The words “affordable” and “insurance” really shouldn’t be used in the same sentence, in particular when you are shopping around for the cheapest coverage for drivers with accidents. Because of the high cost, let’s teach you some situations that can significantly affect car insurance prices, and see how we can help you lower the price of the next policy you buy.
For drivers with at-fault accidents, one of the largest components that are looked at to help calculate insurance cost is where you choose to live. Larger areas are more likely to pay higher prices, whereas areas with less people or fewer weather incidents receive better rates.
The next table rates the highest-priced areas in Ohio for drivers with accidents to purchase auto insurance in. Columbus makes the list at #4 having an annual price of $1,235 on average, which is approximately $103 per month.
Rank | City | Annual Rate |
---|---|---|
1 | Toledo | $1,279 |
2 | Cleveland | $1,259 |
3 | Youngstown | $1,235 |
4 | Columbus | $1,235 |
5 | Cleveland Heights | $1,202 |
6 | Cincinnati | $1,174 |
7 | Akron | $1,169 |
8 | Dayton | $1,142 |
9 | Hamilton | $1,135 |
10 | Euclid | $1,129 |
11 | Newark | $1,095 |
12 | Fairfield | $1,063 |
13 | Springfield | $1,061 |
14 | Canton | $1,058 |
15 | Middletown | $1,055 |
16 | Kettering | $1,051 |
17 | Beavercreek | $1,047 |
18 | Lakewood | $1,041 |
19 | Cuyahoga Falls | $1,027 |
20 | Mansfield | $1,022 |
21 | Strongsville | $1,001 |
22 | Parma | $997 |
23 | Mentor | $988 |
24 | Lorain | $985 |
25 | Elyria | $975 |
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Premium amounts are comparative as vehicle location can change coverage prices significantly.
Determining which insurers offer the lowest-priced auto insurance rates for drivers with accidents involves more work in order to find the most economical policy.
Each company used slightly different criteria for determining rates in each state, so let’s rank the auto insurance companies that tend to have lower prices in Columbus, OH.
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Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
---|---|---|
1 | Utica National | $628 |
2 | Allied | $676 |
3 | Erie | $687 |
4 | Frankenmuth | $687 |
5 | USAA | $711 |
6 | Travelers | $712 |
7 | Merchants Insurance Group | $778 |
8 | Cincinnati Insurance | $779 |
9 | Motorists Mutual | $792 |
10 | Grange Mutual | $836 |
11 | General Casualty | $837 |
12 | Central Mutual | $840 |
13 | Hastings Mutual | $866 |
14 | State Farm | $867 |
15 | Atlantic States | $904 |
16 | Westfield | $936 |
17 | Western Reserve | $941 |
18 | Progressive | $953 |
19 | Nationwide | $998 |
20 | Auto-Owners | $998 |
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Utica National offers some of the best car insurance rates in Columbus at around $628 annually. Allied, Erie, Frankenmuth, and USAA also make the cut as some of the more affordable Columbus, OH insurance companies.
In the rate table above, if you are currently insured with Frankenmuth and switched to Utica National, you may realize an annual premium reduction of in the vicinity of $59. Ohio drivers with USAA might save as much as $83 a year, and Travelers customers might lower prices by $84 a year.
To see how much you can save, click here or visit any of the low-priced companies below.
These estimates are averages for all types of insureds and vehicles and and are not figured with a vehicle location for drivers with accidents. So the auto insurance company that fits your needs best may not even be in the list above. That emphasizes why you need to compare rates from as many companies as possible using your own personalized driver profile and vehicle information.
The vehicle model you are insuring is probably the largest consideration when shopping around for cheaper car insurance for drivers with accidents. Vehicles with more horsepower, a lack of modern safety features, or high incidents of liability claims will cost substantially more to insure than safer, lower-performance models.
The list below shows auto insurance premiums for a number of the most affordable automobiles to buy insurance for.
Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
---|---|
Honda CR-V LX 4WD | $2,900 |
Ford Escape XLT 2WD | $3,076 |
Honda Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $3,114 |
Toyota Prius | $3,303 |
Honda Odyssey EX W/Rear Entertainment | $3,399 |
Toyota Tacoma 4WD | $3,402 |
Toyota Camry LE | $3,434 |
Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer 2WD | $3,469 |
Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Super Cab 4WD | $3,472 |
Dodge Grand Caravan Crew | $3,477 |
Toyota RAV4 Sport 2WD | $3,593 |
Chevrolet Impala LS | $3,598 |
Chevrolet Malibu LT | $3,636 |
Volkswagen Jetta SEL 4-Dr Sedan | $3,653 |
GMC Sierra SLE Crew Cab 4WD | $3,661 |
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Prices based on single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, two at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Ohio minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and homeowner. Price information does not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can revise premium rates substantially.
Based upon the table data, we can presume that makes and models like the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Honda Accord, Toyota Prius, and Honda Odyssey are most likely going to be a few of the most economical vehicles to insure for drivers with at-fault accidents. The price for car insurance will be more costly because of the fact that there is a higher risk for drivers with accidents, but generally speaking those vehicles will tend to have the cheapest car insurance rates that you’ll find.
