Car insurance companies charge more to insure drivers who are at a higher risk of filing a claim. The most common red flags for insurers are serious driving violations like reckless driving or a DUI, multiple tickets or accidents and even bad credit.
The average rate for high-risk car insurance in California is $3,049. High-risk drivers in California can expect to pay between $4,609 and $9,984 for car insurance depending on the reason for the rate increase.
The cheapest insurance in California for high-risk drivers is, on average, Mercury Insurance, however, it will vary based on your exact situation.
If you’re a high-risk driver, finding cheap car insurance in California will be more of a challenge. We’ve compared auto insurance rates for high-risk drivers from top companies to help you save.
Key takeaways
- The average cost of high-risk car insurance in California is $3,049, but it varies depending on what’s on your record.
- The average car insurance rate for a driver with a DUI in California is $2,920, while a driver with a reckless driving conviction pays $2,793 on average.
Cheapest car insurance for high-risk drivers in California
Rates will vary depending on what’s on your driving record, but on average the cheapest car insurance company for high-risk drivers in California is Mercury Insurance, followed by Progressive and USAA.
| Company | Avg Annual Premium | Avg Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury Insurance | $3,049 | $254 |
| Progressive | $3,650 | $304 |
| USAA | $4,017 | $335 |
| Auto-Owners | $4,347 | $362 |
| Geico | $4,391 | $366 |
| Farmers | $5,316 | $443 |
| Travelers | $5,571 | $464 |
| Auto Club Entreprises (AAA) | $6,063 | $505 |
| Kemper Insurance | $6,264 | $522 |
| Nationwide | $6,774 | $564 |
| Allstate | $8,938 | $745 |
| State Farm | $9,611 | $801 |
| Hartford | $10,349 | $862 |
| CSAA (AAA) | $11,941 | $995 |
Average rates for high-risk drivers in California by driving record
Average cost of car insurance in California for high-risk driver
Select your state and risk factor below to see the insurance company and its
average annual full coverage rates.
| Company name | Average annual premium |
|---|
Cheapest car insurance with a DUI
A DUI will put you into the high-risk category quickly, and you can expect a big jump in your rates. Shopping around can make a big difference, however. The cheapest car insurance company in California for a driver with a DUI is Mercury Insurance with an average annual of $2,920 a year.
| Company | Avg Annual Premium | Avg Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury Insurance | $2,920 | $243 |
| Progressive | $3,559 | $297 |
| Auto-Owners | $4,014 | $334 |
| Geico | $4,014 | $335 |
| USAA | $4,645 | $387 |
| Travelers | $4,794 | $399 |
| Farmers | $4,844 | $404 |
| Kemper Insurance | $5,169 | $431 |
| Auto Club Entreprises (AAA) | $6,668 | $556 |
| Nationwide | $6,908 | $576 |
| State Farm | $8,557 | $713 |
| Allstate | $9,082 | $757 |
| CSAA (AAA) | $9,812 | $818 |
| Hartford | $10,565 | $880 |
Cheapest car insurance with multiple tickets
While a single ticket doesn’t mean you’re high-risk, multiple tickets will worry insurance companies more, resulting in higher rates. In California, the cheapest car insurance with multiple tickets is from Mercury Insurance. It offers full coverage insurance at $2,959 per year or $247 monthly.
| Company | Avg Annual Premium | Avg Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury Insurance | $2,959 | $247 |
| Progressive | $3,066 | $256 |
| USAA | $3,116 | $260 |
| Geico | $3,813 | $318 |
| Auto-Owners | $4,014 | $334 |
| Auto Club Entreprises (AAA) | $4,105 | $342 |
| Travelers | $4,393 | $366 |
| Farmers | $4,996 | $416 |
| Kemper Insurance | $5,169 | $431 |
| Nationwide | $5,230 | $436 |
| Hartford | $5,596 | $466 |
| Allstate | $5,860 | $488 |
| State Farm | $5,895 | $491 |
| CSAA (AAA) | $6,312 | $526 |
Cheapest car insurance with a reckless driving conviction
Reckless driving is a serious violation and indicates you drive in a very risky manner, which means higher insurance rates. In California, USAA offers the cheapest full coverage car insurance for drivers with a reckless driving conviction at $2,793 a year.
| Company | Avg Annual Premium | Avg Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|
| USAA | $2,793 | $233 |
| Geico | $2,886 | $240 |
| Mercury Insurance | $2,920 | $243 |
| Progressive | $3,251 | $271 |
| Auto-Owners | $4,014 | $334 |
| Travelers | $4,794 | $399 |
| Farmers | $4,844 | $404 |
| Kemper Insurance | $5,169 | $431 |
| Auto Club Entreprises (AAA) | $6,668 | $556 |
| Nationwide | $6,908 | $576 |
| State Farm | $8,557 | $713 |
| Allstate | $9,082 | $757 |
| CSAA (AAA) | $9,812 | $818 |
| Hartford | $10,565 | $880 |
Methodology
Data is sourced from the Auto Problems Report 2022 for all states including Washington D.C. The rates are based on the driving profile of a 40-year-old male driver who drives a Honda Accord LX and opts for a full-coverage policy with coverage limits of 100/300/100 and a $500 comprehensive and collision deductible across most ZIP codes with 50,00,736 records from 27 companies.
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