Finding affordable auto insurance for a Nissan Sentra in California relies on a very complex rating algorithm that uses multiple factors such as how far you drive to work, the likelihood of vehicle theft, and physical damage deductibles. Drivers pay around $1,886 per year to insure their Sentra, but that figure is a valuation based on a 30-year-old single female driver with both comprehensive and collision coverage and $100 deductibles.
It’s highly likely you are not 30 years old and maybe not even female, married instead of single, or maybe you have a teenager that needs to be on your policy. Having even a minor difference in rating factors or requested coverage amount could end up with a large change in the cost of insurance for a Nissan Sentra.
This example demonstrates why the only way to find cheap insurance rates for your Nissan is to do your own rate comparisons. Quotes only take a couple of minutes and you will be able to compare rates from the best auto insurance companies around.
The specific trim level has an effect on price, so the rate you pay to insure a Sentra 2 will be $356 less expensive the cost to insure the higher-priced Sentra SE-R SPEC V version, as shown in the table below.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sentra 2 | $368 | $844 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $2,022 | $169 |
| Sentra 2.0 S | $368 | $996 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $2,174 | $181 |
| Sentra 2.0 SR | $368 | $996 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $2,174 | $181 |
| Sentra 2.0 SL | $422 | $996 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $2,228 | $186 |
| Sentra SE-R | $422 | $996 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $2,228 | $186 |
| Sentra SE-R SPEC V | $422 | $1146 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $2,378 | $198 |
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Table data assumes single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-policy, claim-free, multi-vehicle, and homeowner. Rate information does not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can influence coverage rates considerably.
Choosing the top company is difficult considering how many choices you have in Oakland. The ranking information below may help you analyze which car insurance providers you want to consider buying from. These ratings include large nationwide companies, so companies without a large exposure are not taken into consideration for the list.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | 98 | 100 | 100 | 94% | A++ | 98.6 |
| American Family | 98 | 89 | 100 | 86% | A | 95.4 |
| AAA of Southern California | 91 | 94 | 97 | 92% | A+ | 94.1 |
| State Farm | 88 | 93 | 96 | 90% | A++ | 92.4 |
| The Hartford | 94 | 92 | 90 | 89% | A+ | 91.7 |
| AAA Insurance | 88 | 89 | 95 | 91% | A | 91.2 |
| GEICO | 84 | 93 | 93 | 89% | A++ | 90.3 |
| The General | 89 | 91 | 89 | 88% | A- | 90 |
| Titan Insurance | 90 | 87 | 91 | 95% | A+ | 89.6 |
| Progressive | 84 | 91 | 93 | 87% | A+ | 89.5 |
| Mercury Insurance | 88 | 91 | 90 | 85% | A+ | 89.4 |
| Allstate | 85 | 90 | 92 | 88% | A+ | 89.3 |
| Nationwide | 87 | 88 | 84 | 90% | A+ | 88.7 |
| Liberty Mutual | 84 | 87 | 93 | 88% | A | 88.5 |
| 21st Century | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88% | A | 86.7 |
| Esurance | 85 | 80 | 95 | 87% | A+ | 85.9 |
| Safeco | 85 | 85 | 85 | 86% | A | 85.8 |
| Travelers | 80 | 87 | 87 | 83% | A++ | 85.2 |
| Farmers Insurance | 78 | 87 | 88 | 79% | A | 84.3 |
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Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
Full coverage rates compared to liability only
Reducing the cost of auto insurance should be important to most people, and an easy way to buy cheaper insurance for a Nissan Sentra is to buy only liability coverage. The example below illustrates the difference between insurance prices with full coverage compared to only the California minimum liability coverage. The premium estimates are based on no claims or violations, $500 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
If averaged for all ages, physical damage insurance costs an extra $2,612 per year more than just buying liability insurance. Many people question when is the right time to remove full coverage. There is no exact formula for excluding physical damage coverage, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than about 10% of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
For example, let’s say your vehicle’s settlement value is $12,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most you would receive is $11,000 after the deductible is paid. If you are paying more than $1,100 annually to have full coverage, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.
There are a few cases where buying only liability insurance is not financially feasible. If you still owe money on your vehicle, you have to maintain full coverage in order to keep the loan. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should not eliminate full coverage.
The importance of shopping around
Oakland, CA auto insurance rates are determined by lots of factors that may substantially change the cost of your policy. Simply getting older, moving to a different location, or getting a DUI may cause policy rate changes that can cause some rates to be cheaper than competitors. Not only may things change on your end, but insurance companies change their prices multiple times each year to reflect underwriting profits or losses. An extended period of higher than normal claims can cause more expensive prices, while a better claims history can cause more affordable Sentra insurance rates.
To help illustrate this point, the data below shows the company with the cheapest car insurance in Oakland, CA for a 35-year-old female driver with no accidents or violations, and a high credit rating. Based on her current risk factors, USAA may have the best car insurance rates in Oakland at $1,501 per year. This is $150 less than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, Century National, CSAA, and Nationwide are the rest of the cheapest Oakland, CA auto insurance companies.
The example below compares rates after we give the driver from the first rate comparison some claims, bad credit, and a few blemishes on her driving record. Since each company has their own unique process to determining premium rates, analyzing rate quotes most likely will result in a substantially altered list of affordable Oakland car insurance companies as shown below.
Grange now has the best insurance rate in Oakland with GEICO, Mercury, Allied, and Progressive completing the list. This example shows why consumers need to shop around when trying to find affordable insurance rates for a Nissan Sentra. Prices consist of many things and can increase or decrease at any time, so the cheapest option two years ago may now cost much more than other companies.