Cheapest Car Insurance in San Antonio, TX
Cheapest Car Insurance in San Antonio, TX
Find Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes in San Antonio, TX
The average price of minimum coverage auto insurance in San Antonio is $1,072, while the average price of a full coverage is $2,777. Insurance rates can be very pricey, especially if you’re young or have an accident history, but you can still find affordable auto insurance by shopping around and comparing rates.
Our sample driver received minimum policy quotes that varied by more than $1,200 per year depending on the insurer, demonstrating the importance of taking time to research your insurance options.
Who has the cheapest auto insurance in San Antonio?
The three insurers with the cheapest minimum policies on average are:
- Loya
- State Farm
- Chubb
Current and former military members should get a quote from USAA. Its average annual premium of $485, or $40 a month, is the cheapest overall for those who are eligible.
Find Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes in San Antonio, TX
Drivers looking for immediate savings will probably opt to purchase the minimum amount of coverage required by the state, but depending on your individual needs, this level of coverage may not be sufficient. Minimum coverage will protect other drivers and property owners from damages caused by your vehicle, but it won’t cover damages your car sustains.
Adding supplemental coverage or even full coverage will protect you financially against damages to your vehicle. However, it’s important to note that full policy is more expensive than minimum liability policy and not every driver will benefit from having more protection. If your car’s value is low, stacking on more coverage is not the best option.
Rank | Insurance company | Average annual rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loya | $719 |
| 2 | State Farm | $745 |
| 3 | Chubb | $843 |
| 4 | Dairyland | $1,089 |
| 5 | Geico | $1,103 |
| 6 | Nationwide | $1,147 |
| 7 | Allstate | $1,556 |
| 8 | MetLife | $1,959 |
| N/A* | USAA | $485 |
*USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families.
San Antonio’s cheapest full coverage policy insurance?
Loya and State Farm have the most affordable full coverage insurance options. Loya’s full coverage was priced at an average of $1,196 per year, while State Farm cost $1,600. USAA has a full coverage policy that is more than three times as expensive than its minimum insurance, but it's still one of the best low-cost options.
Rank | Insurance company | Average premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loya | $1,196 |
| 2 | State Farm | $1,600 |
| 3 | Geico | $2,309 |
| 4 | Chubb | $2,392 |
| 5 | Nationwide | $2,497 |
| 6 | Dairyland | $3,825 |
| 7 | Allstate | $4,592 |
| 8 | Metlife | $5,230 |
| N/A* | USAA | $1,356 |
*USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families.
Full coverage insurance offers more protection than minimum insurance. Unlike a minimum coverage policy, full coverage makes sure you’re covered when your vehicle incurs damages. The average annual difference in cost between minimum coverage and full coverage in San Antonio is $1,706, or roughly $142 per month.
There are two types of protection that are typically included in full coverage:
- Collision coverage: protects you when you crash your car into another vehicle or a fixed object like a tree or lamp post. It also protects you when you drive your car into a ditch, your car flips over or when you are involved in a hit and run and don't have uninsured motorist coverage.
- Comprehensive coverage: protects you against "acts of God" or events that are out of your control. This includes the natural disasters, theft and explosions.
Cheapest full coverage insurance for San Antonio’s young drivers
The most affordable full coverage insurance policies for young people are provided by Loya and USAA. Loya’s costs an average $3,485 annually, while USAA, which has a strict eligibility requirement, costs $2,461.
Age is just a number to some people, but not to insurance companies. Young drivers are more likely to be involved in an accident than middle-aged drivers. As a result, young and inexperienced will be quoted at higher rates than their older counterparts.
The average cost of full coverage insurance for our sample 18-year-old is $4,555 more expensive than the average cost of a policy for our sample 30-year-old driver.
