Drive Confidently with the Best 10 College Student Car Insurance Deals

By: Natalie Maxam

Most college students do not have piles of money sitting around. Tuition and books remain burdens for many students to pay, and as the price of these necessities increases, any remaining funds slowly dwindle into nothing. For college students with a car, the cost of car insurance presents yet another financial challenge. When searching for auto insurance, most college students don’t look into many options and simply follow in the footsteps of their parents. But the time has come for students to make smart and carefully thought–out decisions about the auto insurance they choose. Customer service, convenience in choosing coverage and available discounts constitute the main criteria to keep in mind when purchasing car insurance. College drivers should consider the ease and accessibility of managing their insurance as well as the benefits that come as a result of good driving habits or good grades.

Many terms involving car insurance cause confusion if you don’t know anything about car insurance. A deductible means the amount you pay to the company before they perform any coverage or services. Payment plans differ for each company and individual, ranging from monthly payments to semi–annual to annual payments. A quote estimates how much insurance will cost you, determined from a variety of factors including age, driving history, and the type of car you have. Liability insurance pays for the damage and injuries of other parties involved in an accident you caused, which includes both vehicle damage and bodily injury. Basic auto insurance covers property liability, bodily injury liability and collision coverage. Knowing these terms will help you better understand the positives and negatives of your options.

The following list helps you make sense of the ten best auto insurance finds for college students.

10. AllState

Most college students recognize the names of the biggest insurance companies, and AllState probably holds a high spot in your mental list. Although they do not define what they truly mean by “good grades,” AllState does offer discounts for full-time students with good grades. If personal agent interaction tops your list of necessities, AllState has a reputation for abundant agent proximity and availability. Despite the popularity of mobile interaction nowadays, sometimes face-to-face conversation means higher quality connections, and AllState makes that a possibility. The DriveWise option from AllState tracks your driving behavior and rewards discounts for safe speeds, safe braking and avoiding driving late at night. “It is tempting to obtain the least expensive coverage to save money, but in many states, the minimum limits of coverage won’t protect you from a total loss,” Assistant Vice President of Sales and Client Services at Amica Insurance Thomas Barrett said. AllState sometimes does not have the cheapest rates, but talking to an agent in person may help you get the coverage you realistically need.

9. Geico

Geico’s memorable little gecko may draw you to the company without even looking into the facts, but if you have a good driving record, consider Geico. Geico’s appealing features include up to a 15% discount for students with at least a B average, as well as a mobile app making it easy to manage insurance from anywhere. Geico’s coverage calculator will help you customize your policy so that you don’t spend too much on coverages you do not need, testifying to their commitment to each individual customer.

8. Auto-Owners

Auto-Owners uniquely offers a “green discount,” meaning if you pay your bills online you can receive a discount. Additionally, their student discount provides up to 20% off, notably higher than many other companies, and their TrueRide system tracks driving habits through a mobile app to earn even more discounts. They do rely solely on individual agents, however, so difficulty arises when it comes to first getting a quote. Some young drivers may find this an inconvenience and turn away, yet working one-on-one with a skilled agent may benefit you by giving you an expert’s advice on the best insurance deals and providing excellent customer service.

7. Esurance

Esurance’s DriveSense app tracks driving habits such as speed and braking, and turns these records into valuable discounts. Students with at least a 3.0 grade point average can also earn up to 10% off on basic coverages. With nearly any benefit you can think of Esurance offers including roadside assistance and rental car coverage which may prove helpful in the unfortunate event you crash your car on a long weekend road trip. The Esurance mobile app adds to the customer service experience, making it possible to manage your coverage from anywhere. With the abundant ads of higher profile companies many people have never heard of Esurance, but don’t let this dissuade you from seeing what they have to offer.

