Group are the rest of the cheapest Boston, MA auto insurance companies.
Now let’s give the driver in the first example an accident claim, a little lower credit rating, and a few blemishes on her driving record. Since every insurance provider has a different process to set their prices, getting updated rate quotes may now result in a completely different list of companies as shown below.
Arbella now has the cheapest rate in Boston, MA with USAA, Norfolk and Dedham, National Grange Mutual, and Amica also being competitive. This demonstrates why it is important to shop around with many companies to find the lowest car insurance quotes for first-time drivers. Prices are impacted by many factors and can decrease or increase without notice, so the best company the last time you shopped your coverage around may now be an over-priced policy.
How to find cheaper auto insurance for first-time drivers
It’s not impossible to find cheaper rates, and here are some of the better money-saving solutions that can help Boston drivers get lower-cost coverage.
- Do not pay for comprehensive and collision coverage on older vehicles
- Higher deductibles mean lower rates
- Vehicles with good safety ratings have lower liability rates
- Increase your credit rating
- Violations like speeding or DUI increase rates
- Prevent price hikes by avoiding at-fault accidents
- Compare rates regularly and switch companies to save money
The last tip in the list is extraordinarily significant, as was noted in this article. Coverage rates change a lot, so don’t be tentative to buy a policy from a new company if a lower-cost policy is available.
Loyalty to a specific company is fine, but we do not recommend it if that devotion results in you overpaying thousands of dollars over the life of your policy. Take a couple minutes and shop around and find cheaper car insurance for first-time drivers in Boston.
If you aren’t clear which coverage you need and would like to get some professional advice when buying car insurance for new drivers, the insurance agencies listed below are a good start to help you determine which auto insurance coverages would be the best in your situation.
To find a Boston insurance agency in your neighborhood, click the link after the list or click here to get price quotes now.
Warren Insurance
764 Blue Hill Avenue – Boston, MA 02124 – (617) 265-1414
A-Affordable Insurance Agency, Inc.
55 Union St – Boston, MA 02108 – (617) 924-4915
State Fund Insurance
#1601, 100 Summer St – Boston, MA 02110 – (617) 956-9999