It’s hard to miss the catchy advertisements from car insurance companies like Nationwide, Allstate, and State Farm that guarantee the cheapest rates, so you just need to pick one at random, right?
It’s not quite that easy, unfortunately, as there are a whole bunch of unknown elements like your credit rating, the number of miles you drive each year, and what liability limits you need, that all impact the price you pay. We know insurance is not everyone’s favorite topic, but in this article we will cover the best ways to compare rates and educate you enough to have a solid foundation to find cheaper car insurance in Atlanta.
For bad credit, one of the largest criteria that aid in calculating the cost of insurance is where you keep your vehicle in Atlanta. Areas with high crime rates or more dense population are more likely to have higher rates, whereas less populated areas benefit from lower coverage costs.
The next table sorts the most expensive areas in Georgia for low credit scores to buy an auto insurance policy in. Atlanta ranks #2 with an annual premium of $1,419 for the average policyholder, which is approximately $118 each month.
| Rank | City | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Point | $1,436 |
| 2 | Atlanta | $1,419 |
| 3 | North Atlanta | $1,310 |
| 4 | Dunwoody | $1,307 |
| 5 | Mableton | $1,306 |
| 6 | Smyrna | $1,292 |
| 7 | Marietta | $1,279 |
| 8 | Macon | $1,279 |
| 9 | Roswell | $1,272 |
| 10 | Sandy Springs | $1,268 |
| 11 | Alpharetta | $1,246 |
| 12 | Columbus | $1,243 |
| 13 | Gainesville | $1,232 |
| 14 | Savannah | $1,203 |
| 15 | Augusta | $1,185 |
| 16 | Rome | $1,182 |
| 17 | Peachtree City | $1,168 |
| 18 | Albany | $1,154 |
| 19 | Hinesville | $1,145 |
| 20 | Dalton | $1,145 |
| Compare Prices Now Go | ||
Premium amounts are approximated as the specific area where the vehicle is garaged can change insurance rates substantially.
The vehicle model you are trying to insure is one of the main factors when comparison shopping for the best auto insurance for low credit scores. Vehicles with reasonable performance levels, good crash test ratings, or low incidents of liability claims will cost significantly less to insure than high performance models. The table below presents coverage premiums for a selection of the most economical automobiles to buy coverage for.
| Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V LX 4WD | $1,448 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sport 4WD 2-Dr | $1,630 |
| Ford Escape XLT 2WD | $1,636 |
| GMC Sierra SLE Crew Cab 2WD | $1,714 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Hero | $1,721 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 4WD | $1,714 |
| Ford Explorer Limited 4WD | $1,747 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,763 |
| Ford F-150 XLT Super Cab 2WD | $1,771 |
| Toyota Camry SE | $1,806 |
| Toyota Corolla XRS | $1,839 |
| Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T 4-Dr Sedan | $1,845 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $1,874 |
| Honda Odyssey EX W/Rear Entertainment | $1,891 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LT | $1,912 |
| Honda Accord LX-S 2-Dr Coupe | $1,929 |
| Toyota Camry Hybrid | $1,961 |
| Ford Edge Sport 2WD | $1,980 |
| Chevrolet Impala LTZ | $1,990 |
| Nissan Rogue SL 2WD | $2,007 |
| Kia Optima LX | $2,016 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 2WD | $2,018 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE 4-Dr Sedan | $2,023 |
| Start a Quote Go | |
Prices based on single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Georgia minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, claim-free, and homeowner. Information does not factor in specific zip code location which can impact insurance rates noticeably.
By looking at the data, you can infer that vehicles like the Honda CR-V, Jeep Wrangler, and Ford Escape are a few of the less-costly vehicles to insure for bad credit.
Full coverage rates compared to liability-only
Finding the cheapest auto insurance is probably important to most vehicle owners, and one great way to pay lower rates for insurance for low credit scores is to not pay for full coverage. The illustration below shows the difference between insurance premiums with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying the minimum liability limits required in Georgia. The price estimates are based on no claims, a clean driving record, $250 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are factored in.
If averaged out across all ages, full coverage on your policy costs $2,063 per year over having just liability coverage. That is a significant amount which raises the question if buying full coverage is worth the money. There isn’t a written rule that is best for determining when to drop physical damage insurance, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than around 10% of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.
Impact of careless driving on Atlanta auto insurance rates
One of the best ways to enjoy cheap auto insurance prices for bad credit is to drive cautiously and maintain a clean driving record. The chart below demonstrates how traffic citations and fender-benders can increase insurance prices for different age groups of insureds. The premiums assume a single male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $500 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.
The data in the chart shows the average cost of car insurance in Atlanta per year with no accidents and a clean driving record is $2,028. Factor in two speeding tickets and the average cost surges to $2,684, an increase of $657 each year. Then add one accident along with the two speeding tickets and the yearly cost of auto insurance for low credit scores jumps again to an average of $3,344. That’s an increase of $1,316, or $110 per month, just for being a careless driver!
Choosing the right company is hard considering how many companies sell coverage in Georgia. The company information below can help you decide which car insurance providers to look at comparing prices from. These ratings only include companies that write coverage in many states, so smaller regional companies are not factored into the list.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travelers | 93 | 98 | 99 | 88% | A++ | 95.1 |
| USAA | 83 | 99 | 100 | 91% | A++ | 94.1 |
| Mercury Insurance | 97 | 96 | 88 | 89% | A+ | 93.4 |
| AAA Insurance | 91 | 95 | 92 | 90% | A | 93.3 |
| Nationwide | 85 | 95 | 97 | 89% | A+ | 92.4 |
| Allstate | 77 | 100 | 97 | 88% | A+ | 90.7 |
| State Farm | 80 | 94 | 96 | 88% | A++ | 90.6 |
| The Hartford | 88 | 93 | 91 | 87% | A+ | 90.4 |
| Safeco Insurance | 91 | 95 | 85 | 88% | A | 90.2 |
| Progressive | 88 | 94 | 83 | 88% | A+ | 90.1 |
| American Family | 91 | 86 | 95 | 83% | A | 89.7 |
| Esurance | 86 | 90 | 94 | 90% | A+ | 89.5 |
| The General | 86 | 93 | 89 | 84% | A- | 88.2 |
| GEICO | 79 | 89 | 95 | 87% | A++ | 87.8 |
| Titan Insurance | 86 | 82 | 92 | 86% | A+ | 86.5 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||||||
Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
How to find more affordable auto insurance for low credit scores
Here are a few thrifty suggestions that can help drivers quote lower-cost coverage.
- Avoid at-fault accidents and claims
- Buy vehicles with good safety ratings
- Ensure your driving record is clean
- Pay cheaper rates with good credit scores
- Increase the comprehensive and collision deductibles on your policy
- Compare rates regularly and switch companies to save money
The last tip in the list is extraordinarily vital, as was emphasized in the prior article. Coverage rates change frequently, so don’t be unwilling to switch companies if a lower price can be found.
Many drivers tend to have loyalty to a certain company, but we do not recommend it if that inflexibility results in costing you thousands of dollars over several years. Now is a great time to compare prices and find cheaper auto insurance for low credit scores in Atlanta.