The words “bargain” and “insurance” probably shouldn’t be used in the same sentence, especially when searching for the cheapest coverage for drivers with a bad driving record. Because it’s so expensive, let’s take a look at some situations that have an effect on car insurance prices, and figure out some ways to reduce the cost of your next policy.
The car, truck, or SUV you are trying to insure is a large factor when trying to find affordable coverage for drivers with a bad driving record. Vehicles with lower acceleration and performance, modern passenger safety features, or low incidents of liability claims will cost substantially less to insure than high performance models.
The next list estimates auto insurance prices for a number of the cheaper automobiles to buy insurance for.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLT 2WD | $16,179 |
| Honda Accord LX-P 4-Dr Sedan | $16,852 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD | $17,073 |
| Toyota Prius | $18,154 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan CV | $18,836 |
| Ford F-150 XLT Regular Cab 2WD | $18,855 |
| Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T Station Wagon | $19,019 |
| Honda Odyssey EX W/Rear Entertainment | $19,720 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $19,729 |
| Ford Edge SE AWD | $19,720 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LS AWD | $19,749 |
| Toyota RAV4 2WD | $19,754 |
| Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid | $19,749 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $19,941 |
| Ford Explorer Limited 4WD | $20,157 |
| Find Cheaper Rates Go | |
Data variables include single male driver age 50, two speeding tickets, two at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Michigan minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, homeowner, and multi-vehicle. Price information does not factor in specific location information which can lower or raise prices considerably.
Looking at the numbers, we can tell that cars like the Ford Escape, Honda Accord, Honda CR-V, and Toyota Prius are going to be a few of the cheaper vehicles to insure for bad drivers. The cost of a car insurance policy will tend to be more expensive anyway just due to the fact that there is more liability exposure for drivers with a bad driving record, but overall those vehicles will have the cheapest car insurance rates that you are likely to find.
For bad drivers, one of the largest considerations that determine the amount you pay each year for auto insurance is where you live. Regions with larger populations or more claims tend to have higher rates, whereas areas with lower crime rates and fewer weather claims tend to receive cheaper rates.
The next table shows the priciest cities in Michigan for drivers with a bad driving record in which to buy car insurance. Detroit is ranked #1 with a yearly cost of $4,960 for the average insured, which is about $413 monthly.
| Rank | City | Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detroit | $4,960 |
| 2 | Dearborn | $4,082 |
| 3 | Southfield | $3,980 |
| 4 | Pontiac | $3,639 |
| 5 | Flint | $3,473 |
| 6 | Dearborn Heights | $3,337 |
| 7 | Warren | $3,322 |
| 8 | Taylor | $3,116 |
| 9 | Sterling Heights | $2,954 |
| 10 | Westland | $2,937 |
| 11 | St. Clair Shores | $2,792 |
| 12 | Livonia | $2,688 |
| 13 | Farmington Hills | $2,676 |
| 14 | Rochester Hills | $2,567 |
| 15 | Saginaw | $2,557 |
| 16 | Novi | $2,539 |
| 17 | Troy | $2,536 |
| 18 | Royal Oak | $2,487 |
| 19 | Lansing | $2,367 |
| 20 | Battle Creek | $2,354 |
| 21 | Kalamazoo | $2,282 |
| 22 | Kentwood | $2,273 |
| 23 | Grand Rapids | $2,185 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $2,151 |
| 25 | Ann Arbor | $2,065 |
| Find Cheaper Insurance Go | ||
Prices are estimated as the specific area where the vehicle is garaged can impact coverage prices significantly.
Finding out which company offers the lowest-priced auto insurance rates for drivers with a bad driving record may require a little more effort in order to find a policy that fits your budget. Each company uses a slightly different approach to establish rates, so let’s take a look at the auto insurance companies with the most affordable rates in Michigan.
Best Car Insurance Prices for Imperfect Drivers
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USAA | $949 |
| 2 | GEICO | $1,003 |
| 3 | Safeco | $1,047 |
| 4 | MetLife | $1,324 |
| 5 | Chubb | $1,386 |
| 6 | Pioneer State Mutual | $1,444 |
| 7 | MEEMIC | $1,450 |
| 8 | Hastings Mutual | $1,595 |
| 9 | Auto-Owners | $1,686 |
| 10 | Frankenmuth | $1,713 |
| 11 | SECURA | $1,832 |
| 12 | Progressive | $1,866 |
| 13 | Wolverine Mutual | $2,212 |
| 14 | Hanover | $2,305 |
| 15 | Allied | $2,309 |
| 16 | Grange Mutual | $2,345 |
| 17 | Allmerica | $2,362 |
| 18 | Auto Club Group | $2,391 |
| 19 | Nationwide | $2,618 |
| 20 | Farm Bureau | $2,651 |
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USAA offers some of the cheapest car insurance rates in Detroit at around $949 a year. This is $1,444 less than the average price paid by Michigan drivers of $2,393. GEICO, Safeco, MetLife, and Chubb also are some of the cheapest Detroit, MI car insurance companies.
As depicted above, if you are a customer of MetLife and switched to USAA, you might achieve an annual savings of about $375. Customers with Chubb may save as much as $437 a year, and Pioneer State Mutual insureds might reduce prices by as much as $495 a year.
