- Average cost of car insurance in California
- Best car insurance company in California: GEICO
- Cheapest car insurance company in California: GEICO
- California car insurance requirements
- Cheapest car insurance companies for minimum liability coverage in California
- Cheapest car insurance in California by age
- Cheapest car insurance companies in California by driver profile
- Compare auto insurance rates by city in California
- Car insurance premium trends in California
- Methodology
- Compare California car insurance rates with other states
Average cost of car insurance in California
The average car insurance rate in California is $3,010 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 $751.
The California Department of Insurance says...
California's Low Cost Automobile Program (CLCA) was established by the Legislature in 1999 and exists pursuant to California Insurance Code Section 11629.7 as a program designed to provide income eligible persons with liability insuranceLiability insurance covers sums that an insured becomes legally obligated to pay because of bodily injuries or property damage, or financial losses caused to other people. protection at affordable rates as a way to meet California's financial responsibility laws.
- The California Department of InsuranceBest car insurance company in California: GEICO
GEICO is the best car insurance company in California, based on our data analysis, with an overall rating of 4.71. Progressive came second.
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 | JD Power | NAIC | Average annual premium | Insurance.com score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GEICO | A++ | 626 | 0.69 | $1,919 | 4.71 |
| Progressive | A+ | 635 | 0.71 | $2,179 | 4.44 |
| Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | A+ | 684 | 1.16 | $2,466 | 4.35 |
| Mercury Insurance | A | 596 | 1.41 | $2,031 | 4.2 |
| State Farm | A++ | 658 | 0.79 | $2,701 | 4.15 |
| Allstate | A+ | 634 | 1.1 | $2,627 | 3.98 |
| CSAA Insurance (AAA) | A | 642 | 1.05 | $2,600 | 3.96 |
| Nationwide | A | 627 | 0.63 | $2,799 | 3.77 |
| Farmers | A | 617 | 0.86 | $3,035 | 3.48 |
| Kemper | A- | 528 | 4.21 | $2,429 | 3.04 |
| USAA | A++ | 747 | 1.18 | $1,827 | 4.92 |
Cheapest car insurance company in California: GEICO
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, GEICO is the cheapest auto insurance company in California with average annual rates of $2,038 annually. USAA offers cheaper rates if you are eligible.
| Company | State minimum liability | 50/100/50 liability | 100/300/100 liability with $500 deductible |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEICO | $455 | $618 | $2,038 |
| Kemper | $672 | $772 | $2,584 |
| Progressive | $601 | $747 | $2,684 |
| Mercury Insurance | $753 | $1,031 | $2,782 |
| CSAA Insurance (AAA) | $486 | $589 | $2,874 |
| Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | $684 | $991 | $2,967 |
| State Farm | $626 | $873 | $3,078 |
| Farmers | $1,010 | $1,482 | $3,409 |
| Travelers | $1,035 | $1,283 | $3,604 |
| Allstate | $1,124 | $1,620 | $3,922 |
| Nationwide | $1,118 | $1,597 | $4,227 |
| USAA | $499 | $699 | $2,080 |
*USAA offers car insurance only to military members, veterans and their families.
California car insurance requirements
As of January 1, 2025, California's minimum car insurance requirements increased. The new minimum requirements are 30/60/15.
In 2024, the minimum car insurance required in California was 15/30/5. The average cost of the state minimum liability insurance at this level is $751 a year, or $63 per month. New data is not yet available for the updated requirements.
Minimum liability insurance requirements for California:
- Bodily injury liability (BI): $30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident
- Property damage liability (PD): $15,000 per accident
Cheapest car insurance companies for minimum liability coverage in California
Insurance.com data show that CSAA Insurance (AAA) offers the most affordable state minimum liability coverage, costing an average of $589, or $49 a month.
The table below shows the cheapest car insurance companies for minimum coverage in California.
| Company | Liability insurance premium | Monthly liability insurance premium |
|---|---|---|
| CSAA Insurance (AAA) | $589 | $49 |
| GEICO | $618 | $51 |
| Progressive | $747 | $62 |
| Kemper | $772 | $64 |
| State Farm | $873 | $73 |
| Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | $991 | $83 |
| Mercury Insurance | $1,031 | $86 |
| Travelers | $1,283 | $107 |
| Farmers | $1,482 | $123 |
| Nationwide | $1,597 | $133 |
| Allstate | $1,620 | $135 |
| USAA | $699 | $58 |
*USAA offers coverage only to military veterans and their family
Cheapest car insurance 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 a 16-year-old driver in California at $5,851 per year. USAA offers cheaper rates if you are eligible.
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, GEICO offers the cheapest full coverage car insurance for a 25-year-old driver and a 65-year-old driver at $2,352 per year and $1,950 per year, respectively. USAA offers cheaper rates if you are eligible.
Select your age group and age below to see the insurance company and its Compare car insurance rates by age
average annual and average monthly premium rates.USAA $4,983 $415 GEICO $5,851 $488 State Farm $6,463 $539 Farmers $7,987 $666 Mercury Insurance $8,218 $685 Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) $8,437 $703 Travelers $8,464 $705 Progressive $8,481 $707 Kemper $9,488 $791 Allstate $9,510 $792 CSAA Insurance (AAA) $12,080 $1,007 Nationwide $16,401 $1,367
*USAA offers car insurance only to military members, veterans and their families.
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 | Speeding ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEICO | $2,038 | $4,117 | $3,180 |
| CSAA Insurance (AAA) | $2,874 | $4,379 | $3,646 |
| Mercury Insurance | $2,782 | $4,880 | $3,963 |
| Progressive | $2,684 | $4,435 | $4,149 |
| Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | $2,967 | $4,818 | $4,273 |
| State Farm | $3,078 | $5,179 | $4,640 |
| Farmers | $3,409 | $5,495 | $4,745 |
| Travelers | $3,604 | $6,244 | $5,419 |
| Allstate | $3,922 | $9,367 | $5,685 |
| Nationwide | $4,227 | $8,006 | $7,914 |
| USAA | $2,080 | $3,423 | $2,537 |
*USAA offers car insurance only to military members, veterans and their families.
*USAA offers car insurance only to military members, veterans and their families.
Compare auto insurance rates by city in California
Auto insurance rates vary not just by state, but also by city. Cities have different levels of risk based on factors like accident rates, claimAn insurance claim is a request you make to your insurance company for coverage after your car is damaged or you have an accident. You can file a claim online, by phone, or in writing. costs, weather and more. That means where you live in California will impact what you pay. Below, we've gathered California car insurance rates by city for comparison.
| City | Annual insurance premium |
|---|---|
Hayward | $2,546 |
Irvine | $2,502 |
Los Angeles | $3,149 |
Sacramento | $2,665 |
San Diego | $2,324 |
San Jose | $2,406 |
Temecula | $2,356 |
Car insurance premium trends in California
Car insurance rates change regularly, influenced by changes in the cost of repairs, claim rates and other factors. Recent years have seen car insurance rates rise across the country, but not every state has seen the same increases.
We've tracked car insurance premium trends in California to show you how things have changed and help you prepare for potential changes in the future. Take a look at the chart below.
Methodology
We partnered with Quadrant Information Services to field average auto insurance rates in 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
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
- Poor credit
- DUI/DWI first offense
Tickets:
- Reckless driving
- Speeding ticket 1- 10 MPH over limit
- Speeding ticket 11- 29 MPH over limit
- Speeding 30+ over limit
Learn more about our data and methodology.
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