InSure

San Antonio is home to many famous tourist destinations. Among those tourist destinations, the most famous are the River Walk and the Alamo.

The city is home to 1,492,494 people. And with that many people, you can bet the topic of auto insurance and auto insurance coverage is on many, many minds.

Let us ease your minds and your fears, and let us help you navigate the treacherous roads of car insurance. This article talks about the cost of car insurance in San Antonio, the best car insurance companies in San Antonio, and much more.

The Cost of Car Insurance in San Antonio

There are many factors that determine your auto insurance rates:  the part of San Antonio you live in, whether you are married, and how long it takes you to commute to work.

What city you reside in will impact your car insurance. That’s why it’s essential to compare San Antonio, TX against other top US metro areas’ auto insurance costs.

Continue on to find out the different factors that can affect your rates in San Antonio, Texas.

Male vs Female vs Age

Gender and age can affect your car insurance rates. This tends to be the case with most states in the United States. San Antonio is a diverse state, but males tend to be paying more than females for car insurance.

Age is a significant factor for San Antonio, TX car insurance rates. Young drivers are often considered high-risk. This San Antonio, Texas does use gender as a car insurance factor, so check out the average monthly auto insurance rates by age and gender in San Antonio, TX.

The median age of people who live in San Antonio is 33.6 years old, according to Data USA.

San Antonio, TX car insurance costs by company and age is an essential comparison because the top car insurance company for one age group may not be the best provider for another age group.

Car insurance rates are higher for males than females in San Antonio. Males pay $4,118.50 and females pay $3,893.10 per year.

We broke this data down further to see how this is divided by the various car insurance providers.

Age and gender tend to play a large role in the cost of car insurance in San Antonio. If you’re 60 and married, as well as female, you will get off the cheapest (in the form of $2,434.52).

Cheapest Zip Codes in San Antonio

When it comes to your zip code, it could affect you in the form of either cheap or expensive rates, depending on what part of San Antonio you live in.

ZIP codes will play a major role in your auto insurance rates because factors like crime and traffic are calculated by the ZIP code. Find more info about the monthly San Antonio, TX auto insurance rates by ZIP Code below:

Look at the table below to see how your zip code affects your rates in San Antonio.

What’s the best car insurance company in San Antonio?

When it comes to the “best”, the word best can mean different things for different people. In the sections below, it is outlined what is considered the best, by different categories such as the cheap auto insurance rates, commute rates, credit history, and much more.

The cheapest San Antonio, TX car insurance providers can be found below. You also might be wondering, “How do those San Antonio, TX rates compare against the average Texas car insurance company rates?” We uncover that too

Cheapest Car Insurance Rates by Company

There are several major car insurance companies in San Antonio.

For your convenience, we listed those companies, and the average annual cost, in the table below.

When it comes to the cheapest rates, USAA tends to be the cheapest in terms of rates. So if your definition of “best” is “cheapest rates”, USAA is the car company for you.

Best Car Insurance for Commute Rates

In the state of Texas, drivers drove an average of 17,099,030 miles. 

That is quite a bit of driving.

If you drive a lot, chances are you spend a lot of those miles driving to and from work. Commute rates might be important to you in that case. Here are the companies with the best commute rates in San Antonio.

On average, Allstate charges you more for your commutes. USAA charges less for your commutes. So once again, in terms of cheapest rates, USAA comes out on top.

Best Car Insurance for Coverage Level Rates

Perhaps coverage levels, or the amount of coverage, is the most important thing to you. You want to make sure you get the best amount of coverage for your money.

Your coverage level will play a major role in your San Antonio, TX car insurance costs. Find the cheapest San Antonio, Texas car insurance costs by coverage level below:

USAA charges the least amount, on average, no matter the coverage plan, whether your coverage is low, medium, or high.

However, it is up to you to do your own research and see who is going to give you the most value for your money.

Best Car Insurance for Credit History Rates

Credit history, and how good it is, can be the difference between high rates and low rates on car insurance. A higher credit score usually translates to lower rates on car insurance, while those with fair or poor credit will end up paying higher rates.

Your credit score will play a major role in your San Antonio, TX car insurance costs unless you live in these states where discrimination based on credit is not allowed: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. Find the cheapest San Antonio, TX car insurance costs by credit score below.

