Average cost of car insurance in California

The average car insurance rate in California is $2,416 a year for a full coverage policy with a coverage level of 100/300/100 for a driver age 40, according to a rate analysis by Insurance.com. For the state minimum coverage, the average annual cost in California is $551.

Best car insurance companies in California: Geico

Geico is the best car insurance company in California, based on an analysis by Insurance.com, with an overall rating of 4.02. Progressive came second. 

Below is a full list of the top California insurance companies based on price, NAIC complaint ratio and AM Best financial ratings. The total Insurance.com score is calculated out of five using these factors.

Best car insurance companies in California
CompanyAM BestJD PowerNAICInsurance.com scoreAverage Annual Premium
GeicoA++8300.914.02$1,919
ProgressiveA+8090.653.69$2,179
TravelersA++8100.493.65$2,460
State FarmA++8260.73.47$2,701
Mercury InsuranceA7940.843.47$2,031
AllstateA+8160.653.35$2,627
CSAA Insurance (AAA)A8220.753.28$2,600
NationwideA+7940.643.2$2,799
FarmersA8100.82.91$3,035
Auto Club Enterprises (AAA)A+8322.212.89$2,466
Kemper InsuranceA-7362.162.05$2,429

Cheapest car insurance companies in California: Geico

Don't just go with the first insurer you come across. Comparison shopping is the key when it comes to finding the best deal on auto insurance. Get quotes from several different insurers and compare their rates. You may be surprised at how much difference there can be in rates from one company to another.

We have gathered price quotes from all the major insurance providers in California and put together a list of the cheapest car insurance companies. Based on a rate analysis by Insurance.com, Geico is the cheapest auto insurance company in California with average annual rates of $1,919 annually. USAA offers cheaper rates if you are eligible.

CompanyState minimum liability50/100/50 liability100/300/100 liability with $500 deductible
USAA*$410$653$1,827
Geico$367$591$1,919
Mercury Insurance$458$766$2,031
Progressive$433$637$2,179
Kemper Insurance$492$803$2,429
Travelers$629$954$2,460
Auto Club Enterprises (AAA)$623$974$2,466
CSAA Insurance (AAA)$457$627$2,600
Allstate$717$1,104$2,627
State Farm$569$900$2,701
Nationwide$712$1,123$2,799
Farmers$774$1,280$3,035

*USAA offers car insurance only to military members, veterans and their families.

Cheapest car insurance cost in California by age

In California, car insurance rates are higher for teenagers (16- to 19-year-olds) as they are more prone to accidents due to their lack of experience on the road.

Geico offers the cheapest car insurance for teen drivers in California at $4,836 per year for a full coverage policy. USAA offers cheaper rates if you are eligible. 

Car insurance rates will decrease as teens age and keep a good driving record. Car insurance rates for adults 25+ and seniors 60+ are lower than those for teens and young adults. 

In California, Geico offers the cheapest full coverage car insurance for adult drivers (25-60 year-olds) and senior drivers (60-75 year-olds)  at $1,937 per year and $1,935 per year, respectively. USAA offers cheaper rates if you are eligible.

