You have most likely seen the captivating ads from insurers like The General and Allstate promising big savings, so you just need to pick one at random, right?
Unfortunately, it’s not that simple as there are many unknown elements like if you are a homeowner or renter, if you are married, the number of miles you drive each year, and if you have a tendency to get pulled over, that all go into determining the rate you pay. This article should teach you a little about some of these factors and should give you a jump start in finding the best auto insurance in Long Beach.
For military personnel, one of the big considerations that help determine the amount you pay each year for auto insurance is your zip code. Areas with increased crime or more people are more likely to have higher rates, whereas areas that tend to be more rural benefit from having to pay less for coverage.
The illustration below lists the most expensive areas in California for active military to purchase auto insurance in. Long Beach is ranked #9 with an annual rate of $1,578 on average, which is approximately $132 each month.
| Rank | City | Premium Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glendale | $2,121 |
| 2 | Los Angeles | $2,104 |
| 3 | Oakland | $1,738 |
| 4 | San Francisco | $1,693 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $1,669 |
| 6 | San Bernardino | $1,628 |
| 7 | Stockton | $1,603 |
| 8 | Santa Clarita | $1,580 |
| 9 | Long Beach | $1,578 |
| 10 | Fontana | $1,566 |
| 11 | Moreno Valley | $1,536 |
| 12 | Modesto | $1,532 |
| 13 | Riverside | $1,527 |
| 14 | Fresno | $1,517 |
| 15 | Garden Grove | $1,508 |
| 16 | Santa Ana | $1,453 |
| 17 | Anaheim | $1,430 |
| 18 | Huntington Beach | $1,402 |
| 19 | Bakersfield | $1,381 |
| 20 | San Jose | $1,381 |
| Start a Quote Go | ||
Information shown are comparative as the specific Long Beach residence address can decrease or increase auto insurance rates significantly.
Trying to buy low-priced auto insurance is not always easy, and figuring out which companies quote the lowest-priced car insurance rates for active military requires a bit more work.
Every insurance provider uses their own calculation to establish rates, so let’s take a look at the car insurance companies that tend to be cheaper in Long Beach, CA. It’s a good idea to be aware that California car insurance rates are calculated based on many things that may substantially change the policy price. Improving your credit score, getting divorced, or getting a few speeding tickets may prompt premium changes resulting in some rates now being more affordable than the competition.
Find Cheaper Auto Insurance for Military
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,121 |
| 2 | Wawanesa | $1,146 |
| 3 | Century National | $1,226 |
| 4 | Nationwide | $1,226 |
| 5 | CSAA | $1,234 |
| 6 | 21st Century | $1,325 |
| 7 | Grange | $1,433 |
| 8 | Mercury | $1,488 |
| 9 | GEICO | $1,513 |
| 10 | Progressive | $1,542 |
| 11 | Allstate | $1,559 |
| 12 | The Hartford | $1,575 |
| 13 | Allied | $1,588 |
| 14 | MetLife | $1,606 |
| 15 | State Farm | $1,682 |
| 16 | Esurance | $1,739 |
| 17 | Unitrin | $1,750 |
| 18 | Bristol West | $1,849 |
| 19 | Travelers | $1,860 |
| 20 | Farmers | $1,946 |
| Quote Your Rates Go | ||
USAA has some of the cheapest car insurance rates in Long Beach at around $1,121 each year. Wawanesa, Century National, Nationwide, and CSAA would also make the list of some of the best Long Beach, CA insurance companies.
As illustrated above, if you are insured with Nationwide and switched to Wawanesa, you could realize an annual premium reduction of in the neighborhood of $80. Policyholders with CSAA may save as much as $88 a year, and 21st Century customers might lower prices by $179 a year.
Remember that these premiums are averaged across all drivers and vehicles and do not take into consideration a vehicle location for active military. So the company that is best for you may not even be in the top 24 companies in the list above. That underscores the importance of why you need to get quotes using your own specific driver information and vehicle.
