For California drivers with a clean driving record free of any moving violations, auto insurance rates may be significantly lower. State Farm offers the best options for good drivers in California, at $61 a month. With both cheaper premiums and additional safe driving discounts, it can really pay to have a record free of accidents or traffic tickets.
Traffic is a California Staple
As the most populous state in the nation, it's no wonder that California is notorious for jammed roadways.
With all those cars on the road, a solid auto insurance policy is essential for Golden State drivers of all ages and backgrounds. This guide to California car insurance will get you on the right path to the perfect policy for you and your lifestyle. Compare the cheapest and best quotes in California here.
Cheapest Car Insurance in California
Here are the cheapest carriers in California for the following user profile: a single, 30 year old male with a clean driving record who drives a 2012 Honda Accord and pays a $1,000 deductible for the state’s minimum liability insurance. We averaged rates for the twenty most populous cities in California.
| Companies | Quotes |
|---|---|
 State Farm |
$61 /mo |
 GEICO |
$64 /mo |
 Mercury |
$106 /mo |
 Nationwide |
$106 /mo |
 American Family |
$124 /mo |
Best Car Insurance in California
The Insurify Composite Score is calculated by analyzing multiple factors that indicate the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company. Inputs to the score include financial strength ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings, Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys, mobile app reviews, and user-generated carrier reviews. The following are the top rated carriers that offer car insurance in California. For the complete list, see Insurify's best car insurance companies.
| Companies | Score | Quotes |
|---|---|---|
|
Nationwide |
89
|
$106 /mo |
|
American Family |
89
|
$124 /mo |
|
State Farm |
88
|
$61 /mo |
|
GEICO |
88
|
$64 /mo |
|
Mercury |
81
|
$106 /mo |
Car Insurance in California
Auto insurance costs will vary between locations and insurance carriers. Insurify analyzed the latest data for the five most populous cities in California to find you the cheapest quotes in each of these metropolitan areas.
California's most populous city is Los Angeles - home to over 4 million people and notoriously difficult commutes for drivers.
Los Angeles
San Diego
San Jose
San Francisco
Fresno
Sacramento
Long Beach
Oakland
Bakersfield
Anaheim
Santa Ana
Riverside
Stockton
Chula Vista
Irvine
| City | Cheapest Carrier | Quote |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles |
GEICO |
$90 /mo |
| San Diego |
State Farm |
$61 /mo |
| San Jose |
State Farm |
$64 /mo |
| San Francisco |
State Farm |
$76 /mo |
| Fresno |
GEICO |
$73 /mo |
| Sacramento |
GEICO |
$79 /mo |
| Long Beach |
State Farm |
$80 /mo |
| Oakland |
GEICO |
$93 /mo |
| Bakersfield |
GEICO |
$71 /mo |
| Anaheim |
State Farm |
$79 /mo |
| Santa Ana |
GEICO |
$81 /mo |
| Riverside |
GEICO |
$72 /mo |
| Stockton |
State Farm |
$80 /mo |
| Chula Vista |
State Farm |
$63 /mo |
| Irvine |
GEICO |
$67 /mo |
California Driving Facts
Minimum Car Insurance Requirements in CA
California effected a number of new traffic laws for 2018, including legislation on DUI policies for rideshare service drivers, seat belts on public transport, and smoking or ingesting cannabis in moving vehicles. Most significantly, a change in the California Department of Motor Vehicle's road rehabilitation and maintenance program signals that registration or renewed registration of a motor vehicle will now come with a fee of $25 to $175.
California's minimum liability car insurance limits are as follows:
- $15,000 bodily injury liability per person
- $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident
- $5,000 property damage liability per accident
Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes in California by Profile
Here are the cheapest insurance companies in California based on averaged sample rates for four driver profiles that included varied gender, age, driving history, credit, marital status, prior insurance, higher education, employment, and military service. Average rates may vary depending on the profile and background of the policyholder.
Cheap Car Insurance for Good Drivers
| Insurance Company | Quote |
|---|---|
State Farm |
$61 /mo |
GEICO |
$64 /mo |
Mercury |
$106 /mo |
Nationwide |
$106 /mo |
American Family |
$124 /mo |
Cheap Car Insurance for Drivers with DUI
Everybody makes mistakes and has to deal with the fallout. The fallout for a DUI is rough: court fines, reinstatement fees, SR-22 filing, and years of paying more for car insurance to name only a few. Finding affordable rates on car insurance with a DUI is no small feat. If you find yourself really struggling to get an affordable rate, consider only carrying liability coverage as a way to save.
| Insurance Company | Quote |
|---|---|
Progressive |
$87 /mo |
Grange |
$95 /mo |
Wawanesa |
$100 /mo |
Cheap Car Insurance for Drivers with an At-Fault Accident
The sinking feeling after realizing you’ve caused an accident is no
exaggeration. Even a tiny fender bender can raise rates to levels that
significantly alter your budget. If you’ve paid for accident forgiveness,
you may have caught a break. If not: discounts, discounts, discounts.
