Progressive offers the cheapest auto insurance rates in California at about $1,466 a year or $122 monthly, on average. That’s below the average California car insurance rate of $2,110 a year.
However, cheap isn’t everything, and an Insurance.com analysis of rates, complaints, and financial stability found Geico to be the best insurance company in California.
Many factors go into your insurance premium. Insurance companies use your driving record, the type of car you drive and the coverage you select to determine your average annual car insurance cost.
Read on to compare California insurance rates by company, age and more.
Key takeaways
- Geico is the best car insurance company in California overall, with below-average rates and a low complaint ratio.
- Progressive is the cheapest car insurance company in California at $1,466 per year.
- Geico has the cheapest rates for teen drivers in California.
- Average cost of car insurance in California
- Best car insurance companies in California
- Cheapest car insurance companies in California
- Cheapest car insurance cost in California by age
- Cheapest car insurance companies in California by driver profile
- Methodology
- Compare auto insurance rates by city in California
Average cost of car insurance in California
The average car insurance rate in California is $2,110 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 $578.
Best car insurance companies in California
Geico is the best car insurance company in California, based on a 2023 analysis by Insurance.com, with an overall rating of 4.8. USAA is the best auto insurance company in California for military veterans and their families with an overall rating of 4.82.
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.
| Company | AM Best | Avg annual premium | NAIC complaint ratio | Insurance.com score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | A++ | $ 1,537 | 0.99 | 4.82 |
| Geico | A++ | $ 1,594 | 0.77 | 4.8 |
| Progressive | A+ | $ 1,466 | 0.73 | 4.66 |
| Travelers | A++ | $ 2,044 | 1.03 | 4.22 |
| Mercury Insurance | A | $ 1,622 | 0.67 | 4.19 |
| Auto-Owners | A++ | $ 2,143 | 0.64 | 4.18 |
| State Farm | A++ | $ 2,334 | 0.52 | 3.68 |
| Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | A+ | $ 2,267 | 0.92 | 3.68 |
| Allstate | A+ | $ 2,303 | 0.95 | 3.63 |
| Nationwide | A+ | $ 2,361 | 0.66 | 3.62 |
| The Hartford | A+ | $ 2,535 | 1.15 | 3.32 |
| CSAA Insurance (AAA) | A | $ 2,367 | 0.93 | 3.26 |
| Farmers | A | $ 2,658 | 0.77 | 2.95 |
Cheapest car insurance companies in California
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, Progressive is the cheapest auto insurance company in California with average rates of $1,466 annually or $122 a month on average.
| Company Group | State Minimum Liability Only | 50/100/50 Liability Only | 100/300/100 Liability with $500 Comp/Coll Deductible |
|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive | $ 436 | $ 637 | $ 1,466 |
| USAA | $ 390 | $ 570 | $ 1,537 |
| Geico | $ 371 | $ 599 | $ 1,594 |
| Mercury Insurance | $ 487 | $ 753 | $ 1,622 |
| Travelers | $ 543 | $ 809 | $ 2,044 |
| Auto-Owners | $ 706 | $ 1,067 | $ 2,143 |
| Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | $ 609 | $ 832 | $ 2,267 |
| Allstate | $ 679 | $ 895 | $ 2,303 |
| Kemper Insurance | $ 507 | $ 822 | $ 2,310 |
| State Farm | $ 580 | $ 897 | $ 2,334 |
| Nationwide | $ 732 | $ 1,149 | $ 2,361 |
| CSAA Insurance (AAA) | $ 458 | $ 628 | $ 2,367 |
| The Hartford | $ 657 | $ 904 | $ 2,535 |
| Farmers | $ 932 | $ 1,379 | $ 2,658 |
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 $3,814 per year for full coverage policy.
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, Progressive offers the cheapest full coverage car insurance for adult drivers (25-55 year-olds) and senior drivers (60-75 year-olds) at $1,487 per year and $1,586 per year, respectively.
