This article would sure be shorter if we could tell you the company that has the best auto insurance prices in Arizona. It’s not that easy, however, as there are many unknown elements such as whether you are male or female, if full coverage is needed, what deductibles to use for physical damage coverage, and any tickets or violations, that all go into determining the rate you pay. If you keep reading, we will teach you about the best ways to avoid paying too much and educate you enough to have a good beginning to your quest for cheaper car insurance.
For college grads, one of the more important things that are looked at to determine the amount you pay each year for auto insurance is where you live. Areas with high crime rates or more dense population tend to have more expensive car insurance rates, whereas areas that tend to be more rural have the enjoyment of a little cheaper coverage.
The following table ranks the most expensive cities in Arizona for college graduates to purchase car insurance in. Scottsdale makes the list at #9 having an annual price of $1,117 on average, which is about $93 monthly.
| Rank | City | Average Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phoenix | $1,231 |
| 2 | Glendale | $1,226 |
| 3 | Avondale | $1,210 |
| 4 | San Tan Valley | $1,196 |
| 5 | Mesa | $1,159 |
| 6 | Tempe | $1,152 |
| 7 | Peoria | $1,126 |
| 8 | Chandler | $1,126 |
| 9 | Scottsdale | $1,117 |
| 10 | Buckeye | $1,110 |
| 11 | Gilbert | $1,108 |
| 12 | Tucson | $1,094 |
| 13 | Casa Grande | $1,089 |
| 14 | Goodyear | $1,087 |
| 15 | Catalina Foothills | $1,082 |
| 16 | Surprise | $1,080 |
| 17 | Maricopa | $1,074 |
| 18 | Casas Adobes | $1,050 |
| 19 | Oro Valley | $1,031 |
| 20 | Flagstaff | $969 |
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Rate quotes are comparative as the specific area where the vehicle is garaged can impact rates substantially.
The type of vehicle requiring coverage is a large consideration that determines the availability of cheaper auto insurance for college graduates. Vehicles with limited top-end speed, an excellent safety record, or a low likelihood of having liability claims will cost much less to insure than fast, unsafe models. The next table showcases car insurance costs for the cheaper vehicles to buy coverage for.
| Vehicle Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLT 2WD | $1,364 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $1,645 |
| Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer AWD | $1,653 |
| Honda Civic VP 4-Dr Sedan | $1,664 |
| Honda CR-V EX 2WD | $1,669 |
| Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $1,679 |
| Toyota Camry SE | $1,695 |
| Ford Edge SE 2WD | $1,714 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sport 4WD 2-Dr | $1,727 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4WD | $1,734 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LT Extended Cab 2WD | $1,732 |
| Ford Focus S 4-Dr Sedan | $1,812 |
| Honda Accord EX 2-Dr Coupe | $1,815 |
| Ford F-150 STX Super Cab 2WD | $1,830 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD LT Crew Cab Diesel 4WD | $1,841 |
| Ford Fusion Sport AWD 4-Dr Sedan | $1,848 |
| Volkswagen Jetta LE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,846 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 4WD | $1,855 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,854 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Crew | $1,881 |
| Nissan Altima 3.5 SR 2-Dr Coupe | $1,931 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $1,936 |
| Toyota Corolla S | $1,942 |
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Table data assumes single female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Arizona minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, safe-driver, claim-free, homeowner, and multi-vehicle. Price information does not factor in specific Scottsdale, AZ garaging location which can impact coverage rates significantly.
Looking at the rates, you can figure that vehicles like the Ford Escape, Toyota Tacoma, Ford Explorer, Honda Civic, and Honda CR-V are likely to be the most affordable vehicles to insure for college grads.
Get discounts on Scottsdale car insurance
Auto insurance companies that offer coverage for college graduates may additionally offer rate discounts that could lower prices by as much as 30% if you can meet the requirements. The best insurance companies and the discounts they provide include:
- State Farm includes discounts for driver’s education, passive restraint, Drive Safe & Save, multiple policy, and multiple autos.
- GEICO may have discounts that include driver training, anti-lock brakes, membership and employees, daytime running lights, multi-policy, air bags, and five-year accident-free.
- SAFECO may include discounts for teen safety rewards, anti-lock brakes, safe driver, teen safe driver, and anti-theft.
- Farmers Insurance has savings for early shopping, homeowner, distant student, switch companies, multi-car, teen driver, and mature driver.
- AAA offers premium reductions for pay-in-full, AAA membership discount, good student, good driver, multi-car, anti-theft, and multi-policy.
- USAA offers discounts for loyalty savings, safe driver, new vehicle, good student, family discount, and driver training.
The illustration below illustrates the difference between insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the policy premium. The prices are based on a female driver, no tickets, no at-fault accidents, Arizona state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $250 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows the average rate with no discounts. The second bar shows the rates with safe-driver, multiple vehicle, passive restraint, multiple policy, marriage, and homeowner discounts applied. When discounts are applied, theamount saved on insurance for college graduates is 28% or $564.
Insuring your vehicle with the best insurance provider can be difficult considering how many choices you have in Arizona. The rank data below can help you decide which coverage providers to look at when comparing insurance rates for college graduates.
The ratings below are only made up of the largest auto insurers in America, so companies with more of a regional focus will not be included in the list. To view rates from these and other competitive companies, click this link.
Top 10 Large Auto Insurers Overall in Scottsdale
- USAA
- American Family
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- AAA Insurance
- GEICO
- The General
- Titan Insurance
- Progressive
- Mercury Insurance
Driving violations and accidents
One of the best ways to find low insurance prices for college grads is to be a good driver and avoid traffic citations and accidents. The information below illustrates how violations and at-fault accidents impact auto insurance rates for different insured age categories. The premiums are based on a single male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are applied.
In the example above, the average cost of car insurance in Arizona per year with a clean driving record and no accidents is $1,722. Get one speeding ticket and the average cost surges to $1,939, an increase of $217 each year. Now include one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the yearly cost of insurance for college graduates jumps again to an average of $2,549. That’s an increase of $827, or $69 per month, just for being a little careless behind the wheel!
Low rates can quickly become overpriced
Arizona insurance rates are influenced by many factors that control your annual premium. Simply having another birthday, getting married, or having an accident may prompt premium changes that can make some companies cheaper than before.
And not only may your rating factors change, but companies change rates as often as every quarter in order to be able to pay unexpected claims. Significantly higher claims can cause rate hikes, while better underwriting can produce cheaper Scottsdale car insurance rates.
The graph below shows the company with the cheapest car insurance in Scottsdale, AZ for a 45-year-old male driver with a clear driving record, no claims, and good financial standing. If we estimate prices based on his current risk factors, The Hartford quotes the cheapest car insurance rates in Scottsdale at $1,119 each year. This is $309 less than the average policy premium paid by Arizona drivers of $1,428. Safeco, Auto-Owners, Travelers, and USAA also make the list of the cheapest Scottsdale, AZ auto insurance companies.
In this next rate comparison, we will give the driver from the above example a claim, a little lower credit rating, and a traffic ticket or two. Because each company uses their own calculation for setting prices, comparing prices will most likely result in a new list of the cheapest companies as shown below.
Progressive now has the cheapest car insurance in Scottsdale with CSAA, Ameriprise Group, Allied, and Safe Auto also having competitive pricing. This illustrates why consumers need to shop around to find the most budget-friendly car insurance rates for college graduates.
Auto insurance prices are determined by many different factors and can decrease or increase without notice, so the cheapest company two years ago may now be wasting a lot of money.