And comparison shopping at least every time your policy is up for renewal:
insurance companies look at different time windows for driving history.
For example, one company might look at the last five years while the other
looks at the last three. Here are the best rates we could find for drivers
with one at-fault accident.
| Insurance Company | Quote |
|---|---|
Progressive |
$62 /mo |
Grange |
$75 /mo |
USAA |
$87 /mo |
Cheap Car Insurance for Speeding Drivers
The need for speed can soon turn into the need for a new budget. Speeding tickets can affect people differently. But essentially, the more often you speed—and the higher your mph—the more points you’ll receive on your driver’s license. Higher points mean higher prices in the car insurance game. The best way to lower costs? Slow down and find a discount program, like a defensive driving course reduction.
| Insurance Company | Quote |
|---|---|
USAA |
$57 /mo |
Progressive |
$71 /mo |
Grange |
$79 /mo |
Cheap Car Insurance for Young Drivers
If you’re under 40 years old in the state of California, you will likely pay more for auto insurance coverage than the average driver. Since inexperienced drivers pose a higher risk for insurance providers, their rates are often significantly higher. USAA offers the cheapest car insurance rates for young drivers, averaging $68 a month. New drivers must abide by special driving restrictions, including curfews, electronic device limitations, and passenger age restrictions. Be sure to familiarize yourself with these rules before hitting the road.
Insurance policies for 21-year-olds generally run higher than the national average by a significant margin. Even though they’re no longer considered teen-drivers, 21-year-olds are still regarded as high-risk to insurers. Unlike most states, California 21-year-olds benefit from the state’s ban on using gender, education level, and credit score as factors when calculating premiums. This will generally help young Californians lower their monthly payments. To find the cheapest car insurance for 21-year-olds, use a car insurance quotes comparison site like Insurify.
| Insurance Company | Quote |
|---|---|
USAA |
$68 /mo |
Progressive |
$68 /mo |
Wawanesa |
$79 /mo |
Esurance |
$86 /mo |
Grange |
$87 /mo |
SR-22 Insurance in California
If your license has been suspended or revoked, these car insurance companies will file an SR-22 with the state of California on your behalf.
CA DMV Information
With a population nearing 40 million, it's no wonder the California Department of Motor Vehicles has nearly 180 outposts across the state.
Every office is open weekdays from 8 AM to 5 PM, with some locations offering additional early-morning and weekend hours. The DMV is notorious for long lines and wait times; beat the wait by making an appointment online or by calling 1-800-777-0133 before your visit. Appointments can be made up to 90 days in advance. Keep in mind that before visiting a DMV to register your vehicle, you’ll need to have proof of insurance.
At the DMV, California residents can access services like driver's license and identification card registration and renewal, vehicle registration, and license plate pick-up, as well as service provided by the California Department of Insurance. Many services are available online and via U.S. Mail for convenience. Regardless of where you live in the Golden State, a DMV shouldn't be too far.
State Rankings
Using a proprietary dataset of over 1.5 million car insurance shopper applications, the data scientists at Insurify have run various studies on driver behavior across geographical locations, age ranges, motor vehicle registration, and other variables all related to auto insurance coverage.
We’ve been able to determine the speediest cities in the nation, the most popular cars among age groups, and the occupations with the worst drivers, among other insightful reports. We’ve also launched annual awards campaigns to congratulate the communities across the country who have excelled in environmentally friendly initiatives, educational attainment, and other areas.
#34
States with Most
Moving Violations Rank
Moving Violations Rank
Greenest Cities in California
The EPA reports that the United States' transportation sector accounts for 27% of national greenhouse gas emissions. In a country of over 263 million registered vehicles, many communities are taking action to reduce their environmental impact and vehicular carbon footprint. This city has been named the "greenest" in the state by Insurify.
The Green California program, through the state government, aims to lessen California's carbon footprint and promote sustainable government-funded solutions to climate change. The state is on pace to reduce petroleum consumption by over 20 percent by 2020, thanks to statewide legislation. Over 600 state fleet vehicles are zero-emission vehicles, or ZEVs. The decades-old, Sacramento-based Planning and Conservation League continues to push for alternative and public transportation expansion statewide.
Venice
% of Hybrids/Electrics 6%
Most Patriotic City
Twentynine Palms
Beginning in 2018, Insurify launched the Most Patriotic Cities Awards, which salute the community in each state with the highest percentage of individuals who currently serve in the military or identify as armed service veterans.
Twentynine Palms won Insurify's Most Patriotic Cities Award for the state of California. It is adjacent to Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms.
Road Statistics
Insurify used a recent report from TripNet to rank twenty-five states by roads in poor condition, structurally deficient bridges, and fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) on rural roads. Knowledge of infrastructure in California is vital for all car insurance shoppers hitting the road in The Golden State.
