Car insurance in Sacramento: Cheapest insurance and average rates

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Car insurance in Sacramento costs $2,665 per year for full coverage – $222 monthly. USAA offers the cheapest car insurance policy at $159 per month.

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

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

How to find the best car insurance in Sacramento, CA

With the right tools and a little work, you can find the best car insurance policy in Sacramento 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 Sacramento 

USAA provides the cheapest car insurance in Sacramento, according to recent data. It costs an average of $1,910 annually to purchase a full-coverage policy from the insurer. The next cheapest car insurance companies are Geico and Progressive.

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

Average annual rates from insurers in Sacramento 

How much is car insurance in Sacramento per month?

Sacramento residents can expect to pay an average of $222 per month in full coverage car insurance costs, or $52 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 Sacramento, California

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

The cost of coverage in Sacramento is more expensive than in other major cities. In California, the statewide rate is $2,416 annually, compared with Sacramento’s $2,665. 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 Sacramento 

Like most major cities, Sacramento has its share of traffic woes.

In 2022, drivers in Sacramento lost an average of 36 hours in traffic, according to INRIX, which looks at traffic patterns. That makes Sacramento the 25th most-congested city in the U.S.

If you are driving in the Sacramento area during rush hour, you can expect to spend an extra 17.1 minutes in traffic, according to the website CoPilot. That places Sacramento at No. 30 among all cities in the nation when it comes to losing time due to rush hour. 

Other things to remember when driving around Sacramento:

• 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 cellphone or use a similar device while driving. 
• Sacramento currently does not have any toll roads, but that might change soon. A proposal is being considered to add toll lanes to Interstate 80 and Highway 50 between the city and Davis. The project is estimated to begin this October. 

How much car insurance do I need in Sacramento?

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. 

“By carrying only the minimum required limits of liability auto insurance, consumers take on huge financial risk,” says Alaina Hixson, a Nashville-based director of sales and operations at The Churchill Agency.

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

Average cost of car insurance in Sacramento 

The average cost of full-coverage car insurance in Sacramento is $2,665 annually. That compares to a statewide average of $2,416 and a nationwide average of $1,895. 

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

How much does car insurance in Sacramento cost with violations?

Moving violations on your driving record will increase your car insurance rates. Violations like 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. 

See rate increases in Sacramento in the table below by violation – remember that California doesn’t allow credit scores to be a factor in insurance rate determination.

Cheapest car insurance in Sacramento 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 Sacramento, by age

Compare auto insurance rates in Sacramento by ZIP code 

Where you live also plays a role in how much you pay for car insurance. Here are the Sacramento 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 Sacramento. 

Cheapest annual car insurance rates in Sacramento, by ZIP code 

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

Our recommendations: Car insurance for drivers in Sacramento 

If low prices are your top focus when shopping for car insurance, USAA might be your best choice. It has 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 Sacramento.

What our expert says

Q: Is the state minimum car insurance adequate coverage?

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

“By carrying only the minimum required limits of liability auto insurance, consumers take on huge financial risk.”

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.