This is because companies are less willing to take a chance on someone with fair or poor credit because he/she does not have a good history of paying bills back on time.

USAA tends to be more forgiving on their rates when it comes to poor credit. Allstate, not so much.

Best Car Insurance for Driving Record Rates

It goes without saying that if you are a good driver, you will end up paying less for car insurance. If you have an accident on your record, some companies are a bit more forgiving on their rates than other companies.

Your driving record will affect your San Antonio, TX car insurance costs. For example, a San Antonio, Texas DUI may increase your car insurance costs 40 to 50 percent. Find the cheapest San Antonio, Texas car insurance costs by driving record.

Good drivers with no auto accidents on their records pay less for auto insurance with USAA, and USAA is also the most forgiving when it comes to accidents and speeding violations. Geico is the most forgiving company when it comes to having a DUI on your record.

Car Insurance Factors in San Antonio

San Antonio, as previously mentioned, is a city of almost 1.5 million people.

Controlling these risk factors will ensure you have the cheapest San Antonio, Texas car insurance. Factors affecting car insurance rates in San Antonio, TX may include your commute, coverage level, tickets, DUIs, and credit.

The 1.5 million people that make up the city contribute to its prosperity, economy, homeownership, and income.

Metro Report – Growth and Prosperity

Economic growth and prosperity tend to be correlated with the influx of citizens coming into the city. The better-off a city is doing, the more people will come in, and the more money is made and put back into the city’s economy.

Economic prosperity, according to Bizfluent, is when an economy allows its citizens freedom, fair competitiveness, a good education, and gives a steady growth rate. In 2015, San Antonio was ranked 50th by Forbes Magazine as one of the “Best Places for Businesses and Careers” and 15th as one of the best places for job growth.

When it comes to prosperity in San Antonio, here are the numbers as of 2017:

• Productivity: +5.6 percent (8th of 100)
• Standard of Living: +9.6 percent (11th of 100)
• Average Annual Wage: +4.3 percent (50th of 100)

Growth in San Antonio is reflected by the following numbers. These numbers make San Antonio 8th in the nation in terms of growth:

• Jobs: +14.9 percent (20th of 100)
• Gross Metropolitan Product (GMP): +21.3 percent (7th of 100)
• Jobs at Young Firms: +15.8 percent (13th of 100)

San Antonio relies on income produced from the military sector, the medical sector, and the tourism sector. Tourism alone provided over 130,000 jobs and added $13.6 billion to the city’s economy. Also, the hospitality industry received $195 million due to hotel occupancy.

This, in turn, produces more jobs, a better annual wage, and attracts more people. Some of the top employers in San Antonio:  Panda Restaurant Group, Broadway Bank, JB Goodwin Realtors, accenture, SuperiorCare Ambulance, The College of Health Care Professions, and Mass Mutual of South Texas.

Median Household Income

The median household income in San Antonio reflects the current economy. If the economy is doing well, people will make more money. If the economy is doing poorly, people will make less money.

As it stands currently, the median household income in San Antonio is $50,044.

The current median annual income in the nation is $60,336, so San Antonio is still under the national average and has a long way to go. However, in 2016, the average median income in San Antonio was $49,268. This means income has increased by 1.58 percent.

If you want to compare your insurance as a percentage of your income, use the calculator below to get started.

CalculatorPro

Homeownership in San Antonio

Many factors affect whether people own or rent their homes, such as household income, jobs, and wages. These factors also affect the amount and type of insurance owners must buy.

The median property value in San Antonio is $148,200. This is 0.681 times smaller than the national average, which is $217,600. But good news. Property values in San Antonio are increasing. From 2016 to 2017, the property value increased from $133,900 to $148,200, which is a 10.7 percent increase.

More good news:  more property is being occupied by its owner. In 2017, 54.8 of homes in San Antonio are occupied by the homeowner.

While this is lower than the national average of 63.9 percent, this means more money is being put back into the home and the property rather than being given to a landlord for rent.

Education in San Antonio

It is safe to call San Antonio a college town as well as a tourist town.

