- Cheapest car insurance in California for a bad driving record
- How much is high-risk car insurance in California?
- Cheapest car insurance in California with a DUI
- Cheapest car insurance in California with multiple tickets
- Cheapest car insurance in California with a reckless driving conviction
- Cheapest car insurance after an accident in California
- Cheapest car insurance in California by city
- How to reduce car insurance rates in California for a bad driving record
- California car insurance laws for high-risk drivers
Cheapest car insurance in California for a bad driving record
If you have a poor driving record in California, Mercury Insurance, Geico, Progressive are the cheapest options. Mercury Insurance has the lowest annual rate at $3,182.
Having accidents, DUIs or traffic tickets on your driving record, will make you pay more for insurance. Most tickets will affect your rates for three to five years. A DUI can affect your rates for up to 10 years and can stay on your record for life.
| Company | Average annual premium for clean record | Annual premium for high-risk driver |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury Insurance | $2,031 | $3,182 |
| Geico | $1,919 | $3,454 |
| Progressive | $2,179 | $3,848 |
| Travelers | $2,460 | $4,319 |
| Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | $2,466 | $5,224 |
| CSAA Insurance (AAA) | $2,600 | $5,736 |
| State Farm | $2,701 | $6,242 |
| Nationwide | $2,799 | $6,354 |
| Allstate | $2,627 | $6,477 |
| Farmers | $3,035 | $7,345 |
| USAA | $1,827 | $3,169 |
How much is high-risk car insurance in California?
A problematic driving record or poor credit score may mean higher insurance rates, but affordable options exist. In California, high-risk car insurance costs $5,180. However, you can get rates as low as $3,182 from Mercury Insurance.
Many things can make you a high-risk driver, but some affect your rates more than others. For example, having multiple speeding tickets or a ticket for speeding in a school zone will increase your rates more than a single basic speeding ticket.
Read on as we explain high-risk car insurance factors and rates below.
Select your state and risk factor below to see the insurance company and its
average annual full coverage rates.
| Company | Annual premium for clean record | Annual premium after violation |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury Insurance | $2,031 | $3,190 |
| USAA | $1,827 | $3,470 |
| Progressive | $2,179 | $3,600 |
| Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | $2,466 | $4,221 |
| Travelers | $2,460 | $4,590 |
| Geico | $1,919 | $4,784 |
| State Farm | $2,701 | $5,242 |
| CSAA Insurance (AAA) | $2,600 | $5,287 |
| Farmers | $3,035 | $5,322 |
| Nationwide | $2,799 | $6,117 |
| Allstate | $2,627 | $7,240 |
Cheapest car insurance in California with a DUI
While many insurers offer coverage after a DUI, Mercury Insurance has the lowest rate at $3,616.
Driving under the influence (DUI) is a major traffic violation that will hurt your driving record. It can increase auto insurance rates for almost a decade in addition to fines and other penalties. Multiple DUIs will increase your premiums even more, but improving your driving habits can help you get better rates over time.
The table below shows the average car insurance rates for a clean record vs. a DUI in California.
| Company | Average annual premium for clean record | Annual premium for a DUI |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury Insurance | $2,031 | $3,616 |
| Geico | $1,919 | $4,825 |
| Travelers | $2,460 | $5,250 |
| Progressive | $2,179 | $5,283 |
| Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | $2,466 | $7,730 |
| Nationwide | $2,799 | $8,024 |
| CSAA Insurance (AAA) | $2,600 | $9,392 |
| State Farm | $2,701 | $9,499 |
| Allstate | $2,627 | $10,478 |
| Farmers | $3,035 | $12,025 |
| USAA | $1,827 | $5,690 |
Cheapest car insurance in California with multiple tickets
The cheapest insurer for drivers with multiple tickets is Mercury Insurance, with rates averaging $2,893 or $241.
One ticket will affect car insurance rates, but multiple tickets will increase rates by a lot more. Repeated failure to obey speed limits and traffic laws means insurers are more likely to pay claims because of your risky driving.
This table shows California drivers how much multiple tickets increase premiums.
| Company | Average annual premium for clean record | Annual premium with a speeding ticket |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury Insurance | $2,031 | $2,893 |
| Geico | $1,919 | $2,994 |
| CSAA Insurance (AAA) | $2,600 | $3,299 |
| Progressive | $2,179 | $3,368 |
| Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | $2,466 | $3,553 |
| Travelers | $2,460 | $3,700 |
| Allstate | $2,627 | $3,808 |
| State Farm | $2,701 | $4,071 |
| Farmers | $3,035 | $4,224 |
| Nationwide | $2,799 | $5,241 |
| USAA | $1,827 | $2,230 |
Cheapest car insurance in California with a reckless driving conviction
Geico has the cheapest rates for drivers with reckless driving convictions at $3,466.
