The vehicle driven is probably the biggest factor when quoting low-cost auto insurance for drivers with a bad driving record. Vehicles with lower acceleration and performance, an excellent safety record, or a low likelihood of having liability claims will cost quite a bit less to insure than high performance models.
The table below shows car insurance premiums for some of the most cost-effective automobiles to insure in Louisiana.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $7,970 |
| Ford Escape XLT 4WD | $8,060 |
| Honda CR-V EX 2WD | $8,243 |
| Toyota Prius | $8,568 |
| Volkswagen Jetta S 2.5 Station Wagon | $8,710 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sport 4WD 2-Dr | $8,762 |
| Honda Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $8,796 |
| Ford F-150 XL Regular Cab 4WD | $9,021 |
| Ford Explorer XLT AWD | $9,028 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $9,353 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 2WD | $9,442 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SXT | $9,529 |
| Ford Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan | $9,584 |
| GMC Sierra SL Extended Cab 2WD | $9,760 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 2WD | $9,770 |
| Find Cheaper Rates Go | |
Data based on married male driver age 30, two speeding tickets, two at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Louisiana minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, and multi-policy. Price information does not factor in vehicle location which can influence auto insurance rates greatly.
Looking at the data, you can figure that models like the Hyundai Elantra, Ford Escape, and Honda CR-V are likely to be a few of the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure for bad drivers. Prices will tend to be more expensive anyway because of the fact that there is more claim risk for drivers with a bad driving record, but generally speaking those specific models will tend to have the cheapest rates possible.
For bad drivers, one of the big things that are looked at to help calculate auto insurance rates is your address in New Orleans. Cities with more crime and/or more people tend to have higher auto insurance costs, whereas less populated areas have the benefit of cheaper car insurance.
The information below lists the most expensive areas in Louisiana for drivers with a bad driving record to buy car insurance in. New Orleans is ranked at #1 costing $2,856 for coverage, which is about $238 each month.
| Rank | City | Premium Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Orleans | $2,856 |
| 2 | Harvey | $2,563 |
| 3 | Marrero | $2,544 |
| 4 | Terrytown | $2,480 |
| 5 | Metairie | $2,254 |
| 6 | Kenner | $2,225 |
| 7 | Central | $2,201 |
| 8 | Prairieville | $2,191 |
| 9 | Baton Rouge | $2,165 |
| 10 | Shenandoah | $2,118 |
| 11 | Alexandria | $2,096 |
| 12 | Hammond | $2,044 |
| 13 | Lake Charles | $1,993 |
| 14 | Laplace | $1,991 |
| 15 | Monroe | $1,970 |
| 16 | Sulphur | $1,954 |
| 17 | Lafayette | $1,936 |
| 18 | New Iberia | $1,928 |
| 19 | Slidell | $1,899 |
| 20 | Shreveport | $1,894 |
| 21 | Houma | $1,865 |
| 22 | Bayou Cane | $1,782 |
| 23 | Bossier City | $1,780 |
| 24 | Natchitoches | $1,763 |
| 25 | Ruston | $1,720 |
| Compare Prices Now Go | ||
Rate information is approximated as specific location information can decrease or increase premium rates considerably.
Establishing which company has the most affordable insurance rates for drivers with a bad driving record involves more work than just getting one or two price quotes. Each insurance company has a different formula to set premium rates, so let’s examine the overall cheapest insurance companies in Louisiana.
Find the Cheapest Car Insurance for Imperfect Drivers
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $1,642 |
| 2 | MetLife | $1,892 |
| 3 | GEICO | $1,907 |
| 4 | Progressive | $1,927 |
| 5 | Safeway | $2,154 |
| 6 | Southern Farm Bureau | $2,181 |
| 7 | California Casualty | $2,315 |
| 8 | State Farm | $2,359 |
| 9 | Safe Auto | $2,627 |
| 10 | Allstate | $3,035 |
| 11 | Encompass | $3,266 |
| 12 | Liberty Mutual | $3,608 |
| Find Cheaper Rates Go | ||
USAA has some of the best car insurance rates in New Orleans at around $1,642 each year. This is $772 less than the average price paid by Louisiana drivers of $2,414. MetLife, GEICO, Progressive, and Safeway are also some of the cheapest New Orleans, LA insurance companies.
As shown in the table above, if you are insured with GEICO and switched to USAA, you may realize an annual savings of roughly $265. Customers with Progressive might save as much as $285 a year, and Safeway insureds might see rate reductions of $512 a year.
Understand that those policy rates are averaged for all types of insureds and vehicles and are not factoring in an exact zip code location for drivers with a bad driving record. So the auto insurance company that can offer you the lowest price may not even be in the list above. That affirms the importance of why you need to compare rates from as many companies as possible using your own personalized driver profile and vehicle information.
The information below shows how choosing a deductible can affect insurance prices when getting quotes for cheap insurance for drivers with a bad driving record. The costs are based on a single male driver, full coverage, and no additional discounts are factored in.
A 30-year-old driver could lower their car insurance rates by $598 a year by changing their physical damage coverage from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $902 by changing to a $1,000 deductible. Even younger drivers, like the Age 20 chart data, could potentially save $1,760 each year just by choosing higher deductibles. If you do decide to increase your deductibles, it is essential to have enough savings to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense, which deters some people from using high deductibles.
Cost of full coverage in New Orleans
Paying a lower price for insurance is the goal of the majority of people, and one of the easiest ways to save on the cost of insurance for drivers with a bad driving record is to not buy comprehensive and collision coverage. The information below shows the comparison of insurance premiums with and without full coverage. Data assumes no violations or accidents, $100 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Averaged out for all age groups, physical damage insurance costs $3,557 per year more than just buying liability insurance. That touches on the question if it’s a good idea to buy full coverage. There is no exact rule to stop paying for full coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is more than 10% of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then it might be time to buy liability only.
For example, let’s pretend your vehicle’s replacement value is $6,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most your company would pay you is $5,000 after you pay the deductible. If you are paying more than $500 annually for full coverage, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
Cautious New Orleans drivers save money
One of the best ways to find the cheapest insurance rates for bad drivers is to be an attentive driver and avoid accidents and violations. The chart below shows how traffic citations and accidents can influence car insurance costs for different insured age categories. The rate quotes are based on a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no additional discounts are factored in.
The data in the chart shows the average cost of car insurance in Louisiana per year with no violations or accidents is $2,474. Get written up for two speeding tickets and the average cost hikes up to $3,299, an increase of $825 each year. Next add one accident along with the two speeding tickets and the 12-month cost of insurance for drivers with a bad driving record increases to an average of $4,152. That’s an increase of $1,678, or $140 per month, just for not paying attention while driving!