4.8out of 3,000+ reviews
Edited by Tanveen Vohra | Reviewed by Licensed Insurance Agent at Insurify, Jenny Beeler
Updated September 28, 2022
Few things are as exciting as driving around California and exploring its mountains and beaches. All California drivers must carry the minimum auto insurance coverage, but finding affordable car insurance doesn’t have to be complicated. Insurify uses the latest top-notch tech to help you find the best cheap car insurance in California in under five minutes.
See More: Cheap Car Insurance No Deposit
The average cost of car insurance in California is $256/mo.
Metromile is the cheapest provider in California with average rates of $114/mo.
The easiest way to cut car insurance costs is to compare quotes online.
The average cost of car insurance in California is $256 per month. However, keep in mind that what you pay for car insurance will depend on your age, gender, driving record, credit score, and other factors in your unique driving profile.
Finding car insurance in California doesn’t have to break the bank. Getting at least four quotes from different insurance providers greatly increases your chances of finding the cheapest rates with the best coverage. In California, auto insurance rates can go as low as $114 and as high as $512 on average, so it’s important to see your options before you commit.
| Car Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $162 |
| National General | $195 |
| Bristol West | $228 |
| Metromile | $114 |
| Anchor | $144 |
| Clearcover | $150 |
| SafeAuto | $181 |
| Midvale Home & Auto | $201 |
| Infinity | $303 |
| Pronto | $512 |
See More: Car Insurance Quotes
California requires drivers to carry the state minimum liability insurance to prove financial responsibility for car accidents they may cause. You need to get both bodily injury liability coverage and property damage liability coverage to drive legally. However, it’s important to know that liability coverage only applies to the damage the other driver sustains.
Although it can be waived, it is also highly recommended that California drivers get underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage.
| Car Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $84 |
| Travelers | $95 |
| National General | $111 |
| Dairyland | $155 |
| Metromile | $56 |
| Anchor | $76 |
| Aspire General | $96 |
| Workmen’s | $104 |
| Mercury | $106 |
| Pronto | $385 |
Since liability car insurance only applies to the damage the other driver sustains, full-coverage car insurance—collision coverage and comprehensive coverage—will offer more protection. Full coverage has higher insurance premiums than liability-only, but you can still find a cheap insurance policy with one of the companies below.
| Car Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Travelers | $158 |
| Freedom National | $186 |
| Progressive | $195 |
| Anchor | $173 |
| Midvale Home & Auto | $201 |
| Safeco | $219 |
| Workmen’s | $251 |
| Stillwater | $319 |
| Pronto | $566 |
There are many auto insurance companies in California that offer insurance policies and services at a cheap price. Insurify analyzes multiple factors to determine the quality and reliability of different insurance companies and assign them an Insurify Composite Score, or ICS. With an ICS of 97, Clearcover leads the list in California.
| Car Insurance Company | ICSThe Insurify Composite Score is a proprietary rating calculated by a team of data scientists at Insurify, weighing multiple factors that reflect 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 and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews. | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|---|
| Clearcover | 97 | $150 |
| Nationwide | 89 | $132 |
| Safeco | 86 | $197 |
| Liberty Mutual | 82 | $191 |
| 21st Century | 80 | $160 |
| Travelers | 80 | $146 |
| State Auto | 76 | $346 |
| National General | 58 | $195 |
See More: Best Car Insurance Companies
The Insurify Composite Score is a proprietary rating calculated by a team of data scientists at Insurify, weighing multiple factors that reflect 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 and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews.
Whether you’re shopping for the minimum liability insurance or full coverage, all insurance companies look at various factors to determine your car insurance premiums. Your driving and accident history is one of the most important factors that they take into consideration when calculating your insurance pricing. You can find more information below.
