Best Auto Insurance Rates in Fresno, California

Compare Auto Insurance in Fresno

Friday, November 2 2018 By QuoteWizard

Like many cities in California, Fresno was formed after the 1849 Gold Rush. Unlike other cities, Fresno is the birthplace of the modern credit card, which first appeared in 1958. Fresno is right in the heart of California, less than an hour’s drive from the center of the state. But wherever you’re headed, you’ll need affordable car insurance rates.

Average Fresno Car Insurance Rates

How much is car insurance in Fresno, CA? Frequency of accidents, population density, and crime rates are some of the reasons average car insurance rates in Fresno are higher than both the state and national averages. The average cost of auto insurance in California is $841.45 a year. The national average cost is $889.01.

Prices may vary depending on your driving record and the number of claims filed in your zip code.

The graph below shows the most recent year California's rate data is available. According to the III, California car insurance rates increased from $740 in 2011 to $841 in 2015, a jump of $101, or 13.66 percent.

QuoteWizard helps consumers compare quotes from both national insurance companies and local independent agents. Comparing quotes can help you find cheap car insurance rates near Fresno, California and save up to 40% on your premium.

Last year, 8,492 people used QuoteWizard to get an auto insurance quotes comparison in Fresno, CA from multiple companies to find the lowest rates.

Best Car Insurance Companies in Fresno, CA

This is our list of the most car common insurance companies reported by QuoteWizard users living in Fresno, California last year.

Other popular Fresno, California car insurance companies: Infinity, Mercury, MetLife, Country Financial, Safeco, USAA, Travelers, Hartford, and American Family.

Top 10 Vehicles

These are the most common car makes and models owned by Fresno, C drivers requesting quotes through QuoteWizard last year.

Minimum Car Insurance Requirements in Fresno, CA

Fresno, California drivers are required follow the 15/30/5 minimum liability coverage rule. This rule states that drivers must maintain policies that include at least:

• Individual Bodily Injury Liability (BIL): $15,000.
  The total your insurer will pay for one person injured in a car accident.
• Total Bodily Injury Liability: $30,000.
  The most insurance companies will pay for every person injured in a car accident.
• Property Damage Liability (PDL): $5,000.
  The maximum your insurance carrier will pay for property damage caused by a car accident.

Fresno Drivers

According to a recent report published by Allstate, CA Insurance when it comes to safe driving, Fresno ranked 94th out of 200 cities. While most US drivers go 10 years without having an accident, drivers here are involved in crashes every 8.7 years, 14.5% higher than the national average.

Driving Conditions

Factors affecting insurance rates are the weather and road conditions.

Weather

Fresno's climate is semi-arid. This means the summers are long, hot, and dry with short and mild winters that are moist but not wet. On average, only 11.5 inches of precipitation falls in Fresno in any given year, most of it during the winter. Snow is rare but freezing temperatures are common in January and December.

Road Conditions

The condition of Fresno's roads is a sore spot for city residents. Ruts and potholes damage cars and have made driving on some streets a safety issue. According to a study by TRIP, 22% of major roads and highways in Fresno are in poor condition with another 43% rated as mediocre. The condition of city roads costs drivers $526 a year in additional vehicle operating costs.

Traffic Congestion

One bright spot for Fresno residents is that traffic congestion is relatively light for a city of a half million people. According to TomTom's annual traffic index report, Fresno ranked 33rd for worst traffic congestion in the United States. An average commuter spends an additional 15 minutes per hour stuck in traffic during peak commute times and 59 hours a year for commutes of 30 minutes. Inrix, a traffic data company, ranked Fresno 92nd out of 105 cities for traffic congestion. An average driver wasted only 2.1 hours in heavy traffic last year.

Moving Violations

Moving violations such as speeding tickets, running red lights, following too close, and drunk driving will give you a bad driving record and raise your rates. People with the most incidents on their driving histories are often switched from preferred to non-standard status and asked to buy high-risk auto insurance coverage.

Traffic Tickets

The Superior Court of California County of Fresno traffic website allows residents to pay traffic tickets, tells drivers how to contest tickets, and provides helpful traffic court information. In 2015, Fresno police issued 58,338 traffic citations. 9,734 were for speeding and 2,022 involved occupant protection violations.

DUI Arrests

Fresno police made 2,784 arrests for suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) in 2015.

SR-22 DUI Insurance

A DUI a conviction may require you to obtain an SR-22 form. Request a quote and we'll connect you with local agents from top companies that specialize in Fresno DUI insurance.

Car Accident Statistics

Fresno reported 2,885 car crashes in 2013. Of these crashes, 1,183 resulted in injury.

Traffic Fatalities

During 2015, Fresno experienced 30 traffic fatalities, down from 35 in 2014.

DUI Collisions

Of the 2,885 collisions in 2014, 412 involved drugs or alcohol. 87 of the DUI collisions resulted in injuries and six were fatal.

Distracted Driving

Fresno police handed out 4,007 citations to distracted drivers in 2014.

Vehicle Theft Rates

The Fresno Police Department recorded 1,744 vehicle thefts in 2016. This is a rate of 3.35 per 1,000 city residents.

Car Insurance Discounts

Are you looking for cheap car insurance? Discounts are one of the best ways to lower your insurance rates. These are some of the many auto insurance discounts available to drivers in Fresno, CA depending on your insurer. Get a quote and find out which discounts you may qualify for with your current or multiple insurance companies.

1. Bundle your auto policy. Bundling is one of the best discounts and can save you up to 20% off your premium
2. If you're 55 or older you could qualify for either the senior discount or the 55 and retired discount
3. Maintain at least a B grade point average in school to qualify for the good student discount
4. Go to driving school and take a defensive driving course
5. Drive less by living close to work and you might qualify for the low mileage discount

Sources:

• Traffic - Fresno County Superior Court - State of California
• Fresno California Crime Rates
• United States Census Bureau - Fresno, CA
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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