It would sure make life easier if we could simply give you the name of the single best company that has the best auto insurance prices in Washington. It’s just not that simple, as there are a whole bunch of unknown aspects such as if you are married, the number of miles you drive each year, and what coverage limits you need. If you keep reading, we will teach you about the different ways to avoid overpaying and will hopefully give the reader a good start to your coverage search.
For teenagers, one of the big components that are used to help calculate the price you pay for insurance is your zip code in Seattle. More populated areas tend to pay more, whereas areas with lower vehicle theft rates and fewer weather claims have the gratification of cheaper auto insurance rates.
The next table ranks the most costly cities in Washington for high school students to purchase a policy in. Seattle shows up at #2 with an annual premium of $1,405 for the average insured, which is around $117 monthly.
| Rank | City | Premium Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lakewood | $1,420 |
| 2 | Seattle | $1,405 |
| 3 | Tacoma | $1,399 |
| 4 | Auburn | $1,380 |
| 5 | Federal Way | $1,379 |
| 6 | Shoreline | $1,352 |
| 7 | Renton | $1,348 |
| 8 | Kent | $1,337 |
| 9 | South Hill | $1,300 |
| 10 | Everett | $1,288 |
| 11 | Marysville | $1,258 |
| 12 | Redmond | $1,251 |
| 13 | Bellevue | $1,219 |
| 14 | Kirkland | $1,195 |
| 15 | Sammamish | $1,184 |
| 16 | Vancouver | $1,146 |
| 17 | Lacey | $1,111 |
| 18 | Spokane | $1,104 |
| 19 | Olympia | $1,083 |
| 20 | Spokane Valley | $1,065 |
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Rates are estimated as specific Seattle zip code can alter premium rates substantially.
The vehicle requiring coverage is probably the most important factor that determines if you can find cheaper car insurance for high school students. Vehicles with economical engines, good crash test ratings, or a low likelihood of liability claims will cost quite a bit less to insure than higher performance models.
The next table illustrates auto insurance rates for the most economical automobiles to insure in Washington.
| Make, Model, and Trim Level | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V LX 4WD | $6,183 |
| Ford Escape Limited 4WD | $6,652 |
| Toyota Prius | $6,719 |
| Ford F-150 XLT Regular Cab 4WD | $6,931 |
| Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4WD 2-Dr | $6,939 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SE | $6,931 |
| Honda Civic DX 4-Dr Sedan | $7,271 |
| Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid | $7,335 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4WD | $7,345 |
| Chevrolet Impala LT | $7,335 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LT 2WD | $7,340 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 2WD | $7,335 |
| Nissan Altima 2.5 4-Dr Sedan | $7,341 |
| Ford Explorer Limited AWD | $7,402 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab TRD Sport Package 4WD | $7,407 |
| Ford Focus SEL 4-Dr Sedan | $7,673 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE 4-Dr Sedan | $7,737 |
| Ford Edge Sport AWD | $7,742 |
| Toyota Corolla LE | $7,737 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LT Crew Cab 4WD | $7,804 |
| Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T 4-Dr Sedan | $7,814 |
| Honda Odyssey Touring | $7,804 |
| Ford Fusion SEL 4-Dr Sedan | $7,810 |
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Table data assumes single male driver age 17, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Washington minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, and safe-driver. Price estimates do not factor in specific zip code location which can revise coverage prices considerably.
Based on these rates, we can conclude that makes and models like the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Toyota Prius, Ford F-150, and Jeep Wrangler are the less-costly vehicles to insure for teenagers. The price of auto insurance will tend to be higher just due to the fact that there is more liability risk for high school students, but generally speaking those vehicles will most likely have the least expensive rates that you’ll find.
How violations and accidents impact rates
In a perfect world, the ideal way to receive the best auto insurance rates in Seattle for teenagers is to be an attentive driver and avoid accidents and traffic violations. The information below demonstrates how traffic citations and at-fault accidents drive up auto insurance costs for different categories of driver ages. The premiums assume a single male driver, full coverage, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.
The data charted above shows the average cost of an auto insurance policy in Washington per year with a clean driving record and no accidents is $2,073. Receive two speeding tickets and the average cost swells to $2,745, an increase of $672 each year. Now add two accidents along with the two speeding tickets and the yearly cost of auto insurance for high school students jumps again to an average of $5,253. That’s an increase of $3,180, or $265 per month, just for not driving attentively!
