Average Car Insurance Cost in California (2025)
Mile Auto offers the cheapest car insurance rates in California.
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Written byElizabeth Rivelli
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Elizabeth Rivelli
5+ years writing insurance and personal finance topics
Auto, home, health, and life insurance expertise
Elizabeth has extensive insurance industry experience, having written for Insureon, Rate Retriever, and Insurify. She’s also finance and insurance editor for Car and Driver.
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Edited byCourtney Mikulski
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Courtney MikulskiSenior Editor, Auto
Más de 3 años produciendo contenidos sobre seguros y finanzas personales
Principal artífice de la puntuación de calidad de Insurify
Los profundos conocimientos de Courtney sobre finanzas personales van más allá de los seguros y abarcan las tarjetas de crédito, los préstamos al consumidor y la banca. Le encanta crear contenidos prácticos.
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Reviewed byBrett Clendenen
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Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance agent
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Brett has over a decade of experience specializing in home and auto insurance. Before Insurify, he was a licensed insurance agent with Answer Financial.
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Table of contents
The average monthly car insurance premium in California is $255 for full coverage and $113 for liability-only coverage.
California’s average rates are lower than the average rates in some other large states, like Florida and Michigan. This is largely because the state's Department of Insurance hasn't approved auto insurance rate hikes since the start of the pandemic. But a large number of insurance companies have asked for state approval to begin increasing rates again.
To find the most affordable car insurance in California for your situation, it’s a good idea to shop around and compare quotes. See which insurance companies offer the cheapest auto insurance coverage to drivers in California.
Quick Facts
California is the most-populous state, with more than 331 million residents.
Bakersfield, California, has the cheapest liability-only coverage in the state.
Mercury offers the cheapest full-coverage insurance policies in California.
How much is car insurance in California?
California drivers pay an average of $255 per month for full-coverage insurance and $113 per month for minimum-coverage insurance, according to Insurify’s analysis of recent quote data. But car insurance rates can vary depending on your city, age, credit score, driving record, insurance company, and other factors.[1]
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Best Car Insurance in California (2025)
How California car insurance rates have changed over time
The average yearly price for full-coverage car insurance in California rose to more than $2,500 in 2024, up significantly over rates from just a few years ago. Full-coverage rates also rose nationally, though not nearly as much as in California.
See how California car insurance prices have changed over the past two years below.
Average California Car Insurance Rates over the Past Two Years
Rates in this chart are two-year rolling medians in order to manage extreme market volatility seen over the past few years. Rates on the rest of the page reflect one-year rolling medians in order to prioritize the freshest data available.
Average California car insurance rates by city
Average California car insurance premiums differ among cities. A city’s population, accident rate, weather risks, and vehicle theft rates can all contribute to the cost of car insurance in the area.[1]
After reviewing state average rate data for various cities, Insurify found that Santa Rosa has the cheapest full-coverage rates and Bakersfield has the cheapest rates for liability-only coverage. Los Angeles and San Francisco have the highest average rates in the state.
The table below shows the average car insurance premiums from the cheapest insurers in some of the largest cities in California.
City ▲▼ | Average Quote: Liability Only ▲▼ | Average Quote: Full Coverage ▲▼ |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield | $116 | $245 |
| Fresno | $122 | $238 |
| Long Beach | $152 | $296 |
| Los Angeles | $211 | $383 |
| Oakland | $147 | $335 |
| Sacramento | $144 | $291 |
| San Diego | $118 | $240 |
| San Francisco | $147 | $326 |
| San Jose | $129 | $256 |
| Stockton | $130 | $288 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Average California car insurance rates by insurance company
When shopping for insurance, you should compare car insurance quotes from multiple insurers. Every insurance company charges different rates, even for the same types and amounts of coverage.
Based on average rate data, Insurify found that Mile Auto has the cheapest car insurance rates in California. But drivers in the Golden State can also find low rates with the second- and third-cheapest options, Root and Sun Coast.
