How to Compare Car Insurance Rates 2024
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The Best, Cheapest Car Insurance in California

Published on:
Content was accurate at the time of publication.

Geico has the cheapest full-coverage car insurance in California, charging an average rate of $1,486 a year. Mercury and Progressive also offer Californians affordable coverage at $1,596 and $1,609 a year, respectively.

Cheapest insurance companies in California

$1,486/year
Best for a full coverage policy: Geico
$1,195/year
Best for young drivers: State Farm
$2,262/year
Best after receiving a ticket: Mercury
$2,530/year
Best after an accident: Mercury
+
More Options

Find the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes in California

Geico has the cheapest average cost for full-coverage car insurance in California, at $124 a year. Mercury is next at $133.

Cheapest companies for full-coverage car insurance in California

CompanyAverage annual rate
Geico$1,486
Mercury$1,596
Progressive$1,609
AAA$1,768
State Farm$1,942
Allstate$2,091
Farmers$2,579

Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 30-year-old male with a clean driving record.

A full-coverage car insurance policy includes liability, comprehensive and collision insurance. Full coverage protects you after an accident no matter whose car is damaged or who is injured. It protects you in other situations, too, like if a tree branch falls on your car.

You’re not required by law to carry full-coverage car insurance, though your lender may require it if you’re financing. But even if it doesn’t, full coverage is a great investment if your car is new or worth a lot.

Geico also has the cheapest liability auto insurance in California, with an average rate of $35 a month. Progressive is the next-cheapest at $39 a month.

Cheapest companies for liability car insurance in California

CompanyAverage annual rate
Geico$425
Progressive$463
Mercury$511
AAA$527
State Farm$622
Farmers$666
Allstate$781

Rates are for liability-only car insurance for a 30-year-old male with a clean driving record.

Liability car insurance pays medical and legal bills that arise from an accident you cause. Most states have minimum requirements for liability insurance.
To get the cheapest liability coverage for your needs and situation, compare car insurance quotes from multiple companies before buying a policy.

State Farm has the cheapest average car insurance rate for California teens, at $1,195 a year. Runner-up Mercury is close behind at $1,301.

Cheapest car insurance companies for young drivers

CompanyAverage annual rate
State Farm$1,195
Mercury$1,301
Geico$1,314
Progressive$1,345
Farmers$1,530
AAA$1,564
Allstate$2,090

Rates are for liability-only car insurance for an 18-year-old male with a clean driving record.

Teen drivers pay the highest car insurance premiums of any age group, mostly due to their lack of driving experience. To save money on insurance for a young driver in your home, consider adding them to your policy. It’s usually cheaper than getting them their own coverage.

Mercury has the lowest rates for car insurance in California if you have a ticket on your record, at $2,262 a year. Geico is next at $2,325.

Cheapest car insurance companies after a speeding ticket

CompanyAverage annual rate
Mercury$2,262
Geico$2,325
Progressive$2,473
AAA$2,510
State Farm$2,957
Allstate$2,996
Farmers$3,651

Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 30-year-old male with one speeding ticket.

A speeding ticket may affect your car insurance rates, depending on your provider. A ticket stays on your record for three to five years — plus, you may see higher premiums during that time.

After an accident, California drivers pay the lowest rates with Mercury. It charges an average yearly rate of $2,530 in this situation. Progressive is the next-cheapest company at $2,655 a year.

Cheapest car insurance companies after an accident

CompanyAverage annual rate
Mercury$2,530
Progressive$2,655
AAA$3,302
Geico$3,779
State Farm$3,818
Farmers$4,564
Allstate$5,633

Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 30-year-old male with one accident.

Find the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes in California

If you have a DUI on your record, Mercury has the cheapest car insurance rate — $2,828 a year. Geico offers affordable rates here, too, at $3,758.

Cheapest car insurance companies after a DUI

CompanyAverage annual rate
Mercury$2,828
Geico$3,758
Progressive$3,866
Farmers$4,564
AAA$5,963
State Farm$6,852
Allstate$8,138

Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 30-year-old male with one DUI.

A DUI can lead to fines, jail time and a license suspension, and it often causes your car insurance rates to go up as well. Car insurance providers consider drivers with a DUI high risk. In the worst case, a DUI could lead to denial or cancellation of coverage.

Of the 25 largest cities in California, Chula Vista residents pay the cheapest average rate for car insurance, at $1,725 a year. Glendale residents pay the highest rate of $2,825 a year.

Cheapest car insurance rates in California’s largest cities

Top CitiesAverage annual rate
Anaheim$1,977
Bakersfield$1,858
Chula Vista$1,725
Fontana$2,010
Fremont$1,741
Fresno$1,836
Glendale$2,825
Huntington Beach$1,899
Irvine$1,914
Long Beach$2,058
Los Angeles$2,584
Modesto$1,893
Moreno Valley$1,991
Oakland$2,109
Ontario$2,018
Oxnard$1,835
Riverside$1,920
Sacramento$2,020
San Bernardino$2,047
San Diego$1,776
San Francisco$2,098
San Jose$1,791
Santa Ana$1,995
Santa Clarita$2,023
Stockton$1,939

Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 30-year-old male with a clean driving record.

The average cost of full-coverage car insurance in California is $1,867 a year. The average annual premium for liability-only coverage is $571.

What you pay for car insurance is based on several factors, including:

  • The make and model of your car
  • Your ZIP code
  • Your insurance claim history
  • Coverage limits and the deductible you choose
  • Discounts provided

To find the best policy for your situation at the cheapest cost, compare quotes from several car insurance providers. Use the same coverage limits for each quote to get the most accurate comparisons.

California law requires drivers convicted of a DUI to file an SR-22 form to remove a license suspension. An SR-22 proves you carry at least the minimum amount of car insurance the state requires. Most insurance companies will file the form on your behalf with the DMV.

Minimum coverage for car insurance in California

California’s required liability coverage limits are:

  • $15,000 bodily injury coverage per person
  • $30,000 bodily injury coverage per accident
  • $5,000 property damage coverage

California drivers may forgo carrying these limits if they make a $35,000 deposit with the DMV or buy a surety bond in the same amount.

Methodology

Unless stated otherwise, we used thousands of car insurance quotes in California for a 30-year-old man with good credit and no tickets, accidents or DUIs driving a 2015 Honda Civic EX.

The following coverage limits were used:

  • Bodily injury liability: 50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
  • Property damage liability: $25,000
  • Uninsured motorist: $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident, where required by law
  • Personal injury protection: minimum limits, where required by law
  • Collision: $500 deductible
  • Comprehensive $500 deductible

Geico has the cheapest rates for both full-coverage insurance at $1,486 a year and liability-only coverage at $425. Mercury has the cheapest rates after a speeding ticket, accident or DUI.

The average cost of full-coverage car insurance in California is $1,867 a year, and the cost for liability-only coverage is $571. California’s full-coverage rate is 6% cheaper than the national average rate of $1,976. The state’s liability-only average rate is 26% lower than the national average of $773.

No, California is an “at-fault” state. This means the driver responsible for an accident covers the medical and damage expenses of others involved in the accident.