Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Low Mileage Drivers in Tucson?

The words “low-cost” and “insurance” probably shouldn’t be used together, specifically when searching for the best insurance rates for low mileage drivers. To help control this cost, let’s go over some of the things that have an impact on car insurance premiums, and figure out some ways to cut the cost of your next policy.

Establishing which company quotes the cheapest car insurance rates for low mileage drivers calls for more time than just quoting one company’s rates. Every car insurance company has their own guidelines to establish rates, so let’s examine the car insurance companies with the overall best prices in Tucson.

Keep in mind that Tucson car insurance rates are based on many factors that will increase or decrease the price you have to pay for coverage. Getting older, having a claim, or having an at-fault accident can trigger price changes resulting in some companies being cheaper than competitors.

Cheapest Insurance Rates in Arizona

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The Hartford may offer some of the lowest car insurance rates in Tucson at around $836 a year. Safeco, Auto-Owners, USAA, and Progressive would also make the list of some of the most economical Tucson, AZ insurance companies.

In the above rates, if you buy coverage from USAA and switched to Safeco, you might realize savings of about $168. Arizona drivers with Progressive could save as much as $195 a year, and Travelers customers might reduce prices by as much as $196 a year.

It’s important to note that these premiums are averaged for all types of insureds and vehicles and are not factoring in an exact location for low mileage drivers. So the company that is most affordable for your situation may not even be in the list above. That underscores the importance of why you need to get quotes using your own driver data and vehicle information.

For infrequent drivers, one of the more important things that help determine the amount you pay for auto insurance is where you live. Regions with more people or even just more weather-related claims tend to have higher auto insurance costs, whereas areas with lower vehicle theft rates and fewer weather claims benefit from lower coverage costs.

The information below ranks the most expensive areas in Arizona for low mileage drivers in which to purchase auto insurance. Tucson comes in at #12 with a yearly cost of $1,105 for car insurance, which is approximately $92 each month.

Rates are estimated as the specific geographic location can alter rates substantially.

Rate increases following a ticket or accident

A great way to obtain affordable car insurance prices in Tucson for infrequent drivers is to drive carefully and avoid accidents and keep your driving record clean. The information below shows how traffic citations and at-fault collisions can raise car insurance costs for each different age category. The data is based on a married female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no other discounts are factored in.

In the previous example, the average cost of auto insurance in Arizona per year with a clean driving record and no accidents is $971. Receive one speeding ticket and the average cost jumps to $1,130, an increase of $160 each year. Then include one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the 12-month cost of car insurance for low mileage drivers increases to an average of $1,577. That’s an increase of $606, or $51 per month, just for not driving safely!

Get discounts on Tucson insurance rates

Car insurance companies that provide policies for low mileage drivers may also provide rate discounts that may potentially lower prices by as much as 35% if you are eligible for them. The best car insurance companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts are outlined below.

• State Farm may include discounts for student away at school, Steer Clear safe driver discount, good student, anti-theft, accident-free, and defensive driving training.
• American Family includes discounts for mySafetyValet, bundled insurance, good driver, multi-vehicle, defensive driver, air bags, and good student.
• AAA discounts include anti-theft, multi-car, pay-in-full, good driver, and good student.
• GEICO may have discounts that include driver training, membership and employees, defensive driver, seat belt use, and multi-vehicle.
• Mercury Insurance offers discounts for multi-car, good student, low natural disaster claims, good driver, and multi-policy.
• Farmers Insurance policyholders can earn discounts including early shopping, good student, mature driver, teen driver, business and professional, and alternative fuel.
• Progressive offers premium reductions for multi-vehicle, online signing, homeowner, good student, continuous coverage, and multi-policy.

The example below shows the difference between insurance rates with and without discounts. Data assumes a female driver, no claims or driving violations, Arizona state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows the average rate with no discounts. The second shows the rates with safe-driver, accident-free, passive restraint, marriage, defensive driving course, and multiple policy discounts applied. When discounts are factored in, theamount saved on car insurance for low mileage drivers is 27% or $449.

Liability-only versus full coverage

Saving money on car insurance is the goal of the majority of people, and one good way to lower the cost of insurance for low mileage drivers is to not buy comprehensive and collision coverage. The illustration below shows the difference between auto insurance rates when comparing full coverage to liability only. The data is based on no accidents, no driving violations, $250 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are applied.

If averaged out across all ages, physical damage coverage costs an additional $1,579 per year over and above liability only. That may make you wonder when is the right time to remove full coverage. There is no definitive guideline of when to exclude physical damage insurance, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the annual cost of having full coverage is about 10% or more of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.

For example, let’s assume your vehicle’s claim settlement value is $6,500 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, you would only receive $5,500 after paying your deductible. If you are paying in excess of $550 annually for physical damage coverage, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.

How to find cheaper insurance for low mileage drivers

The list below shows many money-saving suggestions that can help Tucson drivers find low-cost car insurance.

• The safer your car, the less it costs to insure
• Buying your home and auto policies from the same company can earn a discount
• Remain accident-free and save
• Do not pay for full coverage if not needed
• Good credit can save money
• Keep rates low by comparing prices once a year

The last item on the list is highly vital, as we noted in this article. Rates can change in a short period of time, so drivers shouldn’t be reluctant to change to a new company if a more affordable rate is found.

Many drivers tend to have loyalty to a certain company, but it’s not recommended if that devotion results in you overpaying hundreds of dollars a year. Spend a few minutes and shop around to find cheaper car insurance for low mileage drivers in Tucson.

If you aren’t sure which coverage you need and prefer to have a little guidance when comparing insurance rates for infrequent drivers, the professional agents shown below can probably help you make a decision which car insurance policy is best. To find an agent by location nearest to you, click the link at the bottom.

View map of Tucson, AZ insurance agents