The make and model of vehicle you are seeking coverage for is one of the primary factors that determines the availability of the cheapest car insurance for college students. Vehicles with more horsepower, a lack of safety features, or high incidents of liability claims will cost much more to insure than safer models.
The next list estimates car insurance costs for a handful of the most affordable automobiles to insure.
| Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $3,067 |
| Honda Accord LX 4-Dr Sedan | $3,072 |
| Honda CR-V EX 4WD | $3,112 |
| Ford Escape Limited 2WD | $3,118 |
| Toyota Prius | $3,386 |
| Ford Explorer XLT AWD | $3,413 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SE | $3,421 |
| Toyota Tacoma 4WD | $3,413 |
| Ford F-150 XL Regular Cab 4WD | $3,421 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sahara 4WD 2-Dr | $3,413 |
| Ford Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan | $3,597 |
| Nissan Altima 2.5 4-Dr Sedan | $3,641 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 2WD | $3,646 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LS Extended Cab 4WD | $3,641 |
| Chevrolet Impala LT | $3,649 |
| Honda Odyssey EX-L | $3,869 |
| Ford Edge Sport AWD | $3,875 |
| Toyota Corolla LE | $3,869 |
| Nissan Rogue S AWD | $3,903 |
| GMC Sierra SLT Extended Cab 4WD | $3,916 |
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Table data assumes single male driver age 20, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Ohio minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Rate quotes do not factor in specific zip code location which can affect price quotes significantly.
By looking at the data, we can presume that models like the Hyundai Elantra, Honda Accord, and Honda CR-V should be some of the cheapest vehicles to insure for students in college. Rates will be more costly just due to the fact that there is more exposure for college students, but in general those particular vehicles will tend to have the lowest insurance prices that you’ll find.
Establishing which company quotes the cheapest insurance rates for college students calls for a little more effort than just quoting one company’s rates. Each auto insurance company has their own formula for determining prices, so let’s look at the rankings for the lowest cost insurance companies in Columbus.
It’s a good idea to be aware that Columbus insurance rates are influenced by many factors that may substantially change the price of coverage. Simply improving your credit, buying a new vehicle, or getting a reckless driving citation can trigger changes in premium that can cause some rates to be cheaper than before.
Find the Best Cheap Insurance for College Students
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utica National | $635 |
| 2 | Allied | $669 |
| 3 | Frankenmuth | $680 |
| 4 | Erie | $681 |
| 5 | USAA | $719 |
| 6 | Travelers | $733 |
| 7 | Merchants Insurance Group | $748 |
| 8 | Cincinnati Insurance | $772 |
| 9 | General Casualty | $805 |
| 10 | Motorists Mutual | $824 |
| 11 | Grange Mutual | $836 |
| 12 | Hastings Mutual | $866 |
| 13 | Central Mutual | $866 |
| 14 | State Farm | $867 |
| 15 | Atlantic States | $931 |
| 16 | Westfield | $936 |
| 17 | Western Reserve | $961 |
| 18 | Auto-Owners | $988 |
| 19 | Progressive | $991 |
| 20 | Nationwide | $1,028 |
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Utica National has some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Columbus at around $635 annually. This is $405 less than the average price paid by Ohio drivers of $1,040. Allied, Frankenmuth, Erie, and USAA would also be considered some of the lowest-priced Columbus, OH car insurance companies.
In the rate table above, if you are a policyholder with USAA and switched to Allied, you may realize savings of approximately $50. Drivers with Travelers may save as much as $64 a year, and Merchants Insurance Group customers might reduce rates by $79 a year.
To see how much you can save, click here to start your custom quote or click several companies below for low rates.
Be aware that those prices are averaged for all drivers and vehicles in Ohio and do not factor in an exact vehicle garaging location for college students. So the insurer that can offer you the best rate may not even be in the top 33 companies shown above. That points out the importance of why you need to quote rates from many companies using your own specific driver information and vehicle.
For students in college, one of the more important factors that are used to help calculate the annual cost of car insurance is where you normally keep your vehicle in Columbus. Regions with more people or even just more weather-related claims likely pay more, whereas less populated areas have the luxury of lower rates.
