The words “cheap” and “auto insurance” probably shouldn’t be used together, in particular when you are looking for the lowest insurance prices for active military. To help control this cost, let’s teach you a few of the things that can significantly affect insurance prices, and see if we can help you cut the cost of the next policy you buy.
The type of vehicle you are seeking coverage for is a large factor that determines whether or not you can buy cheap car insurance for active military. Vehicles with high performance engines, poor crash test ratings, or a high likelihood of having liability claims will cost more to insure than more modest models. The table below showcases auto insurance premiums for a selection of the most budget-friendly automobiles to insure.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford F-150 STX Regular Cab 2WD | $1,528 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD | $1,627 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 4WD | $1,645 |
| Chevrolet Impala LT | $1,653 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $1,677 |
| Honda Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $1,726 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $1,736 |
| Toyota Corolla XLE | $1,731 |
| Ford Escape XLT 4WD | $1,744 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LTZ AWD | $1,763 |
| GMC Sierra SL Crew Cab 4WD | $1,768 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SE | $1,784 |
| Nissan Rogue SL AWD | $1,846 |
| Toyota Camry Hybrid | $1,878 |
| Ford Fusion SEL AWD 4-Dr Sedan | $1,885 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 2WD | $1,883 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,894 |
| Ford Edge SEL 2WD | $1,974 |
| Volkswagen Jetta LE 4-Dr Sedan | $2,015 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LT Crew Cab 4WD | $2,020 |
| Dodge Ram 2500 Mega Cab Laramie 4WD | $2,025 |
| Dodge Ram Quad Cab ST 4WD | $2,055 |
| Ford Explorer Limited 2WD | $2,057 |
| Find Cheaper Rates Go | |
Table data assumes single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Arizona minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, multi-vehicle, claim-free, and multi-policy. Premium costs do not factor in specific location information which can revise prices substantially.
Looking at the data, we can tell that vehicles like the Ford F-150, Honda CR-V, and Toyota RAV4 are some of the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure for military personnel.
One of the more important criteria that are looked at to determine the cost of insurance is where you keep your vehicle in Scottsdale. Areas with high crime rates or more dense population tend to have more expensive auto insurance rates, whereas areas with fewer weather claims and lower vehicle theft rates have the benefit of cheaper car insurance.
The next table sorts the highest-priced places in Arizona for active military to purchase auto insurance in. Scottsdale is ranked #5 with an annual premium of $1,163 for the average policyholder, which is about $97 monthly.
| Rank | City | Premium Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phoenix | $1,218 |
| 2 | Glendale | $1,190 |
| 3 | Avondale | $1,186 |
| 4 | San Tan Valley | $1,185 |
| 5 | Scottsdale | $1,163 |
| 6 | Mesa | $1,147 |
| 7 | Tempe | $1,140 |
| 8 | Goodyear | $1,131 |
| 9 | Buckeye | $1,122 |
| 10 | Gilbert | $1,120 |
| 11 | Tucson | $1,105 |
| 12 | Chandler | $1,093 |
| 13 | Peoria | $1,093 |
| 14 | Maricopa | $1,085 |
| 15 | Catalina Foothills | $1,082 |
| 16 | Casas Adobes | $1,082 |
| 17 | Oro Valley | $1,062 |
| 18 | Casa Grande | $1,057 |
| 19 | Surprise | $1,048 |
| 20 | Yuma | $992 |
| Find the Best Rates Go | ||
Information shown are estimated as the vehicle garaging location can influence coverage prices noticeably.
Get discounts on Scottsdale car insurance rates
Auto insurance companies that offer cheap quotes for active military may have premium discounts that could potentially reduce rates by as much as 35% if you meet specific criteria. A list of insurance companies and some of their more popular discounts can be read below.
- GEICO offers discounts including anti-theft, multi-vehicle, daytime running lights, military active duty, emergency military deployment, air bags, and good student.
- Mercury Insurance may have discounts that include multi-car, anti-theft, annual mileage, professional/association, ease of repair, good student, and accident-free.
- Farmers Insurance has savings for pay in full, youthful driver, multi-car, teen driver, electronic funds transfer, alternative fuel, and business and professional.
- Auto-Owners Insurance offers discounts for safe driver, anti-lock brakes, multi-policy, safe vehicle, air bags, and good student.
- Liberty Mutual includes discounts for newly retired, teen driver discount, newly married, exclusive group savings, hybrid vehicle, multi-policy, and new graduate.
- SAFECO discounts include homeowner, drive less, anti-theft, bundle discounts, multi-car, safe driver, and accident prevention training.
- Progressive has discounts for homeowner, multi-vehicle, good student, online signing, continuous coverage, and multi-policy.
- USAA policyholders can earn discounts including loyalty savings, new vehicle, family discount, military installation, and multi-vehicle.
The example below shows the difference between auto insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the rates. The data is based on a female driver, no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, Arizona state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows insurance cost with no discounts. The second bar shows the rates with homeowner, passive restraint, safe-driver, defensive driving course, claim-free, and multiple vehicle discounts applied. When discounts are factored in, theaverage amount saved on insurance for active military is 28% or $614.
Difference between liability only and full coverage rates
Finding the cheapest insurance is the goal of the majority of drivers, and one way to buy cheaper insurance for active military is to only buy liability insurance. The diagram below illustrates the difference between car insurance rates with full coverage and liability only. The premiums are based on a clean driving record, no claims, $250 deductibles, single status, and no other discounts are factored in.
If averaged for all ages, full coverage on your policy costs $1,745 per year more than just buying liability insurance. That is a big expense that brings up the question if buying full coverage is worth the expense. There is no definitive guideline that works best for making the decision to drop full coverage on your policy, but there is a general school of thought. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than around 10% of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.
The importance of shopping around
Arizona insurance rates are determined by lots of factors that may substantially change the price of coverage. Simply having a birthday, getting married, or having an at-fault accident may generate price changes that can now make some companies cheaper in comparison to the competition.
Not only may things change on your end, but auto insurance companies file new rates at least once a year in order to remain profitable. A period of higher than normal claims can result in rate hikes, while a better loss history may result in lower-cost Scottsdale car insurance rates.
To help illustrate this point, the graph below shows the companies that have the cheapest car insurance in Scottsdale, AZ for a 30-year-old female driver with no violations or accidents, and good financial standing. When quoting prices based on her current risk profile, The Hartford quotes the best car insurance rates in Scottsdale at $1,119 a year. This is $309 less than the average premium paid by Arizona drivers of $1,428. Auto-Owners, Safeco, Travelers, and USAA are the rest of the best Scottsdale, AZ auto insurance companies.
The chart below compares rates after we give the driver from the above example a chargeable claim, slightly worse credit, and a traffic ticket or two. Since each insurance company uses their own calculation for establishing rates, comparing insurance quotes will most likely result in a different ranking of the cheapest car insurance companies in Scottsdale as shown below.
GEICO now has the best insurance rate in Scottsdale with Ameriprise Group, Allied, Auto-Owners, and CSAA now being in the top five. This shows why it is important to spend some time comparing rates when trying to get the most economical insurance rates for active military.
Rates consist of many things and change frequently, so the most affordable company the last time you shopped your coverage around may now be quite expensive.