Advertiser disclosure According to our rate estimates, USAA, Geico, and Progressive are the cheapest for car indemnity in California. That said, the best option for one driver might not be the best for another. In this article, we ‘ll look at the cheapest car policy providers in California and give you some data on state requirements. Whenever shop for car insurance, we recommend getting quotes from multiple providers so you can compare coverage and rates. Use our tool below to start comparing individualized car insurance quotes.

In this article:

Cheapest Car Insurance In California

California cable car insurance can have a huge range in price depending on where you shop. USAA, Geico, and Progressive are among the cheapest cable car insurance providers in the state.

Car Insurance Provider Average Annual Cost Estimate
USAA $1,425
Geico $1,813
Progressive $1,864
Mercury Insurance $2,128
AAA Insurance $2,386

What Is The Average Cost Of Car Insurance In California?

According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners ( NAIC ), the national average car policy outgo was $ 1,057 per year in 2018, while drivers in California only paid an average of $ 1,034 for car indemnity coverage. here ‘s a dislocation :

Type of Coverage Average Annual Expenditure in 2018
Liability coverage $617
Collision coverage $484
Comprehensive coverage $95
Total cost $1,034

*Most drivers carry liability coverage but not inevitably other types of car policy. total average annual outgo measures what California drivers actually spent on car indemnity in 2018.

Annual California Car Insurance Estimates By Age

According to our rate estimates, a 24-year-old driver may pay about 10 percentage more for car indemnity in California than a 34-year-old driver. That ‘s a smaller deviation than what ‘s found in many early states.

Age California Annual Car Insurance
24 $2,767
35 $2,519

Annual California Car Insurance Estimates By Gender

California has banned car insurance companies from using gender to assess risk. That means your gender wo n’t affect the price you pay in the department of state.

Gender California Annual Car Insurance
Female $2,519
Male $2,519

Annual California Car Insurance Estimates For Drivers With Bad Credit

California has besides banned car indemnity companies from using credit reports in assessing hazard. It ‘s one of three states to do so, including Hawaii and Massachusetts.

Credit Rating California Annual Car Insurance
Good $2,519
Fair $2,519
Poor $2,519

Annual California Car Insurance Estimates For Bad Drivers

In California, having a speeding ticket can raise your cable car indemnity by 41 percentage, which is a large increase compared to what ‘s seen in early states. besides, a DUI can raise it by 177 percentage, which is huge. If car policy becomes unreasonably expensive for your situation, you can besides seek coverage from the state ‘s assigned risk pool through an agent.

Driving Record California Annual Car Insurance
Clean $2,519
Speeding Ticket $3,560
At-Fault Accident $5,052
DUI $6,978

Factors That Affect California Car Insurance Quotes

As we mentioned above, California is one of three states that has outlawed car indemnity companies from using customer credit scores to determine the price of premiums. Some factors that will hush affect the car indemnity quotes in California include :

  • Personal information like your age, gender, and marital status
  • Year, make, and model of your vehicle
  • Vehicle mileage
  • Your driving history
  • Your exact location and where you park your car

Which Is The Best Car Insurance In California?

You have many choices when it comes to finding car policy in California. We ranked providers based on industry stand, handiness, customer service, cost, coverage, and technology and Geico came out on peak. *Not all companies were included in our pace calculate data. besides, you may notice that some car indemnity companies are listed above those with higher leading ratings. This is because our ratings take into history nationally factors, while our ranking looks specifically at what indemnity providers are best for car policy in California.

#1 Geico Insurance: Cheapest California Car Insurance

Depending on your drive read, you can find very gloomy rates with Geico car insurance in the Golden State. This deal is made even sweeter by the high ratings that Geico gets across different areas. In our own research, we identified Geico as the best car indemnity company that is available to everyone. ( USAA has some undeniable strengths but is alone available to military members and their families. ) In J.D. Power ’ s 2021 Auto Insurance Study℠, Geico ranked in one-fourth identify overall for the country of California. The learn looked at how people experienced Geico ’ s claims process, and many drivers had a smooth and comfortable experience. besides, the company has an A+ denounce from the Better Business Bureau ( BBB ) and an A++ fiscal lastingness military rank from AM Best. The AM Best military rank is the highest given to any insurance party, and it means that Geico can well handle the fiscal duty of insuring therefore many people nationally. According to the NAIC, Geico is the second-largest car insurance company in the U.S. and wrote over $ 33 billion in car premiums in 2020. Geico besides offers a number of car policy discounts for car policy in California for things like :