See More: High-Risk Car Insurance California
Different car insurance companies have different definitions of what a “good driver” is, but typically, it’s a driver with a clean driving record and no accidents going back 3-7 years. Good drivers have access to the best rates and can often qualify for various insurance discounts. Average monthly quotes for good drivers can go as low as $105.
| Car Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Travelers | $137 |
| Progressive | $152 |
| Bristol West | $217 |
| Metromile | $105 |
| Clearcover | $130 |
| Mercury | $146 |
| SafeAuto | $180 |
| Workmen’s | $192 |
| Safeco | $192 |
| Pronto | $491 |
Having a DUI on your record can make your car insurance company label you as a “high-risk driver” and increase your auto insurance rates. For example, average rates with Progressive are $152 for good drivers and $222 for drivers who have a DUI, which amounts to an $840 annual difference. You can find more average rates for drivers with DUI in the table below.
| Car Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Travelers | $156 |
| Progressive | $222 |
| Bristol West | $235 |
| Bluefire | $144 |
| SafeAuto | $166 |
| Clearcover | $212 |
| Workmen’s | $235 |
| Mercury | $250 |
| Safeco | $266 |
| Pronto | $583 |
See More: SR-22 Insurance California
If you have a DUI conviction, California insurance laws may require you to get a special form called an SR-22 from your insurance provider in order to prove that you are financially responsible.
These are the insurance companies that offer SR-22 in California:
Having an at-fault accident on your driving record will also likely increase your California auto insurance costs. Insurify data shows that the lowest average monthly quote for a driver with an at-fault accident on their record is $124, $19 higher than a quote for a good driver with the same car insurance provider.
| Car Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Travelers | $156 |
| Progressive | $176 |
| Bristol West | $264 |
| Metromile | $124 |
| SafeAuto | $187 |
| Safeco | $211 |
| Clearcover | $217 |
| Workmen’s | $225 |
| Mercury | $239 |
| Pronto | $546 |
A speeding ticket on your driving history can make your auto insurance policy more expensive. For example, an average monthly quote with Travelers goes up from $137 for good drivers to $196 for those with speeding tickets, amounting to a $708 annual difference. Similarly, a quote with Workmen’s increases from $192 to $254, resulting in a $744 yearly difference.
| Car Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Travelers | $196 |
| Bristol West | $269 |
| Metromile | $156 |
| Clearcover | $209 |
| Mercury | $246 |
| Workmen’s | $254 |
| Safeco | $235 |
| Pronto | $607 |
In many U.S. states, your credit history may either drive up your insurance premiums or keep them down. However, California bans insurance providers from using your credit score when setting your car insurance rates. Banning the use of credit history for determining auto insurance premiums makes finding cheap auto insurance in California more equitable.
See More: Bad Credit Car Insurance California
Your age is another major factor that impacts your car insurance rates. Teen drivers and young drivers under 25 can expect the highest rates, $433 and $366, respectively. As you age and gain more experience behind the wheel, your car insurance rates will become cheaper. Drivers in their 50s and 60s can expect the cheapest rates, $203 and $175, respectively.
| Age Group | Average Monthly Rate |
|---|---|
| Teenagers | $433 |
| Under 25 | $366 |
| 20s | $299 |
| 30s | $202 |
| 40s | $206 |
| 50s | $203 |
| 60s | $175 |
| 70s | $177 |
| 80+ | $180 |
Your car insurance rates also depend on where in California you live and vary from city to city. On average, residents of Los Angeles can expect to pay $115 more per month than San Diego drivers. San Francisco and Los Angeles drivers have the highest rates, while Fresno and Bakersfield have the cheapest car insurance rates.
| City | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $295 |
| San Diego | $180 |
| San Jose | $224 |
| San Francisco | $280 |
| Fresno | $172 |
| Sacramento | $205 |
| Long Beach | $212 |
| Oakland | $236 |
| Bakersfield | $183 |
| Anaheim | $205 |
Every state has minimum insurance requirements, and California is no exception. Additionally, all drivers in California will have to visit their local DMV and may at some point need to rely on public transportation. The following sections break down minimum insurance requirements, DMV services, and public transit options in California.
