You have most likely seen the captivating commercials from car insurance companies like The General and GEICO that claim the cheapest rates. So drivers just need to choose the one with the most memorable commercial, right?
It’s not that simple, unfortunately, as there are a whole bunch of unknown elements like your credit score, how much you actually drive in a year, your gender, and if you want the added protection of full coverage, that all impact the cost of coverage. This article will cover the causes of high insurance rates and will hopefully give you a good start in finding the cheapest insurance in Ohio.
The car, truck, or SUV you are insuring is one of the primary factors that determines whether or not you can buy low-priced coverage for low income drivers. Vehicles with high performance features, a lack of modern safety features, or a track record of large liability claims will cost quite a bit more to insure than more economical and safe models. The list below illustrates coverage premiums for a selection of the more affordable vehicles to insure in Ohio.
| Vehicle Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLT 2WD | $1,170 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan CV | $1,313 |
| Honda CR-V LX 4WD | $1,342 |
| Ford Edge Limited 2WD | $1,359 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 2WD | $1,386 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab TRD Sport Package 4WD | $1,413 |
| Honda Accord LX-P 4-Dr Sedan | $1,440 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,485 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LTZ Extended Cab 4WD | $1,492 |
| Kia Optima SX | $1,588 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LS | $1,590 |
| Chevrolet Impala LT | $1,600 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LS AWD | $1,590 |
| Find Cheaper Rates Go | |
Data assumes single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Ohio minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, safe-driver, homeowner, multi-policy, and claim-free. Rate information does not factor in vehicle garaging location which can increase or decrease auto insurance rates considerably.
Based upon these rates, you can expect vehicles like the Ford Escape, Dodge Grand Caravan, Honda CR-V, and Ford Edge are most likely going to be the less-costly vehicles to insure for poor drivers.
Deciphering which company has the best insurance rates for low income drivers will take more work than just picking a company at random. Every car insurance company has their own guidelines to establish rates, so we will examine the most competitive insurance companies in Cincinnati.
Cheapest Insurance Rates in Ohio
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utica National | $647 |
| 2 | Erie | $667 |
| 3 | Frankenmuth | $687 |
| 4 | Allied | $690 |
| 5 | Travelers | $712 |
| 6 | USAA | $719 |
| 7 | Merchants Insurance Group | $755 |
| 8 | Cincinnati Insurance | $756 |
| 9 | Motorists Mutual | $792 |
| 10 | Grange Mutual | $828 |
| 11 | General Casualty | $829 |
| 12 | Central Mutual | $840 |
| 13 | Hastings Mutual | $884 |
| 14 | State Farm | $894 |
| 15 | Westfield | $918 |
| 16 | Atlantic States | $940 |
| 17 | Western Reserve | $941 |
| 18 | Progressive | $953 |
| 19 | Auto-Owners | $998 |
| 20 | Nationwide | $1,028 |
| View More Rates Go | ||
Utica National quotes some of the cheapest car insurance rates in Cincinnati at around $647 each year. This is $393 less than the average rate paid by Ohio drivers of $1,040. Erie, Frankenmuth, Allied, and Travelers would also be considered some of the lowest-priced Cincinnati, OH auto insurance companies.
As depicted above, if you currently buy coverage from Travelers and switched to Erie, you may see savings of roughly $45. Customers with USAA could save as much as $52 a year, and Merchants Insurance Group policyholders might lower prices by up to $88 a year.
Remember that these prices are averaged across all ages of drivers and types of vehicles and are not factoring in an exact vehicle garaging location for low income drivers. So the company that can offer the best rates for your situation may not even be in the top 33 companies shown above. That’s why you need to get rate quotes from many companies using your own specific driver and vehicle information.
Picking the top car insurance company can be difficult considering how many choices you have in Cincinnati. The ranking data displayed below can help you decide which auto insurers you want to consider when looking for cheaper rates.