  • Being a good driver
  • Having airbags
  • Completing a defensive driving course
  • Being a federal employee

You can get multi-policy discounts when you bundle car with another design like renters indemnity, excessively. All of these qualities led us to choose Geico as the best option for car insurance in California. We besides think it ’ s a capital choice if you want more coverage than just the plain minimum.

Geico Pros Geico Cons
A+ rating from the BBB and A++ financial strength rating from AM Best Average quotes experience
Many choices for coverage Usage-based app not available in all states
High level of customer satisfaction  
Available in 50 states  

To learn more about the car indemnity supplier, check out our full Geico follow-up.

#2 State Farm Insurance: Best For Students And Teens

Another lead supplier for California car policy, State Farm excels in insuring students with a wide variety of discounts including the Steer Clear® program, which encourages safe driving for drivers under 25 years old. There ’ mho besides the standout Drive Safe & Save™ course of study that monitors your driving habits via an app to help you save on cable car indemnity. If you ’ rhenium looking for high liability coverage limits, State Farm has you protected with coverage up to 500/500/500, which is more than enough to meet California car indemnity requirements and take worry of most expenses in the event of an accident. A few extras from State Farm include rental and locomotion expense coverage, rideshare coverage, and wayside aid. The Drive Safe & Save discount with State Farm uses data acquired from an app on your phone about your driving habits to determine savings.

State Farm Pros State Farm Cons
Largest auto insurer in the country Reported errors with autopay
Extensive selection of discounts for teens and students Not taking new customers in Massachusetts or Rhode Island
Superior financial strength rating Higher rates than some competitors
Easy online quotes process and positive customer reviews  
Available in 48 states  

To learn more about the cable car policy supplier, check out our reappraisal of State Farm car insurance.

#3 Farmers Insurance: Best For Seniors

Farmers Insurance is one of the nation ’ sulfur oldest choices for policy and ranks among the best. The indemnity company provides coverage options for drivers in every stage of life. On circus tent of standard types of car policy, Farmers besides offers auxiliary California car indemnity coverage for :

  • New car replacement
  • Accident forgiveness insurance
  • Custom equipment protection
  • Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts
  • Loss of use coverage
  • Guaranteed Value™
  • Towing and roadside service
  • Rideshare
  • Personal umbrella
  • Glass and windshield coverage

The dismiss opportunities offered by Farmers give you the might to improve your eligibility by making changes to your driving style or your car ’ mho features. Discounts with Farmers depend on where you live, but some examples of ways you can save on car indemnity in California include :

  • Good driver discount
  • Homeowner discount
  • Discounts for adult drivers and students/teens with parents who have safe driving records
  • Good student discount
  • Occupational discounts (applicable to doctors, nurses, RNs, firefighters, police officers, etc.)
  • Senior defensive driving discount for people age 55 or older after completing an online safety course provided by AARP
  • Alternatively fueled vehicle discount (ie. electric cars)
  • Airbags, anti-theft technology, and other safety features
  • Discount for having policies for multiple vehicles

Signal is Farmers ’ app that monitors your driving behavior and can qualify you for even more discounts. It tracks how fast you drive, brake, accelerate, and other driving habits. once you sign up for Signal and complete 10 trips, you ’ ll receive a 5-percent policy dismiss. When it comes prison term to renew your car policy, you could be eligible for up to a 15-percent dismiss, based on the drive score the app gives you.

Farmers Pros Farmers Cons
Good selection of coverage add-ons customer complaints about eminent premiums, wayside aid handiness, and lease car options

Discount opportunities for good drivers average customer serve
Excellent financial strength rating and A- rating from the BBB  
Available in 50 states  

To learn more about the car indemnity supplier, check out our comprehensive inspection of Farmers Insurance.

