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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

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.

Best car insurance companies in California
CompanyAM BestAvg annual premiumNAIC complaint ratioInsurance.com score
USAAA++$ 1,5370.994.82
GeicoA++$ 1,5940.774.8
ProgressiveA+$ 1,4660.734.66
TravelersA++$ 2,0441.034.22
Mercury InsuranceA$ 1,6220.674.19
Auto-OwnersA++$ 2,1430.644.18
State FarmA++$ 2,3340.523.68
Auto Club Enterprises (AAA)A+$ 2,2670.923.68
AllstateA+$ 2,3030.953.63
NationwideA+$ 2,3610.663.62
The HartfordA+$ 2,5351.153.32
CSAA Insurance (AAA)A$ 2,3670.933.26
FarmersA$ 2,6580.772.95

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 GroupState Minimum Liability Only50/100/50 Liability Only100/300/100 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. 

Cheapest car insurance by age in California
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. 

Cheapest car insurance companies for tickets and accidents in California 
CompanyClean RecordAccidentTicket
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.  

Compare auto insurance rates by city in California

Anaheim
$2,228/year
Fresno
$2,051/year
Long Beach
$2,327/year
Oakland
$2,399/year
Portola
$1,808/year
San Diego
$2,035/year
San Francisco
$2,395/year
Sausalito
$2,090/year
Vallejo
$2,206/year
Show more

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