6. Liberty Mutual

The importance of good grades once again benefits college students with LibertyMutual’s student discount for a B or above average. Most companies only offer this discount to students under the age of 24, but Liberty Mutual offers the discount for any student under 26 years old. The standard insurance coverage plan includes bodily injury liability, property damage and medical payments, and you can easily manage your account and make payments online. “As a college student it’s most important to have liability to get protection from being sued,” Boston College senior Jen Howard said. Liberty Mutual offers this as well as the option to add on other optional coverage and protection perks, such as rental car coverage. The optional add-ons, cheaper when purchased in bundles, make Liberty Mutual easy to personalize for individual needs depending on how much you drive your car at school.

5. Travelers

Travelers provides a student discount for maintaining a B average, as well as discounts for safe driving records. “Drive safely. Savings are often available to safe drivers who stay accident, violation and claim-free. Ask about driving behavior programs (like IntelliDrive) that reward safe drivers and can translate to lower premiums,” Vice President of National Auto at Travelers Pete Gulbrandsen said.They value their customers and provide these discounts to show their appreciation of safe driving. Add-on options at Travelers include roadside assistance and rental car coverage if those perks appeal to your individual needs. If you define yourself as a responsible person, you can also gain discounts for paying your bills on time with Travelers and their encouragement of mobile transfer makes this task quite convenient.

4. Nationwide

Who can’t hear the well-known tune in the back of their head when they read, “Nationwide is on your side”? College drivers can take advantage of a discount for full-time students maintaining a B or above average each semester. The SmartRide program tracks good driving behavior and rewards with discounts up to 40%. They have the option to go paperless with any documents or bills and conveniently manage them online. A vanishing deductible option, which lowers your deductible with each year of good driving, also makes Nationwide a good option if you stick with them for a long time and testifies to their value of customers and the positive customer service they aim to provide.

3. Amica

Amica will treat you with respect and recognize your responsibility as a student. They offer a mobile app to conveniently manage your policy from anywhere, as well as for roadside assistance in the case of an emergency. “Amica offers the good student discount for young drivers in many states. This recognizes the correlation between disciplined study habits and good driving behaviors,” Barrett said. Amica recognizes the responsibility of student drivers and wants to offer quality protection for students as well as offer them realistic, affordable rates, making Amica another top choice for students seeking reliable auto-insurance. Their desire to recognize each student for their commitment to safety also emphasizes their dedication to good customer service.

2. Progressive

Flo has become synonymous with Progressive since her debut in 2008. Progressive offers a variety of perks including roadside assistance in the case of an emergency, as well as an app to easily manage your policy. “I think as a college student, I enjoy that Progressive has an app to let me know when my payments are due, my billing schedule, and a mobile insurance card if I ever need it,” Boston College sophomore Kyra Clark said. Progressive also offers discounts for good driving habits through their driving habit tracking app. For college students in particular, Progressive has available discounts for students maintaining a B average or better. Their Name Your Price tool testifies to their customer service as it helps you define the coverage that best fits your needs and budget. All of these perks combine to make Progressive quite appealing to college-aged individuals.

1. State Farm

Almost everyone has heard the jingle, “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.” This saying holds true for college students seeking good car insurance. Offering up to 25% off for students with good grades, State Farm truly has perks unique to college students. “A student graduated from college with a GPA of 3.0 will be able to keep the discount until age 25 with no further requirements,” State Farm Agent Mike Collins said. This only speaks to State Farm’s commitment to their customers as they want to serve you for years even after graduation. State Farm has a mobile app as well, something important for any millennial nowadays. The app can track your driving habits and offers up to a 50% discount for positive data such as braking habits or not speeding. The benefits targeting students combined with the basic coverage options offered by State Farm make it a competitive car insurance choice.

Finding the right car insurance for your own needs presents a huge challenge for college students struggling to juggle their financial responsibilities while attending school full time. “Talk to an insurance agent or company directly. Make sure you have the right policy for your individual needs, and that you are getting all the discounts for which you are eligible,” Gulbrandsen said.Before you make your decision, do your homework and weigh each company by how they can help you depending on your car needs, your driving habits and how much you truly drive during your time on campus. It may take time, but it will save you valuable money in the end.

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