#4 Liberty Mutual Insurance: Best For Military

Liberty Mutual car indemnity is a great choice for teens and military personnel in California because of the discounts available to these groups. Plus, the company has beneficial reviews by car policy industry experts like the BBB and AM Best. Liberty Mutual partners with over 14,000 employers, alumnus associations, and professional associations to give you discounts. Some ways to save on California car indemnity with Liberty Mutual Insurance include a multi-car discount and having a vehicle with safety features like anti-theft systems and airbags. You can besides qualify for discounts depending on your alumni and professional connections.

Liberty Mutual Pros Liberty Mutual Cons
Strong financial company depleted J.D. Power scores
Numerous discounts and coverages, especially for young drivers high premiums in some states
Excellent financial strength rating and A+ rating from the BBB average customer satisfaction

To learn more about the car indemnity provider, check out our review of Liberty Mutual car indemnity.

#5 Allstate Insurance: Best For Classic Car Insurance

now one of the largest publicly held personal place and casualty policy companies in the United States, Allstate serves more than 16 million american households. But, unlike some other national cable car policy companies, Allstate cable car insurance works through a network of local agents to provide coverage. Allstate has an A fiscal strength fink with AM Best and an A+ rat with the BBB. In addition to basic types of coverage, Allstate car indemnity offers :

  • Rideshare insurance
  • Classic car insurance 
  • Travel insurance to and from Mexico
  • Custom parts coverage

There are a number of ways to get discounted rates for Allstate car indemnity in California, including bundling with other policies like Allstate motorbike indemnity, family policy, renters policy, and more. other discounts include :

  • New car discounts for the first owners of a vehicle
  • Multi-car and multiple-policy discounts for customers who bundle home and auto insurance policies
  • Student discounts for drivers under 25
  • Anti-lock brake and anti-theft discounts for equipped cars
  • Early signing discounts for policyholders who sign early
  • EZ pay plan discounts for policyholders who use Allstate’s automatic withdrawal feature
  • Allstate eSmart® discounts for policyholders who go paperless
  • FullPay® discounts for customers who pay their full premium at one time
  • Safe driving discounts for policyholders who meet safe driver requirements
Allstate Pros Allstate Cons
Works through a network of local agents to provide coverage Expensive
Superior financial strength rating by AM Best and A+ rating with the BBB Mixed customer service reviews
Mileage-based discount program  
Numerous discounts, especially for young drivers  

To learn more about the cable car indemnity provider, check out our inspection of Allstate car policy.

What Car Insurance Coverage Do I Need In California?

The State of California requires all drives to have at least a coverage of 15/30/5 when it comes to bodily injury indebtedness ( BI ) and place damage liability ( PD ). Let ‘s break down these minimum liability limits :

  • $15,000 bodily injury per person: This is the state minimum coverage requirement for bodily injury liability insurance per person in California. The word “liability” designates that this coverage is for other people in accidents that you cause, not for yourself. It will go toward covering the other party’s medical costs.
  • $30,000 bodily injury per accident: This is the minimum requirement for bodily injury per accident. Let’s say you bump into a car that has three passengers. It was a hard bump, so each person claims $15,000. With $30,000, your plan will not cover the total medical cost ($45,000), and it will get used up in the order that injury claims are filed.
  • $5,000 property damage liability: This minimum coverage is used to pay for repairs on the other party’s vehicle. This liability coverage is per accident, so you can imagine that $5,000 would be used up quickly in a multi-car accident.

Benefits of Higher Coverage

Let ’ s look at the outcomes of only going with the minimum property damage necessity in California. It ’ randomness no clandestine that californian highways host lots of expensive cars. You might not drive a Ferrari, but the risk of damaging an expensive car in an accident is higher in this express than in others. Do you want to take a probability and merely hold $ 5,000 in property indebtedness ? If you crash into a Porsche while cruising around San Diego, the other driver can sue you for damages once that $ 5,000 is maxed out. alone two other states have a $ 5,000 place damage requirement, and about half command $ 25,000 in coverage. California ’ s bodily injury requirements are besides on the low end : 34 states require $ 25,000/ $ 50,000 coverage, and Maine ’ randomness requirements are double that. If you merely carry the minimal limits, you can find bum car insurance in California. however, that might not be enough to cover you in the event of a catastrophe. For example, what if person you hit is badly injure and requires surgery and convalescence care ? In California, drivers who aren ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate at fault in an accident can sue the at-fault party up to two years late for injury claims or three years for property damage. If you lose a lawsuit like that, you ’ re required to cover all current and future aesculapian expenses related to the accident.

