CSAA auto insurance review for 2026

CSAA auto insurance: Overall verdict

CSAA is the AAA-branded carrierAn insurance carrier is the company that provides your car insurance policy and pays claims. that operates in a number of western and eastern states, as well as a handful of Midwest states, making it more widely available than many regional carriers. 

Rates are higher than the $209 a month average for auto insurance, and complaint volume with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) is right about average (very slightly above) expected for a carrier of its size. In the survey, we found that customers are very pleased with their experience; CSAA topped several categories including customer satisfaction and digital experience.

We didn’t rank regional carriers against national ones in our Best Car Insurance Companies of 2026 study, but we did score them. CSAA earned a total of 3.68 stars out of 5 this year, a score that was lower than other carriers mostly due to higher premiums.

CSAA availability and average premiums by state

Available in 24 states.

What auto insurance coverages does CSAA offer?

CSAA offers a full range of car insurance policies to meet most drivers’ needs. These include all of the basics plus additional add-ons and the benefits of being a member of AAA, with its roadside assistance coverage.

All primary car insurance coverage options are available:

• Liability
• Collision
• Comprehensive
• Personal injury protection (PIP) and medical payments (MedPay)
• Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage

Additional coverage offerings:

• Rental reimbursement
• Roadside assistance

How does CSAA insurance rank?

CSAA wasn’t ranked against national carriers, but landed at No. 6 among regional carriers. The lower score is largely due to higher car insurance rates, which are weighted heavily in our rankings.

Across all other categories, CSAA has high ratings.

Here’s a look at how it compared to other regional carriers in 2026.

*The lower a company’s score, the fewer complaints were filed with the NAIC. A score higher than 1.0 means it had a higher-than-expected number of complaints for its market share.

How much is CSAA auto insurance?

Average rates with CSAA are higher than the competitors we ranked. The average full coverage rate for a 40-year-old driver with CSAA is $3,010 per year or $251 per month.

Here is a comparison of CSAA rates with several competitors offering policies in all of the states CSAA serves. Premiums are based on full coverage insurance at 100/300/100, with $500 collision and comprehensive deductibles for a 40-year-old driver with a good driving record.

CSAA car insurance rates by state

CSAA car insurance rates are higher based on the national average, but are below average in California, at $2,874 a year vs. the state average of $3,444 a year for full coverage. As you can see, averages by state vary widely.

Some states have considerably higher insurance rates due to frequent hail events, flooding, and higher litigation costs, among other factors.

Here’s a sample of average annual rates with CSAA in three states.

CSAA insurance rates for teens

The average cost of a teen car insurance policy with CSAA is $10,946 a year. 

Teenage drivers pay some of the most expensive rates for car insurance and CSAA is no exception. As younger drivers age, rates will steadily decline, but the early years can be costly.

Here’s a comparison of what a teenage driver can expect to pay with CSAA and with other companies.

CSAA insurance rates for adults

The average cost of car insurance at age 40 with CSAA is $3,010.

As young drivers gain more experience and maturity, they generally exhibit better driving behavior. The good news is that this results in a steady decline in insurance premiums—as long as you don’t develop a poor driving track record. That trend will continue until you reach about age 65 when it begins to reverse.

Here’s what adults can expect to pay for full coverage car insurance with CSAA at various ages. Rates are lowest around age 60.

CSAA insurance rates for seniors

At CSAA, the average car insurance cost at age 65 is $3,017 for males and $3,033 for females.

Car insurance companies base their rates on risk profiles, and unfortunately, there is evidence that driving becomes riskier as we age. This may be related to slower reflexes, weaker eyesight, or other factors and will vary from driver to driver.

For that reason, your rates will likely begin to increase as you reach 65, but it will not be nearly as steep as the rates you saw in your teens.

Here’s what a senior driver can expect to pay with CSAA at various ages:

CSAA insurance rates for drivers with tickets, accidents and poor credit

CSAA’s rates for drivers with poor credit are about 77% higher than those for drivers with a clean driving record, indicating that the company gives credit a lot of weight. If you have a poor credit score, CSAA may not be right for you, as rates rise dramatically.

Note that credit is not allowed as a rating factor in a handful of states, including CSAA’s home state, California.

CSAA insurance discounts and ways to save

CSAA car insurance policies are among the most expensive, but discounts can make a dent in those rates.

The discounts can range from 5 to 30%, and you can stack discounts to more savings.

CSAA offers a good assortment of auto insurance discounts, including the following:

• Discount for drivers who are AAA members
• Multi-car discount
• Multi-policy discount
• Loyalty 
• Good driver
• Mature driver course
• Defensive driving course.
• Teens who complete TeenSMART program 
• Good student 
• Distant student (attending school at least 100 miles from home)
• New car discount 
• Safety devices
• Anti-theft 

Sources & Methodology

Methodology 

We partnered with Quadrant Information Services to field car insurance rates across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. National and state average rates are based on three coverage levels: state minimum, 50/100/50 liability-only, and full coverage with 100/300/100 liability and $500 deductibles. 

Unless otherwise indicated, averages are based on our full coverage data set. This data set is based on:

• Bodily injury liability of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per incident
• Property damage liability of $100,000 per incident
• Comprehensive and collision deductibles of $500
• 40-year-old driver
• Honda Accord LX
• Good credit
• A clean driving record
• 12-mile commute, 10,000 annual mileage

Additional rate data is drawn based on:

• Ages ranging from 16 to 75
• Excellent, fair and poor credit
• All available traffic violations
• One or more at-fault accidents

Survey data from our annual customer survey and third-party ratings were used to create each company's overall score. 

Learn more about our data and methodology.

Source

CSAA website. Products and services, accessed March 2026.

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