The words “low-priced” and “auto insurance” really shouldn’t be used in the same sentence, especially when trying to find the best coverage prices for a school permit. To help control this cost, let’s get started by showing you some situations the can have a considerable influence on car insurance premiums, and see if you can lower the cost of the next policy you buy.
For a learners permit, one of the big factors that help determine auto insurance rates is where you choose to live. Areas with high crime rates or more dense population are more likely to have higher rates, whereas areas with lower crime rates and fewer weather claims receive better rates.
The table below shows the most costly cities in Florida for a school permit in which to purchase auto insurance. Tampa comes in at #7 having an annual price of $2,610 for the average policy, which is around $218 each month.
| Rank | City | Premium Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hialeah | $3,523 |
| 2 | Miami Gardens | $3,277 |
| 3 | Miami | $3,273 |
| 4 | Miami Beach | $2,953 |
| 5 | West Palm Beach | $2,705 |
| 6 | Miramar | $2,629 |
| 7 | Tampa | $2,610 |
| 8 | Pompano Beach | $2,595 |
| 9 | Hollywood | $2,552 |
| 10 | Coral Springs | $2,549 |
| 11 | Davie | $2,523 |
| 12 | Pembroke Pines | $2,481 |
| 13 | Fort Lauderdale | $2,475 |
| 14 | Brandon | $2,392 |
| 15 | St. Petersburg | $2,263 |
| 16 | Clearwater | $2,172 |
| 17 | Orlando | $2,090 |
| 18 | Spring Hill | $2,060 |
| 19 | Jacksonville | $2,040 |
| 20 | Port St. Lucie | $1,935 |
| 21 | Cape Coral | $1,917 |
| 22 | Lakeland | $1,883 |
| 23 | Tallahassee | $1,748 |
| 24 | Palm Bay | $1,733 |
| 25 | Gainesville | $1,680 |
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Premium costs are estimated as specific Tampa zip code can affect coverage prices significantly.
The type of vehicle requiring insurance is a large consideration when comparing quotes for the most economical car insurance for a school permit. Vehicles with high performance features, a lack of safety features, or an increased likelihood of liability claims will cost more to insure than safer models. The list below shows insurance prices for a number of the cheaper automobiles to insure.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $8,417 |
| Honda CR-V LX 4WD | $8,423 |
| Honda Accord LX 4-Dr Sedan | $8,417 |
| Ford Escape XLT 4WD | $8,498 |
| Ford F-150 XL Regular Cab 2WD | $8,871 |
| Toyota Prius | $9,095 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sport Islander Package 4WD 2-Dr | $9,387 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SE | $9,467 |
| Ford Focus S 4-Dr Sedan | $9,902 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $9,911 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LT AWD | $9,983 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 4WD | $9,992 |
| Volkswagen Jetta S 4-Dr Sedan | $9,983 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $10,064 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LT | $10,071 |
| Ford Explorer Limited AWD | $10,064 |
| Toyota Corolla XLE | $10,499 |
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Cost estimates assume single male driver age 16, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Florida minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Information does not factor in your specific Tampa, FL location which can impact rates significantly.
Looking at the data, you can expect models like the Hyundai Elantra, Honda CR-V, Honda Accord, Ford Escape, and Ford F-150 are some of the less-costly vehicles to insure for a learners permit. Auto insurance rates will be higher anyway just due to the fact that there is more risk for a school permit, but generally speaking those specific models will have the best rates compared to all other vehicles.
Finding out which companies quote the lowest-priced insurance rates for a school permit involves a little more sweat than just getting one or two price quotes. Each insurance company uses different criteria for filing rates in each state, so let’s look at the rankings for the insurance companies that tend to have lower prices in Tampa, FL.
Find the Cheapest Car Insurance for Students
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $977 |
| 2 | Amica | $1,694 |
| 3 | Electric | $1,746 |
| 4 | Progressive | $1,793 |
| 5 | Travelers | $1,945 |
| 6 | Allied | $1,985 |
| 7 | Mercury | $1,992 |
| 8 | Esurance | $2,040 |
| 9 | Auto-Owners | $2,085 |
| 10 | GEICO | $2,086 |
| 11 | State Farm | $2,131 |
| 12 | Allstate | $2,317 |
| 13 | 21st Century | $2,373 |
| 14 | Windhaven Insurance | $2,627 |
| 15 | Safeco | $2,898 |
| 16 | Hanover | $2,934 |
| 17 | MetLife | $2,958 |
| 18 | Liberty Mutual | $3,131 |
| 19 | United Automobile | $3,527 |
| 20 | Direct General | $3,902 |
| Find Cheaper Rates Go | ||
USAA offers some of the lowest car insurance rates in Tampa at around $977 per year. This is $1,471 less than the average rate paid by Florida drivers of $2,448. Amica, Electric, Progressive, and Travelers would also make the list of some of the cheaper Tampa, FL auto insurance companies.
In this example, if you have coverage with Electric and switched to USAA, you could see yearly savings of roughly $769. Drivers with Progressive could save as much as $816 a year, and Travelers policyholders might lower prices by up to $968 a year.
To see if your current coverage is too expensive, click here to get a free quote or quote rates from the companies below.
Understand that those premium estimates are averages across all insureds and vehicles and do not take into consideration a specific vehicle garaging location for a school permit. So the insurer that fits your age and vehicle best may not even be in the list above. That is why you need to get auto insurance quotes using your own driver and vehicle profiles.
Liability only or full coverage
Finding cheaper insurance is important to the majority of vehicle owners, and one of the fastest ways to reduce the cost of insurance for a school permit is to not insure for full coverage. The diagram below illustrates the comparison of insurance prices when comparing full coverage to liability only. The rate quotes are based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, single marital status, and no other discounts are factored in.
As an average, comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy costs an additional $2,186 per year more than carrying just liability coverage. That raises the question if you should buy full coverage at all. There is no clear-cut rule of when to phase out physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline. If the annual cost of coverage is about 10% or more of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then it might be time to buy liability only.
Drive responsibly or pay higher rates
The common sense way to snag the cheapest insurance prices in Florida for a learners permit is to be a careful driver and avoid traffic citations and accidents. The information below demonstrates how citations and accidents can influence insurance rates for different age groups of insureds. The prices are based on a married male driver, comp and collision included, $100 deductibles, and no additional discounts are factored in.
The chart shows that the average cost of a car insurance policy per year with a clean driving record and no accidents is $2,776. Get one speeding ticket and the average cost rises to $3,188, an increase of $412 each year. Next add one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the yearly cost of insurance for a school permit goes up to an average of $4,356. That’s an increase of $1,580, or $132 per month, just for being a little careless behind the wheel!
Tips for finding low-cost insurance for a school permit
The list below shows some penny-pinching solutions that can help drivers locate lower-cost auto insurance.
- Increase your physical damage deductibles
- Remain accident-free and save
- Improve your credit
- Do not pay for comprehensive and collision coverage on older vehicles
- Save money by obeying traffic laws and keeping a clean driving record
- Buy vehicles with good safety ratings
- Shop around for cheaper rates regularly
The last tip in the list is incredibly valuable, as we stressed in this piece. Coverage rates in Tampa change frequently, so drivers shouldn’t be reluctant to change insurance companies if you can find a cheaper rate. Brand loyalty is not necessarily bad, but it’s not a good idea if that loyalty ends up costing money that could be used for better things. It only take a few minutes to shop around to find cheaper car insurance for a school permit.