The table below compiles the average premiums from insurance companies in the state.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Saturday, February 1 at 11:00 AM PST.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Full Coverage ▲▼ | Liability Only ▲▼ |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury | $194 | $111 |
| Root | $197 | $95 |
| USAA | $235 | $107 |
| Sun Coast | $254 | $103 |
| Anchor | $260 | $108 |
| GEICO | $312 | $142 |
| Direct Auto | $315 | $116 |
| Allstate | $323 | $147 |
| National General | $330 | $126 |
| Farmers | $333 | $151 |
| State Farm | $360 | $164 |
| Bristol West | $371 | $174 |
| Travelers | $378 | $172 |
| Dairyland | $407 | $112 |
| 21st Century | $412 | $188 |
| Nationwide | $508 | $231 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
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Learn More: The 10 Cheapest Car Insurance Companies
Average California car insurance rates by age
Auto insurance rates in the Golden State are personalized based on many factors, including your age.[1]
“Insurance companies consider young drivers to be high-risk due to their lack of experience on the road,” says John Espenschied, owner of Insurance Brokers Group, which serves customers in California. Insurify data shows that drivers younger than 25 pay the most expensive rates.
For most drivers, insurance premiums get cheaper as they get older. For example, in California, the overall average premium for teen drivers is $331 per month, and the average rate for senior drivers is $148. However, drivers may see their rates increase again around age 70.
Here are the average liability car insurance premiums for California drivers, based on age, from some top insurers in the Golden State.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Saturday, February 1 at 11:00 AM PST.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | 25 and Younger ▲▼ | Middle Aged Drivers ▲▼ | Senior Drivers ▲▼ |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEICO | $298 | $113 | $90 |
| Allstate | $344 | $116 | $94 |
| Nationwide | $529 | $162 | $127 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
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Compare Car Insurance by Age and Gender
Cheapest recent car insurance quotes in California
Drivers using Insurify have found quotes as cheap as $52/mo for liability only and $86/mo for full coverage in California.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on February 12, 2025. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
Rates shown are real-time Insurify user quotes from 120+ insurance companies and Quadrant Information Services data. Insurify’s algorithm excludes anomalous quotes and anonymizes personal details, then displays refined quotes by price, date, and insurer popularity up to 10 days ago from February 12, 2025. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on February 12, 2025. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
Rates shown are real-time Insurify user quotes from 120+ insurance companies and Quadrant Information Services data. Insurify’s algorithm excludes anomalous quotes and anonymizes personal details, then displays refined quotes by price, date, and insurer popularity up to 10 days ago from February 12, 2025. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
Average California car insurance rates by gender
In 2019, California passed the Gender Non-Discrimination in Automobile Insurance Rating Regulation, which prohibits car insurance companies from using gender as a factor in determining auto insurance premiums.[2] In many other states, gender can affect the cost of car insurance due to specific risk differences between male and female drivers.
Average California car insurance rates by marital status
Married drivers often get more affordable car insurance premiums than single drivers. Couples who combine their car insurance policies can usually qualify for multi-vehicle discounts. Married drivers in California pay about $40 less per month than single drivers for full-coverage insurance, according to Insurify data.
The table below shows the average full-coverage and minimum-coverage rates for single and married drivers in California.
Marital Status ▲▼ | Average Monthly Quote: Full Coverage ▲▼ | Average Monthly Quote: Liability Only ▲▼ |
|---|---|---|
| Married | $238 | $110 |
| Single | $277 | $134 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Average California car insurance rates by driving record
Your driving record can have a significant effect on your car insurance premium.[3] Californians with a clean driving record usually pay a lower rate than drivers with a history of certain violations, like at-fault accidents.
However, the rate increase depends on the severity of the violation. For example, Insurify found that the average full-coverage rate for California drivers with an accident is $317 per month, while the monthly average for drivers with a clean record is only $255.
Getting a DUI will almost certainly increase your premiums. On average, California drivers with a DUI conviction pay $541 for full-coverage insurance — $269 higher than the average rate for a driver with no violations.