California car insurance company ratings
Selecting a high-quality insurer can be challenging considering how many choices you have in California. The company rank data in the next section could help you select which companies to look at when comparing rates. These rankings are for companies that insure vehicles nationwide, so smaller companies that only insure vehicles in California are not included in these rankings.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | 98 | 100 | 100 | 94% | A++ | 98.6 |
| American Family | 98 | 89 | 100 | 86% | A | 95.4 |
| AAA of Southern California | 91 | 94 | 97 | 92% | A+ | 94.1 |
| State Farm | 88 | 93 | 96 | 90% | A++ | 92.4 |
| The Hartford | 94 | 92 | 90 | 89% | A+ | 91.7 |
| AAA Insurance | 88 | 89 | 95 | 91% | A | 91.2 |
| GEICO | 84 | 93 | 93 | 89% | A++ | 90.3 |
| The General | 89 | 91 | 89 | 88% | A- | 90 |
| Titan Insurance | 90 | 87 | 91 | 95% | A+ | 89.6 |
| Progressive | 84 | 91 | 93 | 87% | A+ | 89.5 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||||||
Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
How careless driving impacts Long Beach car insurance rates
A great way to receive the best car insurance prices in Long Beach for military personnel is to be a cautious driver and avoid accidents and violations. The example below highlights how speeding tickets and at-fault collisions can impact auto insurance costs for each different age group. The price estimates are based on a single male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are applied.
In the chart above, the average cost of a car insurance policy in California per year with no accidents and a clean driving record is $2,314. Get one speeding ticket and the average cost rises to $2,608, an increase of $294 each year. Then include one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the annual cost of car insurance for active military jumps again to an average of $3,426. That’s an increase of $1,113, or $93 per month, just for not driving carefully!
Your cheap policy may actually be overpriced
Long Beach car insurance rates are impacted by many things which can substantially change the cost of your policy. Getting older, buying a home, or getting a ticket for running a stop sign can produce rate changes that can now make some companies cheaper than competitors. Additionally, insurance companies amend pricing as often as every three months to adjust for heavy claims or excess profits. An extended period of higher than normal claims can result in higher rates, while a better claims history can cause more affordable Long Beach car insurance rates.
To illustrate this point, the chart below shows a variety of companies that have the cheapest car insurance in Long Beach, CA for a 30-year-old male driver with a good driving record, no prior claims, and great credit. If we look at prices based on his current rating profile, USAA might offer the cheapest car insurance rates in Long Beach at $1,398 annually. This is $253 less than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide are the rest of the most affordable Long Beach, CA auto insurance companies.
In this next rate comparison, we will give the driver in the first example a claim, slightly worse credit, and a few blemishes on his driving record. Because each insurer has a unique approach for determining rates in each state, comparing insurance quotes most likely will result in a different ranking of the cheapest Long Beach car insurance companies as shown below.
Grange now has the cheapest car insurance in Long Beach with Mercury, Allstate, GEICO, and Progressive also being competitive. This example demonstrates why it is critical to compare rates when trying to get the cheapest car insurance quotes for active military.
Rates can be determined by many factors and can increase or decrease at any time, so the cheapest company the last time you checked may now be quite expensive.
How to find the cheapest insurance for active military
The list below shows some of the better thrifty ideas that can help you find more affordable car insurance.
- Vehicles with good safety ratings have lower liability rates
- Assess whether full coverage is needed
- Good credit scores may lower your rates
- Bundle home and auto and earn a discount
- Maintain a safe distance and avoid accidents
- Shop around and save
That last idea is very critical, as was stressed in the article above. Auto insurance prices in Long Beach can be modified anytime, so don’t be tentative to buy from a different company if you find a cheaper price. Sticking with a specific company is fine, but we do not recommend it if that loyalty results in overpaying thousands of dollars over several years. Take a few minutes and compare prices and find cheaper insurance for active military.