All motor vehicles operated or parked on California roadways are required to be insured. Proof of insurance must be carried in your car at all times and must be available when:
Requested by law enforcement
Renewing vehicle registration
The vehicle is involved in a car accident
The minimum liability insurance requirements for private passenger vehicles in California[1] are:
$15,000 per person for bodily injury
$30,000 per accident for bodily injury
As a major part of your liability insurance, bodily injury coverage covers medical bills for people other than the policyholder who are injured during an accident. California is an at-fault state, meaning the driver who is responsible for the collision is also responsible for paying for any resulting expenses, either through their car insurance provider or out of pocket.
$5,000 per accident for property damage
If it’s determined that an insured driver is at fault for an accident, this coverage pays for repairs to the property of the other involved parties. Additionally, property damage coverage can cover legal costs if the insured driver is involved in a lawsuit following the accident.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles–or DMV—is a government agency responsible for providing various services to California drivers, such as vehicle registration and driver’s license renewal.
The California DMV offers many services online—such as requesting a replacement driver’s license or paying reinstatement fees— so be sure to check their website to find out whether you can do what you need to do online before making an appointment.
If you live in a major city such as Los Angeles or San Diego, driving is the most convenient way to get around. However, there is some public transportation available, such as Greyhound buses and Amtrak’s trains for long-distance travel. Many large cities also have their own public bus systems. Yosemite National Park has a transportation system called Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System, or YARTS
Most insurance companies provide policyholders with a grace period to insure a new vehicle—though these policies vary by state law and insurance provider. Under California state law, drivers have a grace period of up to 30 days to show the DMV either proof of financial responsibility or documentation of insurance coverage after purchasing a new car.
Despite having a 30-day grace period to insure their new vehicle, California drivers should prioritize insuring their car shortly after purchasing it to ensure they do not overlook the requirement. Failure to insure a car in California can result in a vehicle registration suspension and up to $200 in fines, as well as extra financial costs in the event of an accident or offense.
No one plans on having a car accident or receiving a ticket for a traffic offense, but it happens—even with a new car. Individuals with existing insurance coverage who have an accident or traffic offense during California’s 30-day grace period will not be treated as uninsured motorists. The amount of coverage depends on the insurance provider.
In the event of an accident or traffic violation by drivers in the new car grace period, insurance providers typically extend the policyholder’s existing insurance coverage plan for the new vehicle. The driver will still be expected to cooperate with any necessary state penalties or fines in relation to the event, and uninsured motorists will face heavier penalties for the incident.
Shopping around for insurance coverage on a recurring basis helps insurance customers find the best, most affordable auto insurance rates available. Whether a policy is up for renewal or a driver needs to insure a new vehicle, comparing auto insurance rates with Insurify’s quote-comparison tool helps users reevaluate their insurance needs and find the best rates.
Insurance companies consider factors like driving history and habits when calculating insurance rates for policyholders. Most insurance providers offer policyholders with solid driving records a good driver discount to go toward their monthly auto premiums. Under California state law, insurance providers are actually required to provide qualifying good drivers with a discount.
California drivers qualify for the good driver discount if they have had their driver’s license for at least three years and have not attended traffic school more than once due to a violation, have one or zero recorded driving violations, have zero at-fault accidents resulting in someone’s injury or death, and have zero convictions for driving under the influence offenses in the past 10 years.
In addition to the California good driver discount, good drivers have other options to earn quality discounts. Available opportunities to save include accident-free, defensive driving course, safe driving programs, bundling, and good student discounts. These additional options allow good drivers to make intentional decisions and considerations to help them save even more on rates.
Though rates vary by provider for every driver, Insurify found the insurance companies offering the cheapest quotes for minimum liability coverage to Californians with clean driving records. These insurance providers include State Farm, GEICO, Nationwide, Mercury, and American Family—all offering low rates and quality good driver discounts for their customers.
To find the best rates that meet your specific car insurance needs, utilize the comprehensive Insurify quote-comparison tool to analyze rates of top providers in your consideration. Before comparing quotes from as many as 20 providers, all you have to do is provide information related to your vehicle, driving history, and discount eligibility. Try it for yourself today!
Car insurance quotes in California can go as low as $56 and as high as $607, and the best way to find cheap car insurance is to shop around. Insurify makes shopping for car insurance easy. Instead of spending hours on the phone requesting quotes from different companies, answer a few basic questions on instantly choose from personalized quotes.
