The words “low-cost” and “insurance” probably shouldn’t be used together, in particular when comparison shopping for the best price on coverage for 4×4 vehicles. Because it’s so expensive, let’s take a look at a few of the things that have an effect on car insurance prices, and find out if you can reduce the cost of your next policy.
Comparing rates for affordable auto insurance is challenging, and finding out which company has the best car insurance rates for 4×4 vehicles takes even more perseverance. Each auto insurer has a unique formula to set policy rates, so let’s begin by examining the most competitive car insurance companies in Mesa, AZ.
Best Insurance Companies for 4×4’s
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Hartford | $836 |
| 2 | Auto-Owners | $924 |
| 3 | Safeco | $932 |
| 4 | Travelers | $1,086 |
| 5 | USAA | $1,091 |
| 6 | Progressive | $1,118 |
| 7 | GEICO | $1,166 |
| 8 | CSAA | $1,177 |
| 9 | Allied | $1,197 |
| 10 | Ameriprise Group | $1,208 |
| 11 | Farm Bureau Mutual | $1,247 |
| 12 | Safe Auto | $1,323 |
| 13 | Unitrin | $1,357 |
| 14 | State Farm | $1,364 |
| 15 | Farmers | $1,378 |
| 16 | American Family | $1,435 |
| 17 | Titan | $1,461 |
| 18 | Amica | $1,487 |
| 19 | California Casualty | $1,506 |
| 20 | MetLife | $1,551 |
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The Hartford may have some of the cheapest car insurance rates in Mesa at around $836 annually. Auto-Owners, Safeco, Travelers, and USAA also qualify as some of the best Mesa, AZ car insurance companies.
In the above example, if you currently have coverage with Safeco and switched to The Hartford, you might realize savings of roughly $96. Insureds with Travelers might save as much as $250 a year, and USAA customers might cut rates by $255 a year.
To find cheaper insurance rates for your vehicle, click here to start your free quote or click several companies below for low rates.
Be aware that those rates are averages for all drivers and vehicles and and are not calculated with an exact zip code location for 4×4 vehicles. So the auto insurance company that fits your age and vehicle best may not even be in the list above. That is why you need to get rate quotes from many companies using your own specific driver and vehicle information.
One of the more important criteria that aid in calculating the annual cost of car insurance is where you normally keep your vehicle in Mesa. Areas with more people or even just a higher incidence of claims tend to have more expensive auto insurance rates, whereas areas with lower crime rates and fewer weather claims tend to receive cheaper rates.
The following table rates the most expensive areas in Arizona for 4×4 vehicles to buy an auto insurance policy in. Mesa ranks #4 with an annual rate of $1,159 on average, which is about $97 monthly.
| Rank | City | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glendale | $1,226 |
| 2 | Avondale | $1,222 |
| 3 | Phoenix | $1,218 |
| 4 | Mesa | $1,159 |
| 5 | Buckeye | $1,156 |
| 6 | Scottsdale | $1,151 |
| 7 | San Tan Valley | $1,150 |
| 8 | Gilbert | $1,142 |
| 9 | Tempe | $1,140 |
| 10 | Goodyear | $1,120 |
| 11 | Tucson | $1,105 |
| 12 | Peoria | $1,104 |
| 13 | Chandler | $1,093 |
| 14 | Maricopa | $1,085 |
| 15 | Casa Grande | $1,057 |
| 16 | Catalina Foothills | $1,050 |
| 17 | Surprise | $1,048 |
| 18 | Casas Adobes | $1,040 |
| 19 | Oro Valley | $1,031 |
| 20 | Yuma | $992 |
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Table data uses approximated as the specific area where the vehicle is garaged can impact prices noticeably.
The make and model of vehicle on the policy is probably the largest consideration that determines whether or not you find low-priced car insurance for 4×4 vehicles. Vehicles with higher performance, a lack of modern safety features, or a high likelihood of having liability claims will cost more to insure than more economical and safe models.
The list below outlines auto insurance premiums for some of the more affordable automobiles to insure.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLS 4WD | $1,337 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $1,452 |
| Honda CR-V EX 2WD | $1,465 |
| Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer 2WD | $1,499 |
| Honda Odyssey LX | $1,609 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,627 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sport Islander Package 4WD 2-Dr | $1,661 |
| Hyundai Sonata GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $1,695 |
| Ford F-150 Lariat Crew Cab Harley 4WD | $1,731 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4WD | $1,736 |
| GMC Sierra SLE Crew Cab 2WD | $1,742 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LT Extended Cab 4WD | $1,736 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 4WD | $1,741 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Hero | $1,736 |
| Toyota Tacoma 2WD | $1,742 |
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Data assumes single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Arizona minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, claim-free, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, and multi-policy. Rates do not factor in specific Mesa, AZ garaging location which can alter premium rates substantially.
Based upon the rates shown, we can expect models like the Ford Escape, Hyundai Elantra, and Honda CR-V should be the most economical vehicles to insure for off-road vehicles.
Discounts on Mesa insurance
Car insurance companies that offer cheap quotes for 4×4 vehicles may additionally offer special discounts that can lower rates by 25% or more if you meet certain criteria. Companies and a partial list of their discounts include:
- AAA includes discounts for education and occupation, AAA membership discount, pay-in-full, anti-theft, multi-car, and good driver.
- Progressive has discounts for good student, homeowner, online quote discount, online signing, continuous coverage, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle.
- State Farm offers discounts including driver’s education, safe vehicle, multiple policy, accident-free, passive restraint, and student away at school.
- Esurance offers premium reductions for multi-car, online quote, anti-lock brakes, anti-theft, homeowner, and Pac-12 alumni.
- Nationwide discounts include business or organization, good student, multi-policy, anti-theft, family plan, accident-free, and easy pay.
The illustration below shows the difference between annual premium costs with and without some available policy discounts. The information is based on a female driver, a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, Arizona state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows insurance cost with no discounts. The second shows the rates with passive restraint, homeowner, multiple vehicle, defensive driving course, accident-free, and multiple policy discounts applied. When discounts are applied, the average amount saved each year on car insurance for 4×4 vehicles is 28% or $413.
Liability rates compared to full coverage
Saving on car insurance is the goal of most drivers, and one common way to lower the cost of insurance for 4×4 vehicles is to only buy liability insurance. The example below shows the difference between auto insurance costs with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying liability only. Data assumes no violations or accidents, $100 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no other discounts are factored in.
If averaged for all ages, comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy costs $1,722 per year more than just insuring for liability. That is a significant amount which raises the question when is the right time to remove full coverage. There is no clear-cut formula of when to stop paying for full coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of coverage is about 10% or more of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.
For example, let’s assume your vehicle’s replacement cost is $10,500 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most you would receive is $9,500 after the policy deductible has been paid. If you are paying more than $950 a year for comprehensive and collision coverage, then it might be time to buy liability only.
There are some conditions where dropping full coverage is not advised. If you still owe money on your vehicle, you have to maintain full coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if your savings is not enough to buy a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should keep full coverage in place.
The example below demonstrates how choosing different deductibles can influence annual premium costs when trying to find cheap insurance for 4×4 vehicles. The costs are based on a married female driver, full physical damage coverage, and no discounts are factored in.
A 40-year-old driver could lower rates by $206 a year by switching from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $310 by switching to a $1,000 deductible. Even younger drivers, such as the 20-year-old example, can save up to $508 or more just by using higher deductibles.
If you do make the decision to raise your deductibles, it is important to have spare funds to offset the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the main drawback of higher deductibles.