How much is car insurance in Santa Clara, CA?
Santa Clara drivers pay $87 per month for liability coverage, which is slightly lower than the California and nationwide averages. For full-coverage insurance, Santa Clara residents pay an average of $198 per month, which is lower than the California state average but more expensive than the national average.
Santa Clara County ranks No. 15 in the country for motor vehicle thefts by volume, according to data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, though vehicle theft rates vary across the county. Santa Clara has more reported thefts and higher insurance rates than nearby Saratoga, but far fewer thefts and similar costs to San Jose.
Although Santa Clara has fewer vehicle thefts and a smaller population than San Jose, it has a higher rate of rideshare drivers and drivers with tickets on their record, according to Insurify data. The average rates in Santa Clara are much lower than in larger California cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Cheapest liability-only car insurance in Santa Clara: USAA
The fewer insurance products in your policy, the less you’ll pay for coverage. A liability insurance policy contains only the state’s required coverages. California’s minimum liability insurance requirements are $30,000 in bodily injury per person, $60,000 in bodily injury per accident, and $15,000 in property damage liability coverage.[1]
USAA and Aspire General have the cheapest liability coverage in Santa Clara on average, but it’s important to compare quotes from several auto insurers.
Below, you can compare the cheapest rates for liability-only insurance in Santa Clara.
Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote: Liability Only |
|---|---|
| USAA | $65 |
| Aspire General | $68 |
| GEICO | $70 |
| Sun Coast | $71 |
| Mercury | $73 |
| National General | $73 |
| Dairyland | $80 |
| Root | $87 |
| Direct Auto | $88 |
| Allstate | $89 |
| Farmers | $91 |
| Anchor | $95 |
| State Farm | $99 |
| Bristol West | $100 |
| Kemper Special | $104 |
| Travelers | $104 |
| 21st Century | $114 |
| Kemper Rsvp | $114 |
| Chubb | $177 |
Shop for Santa Clara Car Insurance
Liability quotes in Santa Clara start at $65/mo.
Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in Santa Clara: Aspire General
Aspire General and Root have the cheapest average full-coverage car insurance rates in Santa Clara. On average, Santa Clara drivers pay $198 per month for full-coverage insurance.
Though Santa Clara drivers don’t legally need to purchase additional types of insurance coverage, it’s still a good idea. Congestion on Route 101 and a high countywide rate of motor vehicle thefts make comprehensive and collision coverage a viable insurance solution for worst-case scenarios.
Here are the cheapest rates for full-coverage car insurance in Santa Clara.
Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote: Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Aspire General | $121 |
| Root | $134 |
| Mercury | $140 |
| GEICO | $143 |
| USAA | $145 |
| Kemper Special | $160 |
| Kemper Rsvp | $162 |
| Sun Coast | $167 |
| Anchor | $179 |
| Dairyland | $191 |
| National General | $195 |
| Allstate | $199 |
| Farmers | $205 |
| Bristol West | $214 |
| Direct Auto | $217 |
| State Farm | $223 |
| Travelers | $233 |
| 21st Century | $254 |
| Chubb | $396 |
Car insurance rates in other California cities
Santa Clara’s average car insurance cost is slightly lower than the state average but very similar to that in nearby San Jose.
Santa Clara residents pay much lower rates than drivers in the state’s larger cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco, which both have higher rates of traffic congestion and vehicle theft. But Santa Clara County has a high vehicle theft rate, which may offset some of the benefits of living in a less congested city.
The table below shows how car insurance costs vary by city in California.
City | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Anaheim | $163 |
| Bakersfield | $132 |
| Berkeley | $153 |
| Chula Vista | $128 |
| Elk Grove | $143 |
| Fremont | $138 |
| Fresno | $131 |
| Glendale | $268 |
| Long Beach | $171 |
| Los Angeles | $225 |
| Modesto | $143 |
| Moreno Valley | $147 |
| Oakland | $170 |
| Oxnard | $138 |
| Riverside | $150 |
| Sacramento | $158 |
| San Bernardino | $157 |
| San Diego | $130 |
| San Francisco | $171 |
| San Jose | $136 |
| Santa Ana | $154 |
| Santa Barbara | $120 |
| Santa Clara | $143 |
| Santa Maria | $114 |
| Stockton | $146 |
| Temecula | $130 |
| Victorville | $161 |
Cheapest recent car insurance quotes in California
Drivers in and around Santa Clara, California have found policies from Mercury, MAPFRE, Kemper Special, and more, through Insurify in the last few days.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users in and around Santa Clara, California within the last 10 days. Last updated on July 10, 2026. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users in and around Santa Clara, California within the last 10 days. Last updated on July 10, 2026. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
Cheapest car insurance quotes in Santa Clara by driving record
Drivers in Santa Clara have lower-than-average rates of DUIs and traffic tickets, but a slightly higher rate of accidents than in other California cities.
Below, you can see the cheapest car insurance companies in Santa Clara, based on different driving records.
Cheapest car insurance for Santa Clara drivers with a clean driving record: USAA
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket in Santa Clara: USAA
Cheapest car insurance for Santa Clara drivers with an at-fault accident: USAA
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a DUI in Santa Clara: USAA
Affordable car insurance for drivers with an incident in Santa Clara
Mistakes happen, but even one infraction can increase your car insurance rates in Santa Clara. About 0.7% of drivers in Santa Clara have a DUI on their record, 3.5% have a speeding ticket, and 5.7% have an at-fault accident, according to Insurify data.
California is an at-fault state, which means the person who caused the accident is responsible for the damages. Upon renewal, your premium may increase after an at-fault accident.
