Cheapest car insurance in California

Why you can trust Insure.com

Quality Verified

At Insure.com, we are committed to providing the timely, accurate and expert information consumers need to make smart insurance decisions. All our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. Our team carefully vets our rate data to ensure we only provide reliable and up-to-date insurance pricing. We follow the highest editorial standards. Our content is based solely on objective research and data gathering. We maintain strict editorial independence to ensure unbiased coverage of the insurance industry.

Progressive provides the cheapest car insurance in California at about $1,466 a year. Your specific rates may vary, but the average car insurance premium in California is $176 per month, according to Insure.com’s rate analysis.

Car insurance is a legal requirement in most states, and California is no exception. California drivers are required to carry at least the minimum amount of liability coverage—$5,000 of personal property coverage per person, $15,000 for bodily injury per person and $30,000 for bodily injury per accident.

However, many drivers choose to purchase full coverage car insurance, which provides additional protection in the event of an accident.

The top 3 cheap car insurance in California

Cheapest overall: Progressive

$1,466/year

National avg. rate

Cheapest for at-fault accident: USAA

$2,255/year

Avg. rate after an at-fault accident

Cheapest for speeding ticket: USAA

$1,773/year

Avg. rate after speeding ticket

Cheap car insurance companies in California

Progressive offers the cheapest car insurance in California an average of $1,466 per year. It’s 31% less expensive than the average car insurance cost in California. The rates will vary based on factors such as your driving history, age, ZIP Code and the make and model of your car.

When shopping for auto insurance, compare rates from multiple companies to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

Below are the annual rates for car insurance from cheapest car insurance companies.

Company	Average annual rates
Progressive	$1,466
USAA	$1,537
Geico	$1,594
Mercury Insurance	$1,622
Travelers	$2,044
Auto-Owners	$2,143
Auto Club	$2,267
Allstate	$2,303
Kemper Insurance	$2,310
State Farm	$2,334
Nationwide	$2,361
CSAA Insurance	$2,367
Farmers Insurance	$2,423
The Hartford	$2,535

How we choose the cheap car insurance companies in California

40+

Carriers reviewed

56M+

Quotes analysed

29K+

Cities examined

34K+

ZIP codes examined

Cheapest ZIP codes for car insurance in California

96067 ZIP code in California has the cheapest auto insurance cost at an average price of $1,571 annually. Know the cheapest ZIP codes for car insurance in California below.

ZIP code	Average annual rates
96067	$1,571
96094	$1,582
96097	$1,635
96080	$1,644
95525	$1,650
96027	$1,653
95570	$1,661
93402	$1,665
93428	$1,670
96025	$1,678

You might find interesting

Cheapest car insurance in California by age

Young drivers in California tend to pay higher insurance rates than adult drivers because they are more likely to get into accidents and file claims on their insurance policy. A 16-year-old driver pays 196% more than a 40-year-old mature driver in California, based on Insure.com’s analysis.

The table below shows cheapest car insurance rates for drivers of different ages:

Age group	Full coverage annual premiums
Teen drivers (age 16-19)	$5,361
Young drivers (age 20-24)	$3,210
Adult drivers (age 25-64)	$2,177
Senior drivers (age 65+)	$2,133

Read our Guide to car insurance for teens for more information

Cheapest car insurance in California by driver history

Your driving history is one of the main factors insurers look at when considering insurance rates. If you are responsible for a car accident or get convicted of a driving infraction, your auto insurance premiums will likely go up. However, if you have a clean driving record, insurance companies see you as a low-risk driver and you are likely to get cheap car insurance.

Cheapest car insurance after a speeding ticket in California

Here is the list of the top 3 companies that offer cheap car insurance after a speeding ticket:

USAA: $1,773 per year
Mercury: $2,335 per year
Geico: $2,491 per year

A single speeding ticket can increase your rates by 42% or $935 in California, based on Insure.com data.

Getting a speeding ticket is never any fun. Not only will you have to pay a fine, but your insurance rates may go up.

But if you’re looking for cheapest car insurance costs in California, below are some insurers that offer cheap car insurance after a speeding ticket.

Company	Average annual premium	New rate after incident	% Increase	$ Increase
USAA	$1,619	$1,773	10%	$155
Mercury	$1,768	$2,335	32%	$566
Geico	$1,596	$2,491	56%	$894
Auto-Owners	$2,217	$2,578	16%	$360
Progressive	$1,483	$2,845	92%	$1,361
Auto Club Entreprises	$2,259	$3,145	39%	$886
Kemper	$2,402	$3,173	32%	$770
Allstate	$2,285	$3,342	46%	$1,057
Travelers	$2,281	$3,400	49%	$1,119
Farmers	$2,489	$3,446	38%	$957
CSAA	$2,722	$3,450	27%	$728
State Farm	$2,431	$3,696	52%	$1,265
Nationwide	$2,473	$3,767	52%	$1,293
Hartford	$2,596	$4,245	64%	$1,650

Cheapest car insurance after an accident in California

Here is the list of the top 3 companies that offer cheap car insurance after an accident:

USAA: $2,255 per year
Auto-Owners: $2,603 per year
Geico: $2,877 per year

USAA offers the cheapest car insurance rates to drivers after an at-fault accident, at about $2255 a year.

