Car insurance in Fresno: Cheapest insurance and average rates

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Car insurance in Fresno costs $2,385 per year for full coverage – $199 monthly. Geico and USAA offer the cheapest car insurance policies at $154 per month.

Fresno is home to just over 1 million people. If you are moving to Fresno — or already live there — it is important to find the right car insurance policy. Fortunately, there are ways to get cheap car insurance in Fresno that will provide the coverage you need. 

Learn more about what a typical policy costs in Fresno and what you need to know if you are new to the city. 

How to find the best car insurance in Fresno 

With the right tools and a little work, you can find the best car insurance policy in Fresno that marries the coverage you need at a cost you can afford. 

Before shopping for car insurance, determine the type of policy you need, including the amount of coverage necessary to protect yourself. Get quotes from at least three companies comparing similar coverage limits and options and ask about any discounts you qualify for. It’s always best to buy as much coverage as you can afford.

Cheapest car insurance company in Fresno 

Geico and USAA provide the cheapest car insurance in Fresno, according to the most recent data. It costs an average of $1,849 annually to purchase a full-coverage policy from each insurer. The next cheapest car insurance companies are Mercury Insurance and Progressive.

See other cheap car insurance rates in Fresno in the table below.

Average annual rates from insurers in Fresno 

How much is car insurance in Fresno per month?

Your car insurance policy is divided into several types of coverage, such as liability, collision and comprehensive, and more. Fresno residents can expect to pay an average of $199 per month in full coverage car insurance costs, or $47 per month for the state minimum coverage.

Of course, some drivers pay less than this average, while others pay more. Factors determining how much you pay for car insurance include the insurance company you choose and the coverage you need. 

Other factors — including your age and gender, car type and history of accidents and violations — also influence car insurance costs.

Monthly rates for car insurance in Fresno, California

How do rates in Fresno compare to other large cities in the U.S.?

Fresno’s car insurance cost is a bit more expensive than in other major cities. In California, the statewide rate is $2,416 annually, compared with Fresno’s $2,385. See how much you can expect to pay for car insurance in several major U.S. cities in the table below.

Monthly full-coverage car insurance costs in major U.S. metropolitan areas

Here’s what you need to know when driving in Fresno 

Fresno’s traffic woes are relatively minor compared to many other places in the country.  

In 2022, drivers in Fresno lost an average of 14 hours in traffic, according to INRIX, which looks at traffic patterns. That makes Fresno the 107th most-congested city in the U.S.

If you are driving in the Fresno area during rush hour, you can expect to spend an extra 16.4 minutes in traffic, according to the website CoPilot. That places Fresno at No. 34 among all cities in the nation when it comes to losing time due to rush hour. 

Other things to remember when driving around Fresno:

• Speed limits in California are typically 25 mph on residential streets, 65 mph on divided highways and 55 mph on undivided highways. Signs should mark when speed limits vary from these standards. 
• In California, it is against the law to hold your cell phone or use a similar device while driving. 
• Throughout California, cars must stop and yield the right of way to pedestrians in crosswalks.

How much car insurance do I need in Fresno?

California law requires you to purchase a minimum amount of liability car insurance coverage. These amounts are: 

• $15,000 injury/death to one person
• $30,000 injury/death to one person to more than one person
• $5,000 damage to property

However, these minimum levels of coverage will not be adequate for most drivers. 

Many drivers will prefer to carry much higher levels of liability coverage so they are better protected financially. In addition, liability insurance does not cover you or your car. 

That means drivers also might be interested in going beyond the minimums and protecting their own vehicles by purchasing insurance beyond the minimum, such as comprehensive and collision coverage. 

If you are unsure of how much coverage you need, consult with an insurance agent who can help. 

“It is important to regularly review your policy with your agent to be sure you are maximizing the benefits and value, and to be sure you are receiving all available discounts,” says Alaina Hixson, a Nashville-based director of sales and operations at The Churchill Agency.  

Average cost of car insurance in Fresno 

The average cost of full-coverage car insurance in Fresno is $2,385 annually. That compares to a statewide average of $2,416 and a nationwide average of $1,895. 

Annual average rates in Fresno for state minimum coverage and full coverage

How much does car insurance in Fresno cost with violations?

Moving violations on your driving record will increase your car insurance rates. Violations such as speeding tickets often cause a significant but manageable rise in rates. Other types of violations can make rates climb much higher. This is particularly true if you are convicted of a DUI. An important note – in California, credit scores can’t be used to calculate insurance rates.

See rate increases in Fresno in the table below by violation.

Cheapest car insurance in Fresno by age

Your age will impact how much you pay for car insurance. The youngest drivers tend to pay the highest rates. The oldest drivers also are likely to pay more. See how much you can expect to pay by age in the table below.

Annual rates for state minimum and full coverage car insurance in Fresno, by age

Compare auto insurance rates in Fresno by ZIP code 

Where you live also plays a role in how much you pay for car insurance. Here are the Fresno area ZIP codes with the cheapest and most expensive car insurance rates. 

See the tables below for the cheapest and most expensive ZIP codes for car insurance in Fresno. 

Cheapest annual car insurance rates in Fresno, by ZIP code 

Most expensive annual car insurance rates in Fresno, by ZIP code 

Our recommendations: Car insurance for drivers in Fresno 

If low prices are your top focus when shopping for car insurance, Geico or USAA might be your best choice. They have the lowest average rates in our survey. However, it’s often a mistake to shop by price alone. It is crucial to make sure you have exactly the coverage you need, even if you have to pay a little more for it. 

Shopping around and gathering quotes from several insurance companies is the best way to get the coverage you need at the best price. 

A full coverage insurance policy with liability limits of 100/300/100 is the best option for most drivers. Consider increasing your liability limits as you accumulate wealth and your net worth increases. Purchasing as much car insurance as you can afford will give you peace of mind as you navigate the roads of Fresno.

What our expert says

Q: What’s the benefit of working with an insurance agent?

Alaina HixsonNashville-based director of sales and operations at The Churchill Agency.

“It is important to regularly review your policy with your agent to be sure you are maximizing the benefits and value, and to be sure you are receiving all available discounts.”

Resources & Methodology

Methodology

In 2024, Insure.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services to pull rates for a 40-year-old who has a 12-mile commute and drives a 2023 Honda Accord LX 10k miles annually. The hypothetical driver has full coverage, carrying policy limits of 100/300/100 with $500 deductibles for comprehensive and collision coverages. We analyzed 51,088,003 insurance quotes from 167 companies across 34,588 ZIP codes in every state and Washington, D.C.

Chris Kissell

Contributing Researcher

 

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Chris Kissell is a Denver-based writer and editor with work featured on U.S. News & World Report, MSN Money, Fox Business, Forbes, Yahoo Finance, Money Talks News and more.