Several top colleges make their home in San Antonio:

• The University of Texas at San Antonio:  6,149 degrees rewarded in 2016.
• San Antonio College:  3,516 degrees rewarded in 2016.
• Northwest Vista College:  3,331 degrees rewarded in 2016.

Two of the top three colleges are community colleges.

When it comes to the economy, San Antonio focuses primarily on military, health care, government, civil service, financial services, oil/gas, and tourism, and they focus on training students for future jobs in the diverse San Antonio economy.

Here are some more of the top community colleges in San Antonio:

• St. Philip’s College.
• Palo Alto College. 
• Northeast Lakeview College. 

Fact: the University of the Incarnate Word is not on this list, but is listed as a top place to work, with 1,012 employees. It is 11th on the San Antonio Top Workplaces list.

Wage by Race & Ethnicity in Common Jobs

San Antonio’s economy is diverse, and the Gross Domestic Product of San Antonio averages almost $96.8 billion. This makes the city the 4th in Texas in terms of earnings and the 38th in the United States. These numbers are according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

More facts about San Antonio’s economy:

• It is the headquarters of six Fortune 500 companies:  Valero-Energy, Andeavor, USAA (an insurance company), iHeartMedia, NuStar Energy, and CST Brands.
• Over 20 million tourists visit San Antonio every year.
• In 2015, Forbes Magazine listed San Antonio as one of the best places for businesses and careers.

Since the economy is diverse, it stands to reason wage-earners are just as diverse.

Here is the breakdown of wage-earners by race and ethnicity:  Asians were the top earners, with $66,972 earned in 2017. White is second, with $53,020, and two or more races is third, with $45,863.

Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

The average male makes more than the average female in San Antonio, with males making $65,834 in 2017 and females making $47,183 in 2017. Males make 1.4 times more than females.

Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25-34 is the largest demographic living in poverty. Out of 1.44 million people living in San Antonio in 2017, 18.6 percent of the population lived below the poverty line, which is higher than the national average of 13.4 percent. Females 18-24 and Males 18-24 are the second and third age/gender group that lived in poverty.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

The most common racial/ethnic group to be in poverty in San Antonio is White (44.7 percent). Hispanic and Black are second and third (42.6 percent and 5.14 percent, respectively).

Employment by Occupations

The most common jobs held in San Antonio are as follows:

• Other Management Occupations Except Farmers, Ranchers, & Other Agricultural Managers (35,220 people).
• Building Cleaning & Pest Control Workers (25,096 people).
• Customer Service Representatives (19,602 people).

Employment has grown in San Antonio, from 690,000 in 2016 to 706,000 in 2017. This is good for the economy, as well as the housing market.

Driving in San Antonio

San Antonio has a lot of people, a lot of places, and a lot of roads. And as horses are not the preferred method of transportation, a car is what you will most likely be using to navigate the roads.

Want to know what to expect and how to navigate those roads?

Read on…

Roads in San Antonio

You will need to know the major roads in San Antonio.

The following sections talk about the major roads and highways.

Major Highways

Texas, you are dang lucky to have people who make it their business to know about Texas highways. If you need to know about the highways, pay attention to the Texas Highway Man. He knows his stuff when it comes to the highways in Texas.

What about the highways in San Antonio?

He knows about the highways in San Antonio too.

The major interstates in San Antonio are I-10 (East and West), I-35 (North and South), and I-37.

Here are the total miles for each:

• I-10E (11 miles).

• I-10W (16 miles).

• I-35N (20 miles).

• I-35S (16 miles). 

• I-37 (11 miles).

The main toll road going through San Antonio is State Highway 130. It is a faster, nonstop alternative to I-35, and meant to relieve traffic in the Austin-San Antonio corridor.

Toll costs are based on how far you drive and what kind of vehicle you drive. If you have a TxTag, you pay 33 percent less on Highway 130. For example, on the Cameron Road Ramps, you will pay $1.85.

Popular Road Trips/Sites

One of the chief components of the San Antonio economy and drives it is tourism. It is estimated that over twenty million tourists visit San Antonio and its attractions each year.

The San Antonio Visitor’s Board hopes to attract more tourists from overseas, from places like London, Tokyo, and Rio.

Here are some of the places you can visit in San Antonio.