Yes, all California drivers must carry the minimum required liability insurance. Insurance laws require you to carry at least $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident in bodily injury liability and $5,000 in property damage liability. You must also purchase uninsured motorist coverage, but you can waive this requirement.
Shopping around is the best way to find cheap car insurance in California. Use Insurify to get instant access to real quotes from the best car insurance companies in California and find the cheapest auto insurance policy today.
Your car insurance costs depend on a variety of factors, such as your driving history and age. You can find car insurance quotes as low as $56 and as high as $607, depending on your coverage preferences and whether you have any factors driving your insurance costs up.
Being a teen or a young driver under 25, as well as having DUIs, speeding tickets, and at-fault accidents on your record will drive your car insurance costs up. In many other states, insurance companies can also use your credit score to determine your car insurance rate, but car insurance companies in California are banned from doing so.
No, you are not required to carry personal injury protection (PIP) coverage in California. You are only required to have the minimum liability insurance and uninsured motorist coverage (if you decide not to waive it).
A chunk of insurance companies won’t insure salvage vehicles in California. If you like your insurance company, call them first to see if they’ll insure your car with a salvage title. For a bird’s-eye view of all your best options, spend a few minutes with Insurify, and you’ll get a slate of real quotes just for you, totally free.
While most drivers know that car insurance quotes are determined in part by your personal driving history, many may be unaware that rates are also impacted by the average risk of the drivers around you as well. Check out Insurify's latest analysis of driving records in California below:
Drawing from an internal database of over 4 million car insurance applications, the research team at Insurify analyzes patterns in car ownership and driver behavior - including how California drivers measure up to their fellow motorists across the United States in areas including speeding, DUIs, and more.
Insurify Insights publishes data-driven articles, trend analyses, and national rankings each week on all factors related to cars and those who drive them.
Most Popular Car in California
State with the Most Speeding Tickets Rank
State with the Moving Violations Rank
State with the Most DUIs Rank
State with the most Suspended Licenses
While car accidents are a sadly unavoidable feature of time spent on the road, rates of accidents do vary from city to city and from state to state. California is the #17 state in the country for drivers with an at-fault accident on their driving record.
While driving while intoxicated is never acceptable, it’s a more common offense than many assume. California is the #15 state in the country for drivers with a prior drunk driving conviction.
Reckless driving refers to a specific traffic violation: when drivers willfully act dangerously in spite of the risks they’re imposing on both themselves and others. California is the #23 state in the country for drivers with a reckless driving offense on record.
The Insurify team classifies rude drivers as those who commit one or more of the following driving offenses: failure to yield or failure to stop, improper backing, passing where prohibited, tailgating, street racing, or hit-and-run. California is the #23 state in the country for drivers with a rude driving violation on record.
Exceeding the speed limit can endanger others and have a serious impact on your insurance costs. California is the #39 state in the country for drivers with a speeding ticket on record.
Failing to yield the right of way isn’t just frustrating for other drivers; it’s dangerous, too. California is the #38 state in the country for drivers with a failure to yield violation on record.
Insurify's team of data scientists and content specialists presents Insurify Insights, a series of automotive, home, and health studies focusing on the topics that impact us all. through expert analysis of over 4 million car insurance applications and an array of top data sources, the Insurify Insights team produces new data-driven articles, trend analyses, regional superlatives, and national rankings every week. See Insurify Insights as featured in Forbes, Fox News, USA Today, NPR, and more.
Data scientists at Insurify analyzed over 40 million auto insurance rates across the United States to compile the car insurance quotes, statistics, and data visualizations displayed on this page. The car insurance data includes coverage analysis and details on drivers' vehicles, driving records, and demographic information. With these insights, Insurify is able to offer drivers insight into how their car insurance premiums are priced by companies.
Insurance Writer
Polina Solovyeva is a writer for mission-driven brands and entrepreneurs, specializing in auto insurance and personal finance. Polina writes to help consumers better understand their insurance coverage.
Learn More