The ratings below are only comprised of companies that insure vehicles across America, so companies that only write business in Ohio or surrounding areas are not taken into consideration for the list. To compare rates and find cheaper insurance for low income drivers, follow this link.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | 99 | 100 | 90 | 92% | A++ | 97.4 |
| 21st Century | 89 | 86 | 100 | 88% | A | 92.7 |
| GEICO | 97 | 91 | 88 | 85% | A++ | 92.5 |
| Nationwide | 88 | 94 | 91 | 88% | A+ | 91.3 |
| AAA Insurance | 93 | 87 | 88 | 87% | A | 90.8 |
| Liberty Mutual | 91 | 91 | 92 | 87% | A | 90.7 |
| Safeco Insurance | 90 | 93 | 88 | 86% | A | 90.2 |
| State Farm | 91 | 94 | 80 | 88% | A++ | 90.2 |
| Travelers | 89 | 91 | 94 | 79% | A++ | 90.1 |
| American Family | 88 | 92 | 83 | 88% | A | 89.4 |
| Titan Insurance | 89 | 91 | 83 | 86% | A+ | 89.3 |
| Allstate | 90 | 90 | 84 | 85% | A+ | 89.1 |
| Progressive | 83 | 85 | 99 | 87% | A+ | 88.7 |
| Erie Insurance | 92 | 90 | 82 | 88% | A+ | 88.5 |
| The Hartford | 87 | 89 | 84 | 87% | A+ | 88 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||||||
Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
The information below highlights how deductible choice can affect insurance costs when searching for cheap insurance for low income drivers. The information is based on a single male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no discounts are factored in.
In the chart above, a 50-year-old driver could lower their policy premium by $186 a year by switching the physical damage coverage from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $282 by changing to a $1,000 deductible. Young drivers, such as the Age 20 example, could possibly save up to $612 annually just by choosing higher deductibles when buying full coverage. When insureds make the decision to increase the deductibles on their policy, it’s a good idea to have plenty of savings on hand to enable you to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the one inconvenience of using high deductibles.
Get discount Cincinnati insurance
Insurance providers that offer coverage for low income drivers may additionally offer policy discounts that could lower prices by as much as 35% if you meet specific criteria. A few popular companies and the discounts they provide can be read below.
- American Family may offer discounts for TimeAway discount, early bird, Steer into Savings, multi-vehicle, bundled insurance, and mySafetyValet.
- State Farm may have discounts that include Steer Clear safe driver discount, driver’s education, anti-theft, student away at school, multiple autos, accident-free, and passive restraint.
- 21st Century has savings for teen driver, early bird, anti-lock brakes, theft prevention, and automatic seat belts.
- Travelers discounts include save driver, home ownership, early quote, IntelliDrive, continuous insurance, and multi-car.
- GEICO offers premium reductions for seat belt use, multi-policy, military active duty, daytime running lights, membership and employees, defensive driver, and air bags.
The example below shows the comparison of insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the policy rates. The data is based on a male driver, no tickets, no at-fault accidents, Ohio state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $500 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second bar shows the rates with safe-driver, vehicle safety, claim-free, defensive driving course, passive restraint, and anti-theft discounts applied. When drivers qualify for the discounts, the average savings per year on insurance for low income drivers is 27% or $323.
How to find budget-friendly car insurance for low income drivers
It is possible to find better rates, and here are many thrifty solutions that can help Ohio drivers buy low-cost coverage.
- Claim-free policyholders usually earn a discount
- Do not get traffic citations
- Do not get into accidents that are your fault
- If your vehicles are older, consider dropping full coverage
- Bundle home or renters insurance to earn a discount on car insurance
- Choose a safer vehicle and pay lower rates
- Comparison shop at least every other year
That last piece of advice is extremely significant, as we stressed in the article above. Auto insurance prices adjust frequently, so don’t be tentative to switch to a new company if you find a better deal.
Brand loyalty is great, but it isn’t a good idea if that devotion results in you overpaying hundreds of dollars a year. Take a few minutes and compare prices and find cheaper auto insurance for low income drivers in Cincinnati.
The agencies below can most likely aid you in deciding which policy fits your needs best, as some people have coverage questions and would like to have the advice of a professional agent when shopping for cheaper insurance for low income drivers. It’s not always simple to find the best policy on your own, so using a licensed agent can give comfort knowing you have adequate asset protection. To locate a Cincinnati auto insurance agent near you, click the button at the bottom.
CAI Insurance Agency, Inc.
2035 Reading Rd – Cincinnati, OH 45202 – (513) 221-1140
Dillhoff Insurance
120 E 4th St # 1000 – Cincinnati, OH 45202 – (513) 621-2020
Harold Jones – State Farm Insurance Agent
9816 Springfield Pike – Cincinnati, OH 45215 – (513) 771-6226
Dwyer Insurance Agency
3356 N Bend Rd – Cincinnati, OH 45239 – (513) 389-4100