Here are some must-see places in San Antonio:

• The Riverwalk
• The Alamo
• San Antonio Zoo
• Sea World – San Antonio
• Mission San Jose
• Natural Bridge Caverns

Road Conditions

If you want to know the condition of the roads in San Antonio, look below.

• Poor Condition:  29 percent.
• Mediocre Condition:  31 percent.
• Fair Condition:  11 percent.
• Good Condition:  29 percent.

Good news:  the roads in good condition equal the roads in poor condition.

What type of roads you will come across these roads is a roll of the dice.

Does your city use speeding or red light Cameras?

San Antonio does not have red light cameras or speeding cameras, according to the latest research.

Other cities in Texas do, and Governor Greg Abbot looks to end the cameras statewide.

Vehicles in San Antonio

Everything is bigger in Texas:  the food, the shoes, the hats. That also includes vehicles.

Read on to find what the most popular vehicle is, the most popular vehicle stolen, and more.

Most Popular Vehicles Owned

When it comes to the most popular vehicle owned in San Antonio, residents love cars with V8 Engines.

They also love the Chevy Suburban 1500.

The safety features on the Chevy Suburban 1500 include airbags (no matter where a person is sitting), four-wheel ABS and disc brakes, brake assist, daytime running lights, traction control, electronic stability control, and child safety locks.

If fuel efficiency is what you are looking for, you will not find it in the Chevy Suburban 1500. It tops the iSeeCars study at using up 14 miles per gallon.

How Many Cars Per Household

Most households own two cars. San Antonio is no exception.

Households Without a Car

In San Antonio, 24,000 households have no vehicle.

It might be surprising to some, but not to those living in San Antonio.

With San Antonio being so big, many residents use public transportation instead of owning a vehicle.

Speed Traps in Your city

If you are thinking of speeding in San Antonio, think again.

San Antonio ranks 6th in the state for the most number of speed traps, with eight total speed traps in the city. 91 percent of these speed traps are well-known by San Antonio residents for being speed traps.

Vehicle Theft in San Antonio

Vehicle theft is one of the worst things to experience. According to a 2013 crime report by the FBI, 6,577 residents had their vehicles stolen.

But do not worry. There are safe places to live in San Antonio. This is no guarantee that your vehicle will not get stolen, but it might give you a little peace of mind.

1. Fm Road 2696 / Midnight Dr
2. Route 211 / Route 16
3. American Legion Memorial Hwy / Oakland Bend
4. Smithson Valley Rd / Laurie Michelle
5. E Borgfeld Dr / Dal Cin Dr
6. Mesa Ranch / Mesa Ridge
7. Route 90 Service Road / Ray Ellison Dr
8. E Evans Rd / Angostura Blvd
9. W Fm 471 / Gass Rd
10. Fm 1560 N / W Fm 471

Traffic

Traffic.

It may conjure up less than desirable images of traffic jams and long commutes.

But how is the traffic in San Antonio?

Traffic Congestion in Texas

Traffic congestion seems to be a problem in Texas.

It is understandable since Texas is a big state.

How does traffic congestion in Texas cities compare to the rest of the world?

In 2018, INRIX (a team of traffic experts) performed the largest global traffic study in history. This study analyzed congestion in over 1,360 cities in 38 counties. Let’s take a look at the six cities that fare the worst for traffic congestion:

Though these congestion times are still high, Texas is on a positive trend.

San Antonio has more than cut its congestion time in half since 2017.

Transportation

Spending long hours in traffic is not anyone’s dream. It is more like a nightmare.

How much of a nightmare is it for those in San Antonio?

Either way, to and from, the average San Antonio resident spends 23.6 minutes in traffic. Compared to the national average of 25.5 minutes, San Antonians are spending less time commuting.

When it comes to “super-commutes” (commutes that are 90 minutes or more each way), 1.92 percent of the San Antonio workforce sits in traffic for a total of three hours per workday.

Of those who work, 79.3 percent drive alone, and 10.5 percent carpool.

Busiest Highways

A lot of the highways in San Antonio are busy, but it looks like none of them made the Office of Highway Policy list.

How Safe are San Antonio’s Streets and Roads?

We have collected fatality rates for 2017 in Bexar County, the county San Antonio is in.

