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How much is car insurance in Santa Maria?
| Area | Average Monthly Car Insurance Premium |
|---|---|
| Santa Maria | $40 |
| CA | $56 |
| United States | $81 |
Looking at the chart above, you can see it's around $16 a month cheaper to insure your vehicle in Santa Maria than it is in the rest of California.
When stacked up against the national average, the average monthly policy payment for Santa Maria is more affordable. It's around $41 less to insure your vehicle compared to the average rate for the United States as a whole.
These may be the average auto insurance rates for Santa Maria, but that doesn't mean it's exactly what you'll pay. Insurance companies take in a variety of factors when determining how much to charge you for coverage. Things like gender, vehicle make and model, driving record, age and, in some areas, credit score can all affect your policy's monthly price.
We've analyzed the average rate for Santa Maria and broken down the different factors to help you understand what your monthly bill might look like. To find out if you're getting the cheapest rate, just enter your ZIP Code below and find out in minutes!
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Average Car Insurance Rates by Age
| Age Range | Average Premium |
|---|---|
| Under 18 | Not Enough Data |
| 18-24 | $59 |
| 25-34 | $37 |
| 35-44 | $32 |
| 45-54 | Not Enough Data |
| 55-64 | $33 |
| 65+ | $36 |
It would make sense that older drivers have more driving experience, right? When it comes to auto insurance rates, that experience can help put some change back into your pocket. According to the table above, you can see that 18-24-year-olds pay $23 more than someone who is at retirement age.
For every 10 years, you can expect to see a drop in your monthly premium. Drivers in Santa Maria may see their rates creep back up once they hit retirement age.
Average Car Insurance Rates by Gender
| Gender | Average |
|---|---|
| Male | $44 |
| Female | $37 |
Car insurance rates for women are generally cheaper than they are for men. In Santa Maria, the difference is around $7 per month. As illustrated in the table above, male drivers in the area pay about $44 on average, while female drivers pay around $37 each month.
Average Auto Insurance Rates by Driving Record
| Infractions | Average Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| 1 Accident | $47 |
| Multiple Accidents | $54 |
| 1 Ticket | $50 |
| Multiple Tickets | $65 |
Your rates can vary wildly depending on your driving record. A clean driving record will get you a lower rate than one with even just a single accident or infraction. In Santa Maria, having a single accident on your record will usually get you rates around $47 a month. In addition, drivers with one ticket can expect to pay around $50 a month on average.
Accidents, tickets, and other driving infractions can cost you some serious cash. So, if cheaper car insurance is important to you, keep your record clean and drive safe.
Average Insurance Rates by Vehicle
| Vehicle Age | Average Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| Less Than 1 Year | $53 |
| 2-3 Years | $40 |
| 4-5 Years | $41 |
| 6-7 Years | $40 |
| 8-10 Years | $42 |
| 11-14 Years | $40 |
| 15 Years or Older | $39 |
The most affordable vehicles to insure in Santa Maria are by and large trucks and vans, which run about $39 per month.
Cars and SUVs, on the other hand, cost about the same to insure, around $41 per month.
Vehicle age has an impact on the cost of your policy as well. Generally, newer vehicles are going to cost the most to insure. However, your rates may start to drop back down once your car is a few years old. In Santa Maria, vehicles less than one year old are the most expensive to insure.
Average Car Insurance Rates by Relationship Status
| Relationship | Average Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| Single (never married) | $42 |
| Married | $33 |
| Divorced | $37 |
| Widowed | $44 |
On average, those who are currently married will pay slightly less for insurance coverage. This usually boils down to owners having multiple vehicles on the same policy, something that will often get you a discount.
The difference in rates based on relationship status in Santa Maria can be as much as $9 a month, so it's worth keeping that in mind.
Average Car Insurance Rates by Housing Situation
| Housing Status | Average Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| Own | $38 |
| Rent | $38 |
| Live with parents | $63 |
One other element taken into consideration is your living situation. Homeowners and renters alike can expect to pay about $38 per month for coverage in Santa Maria.
Bundling your home or rental insurance and auto insurance policies can oftentimes reduce your car insurance costs, depending on your insurance company.
Car Insurance Companies in Santa Maria, CA
Recent trends in car insurance for Santa Maria drivers
The average rates for car insurance are constantly changing, so it's a good idea to know the recent trends in your area when deciding when and where to shop.
The rates for auto insurance in Santa Maria went up from 2017-2018, when they hit a high of $43. This pattern leveled out in 2021, when they began to decrease, and have continued on that path through the present, where insurance rates finished at $37 a month.
How does Santa Maria compare to neighboring areas?
Why are car insurance rates in Santa Maria different from other areas?
Car insurance companies look at a number of factors when they're choosing how much to charge for a policy. A few of these factors affecting your personal policy have already been mentioned, but others are based around where you live. These include things like:
- Amount of off-street parking
- Road safety
- Community laws
- Crime rates
- Total number of drivers in the area
Knowing the make-up of these factors can be helpful when deciding on purchasing a new policy or thinking about making a move. Different cities and towns will each have different rates, so guides like these are a handy way to learn more.
How can I find the cheapest car insurance in Santa Maria?
Familiarizing yourself with patterns in the average costs of drivers like you will give you a leg up in conversations with insurance companies. Ultimately, the only way to know exactly what your rate will be is by requesting a quote from those car insurance companies.
Don't worry, Compare.com does all of that work for you. Enter your ZIP below, answer a few questions, and you'll be comparing the cheapest quotes from several of the car insurance companies providing auto coverage in Santa Maria.
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Santa Maria Insurance FAQs
What factors affect car insurance quotes in Santa Maria?
Quotes are calculated by car insurance companies who take multiple factors into consideration, including things you can't control like your gender and age, but also factors like your driving record, address, credit score, and marital status.
Why is the cost of car insurance in Santa Maria different from other neighboring cities?
Your address and the city you live in have a significant impact on how much a car insurance company might charge for your policy. Companies take into consideration things like local laws, crime rates, and parking situations when calculating your quote -- all of which can change from city to city.
Which car insurance company will offer me the cheapest rate in Santa Maria?
Since the factors that go into calculating your monthly payment vary from person to person, there isn't one company that will always offer the cheapest rate to everybody. You can be confident that you're receiving the best price possible by using sites like Compare.com to compare multiple quotes at once.
Do I need to change my insurance if I move to Santa Maria?
Any major life event, whether it be moving to a new area, finding a new job, getting married, or any other notable event always presents a good opportunity to re-evaluate your current insurance policy. Regardless of your previous rate, there may be cheaper options in your new location, so it's a good idea to use services like Compare.com to compare quotes from dozens of companies side-by-side.
Do I need to wait for my policy to expire to switch to a different car insurance company?
No. Regardless of how much time is left on your current policy, you can switch companies at any time. So, whether you're considering moving to Santa Maria or just curious if you're getting the best rates, why not take 10 minutes and see if Compare.com can save you some extra cash?
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