Rank | Insurance company | Average rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loya | $3,485 |
| 2 | State Farm | $4,903 |
| 3 | Geico | $4,920 |
| 4 | Chubb | $6,284 |
| 5 | Dairyland | $8,581 |
| 6 | Allstate | $8,721 |
| 7 | Nationwide | $9,557 |
| 8 | Metlife | $17,080 |
| N/A* | USAA | $2,461 |
*USAA is only available to current and former military members and their families.
Insurance rates can be unaffordable for the average young person, but one of the best ways to save money is to do research. Here are a few ways to save money on car insurance:
- Ask about discounts. Many insurers offer discounts for installing security devices in your car, getting good grades as a student and being a safe driver, among other things. These discounts can add up to hundreds or even thousands in savings.
- Combine policies with your parents. Ask your parents about the possibility of getting a combined or multi-car policy under their insurer. Their annual rates will definitely go up, but it’ll be cheaper than if you were to have two separate policies.
- Contact multiple insurers. As you can see from the table above, the difference between the cheapest and most expensive insurers can be over $14,000.
Cheapest insurance for drivers with accident history in San Antonio
Accidents aren’t cheap: Not only might you be spending money to pay for damages, but you will also see your insurance premiums rise if you’re deemed at fault for an accident.
One of our sample insurers raised their premium by an average of $4,600 after an accident, while another raised its prices by only $292, showing why it’s crucial for those with an accident history to compare rates from multiple companies.
The companies that increased their prices the least after an accident are Nationwide, State Farm and Loya.
Rank | Company | Car insurance quote before accident | Car insurance quote after accident | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loya | $1,196 | $1,488 | $292 |
| 2 | State Farm | $1,600 | $1,870 | $270 |
| 3 | Geico | $2,309 | $3,587 | $1,279 |
| 4 | Chubb | $2,392 | $4,055 | $1,663 |
| 5 | Nationwide | $2,497 | $2,497 | $0 |
| 6 | Dairyland | $3,825 | $4,997 | $1,173 |
| 7 | Allstate | $4,592 | $7,364 | $2,772 |
| 8 | Metlife | $5,230 | $9,830 | $4,600 |
| N/A* | USAA | $1,356 | $2,037 | $681 |
*USAA is not ranked because only military members (current and former) and their families are eligible.
Best car insurance company in San Antonio, by customer service
Great service can go a long way. Even if an insurance company has the best price, poor service, long wait times or a disorganized claims process can make the low price not worth it.
Farmers has the best service and is worth checking out as they have many discounts. Chubb has the second-best customer service, as measured by frequency of customer complaints, but its premiums are middle of the barrel.
Although Loya has the cheapest insurance prices for minimum and full coverage, that comes at the price of its service. Loya has the highest complaint index out of fourteen major insurers in the San Antonio area. Customers have complained about the absence of a 24/7 call center and slow response times in Loya’s reviews.
Rank | Company | Market share | Complaint Index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Farmers Insurance | 6.7% | 0.16 |
| 2 | Chubb | 0.4% | 0.27 |
| 3 | Travelers (Consumers County Mutual) | 1.9% | 0.34 |
| 4 | Nationwide | 1.5% | 0.39 |
| 5 | Progressive | 13.9% | 0.4 |
| 6 | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | 11.5% | 0.41 |
| 7 | Texas Farm Bureau Insurance | 2.8% | 0.42 |
| 8 | Allstate Corp. | 10.3% | 0.6 |
| 9 | State Farm | 12.2% | 0.69 |
| 9 | USAA | 7.1% | 0.69 |
| 11 | MetLife | 0.5% | 0.91 |
| 12 | Liberty Mutual | 4.1% | 0.93 |
Insurers were selected based on market share and quote availability. Complaint Index information is drawn from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The national median for the Complaint Index is 1.0, meaning companies with a lower index provide better customer service compared to the median company.
Average cost of car insurance, by neighborhood
Each neighborhood and area of San Antonio has a different crime rate, density and accident rate. As a result, prices can vary by up to $100 depending on where you live. For example, residents who live in Hills of Park North, one of the cheapest San Antonio areas, pay an average of $128 more than residents in the West Side, a tourist hub and one of the most expensive neighborhoods.
