How Much Is Car Insurance in California? (2026)

How much is car insurance in California?

California drivers pay an average of $98 per month for liability insurance coverage. For full coverage, the average cost increases to $203 per month. Full-coverage car insurance is more expensive because it includes both collision and comprehensive coverage, as well as higher liability limits.

While Californians pay more on average for car insurance than drivers in Oregon and Arizona, they pay much less than drivers in Nevada. California’s overall average monthly cost of car insurance — $150 — is comparable to the national average of $143.

Take a look at the table below to see the average monthly and annual rates in California.

Coverage Type	Average Monthly Quote	Average Annual Quote
State minimum coverage	$98	$1,170
Full coverage	$203	$2,440

Disclaimer: Table data is based on real-time California quotes from Insurify’s network of 500+ insurance partners. Actual rates may vary depending on the policyholder’s individual profile and coverage needs.

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Minimum car insurance requirements in California

California drivers must carry a minimum amount of liability insurance to legally be on the roads. Drivers in the state don’t have to buy collision and comprehensive insurance, but it’s often a smart decision, unless your vehicle’s actual cash value is very low.

Here’s what you’ll need to meet California’s minimum car insurance requirements:^[1]

Coverage Type	California Minimum Requirement
Bodily injury liability insurance per person	$30,000
Bodily injury liability insurance per incident	$60,000
Property damage liability insurance	$15,000

Cheapest car insurance companies in California

USAA, GEICO, and Aspire General are the cheapest car insurance companies in California for liability insurance. This is the least expensive coverage type, as it meets the minimum requirements to legally drive in the state.

While these companies have the cheapest average rates, the best car insurance policy for you may be from another insurer. Your car insurance premiums depend on things like your driving record, age, and the neighborhood you live in. Insurers weigh risks differently, so it’s important to compare car insurance quotes to find the one that suits your needs best.

Take a look at the table below to see the cheapest car insurance companies in California.

The below rates in California are estimated rates current as of: Wednesday, September 30 at 5:00 PM PDT. 

Insurance Company	Average Monthly Quote: Liability Only
USAA	$66
Aspire General	$68
GEICO	$68
Sun Coast	$71
Mercury	$72
National General	$72
Progressive	$74
Dairyland	$81
Direct Auto	$84
Root	$86
Anchor	$93
Farmers	$93
Bristol West	$101
State Farm	$101
Kemper Special	$102
Travelers	$106
Kemper Rsvp	$113
21st Century	$116
Hugo	$147
First Acceptance	$153
Chubb	$180

Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time California car insurance quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual car insurance quotes in California may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

Average California car insurance rates by city

Lompoc has the cheapest liability rates in California, with an average monthly rate of $72. Ridgecrest has the cheapest full-coverage rates in California, with an average monthly rate of $138. Ridgecrest’s low average rates may be due in part to the city’s low property crime rate.

Beverly Hills has the most expensive liability rates in California, with an average rate of $195 per month. Beverly Hills is one of the wealthiest cities in the state and is likely home to many high-end cars, which can be expensive to repair. Glendale has the most expensive full-coverage rates in California, with an average rate of $366 per month.

California is a massive state with a wide variety of geographical features, which can contribute to differing auto insurance rates. Dense coastal cities are home to freeway corridors and large populations, so insurance often costs more than in smaller inland cities. That said, many inland cities are at higher risk of wildfire, which can also contribute to more expensive rates.

The table below shows how average rates vary across California.

The below rates in California are estimated rates current as of: Wednesday, September 30 at 5:00 PM PDT. 

City	Average Monthly Quote
Lompoc	$108
Ridgecrest	$109
San Luis Obispo	$109
Chico	$110
Santa Cruz	$112
Redding	$113
Hanford	$114
Santa Maria	$115
Woodland	$115
Tulare	$118
Visalia	$118
Palm Desert	$119
Campbell	$121
Poway	$121
Santee	$121
Santa Barbara	$123
Hollister	$125
La Quinta	$125
La Mesa	$127
Napa	$127
Petaluma	$129
Dublin	$130
Santa Rosa	$130
Cathedral City	$131
Chula Vista	$131
Vista	$131
Novato	$132
Pacifica	$132
San Marcos	$132
Bakersfield	$133
Brentwood	$133
Yuba City	$133
Folsom	$134
Fresno	$134
Milpitas	$134
Palm Springs	$134
Beaumont	$135
Oceanside	$135
San Clemente	$135
San Diego	$135
Hemet	$137
Lake Forest	$137
Temecula	$137
Fremont	$138
Lodi	$138
San Ramon	$138
Concord	$139
Oxnard	$139
Camarillo	$140
Cupertino	$140
Escondido	$140
San Jose	$140
Saratoga	$140
West Sacramento	$140
Aliso Viejo	$141
Palo Alto	$141
Redlands	$141
Ceres	$142
Fairfield	$142
San Mateo	$143
El Cerrito	$144
Menifee	$144
Modesto	$144
Roseville	$144
Laguna Niguel	$145
National City	$145
Watsonville	$145
Citrus Heights	$146
Elk Grove	$146
Santa Clara	$146
El Cajon	$147
Norco	$147
Tracy	$147
Colton	$148
Wildomar	$148
Murrieta	$149
South San Francisco	$149
Placentia	$150
Stockton	$150
Thousand Oaks	$151
Antioch	$153
Huntington Beach	$153
Pittsburg	$153
Vallejo	$153
Corona	$154
Lathrop	$154
Orange	$154
Riverside	$154
Hayward	$155
Moreno Valley	$155
Berkeley	$156
Chino	$156
Perris	$156
Brea	$157
Cypress	$157
San Leandro	$157
Chino Hills	$158
Newport Beach	$158
La Mirada	$159
Ontario	$159
Santa Ana	$159
Irvine	$161
Rialto	$161
Sacramento	$161
San Bernardino	$161
Fontana	$162
Garden Grove	$162
Fountain Valley	$164
Hesperia	$164
Azusa	$165
Rancho Cucamonga	$165
Victorville	$165
Anaheim	$167
Buena Park	$167
Adelanto	$169
San Pedro	$169
La Puente	$170
Simi Valley	$170
Whittier	$170
Norwalk	$171
Pomona	$172
San Francisco	$172
Covina	$173
Diamond Bar	$173
Torrance	$174
Long Beach	$175
Oakland	$175
Paramount	$175
Carson	$178
Richmond	$178
Cerritos	$179
Temple City	$179
Walnut	$179
Lancaster	$182
Santa Clarita	$186
Culver City	$187
Pasadena	$188
El Monte	$189
Palmdale	$189
Bell Gardens	$191
San Gabriel	$195
Lynwood	$204
Compton	$206
Santa Monica	$207
Inglewood	$210
Burbank	$221
Studio City	$224
Los Angeles	$230
Winnetka	$242
Reseda	$247
Northridge	$250
West Hollywood	$256
Glendale	$276
Beverly Hills	$279

Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time California car insurance quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual car insurance quotes in California may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

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Average California car insurance rates by age

Age has a major effect on how much you pay for car insurance, since it indicates how much experience you have behind the wheel. Young drivers almost always pay much more than older drivers, as they have significantly less experience.

Teen drivers in California pay the highest rates of any age group in the state, with an average monthly rate of $174 for liability insurance. Senior drivers pay one of the lowest average rates, with a monthly cost of $89 for liability coverage.

Age	Average Monthly Liability-Only Quote	Average Monthly Full-Coverage Quote
Teens	$174	$360
Adults (40s)	$93	$193
Seniors	$89	$184

Disclaimer: Table data is based on real-time California quotes from Insurify’s network of 500+ insurance partners. Actual rates may vary depending on the policyholder’s individual profile and coverage needs.

How your driving record affects car insurance rates in California

Like age, your driving record has a significant effect on your car insurance rates, as it tells insurers exactly what kind of driver you are. Drivers with infractions almost always pay more than drivers with clean records. In California, 3.14% of drivers have a ticket, 5.26% have an at-fault accident, and 0.85% have a DUI in their driving history, according to Insurify data.

High-risk drivers pose a greater risk to insurers, so they naturally pay higher rates. While tickets and accidents increase your rates, a DUI will increase your rates drastically. Getting a DUI results in an average rate increase of 30% in California.

The table below shows how your rates can increase based on driving infractions in California.

Driving Record	Average Monthly Quote in CA	% Increase Compared to Clean Driving Record
Clean driving record	$143	N/A
With accident	$178	25%
With speeding ticket	$180	26%
With DUI	$186	30%

Disclaimer: Table data is based on real-time California quotes from Insurify’s network of 500+ insurance partners. Actual rates may vary depending on the policyholder’s individual profile and coverage needs.

What affects car insurance rates in California?

Many factors affect car insurance rates in California, including risks specific to the state. One major factor is California’s dense urban areas, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, which have heavy traffic and increased accident rates.

Unfortunately, wildfires heavily affect California each year, with 8,232 occurring in 2025 alone.^[2] Insurers consider this risk factor when setting rates, and cities at greater wildfire risk often have higher rates.

Additionally, California is an expensive place for just about everything, including medical expenses and labor costs.^[3] Insurers consider these factors and how they’ll affect the amount they’ll have to pay for claims, and they adjust rates accordingly.

Fortunately, California is one of a handful of states that don’t allow insurers to use credit history when setting rates. Drivers won’t have to worry about a missed credit card payment or a poor credit score having a negative effect on their car insurance rates in the Golden State.

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How California car insurance rates have changed over the past five years

Like in much of the U.S., car insurance rates in California have increased over the last five years, with a slight decrease in 2025 and early 2026. From April 2021 to December 2024, average annual California car insurance rates increased from $1,700 to $2,815.

But as of February 2026, average rates dropped back down to $2,368 per year. Insurify projects that California car insurance rates will increase by only 1% in 2026. Part of the recent decline is likely due to insurers easing their drastic Covid-era price increases.

How to lower car insurance costs in California

Despite California’s high average auto insurance costs, you can still manage to find affordable car insurance. Here are some ways you can lower your car insurance costs in California:

• Compare auto insurance quotes from California insurers. While it’s always important to compare car insurance rates, it’s crucial to get quotes from local insurers, such as CSAA and Wawanesa. These brands may offer lower car insurance rates to local drivers than some national insurers.

• Take advantage of California’s Low Cost Auto Insurance Program (CLCA). California offers low-cost car insurance to some eligible drivers to help them satisfy the state’s minimum liability coverage requirements.^[4]

• Utilize California’s Good Driver Discount. California requires auto insurance companies to offer a discount of at least 20% to drivers who go three years without any infractions.

• Apply for discounts. Ask your insurance agent about which car insurance discounts you qualify for. Many insurance companies offer a variety of discounts, such as bundling auto and home or renters insurance, which can drastically reduce your rate.

• Raise your deductible. Increasing your deductible will immediately decrease your premium, as the two are inversely related. Make sure you can afford a higher deductible out of pocket before increasing it.

California average car insurance cost FAQs