Best Car Insurance Rates in Oakland, California

Compare Car Insurance in Oakland

Friday, November 2 2018 By QuoteWizard

Oakland, California is known for being a place of diversity, political activism, and culture. It's one of the USA's busiest shipping ports, and has been rated one of America’s coolest cities. While many commute using BART, Oaktown is a center of transportation for the Bay Area, bisected by many freeways. So, Oakland drivers should compare quotes to make sure they’re getting the affordable insurance rates.

Average Oakland Car Insurance Rates

How much is car insurance in Oakland, CA? The high accident rate, poorly maintained roads, terrible traffic congestion, and high crime rate means that average rates in Oakland are much 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 top national insurance companies and local agents. Comparing quotes can help you find cheap car insurance rates near Oakland, California and save up to 40% on your premium.

Last year, 5,173 people used QuoteWizard to compare car insurance quotes in Oakland, CA from multiple companies to find the lowest rates.

Best Car Insurance Companies in Oakland, CA

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

Other popular Oakland, California car insurance companies: Mercury, Safeco, 21st Century, MetLife, USAA, Infinity, Country Financial, American Family, and Hartford.

Top 10 Vehicles

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

Minimum Car Insurance Requirements in Oakland, CA

Oakland, California drivers are required to maintain basic liability coverage known as the 15/30/5 rule which means each policy must include at least:

• Individual Bodily Injury Liability (BIL): $15,000.
  The most your car insurance company will pay for someone injured in a car accident.
• Total Bodily Injury Liability: $30,000.
  The max your insurer will pay for multiple people injured in a car accident.
• Property Damage Liability (PDL): $5,000.
  The total your insurance provider will pay for property damage caused by a car accident.

Oakland Drivers

In its recent Best Drivers Report, Allstate ranked Oakland, CA 183rd out of 200 cities. Most US drivers go 10 years without having an accident. Drivers here are involved in crashes every 6.5 years.

Driving Conditions

Factors affecting insurance rates include the weather, driving, and road conditions.

Weather

Oakland has some of the nation's best weather. The summers are warm but not too hot. The winters are mild and damp but not overly wet. Foggy mornings are common with the fog usually burning off by the afternoon and gradually giving in to sunshine. Most of the city's annual rainfall occurs during the winter months and very little falling in the summer. Precipitation averages 23.94 inches a year and snow is unheard of.

Road Conditions

TRIP reports that 71 percent of the Oakland's major roads have pavement conditions rated as poor. These poorly maintained streets costs drivers $1,049 a year in extra vehicle operating costs. These costs are a direct result of driving on rough roads that damage cars and waste gas because of delays due to congestion. They’re also a factor in car accidents.

Traffic Congestion

TomTom ranks Oakland and San Francisco 2nd in the nation for traffic congestion and delays. An average commuter spends an extra 37 minutes per hour stuck in traffic during rush hour commutes and 143 hours a year for peak hour commutes of 30 minutes.

Traffic data provider Inrix ranks Oakland 3rd for worst traffic congestion in the US. Their data shows that area commuters wasted 78 hours in traffic congestion last year.

Moving Violations

Insurance companies hate seeing moving violations on your driving record. So, if you have the type of citations that go on your driving history, expect to pay higher rates than safer drivers.

Traffic Tickets

The Superior Court of California County of Alameda traffic website allows residents to pay traffic tickets, tells drivers how to contest tickets, and provides helpful traffic court information.

DUI Arrests

Oakland police made 299 arrests for suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) in 2014.

SR-22 DUI Insurance

A DUI conviction may require you to obtain an SR-22 form. Get a quote and compare rates from top companies that specialize in Oakland DUI insurance.

Traffic Fatalities

Oakland experienced 28 motor vehicle crash fatalities in 2013. This was a rate of 2.46 per 100,000 residents. All traffic deaths are a tragic loss, but considering Oakland’s estimated population of 420,005 this is a safe city in terms of traffic fatalities.

Vehicle Theft Rates

The Oakland Police Department recorded 6,525 vehicle thefts in 2016. This is a rate of 15.56 per 1,000 residents. Oakland has one of the highest auto theft rates in the nation and you can be sure this hasn't escaped the notice of insurance carriers and factors into local insurance rates.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) ranked Oakland 8th for cities with the worst auto theft in 2014.

Car Insurance Discounts

Are you looking for affordable car insurance? Discounts are a great way to lower your rates. These are some of the auto insurance discounts available to drivers in Oakland, CA.

1. Have good credit. If your credit rating has recently improved, get a quote. You may find yourself paying a smaller premium
2. Live in a safe neighborhood with low crime and good drivers. People that live in neighborhoods with high crime and urban driving conditions file more claims. For you, that can mean higher rates no matter how clean your driving record is
3. Keep your driving record clean with no tickets or accidents and you may qualify for the safe driver discount
4. Bundle your auto insurance with your homeowners, renters, or life policy. Bundling your policies with a single insurer can save you as much as 20%
5. Get a new car to qualify for the new car discount. If the car has safety features like anti-lock brakes or electronic stability control, you might be entitled to additional discounts

Sources:

• Oakland Police Department Annual Management Report - 2013
• Oakland California Crime Rates
• United States Census Bureau - Oakland, California
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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