Full coverage versus liability only rates
Saving money on auto insurance is important to most drivers, and one easy way to pay less for insurance for drivers with accidents is to buy liability only. The diagram below shows the difference between annual premium costs with and without physical damage coverage. The information is based on no claims, a clean driving record, $250 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
If averaged out across all ages, physical damage insurance costs an extra $1,200 per year more than just insuring for liability. Many drivers will wonder if paying for full coverage is a waste of money. There is no exact formula of when to phase out full coverage, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than about 10% of the settlement you would receive from your company, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
There are some cases where dropping full coverage is not in your best interest. If you still have a lienholder on your title, you must maintain physical damage coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should not remove full coverage.
Responsible drivers pay cheaper Columbus auto insurance rates
The common sense way to get the most affordable auto insurance prices for drivers with at-fault accidents is to be an attentive driver and not have accidents or get tickets. The diagram below highlights how traffic violations and at-fault accidents drive up insurance costs for each different age group. The costs are based on a married female driver, full coverage, $100 deductibles, and no other discounts are factored in.
The data above shows the average cost of car insurance in Ohio per year with a clean driving record and no accidents is $1,013. Factor in one speeding ticket and the average cost jumps to $1,175, an increase of $163 each year. Then include one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the annual cost of auto insurance for drivers with accidents jumps again to an average of $1,639. That’s an increase of $626, or $52 per month, just for not driving carefully!
Discount Columbus auto insurance rates
Insurers that offer coverage for drivers with accidents could also offer rate discounts that can lower rates by 30% or more if you qualify for them. A list of companies and the discounts they provide are outlined below.
- State Farm may include discounts for multiple policy, driver’s education, passive restraint, good student, accident-free, and multiple autos.
- Farmers Insurance has savings for multi-car, early shopping, mature driver, bundle discounts, distant student, switch companies, and business and professional.
- Progressive offers discounts for good student, continuous coverage, online quote discount, multi-vehicle, and homeowner.
- GEICO policyholders can earn discounts including military active duty, seat belt use, membership and employees, driver training, and federal employee.
- Auto-Owners Insurance includes discounts for mature driver, good student, group or association, anti-lock brakes, and multi-policy.
- The Hartford may have discounts that include good student, driver training, vehicle fuel type, air bag, defensive driver, and anti-theft.
- Farm Bureau discounts include safe driver, youthful driver, multi-vehicle, driver training, 55 and retired, and good student.
- USAA offers premium reductions for family discount, military installation, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and vehicle storage.
The illustration below shows the difference between insurance costs with and without policy discounts. The premium estimates are based on a female driver, no speeding tickets and two accidents, Ohio state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows the price with no discounts. The second bar shows the rates with vehicle safety, multiple vehicle, multiple policy, passive restraint, anti-theft, and homeowner discounts applied. When these discounts are applied, the average amount saved each year on auto insurance for drivers with accidents is 29% or $658.
What aren’t you shopping around?
Columbus auto insurance rates are influenced by many factors that may substantially change the cost of having a policy. Improving your credit rating, becoming a homeowner, or getting a reckless driving citation can trigger changes in premium that can cause some rates to be more affordable than others. In addition, auto insurance companies change premium rates multiple times each year in order to be able to pay unexpected claims. Heavier than normal losses can result in price increases, while better underwriting may produce cheaper Columbus car insurance rates.
The chart below compares the cheapest car insurance in Columbus, OH for a 30-year-old female driver with no violations or accidents, and solid credit. If we estimate prices based on her personal risk profile, Utica National might quote the best car insurance rates in Columbus at $781 per year. This is $259 less than the average premium paid by Ohio drivers of $1,040. Allied, Erie, Frankenmuth, and Travelers are also on the list of the top five cheapest Columbus, OH auto insurance companies.
The example below compares rates after we give the driver from the first example a chargeable accident, a lower credit rating, and an imperfect driving record. Because each insurer has their own formula for determining rates in each state, getting updated rate quotes may now show a substantially altered list of affordable Columbus car insurance companies as shown below.
Cincinnati Insurance now has the cheapest insurance rate in Columbus, OH with Merchants Insurance Group, Grange Mutual, Motorists Mutual, and General Casualty now rounding out the top five. This example shows why Columbus drivers need to compare lots of rates when trying to find the cheapest auto insurance rates for drivers with accidents. Insurance prices consist of many different factors and can change without notice, so the lowest-price company the last time you shopped your coverage around may now not even be in the top five.
If you would rather have professional advice when trying to find lower insurance rates for drivers with accidents, the agents below are willing to provide answers to your questions and help you determine which car insurance company is the best fit. To locate a Columbus auto insurance agent in your neighborhood, click the button link following the list or click here to compare rates now.
Russell A Popp – State Farm Insurance Agent
2844 Johnstown Rd – Columbus, OH 43219 – (614) 471-5557
Danduran and Associates Insurance Agency, Inc.
1827 O Brien Rd – Columbus, OH 43228 – (614) 777-8200
American Family Insurance – Felix Quachey
1100 Morse Rd Ste 301 – Columbus, OH 43229 – (614) 536-0237
Nationwide Insurance: Sylvia A Garrett Insurance Agency Llc
1 W Nationwide Blvd – Columbus, OH 43215 – (614) 249-2141