No one plans on getting into a car accident, but unfortunately, they happen. If you are in an accident and are at fault, you will probably see your car insurance premiums increase. However, this does not mean you can’t shop around to find the best rates.

Below, you’ll see which companies have cheap car insurance for drivers with one accident on their record.

Company	Average annual premium	New rate after incident	% Increase	$ Increase
USAA	$1,619	$2,255	39%	$636
Auto-Owners	$2,217	$2,603	17%	$386
Geico	$1,596	$2,877	80%	$1,280
Mercury	$1,768	$3,058	73%	$1,290
Progressive	$1,483	$3,066	107%	$1,583
Auto Club Entreprises	$2,259	$3,384	50%	$1,125
CSAA	$2,722	$3,450	27%	$728
Nationwide	$2,473	$3,617	46%	$1,144
Travelers	$2,281	$3,761	65%	$1,480
State Farm	$2,431	$3,814	57%	$1,384
Farmers	$2,489	$3,862	55%	$1,373
Allstate	$2,285	$4,994	119%	$2,709
Kemper	$2,402	$5,169	115%	$2,767
Hartford	$2,596	$5,764	122%	$3,169

Cheapest car insurance after a DUI conviction in California

Here is the list of the top 3 companies that offer cheap car insurance after a DUI conviction:

Mercury: $2,920 per year
Progressive: $3,559 per year
Auto-Owners: $4,014 per year

If you’ve recently been convicted of a DUI, you may wonder how it will affect your car insurance rates. Most insurers will view you as a high-risk driver and will charge you higher rates.

The table below shows the insurance companies offering cheap car insurance rates to drivers after a DUI conviction.

Company	Average annual premium	New rate after incident	% Increase	$ Increase
Mercury	$1,768	$2,920	65%	$1,151
Progressive	$1,483	$3,559	140%	$2,076
Auto-Owners	$2,217	$4,014	81%	$1,796
Geico	$1,596	$4,014	151%	$2,418
USAA	$1,619	$4,645	187%	$3,026
Travelers	$2,281	$4,794	110%	$2,513
Kemper	$2,402	$5,169	115%	$2,767
Auto Club Entreprises	$2,259	$6,668	195%	$4,409
Nationwide	$2,473	$6,908	179%	$4,435
State Farm	$2,431	$8,557	252%	$6,126
Allstate	$2,285	$9,082	298%	$6,798
CSAA	$2,722	$9,812	260%	$7,089
Farmers	$2,489	$10,499	322%	$8,009
Hartford	$2,596	$10,565	307%	$7,969

Average car insurance cost in California

Full coverage insurance costs more than minimum liability insurance, but the extra cost is worth it for most drivers. The average cost of full coverage car insurance in California is 26% more than the national average car insurance rates in the U.S.

There are different full coverage limits that a driver can purchase. However, Insure.com editors recommend that every driver should carry 100/300/100 coverage limits.

What is full coverage car insurance in California?

Full coverage car insurance includes bodily injury liability and property damage liability coverage, as well as comprehensive and collision coverage, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III). Collision insurance covers your vehicle if it’s damaged or destroyed in an accident, while comprehensive insurance provides protection against damage that is caused by something other than collisions such as weather or theft.

If you lease or finance your car in California, your lender may ask you to purchase collision and comprehensive insurance beyond the state-mandated liability coverage. Every state except New Hampshire and Virginia requires drivers to get liability coverage, while comprehensive and collision coverage are optional. However, in Virginia, you have to pay an uninsured motorist fee of $500.

Final thoughts

When it comes to car insurance, everyone is always looking for ways to save. However, skimping on coverage to save a few dollars now could end up costing you dearly down the road.

Make sure you’re adequately protected and take into account your specific needs before buying an auto insurance policy. Car insurance rates vary, make sure to compare insurance rates from various car insurance companies to get the cheapest car insurance coverage in California

Source:

Insurance Information Institute. “What is auto insurance.” Accessed August 2022.

Methodology

Insure.com team worked with Quadrant Information Service to get car insurance data. To determine the average premiums, our team of data analysts and expert editors have analyzed 56,838,240 insurance quotes from 136 insurance companies across 34,523 ZIP codes.

The insurance rates are based on a sample profile of a 40-year-old male driver with a clean driving record and a good insurance score. Quotes premiums are for a full coverage policy with limits:

$100,000 bodily injury liability per person
$300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$100,000 property damage liability
$500 collision/comprehensive deductible

The quoted insurance rates are for comparison purposes, and your individual rates may vary.

On this page

The top 3 cheap car insurance in California
Cheap car insurance companies in California
How we choose the cheap car insurance companies in California
Cheapest ZIP codes for car insurance in California
Cheapest car insurance in California by age
Cheapest car insurance in California by driver history
Average car insurance cost in California
Final thoughts
Source:
Methodology