If you engage in hazardous driving behaviors that endanger others, you may be charged with reckless driving. A reckless driving conviction will increase your car insurance rates.
The table below shows car insurance rates for drivers with a clean record vs. drivers with a reckless driving conviction.
| Company | Average annual premium for clean record | Annual premium for reckless driving |
|---|---|---|
| Geico | $1,919 | $3,466 |
| Mercury Insurance | $2,031 | $3,616 |
| Progressive | $2,179 | $3,850 |
| Travelers | $2,460 | $5,250 |
| Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | $2,466 | $7,730 |
| Nationwide | $2,799 | $8,024 |
| CSAA Insurance (AAA) | $2,600 | $9,392 |
| State Farm | $2,701 | $9,499 |
| Allstate | $2,627 | $10,478 |
| Farmers | $3,035 | $12,025 |
| USAA | $1,827 | $3,465 |
Cheapest car insurance after an accident in California
Mercury Insurance has the lowest average rates after an accident at $3,563. Progressive also offers affordable rates, averaging $3,600.
Drivers with accidents on their driving records see higher rates than drivers who avoid crashes. While car insurance increases after one accident, multiple accidents significantly increase rates.
This table compares rates for drivers with a clean driving record, one at-fault accident, and multiple accidents.
| Company | Average annual premium for clean record | Annual premium for one at-fault accident | Annual premium for multiple accident |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury Insurance | $2,031 | $3,563 | $4,223 |
| Progressive | $2,179 | $3,600 | $5,845 |
| Geico | $1,919 | $3,876 | $6,612 |
| CSAA Insurance (AAA) | $2,600 | $3,961 | $6,037 |
| Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | $2,466 | $4,006 | $5,357 |
| Travelers | $2,460 | $4,263 | $5,079 |
| State Farm | $2,701 | $4,543 | $7,444 |
| Farmers | $3,035 | $4,892 | $8,453 |
| Nationwide | $2,799 | $5,301 | $8,067 |
| Allstate | $2,627 | $6,275 | $9,667 |
| USAA | $1,827 | $3,007 | $4,370 |
Cheapest car insurance in California by city
Portola has the cheapest car insurance rates in California at $4,400. But the most expensive city is Los Angeles with rates of $6,754.
Your location in California also matters. For example, if you live in an area with heavy traffic or a high vehicle theft rate, rates will reflect the increased chance of claims.
| City | Average annual premium for clean record | Annual premium for high-risk driver |
|---|---|---|
| Portola | $2,058 | $4,400 |
| San Diego | $2,324 | $4,978 |
| Temecula | $2,356 | $5,049 |
| Fresno | $2,385 | $5,112 |
| Sausalito | $2,407 | $5,134 |
| San Jose | $2,406 | $5,147 |
| Irvine | $2,502 | $5,354 |
| Hayward | $2,546 | $5,466 |
| Anaheim | $2,572 | $5,529 |
| Vallejo | $2,608 | $5,602 |
| Long Beach | $2,681 | $5,750 |
| Sacramento | $2,665 | $5,772 |
| San Francisco | $2,777 | $5,967 |
| Oakland | $2,802 | $5,995 |
| Los Angeles | $3,149 | $6,754 |
How to reduce car insurance rates in California for a bad driving record
Finding affordable car insurance in California is possible, even with a bad driving record. Ways to lower car insurance rates include:
- Carefully consider filing claims. Paying for minor damage out of pocket may be cheaper than filing an insurance claim and increasing rates for years.
- Avoid costly infractions. Drive carefully to avoid adding traffic infractions to your record. Tickets only affect insurance rates for a few years, which will decrease if more tickets aren’t added.
- Improve your credit score. Raising your credit score lowers car insurance rates. Make on-time payments and consider credit usage to improve your rating.
- Take a defensive driving course. Many insurance companies offer a discount for doing so, and some states remove driver's license points for successfully completing the class.
- Shop around for coverage. Every car insurance company weighs factors differently and offers different rates. Compare quotes to find the cheapest rates.
California car insurance laws for high-risk drivers
If you’re considered a high-risk driver in California, you may be required to file an SR-22. This form is filled out by your car insurance company, stating that you have at least the minimum required coverage. The court will let you know how long you must file an SR-22.
Although an SR-22 is typically called insurance, it is only the form. You don’t need special insurance coverage, but rates are much higher for high-risk drivers and not all carriers insure such drivers.
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