All data comes from Bexar County data.

Allstate America’s Best Drivers Report

In 2018, Allstate created a list of the top cities where drivers are least likely to get into a car accident.

The data that supports this came from a variety of factors.

When it comes to safe driving, San Antonio, Texas was listed as the 141st safest city in the United States.

Ridesharing

In a city like San Antonio, where a good portion of the population does not own a car, public transportation and ride-sharing are necessary ways to get around.

What are the popular ridesharing services in San Antonio?

• Leep
• Blacklane
• Carmel
• Jayride
• Lyft
• SuperShuttle
• Taxis
• Talixo
• Uber
• Wingz

EStar Repair Shops

You are driving, and your car breaks down. You are stuck on the side of the road and have no idea where to take your car.

How about an E-Star Repair shop?

An E-Star Repair Shop is a repair facility labeled as top-quality for repairs and customer service.

For the data below we used the zip code 78201, the exact center of the city of San Antonio. This list includes the top 10:

• Service King Ingram
• Service King Southside
• Caliber – San Antonio – San Pedro
• Service King Bandera
• Service King Broadway
• Service King Babcock
• Caliber – San Antonio – Culebra Express
• Caliber – San Antonio – IH-10
• Service King de Zavala
• Service King Perrin Beitel

Weather

When it comes to weather, people often do not consider this factor when they are driving…and they should.

When it comes to weather, all y’all in San Antonio seem to enjoy nice weather on average:

• Annual high temperature:  79.8 F
• Annual low temperature:  78.6 F
• Average temperature:  68.7 F
• Average Sunshine:  N/A
• Average annual precipitation:  32.91 inches

On average, San Antonio gets some kind of precipitation 83 days out of the year.

With good weather comes the bad. It is important to be prepared when it comes to natural disasters.

While San Antonio is not on any major lists for natural disasters, it is important to be prepared, as Texas is part of what Midwesterners and Southerners call Tornado Alley.

Public Transit

Public transport is popular in San Antonio.

It is important to know your options.

The most popular in San Antonio is VIA. They offer bus service, express bus service, vanpools, and park and ride (along with some other services).

Alternate Transportation (Cost)

Another popular way of getting around San Antonio is a B-Cycle.

The rates are as follows:

• 30-minute trip:  $3.25
• 24-Hour Day Pass:  $12.99
• Monthly Membership:  $19.49
• Annual Membership:  $100.

With the monthly and annual memberships, you can use them immediately. If you purchase a yearly membership, you get B-Connect. This allows you to use your membership in other cities that participate in B-Cycle.

Parking in Metro Areas

Parking in downtown seems to be pretty easy. There are an estimated 26,453 parking spots in the urban center of San Antonio.

When it comes to meters and parking:

• Parking meters are free after 6 p.m. Monday – Saturday. It is free all day on Sunday.
• There is free parking during business hours at the Auditorium Circle.
• Downtown Tuesdays:  free parking after 5 p.m. at ANY city lot, garage, and meter.

There are 13 parking garages in San Antonio. Look for the City of San Antonio Parking Logo to find a parking garage.

There are also the options of riding a bike, a B-Cycle, VIA, taxi, or ridesharing.

Air Quality in San Antonio

Larger cities tend to have poorer air quality than smaller cities because of more businesses and more vehicles on the road.

It is costly for your health.

Poor air quality causes health damage such as lung damage (similar to smoking), heart attacks, strokes, bronchitis, lung cancer, and asthma attacks.

It is also costly for the economy.

According to the Alamo Area Council of Government’s Potential Cost of Nonattainment in the San Antonio Metropolitan Area report, Bexar County could face a $2.1 to $28.4 billion loss of gross regional product.

How is San Antonio helping to improve the air quality?

According to the Air Quality for the Community Website:

COSA works with area partners to enact policies and programs that mitigate air pollution through regulation and voluntary action. In 2016, San Antonio and Bexar County passed anti-idling legislation for large trucks and buses. The City’s SA Tomorrow Sustainability Plan (adopted in 2016) and SA Climate Ready Plan outline desired Outcomes and Strategies in critical focus areas to keep the city’s natural resources, including clean air, healthy and available for all present and future residents.