| Age (group) | Company Group | Avg. Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Teens (16-19) | USAA | $ 3,569 |
| Teens (16-19) | Geico | $ 3,814 |
| Teens (16-19) | Mercury Insurance | $ 4,018 |
| Teens (16-19) | Travelers | $ 4,043 |
| Teens (16-19) | Auto-Owners | $ 4,141 |
| Teens (16-19) | State Farm | $ 4,299 |
| Teens (16-19) | Progressive | $ 4,413 |
| Teens (16-19) | Allstate | $ 5,233 |
| Teens (16-19) | The Hartford | $ 5,791 |
| Teens (16-19) | Farmers | $ 5,864 |
| Teens (16-19) | Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | $ 6,242 |
| Teens (16-19) | Kemper Insurance | $ 7,056 |
| Teens (16-19) | CSAA Insurance (AAA) | $ 7,795 |
| Teens (16-19) | Nationwide | $ 8,170 |
| Young Adults (20-24) | Geico | $ 2,117 |
| Young Adults (20-24) | USAA | $ 2,133 |
| Young Adults (20-24) | Progressive | $ 2,469 |
| Young Adults (20-24) | Mercury Insurance | $ 2,737 |
| Young Adults (20-24) | Travelers | $ 2,757 |
| Young Adults (20-24) | Allstate | $ 3,005 |
| Young Adults (20-24) | State Farm | $ 3,034 |
| Young Adults (20-24) | Auto-Owners | $ 3,074 |
| Young Adults (20-24) | The Hartford | $ 3,560 |
| Young Adults (20-24) | Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | $ 3,652 |
| Young Adults (20-24) | CSAA Insurance (AAA) | $ 3,657 |
| Young Adults (20-24) | Farmers | $ 3,856 |
| Young Adults (20-24) | Kemper Insurance | $ 4,094 |
| Young Adults (20-24) | Nationwide | $ 4,113 |
| Adults (25-55) | Progressive | $ 1,487 |
| Adults (25-55) | USAA | $ 1,579 |
| Adults (25-55) | Geico | $ 1,622 |
| Adults (25-55) | Mercury Insurance | $ 1,676 |
| Adults (25-55) | Travelers | $ 2,087 |
| Adults (25-55) | Auto-Owners | $ 2,176 |
| Adults (25-55) | Allstate | $ 2,302 |
| Adults (25-55) | State Farm | $ 2,373 |
| Adults (25-55) | Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | $ 2,394 |
| Adults (25-55) | CSAA Insurance (AAA) | $ 2,396 |
| Adults (25-55) | Nationwide | $ 2,429 |
| Adults (25-55) | Kemper Insurance | $ 2,579 |
| Adults (25-55) | The Hartford | $ 2,620 |
| Adults (25-55) | Farmers | $ 2,732 |
| Seniors (60-75) | USAA | $ 1,585 |
| Seniors (60-75) | Progressive | $ 1,586 |
| Seniors (60-75) | Geico | $ 1,594 |
| Seniors (60-75) | Mercury Insurance | $ 1,678 |
| Seniors (60-75) | State Farm | $ 1,954 |
| Seniors (60-75) | Travelers | $ 2,014 |
| Seniors (60-75) | Allstate | $ 2,147 |
| Seniors (60-75) | Auto-Owners | $ 2,150 |
| Seniors (60-75) | The Hartford | $ 2,210 |
| Seniors (60-75) | Nationwide | $ 2,269 |
| Seniors (60-75) | Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | $ 2,298 |
| Seniors (60-75) | CSAA Insurance (AAA) | $ 2,335 |
| Seniors (60-75) | Farmers | $ 2,646 |
| Seniors (60-75) | Kemper Insurance | $ 3,036 |
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.
| Company | Clean Record | Accident | Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $ 2,285 | $ 5,306 | $ 3,342 |
| Auto Club Entreprises | $ 2,259 | $ 3,437 | $ 3,238 |
| Auto-Owners | $ 2,217 | $ 3,111 | $ 2,578 |
| CSAA | $ 2,722 | $ 3,968 | $ 3,450 |
| Farmers | $ 2,745 | $ 4,118 | $ 3,876 |
| Geico | $ 1,596 | $ 3,447 | $ 2,728 |
| Hartford | $ 2,596 | $ 5,764 | $ 4,245 |
| Kemper | $ 2,402 | $ 5,169 | $ 3,173 |
| Mercury | $ 1,768 | $ 2,958 | $ 2,335 |
| Nationwide | $ 2,473 | $ 3,843 | $ 3,767 |
| Progressive | $ 1,483 | $ 3,066 | $ 2,978 |
| State Farm | $ 2,431 | $ 4,053 | $ 3,696 |
| Travelers | $ 2,281 | $ 3,789 | $ 3,400 |
| USAA | $ 1,619 | $ 2,396 | $ 1,783 |
Methodology
Insurance.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services in 2022 to field rates from up to six major insurers every state across most ZIP codes. Driver profile: male, age 40, driving 2021 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.