Get discount Seattle auto insurance
Auto insurance companies that provide coverage for high school students may also provide price discounts that could reduce prices by as much as 35% if you meet eligibility requirements. The best auto insurance companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts are outlined below.
- State Farm may include discounts for Steer Clear safe driver discount, accident-free, multiple policy, safe vehicle, and multiple autos.
- Progressive offers premium reductions for homeowner, good student, online signing, online quote discount, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle.
- Travelers offers discounts including good student, home ownership, payment discounts, save driver, and hybrid/electric vehicle.
- American Family offers discounts for TimeAway discount, good driver, good student, mySafetyValet, accident-free, Steer into Savings, and multi-vehicle.
- Liberty Mutual discounts include newly retired, good student, preferred payment discount, newly married, teen driver discount, hybrid vehicle, and new vehicle discount.
The example below illustrates the comparison of annual premium costs with and without policy discounts. The price estimates are based on a male driver, no claims, a clean driving record, Washington state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $250 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows insurance cost with no discounts. The lower bar shows the rates with passive restraint, good student, paperless filing, vehicle safety, paid-in-full, and continuous coverage discounts applied. When taking advantage of discounts, the average savings per year on auto insurance for high school students is 28% or $740.
Comparing rates can save you money
Seattle, WA auto insurance rates are based on many factors which can substantially change the cost of coverage. Simply turning a year older, buying a different home, or getting caught speeding can trigger rate changes resulting in some rates now being affordable when they were higher priced.
In addition to those changes, auto insurance companies change premium rates multiple times each year to help ensure profitability. Significantly higher losses can cause additional premium costs, while lower claim levels can cause lower-cost Seattle car insurance rates.
The bar chart below shows the companies that have the cheapest car insurance in Seattle, WA for a 35-year-old female driver with no prior claims, no tickets, and a decent credit rating. If we estimate rates based on her personal profile, Capital quotes the cheapest car insurance rates in Seattle at $1,051 annually. This is $361 less than the average rate paid by Washington drivers of $1,412. Grange, Nationwide, PEMCO, and Travelers are the rest of the cheapest Seattle, WA auto insurance companies.
Now we will give the driver from the first rate comparison a claim surcharge, slightly worse credit, and a blemish on her driving record. Since each auto insurance company has their own guidelines for setting rates, getting updated rate quotes may now present a substantially altered list of companies as shown below.
The Hartford now has the lowest price in Seattle, WA with USAA, Allied, California Casualty, and Chubb also having competitive pricing. This shows why it is so important to compare lots of rates when trying to get the lowest insurance quotes for high school students.
Prices are made up of many factors and can change without notice, so the most affordable company six months ago may now be quite expensive.
How to find budget-friendly car insurance for high school students
It’s not impossible to find cheaper rates, and here are a few penny-pinching ideas that can help drivers buy cheap coverage.
- You will pay more if you get tickets or have at-fault accidents
- Drop full coverage on older vehicles
- Higher physical damage deductibles lower rates
- Too many claims can make car insurance unaffordable
- Avoid having at-fault accidents
- Look for cheaper rates once a year by shopping around
That last tip is especially significant, as was emphasized in the article above. Car insurance rates fluctuate constantly, so don’t be tentative to buy from a new company if you find a better deal.
Many drivers prefer to stick with one company, but it’s not a good idea if that loyalty results in overpaying major coinage every year. Take a few minutes and compare prices to find cheaper insurance for high school students in Seattle.
The insurance agents in Seattle listed below can most likely aid you in deciding which policy is best, as some people have coverage questions and would like to have professional advice when trying to find the best insurance rates for teenagers. It can be difficult to do it yourself, so a professional agent can bring satisfaction knowing your coverage gives you enough coverage if you have a claim. To find a Seattle insurance agent near you, click the button below the list or click here to compare price quotes.
- Spangler Insurance
431 15th Ave E – Seattle, WA 98112 – (206) 329-7447 - Propel Insurance: Marinkovich Stephen
925 4th Ave #3200 – Seattle, WA 98104 – (206) 676-4216 - State Farm – Catherine Budbill
929 N 130th St #5 – Seattle, WA 98133 – (206) 361-3770 - Gurry and Rogers Insurance Inc
1200 5th Ave #1825 – Seattle, WA 98101 – (206) 621-6444 - AAA Washington Insurance Agency – Seattle
320 NE 97th St c – Seattle, WA 98115 – (206) 529-2700