The Environmental Protection Agency shows the following data from San Antonio in 2018, keeping in mind there are 365 days in a year:

• Days with good air quality:  251
• Days with moderate air quality:  103
• Days with unhealthy air for sensitive groups:  10
• Days with unhealthy air:  1

Military/Veterans in San Antonio

In this section, we will talk about the military and veteran population in San Antonio.

The three most common service periods for veterans in the San Antonio area are:

• Gulf War (2001 – present):  29,275
• Vietnam:  27,622
• Gulf War (1990s):  19,481

Here are the bases located in San Antonio.

• Joint Base San Antonio
• Lackland Air Force Base
• Randolph Air Force Base
• Brooks City-Base
• Camp Bullis
• Martindale Army Air Field

If you are current or former military in San Antonio, good news.

There are insurance providers who have military discounts:

• Allstate
• Farmers
• Geico
• Liberty Mutual (you must be active duty)
• MetLife
• Safeco (for both active and retired)
• USAA (you, your spouse or your parents must be active or retired military to get USAA auto insurance)

To those who have served, thank you for your service.

Unique City Laws

If you live in San Antonio, then you know it is illegal to urinate on the Alamo. It is also illegal to flirt or to respond to flirtation using the eyes and/or hands.

But what about other city laws?

Hands-Free Laws

San Antonio law states that using a cell phone while driving is illegal. This law took effect on January 1, 2015.

State legislation also banned cell phone usage for those under the age of 18 and if you are driving through school zones.

Food Trucks

Food trucks are only allowed at certain spots in San Antonio known as the Downtown Central Business District.

To register your food truck with the city of San Antonio, you need to fill out an application.

Tiny Homes

Tiny homes are popular in San Antonio.

Here are the regulations to make sure you are not breaking the law:

• To qualify as tiny, the home needs to be 400 square feet or less.
• To see where you can park your tiny home, call the San Antonio planning and zoning department to ask about local ordinances.
• Your home needs to be up to code (plumbing, stairs, minimum ceiling height of 6 feet, 8 inches, emergency exits, and windows).

Parking Restrictions and Laws

It is illegal to park in the following areas in San Antonio:

• in an intersection, on a sidewalk, crosswalk, or railroad track.
• in front of any driveway.
• within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.
• within 20 feet of a crosswalk.
• within 30 feet of a yield sign, stop sign or traffic signal.

There are also additional “No Parking Anytime Zones”:

• where traffic safety and/or traffic mobility goals make it necessary to prohibit parking.
• on residential streets where nearby commercial properties create a condition that leads motorists to park adjacent to nearby residential properties.
• in the immediate vicinity of intersections where parked vehicles have limited, to an unsafe degree, motorists’ visibility of approaching traffic.
• on residential streets where a petition has been received, signed by representatives of contiguous properties, including at least one corner lot.

San Antonio Car Insurance FAQs

Here are some of the car insurance questions that San Antonio citizens may have.

How difficult is it to get around by car in San Antonio?

Remember the average commute in San Antonio is about 23 minutes. There are a lot of drivers, which equals a lot of traffic.

Do I even need a car in San Antonio?

No. If you do not want a car, there are alternate modes of transport, such as the VIA, B-Cycle, taxi, bicycles, or even walking.

What is the minimum amount of car insurance I need in San Antonio?

You need at the very least the state requirements of 30/60/25. This translates to:

• $30,000 of bodily injury liability per person.
• $60,000 of total bodily injury liability per accident.
• $25,000 of property damage per accident.

What if I want to travel to Mexico?

Your car insurance policy you purchased in San Antonio will not work in Mexico. Check with your insurance agent to see about coverage for your car while you are in Mexico.

How does the weather affect driving in San Antonio?

The climate in San Antonio is humid and sub-tropical, with hot summers, wet springs and falls, and mild winters.

Thunderstorms are common in San Antonio, and rain-slicked roads can make driving treacherous.

We hope that this comprehensive guide for drivers in San Antonio, Texas, has helped you.

Do you want to start comparing car insurance rates today? Use our FREE online tool now, all you need is your zip code to get started.

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19.07.2019 / car insurance rates / driving in San Antonio / driving in TX cities