Uninsured Motorists

If you ’ re considering extra coverage, you may want to look at uninsured/underinsured motorist ( UI/UIM ) policies. These types of policies offer fiscal reimbursement when you ’ re in an accident and the person at fault international relations and security network ’ thymine carrying policy or has insufficient coverage.
According to data from The Insurance Research Council, about 17 percentage of drivers in California were uninsured in 2019. That ’ s about one in six people. California is besides the most populous state of matter in the nation, with about 40 million people as of 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

What If You Don’t Have Car Insurance In California?

To make a long floor light, you don ’ thyroxine want to go without car indemnity in California. In addition to paying the ticket from the police officer, you can be fined by the Department of Motor Vehicles ( DMV ) for not having car policy. The first time, the fine can be $ 100 or higher. Fines for subsequent offenses can cost anywhere from $ 1,000 to $ 2,500. You might adenine good buy a car insurance policy rather.

What If You Can’t Afford Car Insurance In California?

cable car policy premiums can be expensive, specially for bad drivers, such as adolescent drivers or drivers with DUIs or speeding tickets on phonograph record, To address this program, California offers the California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan ( CAARP ). The CAARP is a submit course of study that requires most car indemnity providers in California to insure a parcel of low-income, bad motorists within an assign hazard pool. Each indemnity company that participates is required to cover a share of drivers proportional to its size. You are only eligible to apply for a CAARP plan if you haven ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate been able to find car policy on your own. That might be because indemnity companies refuse to cover you based on your poor people drive history, you can not afford a bad indemnity plan, or you are eligible by income. If you are eligible by income, you can get a cheaper CAARP plan through California ’ s Low-Cost Auto Insurance Program ( CLCA ). If you qualify, you could get plans that come with a lower coverage minimum of 10/20/3.

Final Thoughts On California Car Insurance

While California car insurance can be quite expensive, there are many insurers that offer low-cost car indemnity rates in California. If you can not afford car policy, it is worth looking into the CAARP program, rather than driving without insurance. To get begin comparing your free quotes to find the cheapest car insurance, enter your zip up code in the tool below.

FAQ: Car Insurance In California

What car insurance coverage should I get in California ? California police requires motorists to maintain 15/30/5 liability coverage. That means carrying $ 15,000 in bodily injury indebtedness per person, $ 30,000 in bodily injury per accident, and $ 5,000 in place damage liability coverage. How much is car policy per month in California ? Liability policies normally cost less than full coverage car insurance because you ’ re paying for a less comprehensive plan. The average monetary value of liability insurance in California was $ 617 in 2018, according to the NAIC. What is the cheapest cable car insurance company in California ? We found that USAA is one of the cheapest cable car indemnity companies in California. While it may offer lower car indemnity rates compared to early providers, USAA only sells indemnity to military members and their families. Our inquiry team besides identified Geico and Progressive as low-cost insurance providers. What happens if you don ’ t have car insurance in California ?

Penalties for driving without indemnity in California range from fines, having a vehicle impounded, or your driver ’ randomness license being suspended.

Methodology

In an feat to provide accurate and unbiased information to consumers, our expert review team collects data from dozens of car policy providers to formulate rankings of the best insurers. Companies receive a sexual conquest in each of the comply categories, adenine well as an overall weighted score out of 5.0 stars.

  • Industry Standing: Insurers with strong financial ratings and customer-first business practices receive the highest scores in this category.
  • Availability: We consider availability by state as well as exclusions for specific groups of drivers.
  • Coverage: This rating is based on types of insurance available, maximum coverage limits, and add-on policies.
  • Cost and Discounts: Our research team reviews auto insurance rate estimates generated by Quadrant Information Services for a variety of drivers in every state. Companies with lower prices and many car insurance discount opportunities receive the best scores.
  • Customer Service: We comb through customer reviews and consumer feedback studies from experts like J.D. Power.
  • Technology: Auto insurers with mobile apps, advanced online services and telematics are more likely to meet consumer needs.

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