The make and model of vehicle you are buying coverage for is probably the most important factor when consumers are trying to find economical car insurance for college students. Vehicles with lots of horsepower, a lack of advanced safety features, or a history of substantial liability claims will cost substantially more to insure than safer, lower-performance models.
The list below outlines auto insurance costs for a selection of the more affordable automobiles to insure in Texas.
| Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLS 2WD | $2,436 |
| Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $2,444 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 2WD | $2,473 |
| Honda Odyssey LX | $2,677 |
| Toyota Prius | $2,690 |
| Ford F-150 STX Regular Cab 4WD | $2,714 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $2,858 |
| Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T Station Wagon | $2,871 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LS Regular Cab 2WD | $2,882 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $2,895 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LS AWD | $2,903 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LS | $2,895 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 2WD | $2,902 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 2WD | $2,895 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SXT | $2,930 |
| Ford Explorer Limited AWD | $2,939 |
| Dodge Ram 3500 Crew Cab Laramie 2WD | $2,930 |
| Toyota Camry SE | $3,077 |
| Toyota Corolla LE | $3,085 |
| Ford Edge Limited AWD | $3,077 |
| Hyundai Sonata GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $3,101 |
| Nissan Rogue S AWD | $3,108 |
| Nissan Altima 3.5 SR 4-Dr Sedan | $3,112 |
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Cost estimates assume single male driver age 20, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Information does not factor in Austin, TX location which can alter coverage rates greatly.
Based upon the rates shown, we can expect makes and models like the Ford Escape, Hyundai Elantra, Honda CR-V, Honda Odyssey, and Toyota Prius will definitely be the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure for students in college. Prices will tend to be more expensive anyway just due to the fact that there is more inherent risk for college students, but overall those particular vehicles will have the lowest insurance rates possible.
For students in college, one of the big criteria that are used to help calculate the amount you pay for auto insurance is where you keep your vehicle in Austin. More densely populated places are more likely to have higher rates, whereas areas with lower vehicle theft rates and fewer weather claims tend to receive cheaper rates.
The following table ranks the most expensive cities in Texas for college students to buy car insurance in. Austin ranks #16 having an annual price of $1,659 for car insurance, which is around $138 monthly.
| Rank | City | Average Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McAllen | $1,956 |
| 2 | Brownsville | $1,908 |
| 3 | Laredo | $1,907 |
| 4 | Dallas | $1,893 |
| 5 | Houston | $1,835 |
| 6 | Mesquite | $1,807 |
| 7 | Garland | $1,796 |
| 8 | Amarillo | $1,786 |
| 9 | Beaumont | $1,772 |
| 10 | Pasadena | $1,740 |
| 11 | Grand Prairie | $1,740 |
| 12 | Irving | $1,719 |
| 13 | San Antonio | $1,688 |
| 14 | Lubbock | $1,665 |
| 15 | Carrollton | $1,664 |
| 16 | Austin | $1,659 |
| 17 | Arlington | $1,642 |
| 18 | Plano | $1,624 |
| 19 | Fort Worth | $1,621 |
| 20 | Corpus Christi | $1,620 |
| Get a Custom Quote Go | ||
Annual rates are approximated as the specific zip code location can affect auto insurance rates significantly.
Finding decent, low-priced car insurance is difficult, and determining which companies quote the best car insurance rates for college students will require additional perseverance. Each auto insurer uses different criteria for establishing rates, so we’ll go over the most budget-friendly car insurance companies in Texas.
Best Car Insurance Prices for College Students
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Travelers | $1,010 |
| 2 | USAA | $1,128 |
| 3 | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,199 |
| 4 | Germania Mutual | $1,294 |
| 5 | Esurance | $1,365 |
| 6 | California Casualty | $1,424 |
| 7 | State Farm | $1,450 |
| 8 | Mercury | $1,461 |
| 9 | Safe Auto | $1,549 |
| 10 | Nationwide | $1,553 |
| 11 | Progressive | $1,664 |
| 12 | Allstate | $1,701 |
| 13 | Amica | $1,775 |
| 14 | Home State | $2,134 |
| 15 | GEICO | $2,156 |
| 16 | MetLife | $2,249 |
| 17 | Encompass | $2,255 |
| 18 | Unitrin | $2,264 |
| 19 | 21st Century | $2,494 |
| 20 | Titan | $2,594 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||
Travelers generally has some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Austin at around $1,010 per year. USAA, Texas Farm Bureau, Germania Mutual, and Esurance would also be considered some of the best Austin, TX auto insurance companies.