The information below shows the most costly cities in Ohio for college students to buy auto insurance in. Columbus comes in at #4 with a yearly cost of $1,211 for the average insurance policy, which is about $101 per month.
| Rank | City | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Youngstown | $1,247 |
| 2 | Toledo | $1,241 |
| 3 | Cleveland | $1,222 |
| 4 | Columbus | $1,211 |
| 5 | Cincinnati | $1,174 |
| 6 | Akron | $1,169 |
| 7 | Cleveland Heights | $1,166 |
| 8 | Euclid | $1,164 |
| 9 | Hamilton | $1,146 |
| 10 | Dayton | $1,120 |
| 11 | Fairfield | $1,095 |
| 12 | Canton | $1,091 |
| 13 | Newark | $1,085 |
| 14 | Middletown | $1,066 |
| 15 | Springfield | $1,061 |
| 16 | Strongsville | $1,041 |
| 17 | Lakewood | $1,031 |
| 18 | Parma | $1,027 |
| 19 | Beavercreek | $1,027 |
| 20 | Mansfield | $1,022 |
| 21 | Kettering | $1,020 |
| 22 | Mentor | $1,008 |
| 23 | Lorain | $1,005 |
| 24 | Cuyahoga Falls | $997 |
| 25 | Elyria | $975 |
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Rates are comparative as specific Columbus zip code can increase or decrease coverage rates considerably.
The chart below shows how choosing a deductible can affect premium costs when researching cheap insurance for college students. The rate quotes are based on a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, and no other discounts are factored in.
The data above shows that a 50-year-old driver could reduce rates by $178 a year by switching from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $272 by changing to a $1,000 deductible. Younger drivers, such as the 20-year-old example, could potentially save $456 or even more by choosing larger deductibles on their policy. When using a larger deductible, it is necessary to have plenty of discretionary funds to allow you to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense associated with higher deductibles.
Choosing the right insurer is hard considering how many different companies there are to choose from in Columbus. The company ratings in the lists below can help you pick which car insurance companies to look at when trying find the best insurance for college students.
The rankings below are only comprised of insurance companies that insure vehicles in the majority of U.S. states, so companies that only write business in Ohio or surrounding areas are not taken into consideration for the list. If you would like to check rates from these and other top-rated companies, just click here.
| 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 |
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Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
Why are you paying too much for car insurance?
Columbus insurance rates are calculated based on many things that control the price you pay. Turning one year older, buying a different home, or getting a ticket for running a stop sign may generate price changes that may make certain companies more affordable than others. Not only may things change on your end, but auto insurance companies change premium rates every year as an adjustment for underwriting gains or losses. Heavier than normal losses may cause more expensive premiums, while lower claims may produce lower-priced Columbus car insurance rates.
For example, the graph below shows the cheapest car insurance in Columbus, OH for a 45-year-old male driver with no violations or accidents, and solid credit. If we estimate rates based on his current risk factors, Utica National may have the cheapest car insurance rates in Columbus at $802 per year. This is $238 less than the average price paid by Ohio drivers of $1,040. Erie, Frankenmuth, Allied, and Travelers are also included in the best Columbus, OH auto insurance companies.
Now let’s give the driver from the above example a claim, a lower credit rating, and a traffic ticket or two. Since each auto insurance company has a unique approach for determining rates in each state, analyzing rates will most likely result in a slightly different list of companies as shown below.
Cincinnati Insurance now has the lowest price in Columbus with Merchants Insurance Group, Motorists Mutual, Grange Mutual, and General Casualty completing the list. This example shows why drivers need to spend some time comparing rates when trying to get the best car insurance quotes for college students. Insurance prices are made up of many things and can change without notice, so the best company a year ago may now be wasting a lot of money.
How to find budget-friendly insurance for college students
Lowering your rates is not difficult, and here are some of the better money-saving suggestions that can help you find low-cost auto insurance.
- Keep your driving record clean
- Drive a car with a high safety rating
- At-fault accidents will increase rates
- Good credit scores may lower your rates
- Earn a discount by not filing claims
- Shop around for cheaper prices often
The last idea is remarkably critical, as was emphasized in this article. Car insurance rates vary considerably, so drivers shouldn’t be resistant to change to a new company if you find a better deal.
Many drivers have brand loyalty and that’s fine, but we do not recommend it if that stubbornness costs you a lot of money every month. Now is a great time to compare rates and find cheaper auto insurance for college students in Columbus.