Cheapest car insurance by age in California
Age Company Average annual premium 
Teens (16-19)USAA*$4,005
Teens (16-19)Geico$4,836
Teens (16-19)State Farm$4,961
Teens (16-19)Travelers$5,079
Teens (16-19)Mercury Insurance$5,095
Teens (16-19)Allstate$5,881
Teens (16-19)Auto Club Enterprises (AAA)$6,242
Teens (16-19)Progressive$6,546
Teens (16-19)Farmers$6,766
Teens (16-19)Kemper Insurance$7,425
Teens (16-19)CSAA Insurance (AAA)$8,578
Teens (16-19)Nationwide$9,683
Young Adults (20-24)USAA$2,471
Young Adults (20-24)Geico$2,531
Young Adults (20-24)Travelers$3,370
Young Adults (20-24)Mercury Insurance$3,393
Young Adults (20-24)Allstate$3,485
Young Adults (20-24)State Farm$3,529
Young Adults (20-24)Progressive$3,617
Young Adults (20-24)Auto Club Enterprises (AAA)$3,798
Young Adults (20-24)CSAA Insurance (AAA)$4,029
Young Adults (20-24)Kemper Insurance$4,216
Young Adults (20-24)Farmers$4,357
Young Adults (20-24)Nationwide$4,834
Adults (25-60)USAA$1,874
Adults (25-60)Geico$1,937
Adults (25-60)Mercury Insurance$2,085
Adults (25-60)Progressive$2,185
Adults (25-60)Travelers$2,478
Adults (25-60)Auto Club Enterprises (AAA)$2,539
Adults (25-60)Allstate$2,594
Adults (25-60)CSAA Insurance (AAA)$2,599
Adults (25-60)Kemper Insurance$2,693
Adults (25-60)State Farm$2,704
Adults (25-60)Nationwide$2,835
Adults (25-60)Farmers$3,079
Seniors (65-75)USAA$1,842
Seniors (65-75)Geico$1,935
Seniors (65-75)Mercury Insurance$2,072
Seniors (65-75)State Farm$2,252
Seniors (65-75)Auto Club Enterprises (AAA)$2,377
Seniors (65-75)Progressive$2,401
Seniors (65-75)Allstate$2,414
Seniors (65-75)Travelers$2,461
Seniors (65-75)CSAA Insurance (AAA)$2,625
Seniors (65-75)Nationwide$2,709
Seniors (65-75)Farmers$2,977
Seniors (65-75)Kemper Insurance$3,150

*USAA offers car insurance only to military members, veterans and their families.

Cheapest car insurance companies in California by driver profile

Accidents and tickets can negatively affect car insurance rates. Drivers who have accidents or tickets are considered a higher risk and will pay more. 

However, the severity and frequency of the incidents will also play a role in the insurance rates. For instance, drivers with a single minor accident may see a smaller increase in their rates compared to those with multiple major accidents.

Below are average California rates by company for drivers with accidents and tickets on their driving record. 

Cheapest car insurance companies for tickets and accidents in California
CompanyClean record AccidentSpeeding Ticket
Progressive$1,483$3,309$2,900
Geico$1,596$3,832$2,821
USAA*$1,619$2,686$2,109
Mercury Insurance$1,768$3,065$2,491
Auto-Owners$2,217$3,619$2,937
Auto Club Enterprises (AAA)$2,259$3,725$3,329
Travelers$2,281$4,095$3,649
Allstate$2,285$6,153$3,971
Kemper Insurance$2,402$5,854$3,672
State Farm$2,431$4,780$4,245
Nationwide$2,473$4,405$4,132
Hartford$2,596$6,285$4,583
CSAA (AAA)$2,722$4,684$4,166
Farmers$2,745$4,636$4,156

*USAA offers car insurance only to military members, veterans and their families.

Compare auto insurance rates by city in California

Auto insurance rates in your city can differ significantly from the state average due to factors such as population density, increased instances of auto theft or accidents, and a few other factors. It's best to compare quotes from various insurance providers to find the most competitive rates for your specific city in California.

CityAnnual insurance premium
Hayward
$2,546
San Diego
$2,324
Irvine
$2,502
Los Angeles
$3,149
Sacramento
$2,665
San Jose
$2,406
Temecula
$2,356

Insurance.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services in 2023 to field rates from major insurers in every state across most ZIP codes. Driver profile: male, age 40, driving a 2023 Honda Accord LX with full coverage of 100/300/100 with comprehensive and collision; $500 deductible.

The car insurance rates for drivers with accidents and tickets are averaged based on rates for the following accidents and tickets: 

Accidents: 

  • 1 at-fault property damage accident over $2k
  • 1 at-fault property damage accident under $2k
  • At-fault bodily injury accident 
  • Single vehicle accident 

Tickets: 

  • Distracted driving ticket
  • Speeding ticket 1- 10 MPH over limit 
  • Speeding ticket 11- 29 MPH over limit 
  • Talking on cellphone ticket 
  • Texting ticket 

Insurance.com analyzed rates from more than 34,000 ZIP codes, 56 million quotes, and 136 companies. Rates sourced from Quadrant Data Services are for comparison purposes only; your rates may differ.

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