In the above rates, if you currently have coverage with USAA and switched to Travelers, you might see yearly savings of upwards of $118. Policyholders with Texas Farm Bureau might save as much as $189 a year, and Germania Mutual customers might cut rates by $284 a year.
To discover how much you can save, click here to get a free quote or click several companies below for low rates.
Be aware that those policy prices are averages for all ages of drivers and types of vehicles and are not factoring in an exact location for college students. So the car insurance company that can offer the best rates for your situation may not even be in the top 23 companies in the list above. That underscores the importance of why you need to compare rates from multiple companies using your own specific driver and vehicle information.
The illustration below shows how choosing a deductible can impact premium costs when getting quotes for cheap insurance for college students. Data assumes a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, and no discounts are factored in.
The chart above illustrates that a 50-year-old driver could cut expenses by $408 a year by switching their comprehensive and collision coverages from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $612 by using a $1,000 deductible. Younger drivers, like the Age 20 category, could possibly save as much as $1,048 or more by choosing a larger deductible amount.
If you do make the decision to raise your deductibles, it will be required to have spare funds to be able to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense associated with higher deductibles.
Selecting a highly-rated company can be rather challenging considering how many companies there are in Austin. The information below could help you analyze which car insurance companies you want to consider when shopping car insurance rates for college students. These ratings only include insurance companies that insure vehicles in the majority of U.S. states, so companies that only write business in Texas or surrounding areas will not be included in these rankings.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travelers | 93 | 98 | 99 | 88% | A++ | 95.1 |
| USAA | 83 | 99 | 100 | 91% | A++ | 94.1 |
| Mercury Insurance | 97 | 96 | 88 | 89% | A+ | 93.4 |
| AAA Insurance | 91 | 95 | 92 | 90% | A | 93.3 |
| Nationwide | 85 | 95 | 97 | 89% | A+ | 92.4 |
| Allstate | 77 | 100 | 97 | 88% | A+ | 90.7 |
| State Farm | 80 | 94 | 96 | 88% | A++ | 90.6 |
| The Hartford | 88 | 93 | 91 | 87% | A+ | 90.4 |
| Safeco Insurance | 91 | 95 | 85 | 88% | A | 90.2 |
| Progressive | 88 | 94 | 83 | 88% | A+ | 90.1 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||||||
Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
How violations and accidents impact rates
In a perfect world, the best way to enjoy cheap car insurance rates for students in college is to be a safe driver and not have accidents or get tickets. The illustration below illustrates how speeding tickets and at-fault accidents increase insurance costs for different age categories. The premiums assume a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are applied.
The chart shows that the average cost of an auto insurance policy in Texas per year with no accidents or violations is $1,899. Get two speeding tickets and the average cost rises to $2,549, an increase of $650 each year. Now add in one accident along with the two speeding tickets and the annual cost of car insurance for college students jumps again to an average of $3,196. That’s an increase of $1,297, or $108 per month, just for being a little careless behind the wheel!
If you aren’t sure which coverage to buy and prefer to get some professional input when trying to find the best insurance rates for college students, the agents shown below are willing to help you make a decision which insurance coverage you need.
To find an agent in your neighborhood, click the button at the bottom.
- Gary Shanahan – State Farm Insurance Agent
5145 N FM 620 b170 – Austin, TX 78732 – (512) 458-2593 - Greater Texas Insurance
9809 Anderson Mill Rd – Austin, TX 78750 – (512) 250-5055 - Herman Askew – State Farm Insurance Agent
13201 Pond Springs Rd #105 – Austin, TX 78729 – (512) 250-5533
View more Austin, TX insurance agencies
How to find cheaper car insurance for college students
The list below summarizes some penny-pinching solutions that can help Austin drivers buy more affordable car insurance.
- Staying accident-free helps keep rates low
- Do not get traffic violations
- Increase your policy deductibles
- Higher credit scores may earn you cheaper rates
- Get cheaper liability coverage by choosing a safer vehicle
- Do not pay for full coverage on older vehicles
- Compare price quotes at least once a year
The last suggestion is remarkably important, as we noted in this article. Car insurance rates in Austin fluctuate constantly, so don’t hesitate to change to a new company if you find a cheaper price. Having brand loyalty is commendable, but is isn’t recommended if that loyalty results in overpaying a lot of money every month. In just a couple of minutes you could compare rates to find cheaper car insurance for college students.