ZIP code | Neighborhood | Average annual auto insurance rate |
|---|---|---|
| 78202 | Dignowity Hill | $1,113 |
| 78203 | Denver Heights | $1,094 |
| 78204 | Blue Star / Southtown | $1,085 |
| 78205 | River Walk / Downtown | $1,083 |
| 78206 | Downtown | $1,093 |
| 78207 | West Side | $1,126 |
| 78208 | Government Hill | $1,073 |
| 78210 | Highland Park / Sunny Slope / Southeast Side | $1,075 |
| 78211 | South San Antonio | $1,130 |
| 78214 | Mission San Jose | $1,040 |
| 78215 | NoDo | $1,020 |
| 78216 | Shearer Hills / Ridgeview | $1,102 |
Fatal accidents in San Antonio
The city of San Antonio experienced over 600 fatal accidents between 2011 and 2015 with the highest amount occurring toward the center of the city — in the downtown area. The data is consistent with that part of the city being the most expensive for car insurance.
Most dangerous roads in San Antonio
The following table lists the roads within the city that have had the most fatal accidents since 2011. The most dangerous was I-410 where 68 fatal accidents have occurred.
Rank | Highway | Number of traffic fatalities | Percent involving drunk driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-410 | 68 | 39.7% |
| 2 | I-10 | 46 | 37.0% |
| 3 | I-35 | 43 | 44.2% |
| 4 | US-281 | 20 | 35.0% |
| 5 | US-90 | 17 | 52.9% |
A large portion of the accidents that occur on these roads are due to a drunk driver or have a drunk driver involved. Although US-90 had the 5th most fatal accidents, over half of them involved drinking and driving.
Car insurance agents in San Antonio
While the cheapest insurance companies in our survey will allow you to get quotes online, there are certain companies that require you to finish buying auto insurance through an agent. Going through an agent has many benefits despite appearing to be less convenient.
An agent can help ensure you have the recommended amount of coverage and save you a lot of money in the long run.
Below you may find a short list of some agencies within San Antonio.
Agency | Address |
|---|---|
| A-Affordable Auto Insurance | 3323 SE Military Dr, San Antonio, TX 78223, United States |
| A-MAX Auto Insurance | 1201-B Southwest Military Drive, San Antonio, TX 78221, United States |
| Pronto Insurance | 526 N Zarzamora St, San Antonio, TX 78207, United States |
| Primera Insurance | 1726 Fredericksburg Rd, San Antonio, TX 78201, United States |
| Direct Auto Insurance | 11430 Perrin Beitel Rd, San Antonio, TX 78217, United States |
Minimum auto insurance requirements: San Antonio, TX
Every state has a minimum car insurance coverage requirement that drivers must follow to be able to legally drive. Every Texas car owner is required to follow the state limits of 30/60/25.
- $30,000 of bodily injury liability per person
- $60,000 of bodily injury liability per accident
- $25,000 of property damage liability
This is the least amount of coverage every San Antonio driver is required to have, but it doesn’t mean that this is the best coverage for your background and needs. Supplemental coverages can be a worthwhile investment for drivers with new or expensive cars. If you get into an accident and don’t have sufficient protection, you could be on the hook for more than you can pay.
Methodology
Our analysis used a sample male driver who owns a 2015 Honda Civic EX and has no credit history. Unless explicitly stated, our driver was looking for a minimum coverage policy.
When examining full coverage policy data, we had the following limits:
Coverage type | Study limit |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $50,000 per person / $100,000 per accident |
| Property damage liability | $25,000 per accident |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury | $50,000 per person / $100,000 per accident |
| Comprehensive and collision | $500 deductible |
ValuePenguin's analysis used insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services. These rates were publicly sourced from insurer filings and should be used for comparative purposes only — your own quotes may be different.
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.