What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for a School Permit in Nashville?

The vehicle model you are trying to insure is probably the most important factor when comparing quotes for the best auto insurance for a school permit. Vehicles with higher performance characteristics, poor crash test ratings, or high incidents of liability claims will cost more to insure than more economical and safe models.

The information below illustrates insurance prices for a handful of the cheapest vehicles to buy coverage for.

Cheapest Vehicles to Insure in Nashville, TN
Make, Model, and Trim Level Estimated Cost for Full Coverage
Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD $3,935
Ford Escape Limited 2WD $3,945
Volkswagen Jetta S 2.5 Station Wagon $4,190
Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon $4,195
Toyota Prius $4,232
Ford F-150 FX2 Super Cab 2WD $4,365
Honda Odyssey EX W/Rear Entertainment $4,580
GMC Sierra SL Extended Cab 2WD $4,619
Dodge Grand Caravan Hero $4,628
Chevrolet Malibu LS $4,619
Toyota RAV4 Limited 4WD $4,624
Ford Explorer Limited 2WD $4,661
Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD $4,671
Ford Focus SES 4-Dr Sedan $4,834
Honda Civic VP 4-Dr Sedan $4,844
Toyota Corolla XLE $4,874
Chevrolet Impala LTZ $4,879
Toyota Camry XLE $4,874
Ford Edge Sport AWD $4,884
Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 4WD $4,916
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Data assumes single male driver age 17, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Tennessee minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, and safe-driver. Price estimates do not factor in specific Nashville, TN garaging location which can increase or decrease insurance rates substantially.

Looking at the data, cars like the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Volkswagen Jetta, Hyundai Elantra, and Toyota Prius are likely to be some of the less-costly vehicles to insure for a learners permit. Auto insurance rates will tend to be higher just because there is more inherent risk for a school permit, but overall those particular models will most likely have the lowest insurance rates compared to other types of vehicles.

Finding affordable car insurance is not easy, and figuring out which companies have the cheapest car insurance rates for a school permit calls for a little more work.

Every insurance company uses their own calculation for establishing rates, so first we will examine the lowest cost car insurance companies in Tennessee.

Lowest Insurance Price Quotes for Students

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Cheapest Tennessee auto insurance companies
Rank Company Cost Per Year
1 Utica National $737
2 Auto-Owners $836
3 Cincinnati Insurance $876
4 Tennessee Farmers $933
5 Penn National $935
6 USAA $947
7 Erie $997
8 Nationwide $1,012
9 Allied $1,060
10 Westfield $1,069
11 GEICO $1,122
12 Progressive $1,190
13 State Farm $1,201
14 The Hartford $1,208
15 Travelers $1,213
16 Direct General $1,214
17 Shelter $1,235
18 State Auto $1,241
19 21st Century $1,261
20 Chubb $1,277
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Utica National generally has some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Nashville at around $737 each year. This is $591 less than the average rate paid by Tennessee drivers of $1,328. Auto-Owners, Cincinnati Insurance, Tennessee Farmers, and Penn National also rank well as some of the lowest-priced Nashville, TN auto insurance companies.

As shown in the table above, if you buy coverage from Tennessee Farmers and switched to Auto-Owners, you may see a yearly price reduction of around $97. Tennessee drivers with Penn National could save as much as $99 a year, and USAA customers might reduce prices by as much as $111 a year.

To find out how much you can save, click here to start your free quote or visit several of the following companies.

Remember that these premium estimates are averages across all drivers and vehicles and do not take into consideration a specific location for a school permit. So the auto insurance company that fits you best may not even be in the top 30 companies in the list above. That’s why you need to get auto insurance quotes using your own individual information.

The information below demonstrates how choosing different deductibles can influence premium costs when searching for cheap insurance for a school permit. The data is based on a single female driver, comp and collision included, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

A 50-year-old driver could save $310 a year by increasing from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $466 by selecting a $1,000 deductible. Young drivers, such as the Age 20 example, could lower their rates as much as $794 every year by choosing larger deductibles on their policy.

When using a larger deductible, it is necessary to have plenty of savings on hand to allow you to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense that comes with higher deductibles.

Difference between full coverage and liability only rates

Finding cheaper car insurance is the goal of the majority of drivers, and one of the easiest ways to buy cheap insurance for a school permit is to not buy comprehensive and collision coverage. The information below shows the comparison of insurance rates with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying the minimum liability limits required in Tennessee. The data assumes no claims, a clean driving record, $1,000 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are applied.

If we average the cost for all age groups, physical damage coverage costs $1,217 per year more than buying just liability insurance. That amount may make you wonder if it’s a good idea to buy full coverage. There is no clear-cut formula that works best for making the decision to drop physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is more than 10% of replacement cost minus your deductible, then you might consider buying liability only.

Tennessee car insurance company ratings

Finding the top insurer can be a challenge considering how many companies provide coverage in Tennessee. The company ratings displayed below may help you select which car insurance providers you want to consider buying from. The rankings below are only comprised of companies that write coverage in many states, so companies with more of a regional focus are not included in the list.

Nashville, TN Car Insurance Company Rankings
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
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
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Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies

Why it’s important to shop around

Nashville, TN car insurance rates are based on many factors which can substantially decrease or increase the cost of coverage. Simply improving your credit, moving to a new city, or having a fender bender can produce rate changes resulting in some companies being cheaper than others.

Not only may your situation change, but auto insurance companies amend premium rates every year or even multiple times each year to ensure their profitability. Higher than usual claims may cause a rate increase, while lower claims may result in cheaper Nashville car insurance rates.

The bar chart below compares the cheapest car insurance in Nashville, TN for a 30-year-old male driver with no prior claims, no tickets, and a high credit rating. Based on his current situation, Utica National has the most affordable car insurance rates in Nashville at $824 per year. This is $504 less than the average price paid by Tennessee drivers of $1,328. Auto-Owners, Cincinnati Insurance, Penn National, and USAA also make the list of the best Nashville, TN auto insurance companies.

The next chart shows rates after we give the driver from the first example a chargeable accident, bad credit, and an imperfect driving record. Due to the fact that each insurance company has a different formula for setting rates, comparing rates could result in a slightly different list of cheap Nashville auto insurance companies as shown below.

Erie now has the lowest price in Nashville with Nationwide, Allied, Westfield, and GEICO also being competitive. This shows why it is so important to compare many different companies when trying to find affordable insurance rates for a school permit. Rates are determined by many risk factors and change dramatically, so the cheapest option a year ago may now be one of the more expensive options.