Be aware that those premiums are averages across all drivers and vehicles and do not factor in a specific vehicle garaging location for drivers with a bad driving record. So the car insurance company that fits your age and vehicle best may not even be in the top 30 companies in the list above. That is why you need to compare as many prices as possible using your own driver and vehicle profiles.
The chart below demonstrates how choosing different deductibles can change premium costs when getting quotes for cheap insurance for drivers with a bad driving record. The data is based on a single female driver, full coverage, and no additional discounts are factored in.
The data above shows that a 50-year-old driver could lower their policy premium by $548 a year by switching the physical damage coverage from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $828 by using a $1,000 deductible. Even younger drivers, such as the Age 20 example, could shave as much as $1,388 every year by using a higher deductible. When insureds make the decision to increase the deductibles on their policy, it will be necessary to have enough funds in savings to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the one inconvenience of using high deductibles.
Discounts on Detroit auto insurance
Auto insurance companies that offer quotes for drivers with a bad driving record may also give you discounts that could potentially reduce rates by as much as 35% or more if you meet specific criteria. A few popular companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are:
- State Farm may include discounts for accident-free, passive restraint, Drive Safe & Save, driver’s education, multiple policy, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and safe vehicle.
- American Family policyholders can earn discounts including mySafetyValet, early bird, defensive driver, good student, and Steer into Savings.
- GEICO has savings for federal employee, seat belt use, multi-vehicle, driver training, anti-lock brakes, defensive driver, and emergency military deployment.
- 21st Century offers discounts for automatic seat belts, air bags, teen driver, homeowners, anti-lock brakes, and good student.
- Progressive offers discounts including multi-vehicle, homeowner, online signing, continuous coverage, online quote discount, and good student.
The example below illustrates the difference between car insurance costs with and without discounts being applied to the rates. The rate quotes are based on a female driver, one citation and one at-fault accident, Michigan state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $100 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows insurance cost with no discounts. The second shows the rates with paperless filing, paid-in-full, anti-theft, homeowner, marriage, and continuous coverage discounts applied. With discounts applied, the average amount saved each year on auto insurance for drivers with a bad driving record is 28% or $1,577.
Picking a good quality insurance provider is difficult considering how many choices drivers have in Detroit. The ranking data below could help you decide which insurers to look at shopping prices with.
These ratings are only comprised of the largest companies in the United States, so smaller regional companies will not be included in the list. To compare rates from the insurers below and more, click here.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Hartford | 88 | 96 | 91 | 93% | A+ | 92.6 |
| Progressive | 84 | 94 | 99 | 90% | A+ | 92.4 |
| State Farm | 84 | 93 | 95 | 87% | A++ | 91 |
| Farmers Insurance | 87 | 92 | 90 | 85% | A | 90.6 |
| Safeco Insurance | 85 | 91 | 87 | 86% | A | 88.4 |
| USAA | 71 | 93 | 98 | 87% | A++ | 88 |
| GEICO | 73 | 93 | 95 | 85% | A++ | 87.1 |
| 21st Century | 85 | 85 | 91 | 89% | A | 86.9 |
| Liberty Mutual | 72 | 91 | 97 | 83% | A | 86.4 |
| AAA Insurance | 85 | 85 | 88 | 86% | A | 85.8 |
| Nationwide | 71 | 90 | 93 | 83% | A+ | 84.9 |
| Allstate | 69 | 92 | 92 | 83% | A+ | 84.4 |
| American Family | 77 | 96 | 80 | 85% | A | 83.8 |
| Esurance | 70 | 80 | 89 | 77% | A+ | 79.2 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||||||
Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
The agencies below are a good start to help you decide which car insurance policy is best, since some people prefer to have some advice when shopping for the best coverage for drivers with a bad driving record. It’s not always simple to find the best policy yourself, so a licensed agent can give satisfaction knowing your policy gives you adequate protection in case of an accident or claim.
To find an agent by location nearest to you, click the button at the bottom.
- Premier Insurance
16119 W Warren Ave – Detroit, MI 48228 – (313) 582-1500 - Woodward Insurance
1529 Woodward Ave – Detroit, MI 48226 – (313) 962-6200 - Cagwin Insurance Agency
3031 W Grand Blvd #320 – Detroit, MI 48202 – (313) 875-9147 - Advasure
22824 John R Rd – Hazel Park, MI 48030 – (248) 398-5200 - Allstate Insurance: Ago Benavides
3570 W Vernor Hwy – Detroit, MI 48216 – (313) 849-2000
View more Detroit, MI insurance agents
How to find cheaper insurance for drivers with a bad driving record
Below you’ll find some of the recommended thrifty solutions that can help drivers buy cheap auto insurance.
- Earn discounts for being claim-free
- Serious violations like DUI or careless driving can make car insurance unaffordable
- Raise deductibles to save money
- On older vehicles, drop full coverage
- Maintain a safe distance and avoid accidents
- Shop around for lower rates once a year
The last tip is extremely vital, as was emphasized in the article above. Auto insurance prices can change in a short period of time, so drivers shouldn’t be reluctant to switch companies if a lower price can be found.
Brand loyalty is not necessarily bad, but is isn’t recommended if that loyalty results in overpaying a small fortune. Take a few minutes and compare prices and find cheaper car insurance for drivers with a bad driving record in Detroit.