The table below shows the average liability-only auto insurance rates in California based on driving record.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Saturday, February 1 at 11:00 AM PST.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Clean Record ▲▼ | Speeding Ticket ▲▼ | At-Fault Accident ▲▼ | DUI ▲▼ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mile Auto | $60 | $74 | $77 | $92 |
| USAA | $107 | $132 | $135 | $165 |
| National General | $126 | $156 | $157 | $194 |
| GEICO | $142 | $176 | $179 | $219 |
| Allstate | $147 | $182 | $185 | $226 |
| State Farm | $164 | $201 | $205 | $253 |
| Nationwide | $231 | $289 | $293 | $356 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Average California car insurance rates by credit score
In California, car insurance companies are prohibited from using credit-based insurance scores, so your credit score won’t directly affect your insurance premiums.[4] However, other rating factors, like age and driving record, could have a greater effect on the cost of your car insurance policy.
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Car Insurance Rates by Credit Tier
California minimum car insurance requirements
Car insurance is a legal requirement in California. If you own a vehicle, you must meet the state’s coverage requirements to register it and legally drive.
State lawmakers approved an increase in coverage limits, which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2025. The table below reflects this change and the types and amount of coverage all drivers need to carry:[5]
Coverage ▲▼ | 2024 Coverage Limits ▲▼ | 2025 Coverage Limits ▲▼ |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $15,000 per person / $30,000 per accident | $30,000 per person / $60,000 per accident |
| Property damage liability | $5,000 per accident | $15,000 per accident |
California requires insurance companies to offer uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance when you purchase a policy. But you can decline this coverage if you don’t want it.[6]
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California car insurance FAQs
Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about car insurance in California.
What is the average cost of car insurance in California?
In California, the average car insurance premium is $255 per month for full coverage and $113 per month for minimum coverage. That’s $3,061 per year for full coverage and $1,357 per year for minimum coverage.
What factors affect car insurance costs in California?
Car insurance premiums in California depend on various personal factors. Your ZIP code, driving record, and age can affect your premium, as well as your vehicle type, coverage limits, and deductible.[1] The insurance company you choose may also affect the cost of your coverage. Keep in mind that insurance companies can’t use gender and credit score to determine auto insurance premiums in California.
Do car insurance rates vary by county in California?
Location-specific risks, like accident and vehicle theft rates, can affect your car insurance rates. Furthermore, California counties that are more likely to experience earthquakes or wildfires could have higher premiums.
What are the best auto insurance companies in California?
Some of the best car insurance companies in California are Clearcover, Safeco, and Travelers. But the best auto insurance company is different for every driver, depending on your location, coverage needs, and budget. Before you buy a policy, you should shop around, research several companies, and compare quotes to find the cheapest car insurance.
Is car insurance required in California?
Yes, car insurance is a legal requirement in California. The minimum requirements in California are $30,000 for bodily injury per person, $60,000 for bodily injury per accident, and $15,000 for property damage.[5]
For more protection, however, you might purchase higher coverage limits or get a full-coverage policy, which includes collision, comprehensive, medical payments, and liability insurance.
Related articles
More cities in California
Sources
- III. "What determines the price of an auto insurance policy?."
- California Department of Insurance. "Commissioner issues regulations prohibiting gender discrimination in automobile insurance rates."
- III. "Do auto insurance premiums go up after a claim?."
- NAIC. "Credit-Based Insurance Scores."
- California DMV. "Auto Insurance Requirements."
- California Department of Insurance. "Automobile Insurance Information Guide."
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Elizabeth Rivelli
Elizabeth Rivelli is a freelance writer covering insurance and personal finance. She has extensive knowledge of various insurance lines, including property and casualty, health, and life insurance. Her byline has been featured in dozens of publications, including Investopedia, Forbes, Bankrate, NextAdvisor, and Insurance.com.
Elizabeth has been a contributor at Insurify since October 2022.
Courtney MikulskiSenior Editor, Auto
Más de 3 años produciendo contenidos sobre seguros y finanzas personales
Principal artífice de la puntuación de calidad de Insurify
Los profundos conocimientos de Courtney sobre finanzas personales van más allá de los seguros y abarcan las tarjetas de crédito, los préstamos al consumidor y la banca. Le encanta crear contenidos prácticos.
Featured in
Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance agent
13+ years of experience in the insurance industry
Brett has over a decade of experience specializing in home and auto insurance. Before Insurify, he was a licensed insurance agent with Answer Financial.
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