Here’s how overall average monthly quotes vary by driving record in Santa Clara.
Driving Record | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Clean driving record | $143 |
| Speeding ticket | $182 |
| At-fault accident | $183 |
| DUI | $193 |
What to know about driving in Santa Clara
Nearly 2 million people live in Santa Clara County, and that doesn’t include the millions more who travel through Santa Clara for work or vacation. Residential parking can be a problem in Santa Clara, especially near places like hospitals and transit stations. Make sure you give yourself enough time to find a place to park in these high-traffic areas.
Due to California’s high uninsured motorist rate and extra congestion during events at Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara residents may find themselves at an increased risk of filing a claim when simply driving downtown on a Sunday afternoon.
It’s also worth noting that though less than 10% of the city is in a flood zone, levees protect more than one-third of Santa Clara. The city faces risks from riverine and localized flooding.[2]
You may want to consider a full-coverage policy in Santa Clara to protect your vehicle against the city’s moderate flooding risks, uninsured drivers, and high traffic congestion.
How Santa Clara traffic affects car insurance rates
Santa Clara County was the second most-congested county in the San Francisco Bay Area during the fourth quarter of 2024, according to the California Department of Transportation.[3] U.S. Route 101 southbound from Shoreline Boulevard to Oakland Road used to be notorious for its congestion, but remote working has decreased bottlenecks since the pandemic. The average one-way commute time in Santa Clara is around 26 minutes.[4]
Santa Clara has live traffic cameras around Levi’s Stadium, but California state law AB 645 allows speeding traffic cameras in only six cities — the nearest of which is San Jose. That said, both the California State Transportation Agency and Santa Clara County’s sheriff’s office have recently announced efforts to curb dangerous driving habits.
Your driving history matters, but other drivers can also affect your car insurance premiums. Insurance companies consider Santa Clara’s rates of traffic violations, accidents, and DUIs when setting premiums for car and motorcycle insurance.
Cheap car insurance for Santa Clara teen drivers: USAA
Car accidents related to alcohol or drug usage are a top cause of death for teens in Santa Clara County. Teen drivers have limited driving experience and pose greater risks of filing claims, so auto insurers typically charge them higher car insurance rates.
It’s also important to note California’s laws don’t permit teen drivers to send text messages even in hands-free mode. Penalties for doing so include a minimum fee of $162.
Teen drivers in Santa Clara pay monthly averages of $157 for liability policies and $356 for full-coverage policies. The table below shows the cheapest liability insurance rates for teen drivers in Santa Clara.
Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote: Liability Only |
|---|---|
| USAA | $119 |
| Aspire General | $122 |
| GEICO | $126 |
| Sun Coast | $128 |
| Root | $130 |
| Mercury | $132 |
| Dairyland | $138 |
| National General | $144 |
| Direct Auto | $170 |
| Allstate | $174 |
| Bristol West | $176 |
| Farmers | $180 |
| Anchor | $181 |
| Kemper Special | $187 |
| State Farm | $190 |
| 21st Century | $203 |
| Kemper Rsvp | $205 |
| Travelers | $214 |
| Chubb | $361 |
Find Cheap Car Insurance in Santa Clara
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Cheap car insurance quotes for Santa Clara senior drivers: USAA
People aged 65 and older make up just over 10% of Santa Clara’s population. Senior drivers in Santa Clara can find the cheapest coverage from USAA, Aspire General, and GEICO.
Below, you can compare the cheapest average liability insurance rates for senior drivers in Santa Clara.
Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote: Liability Only |
|---|---|
| USAA | $54 |
| GEICO | $57 |
| National General | $59 |
| Mercury | $59 |
| Aspire General | $62 |
| Sun Coast | $64 |
| Dairyland | $70 |
| Direct Auto | $74 |
| Farmers | $74 |
| Allstate | $74 |
| Anchor | $79 |
| State Farm | $80 |
| Root | $82 |
| Travelers | $85 |
| Bristol West | $86 |
| 21st Century | $92 |
| Kemper Special | $94 |
| Kemper Rsvp | $104 |
| Chubb | $138 |
Santa Clara auto insurance FAQs
Take a look at the following information to help you find the best rates and choose a policy that fits your auto insurance needs in Santa Clara.
What company has the cheapest car insurance in California?
USAA has the cheapest liability coverage in California, with an average monthly premium of $65. Aspire General and GEICO also have affordable coverage, with respective monthly liability rates of $69 and $70.
How much is car insurance in Santa Clara?
Car insurance in Santa Clara costs an average of $143 per month. A liability policy costs $87, while a full-coverage policy costs more, at $198 per month. Your deductible and coverage options will ultimately determine how much you pay for coverage.
Which car insurance company will offer the cheapest rate in Santa Clara?
USAA has the cheapest car insurance in Santa Clara, at $65 per month for liability coverage. But other insurance companies may offer you a lower rate. Ask your insurance agent to compare quotes from multiple auto insurance services.
Why are car insurance rates in Santa Clara different from other areas?
Santa Clara is one of the largest cities in the Bay Area and is in a county with a very high rate of motor vehicle theft. It also faces risks from flooding and traffic congestion, which is why its insurance rates may be different from neighbors like Sunnyvale and Stanford.
What factors affect car insurance rates in Santa Clara, CA?
About 5.7% of Santa Clara drivers have an at-fault accident on their record, and 0.7% have a DUI, Insurify data shows. This can affect overall car insurance quotes in the city. Your driving history, vehicle type, age, gender, and ZIP code also affect rates.
Are any local car insurance discounts available in Santa Clara?
Yes. Insurance companies typically offer discounts that Santa Clara locals can take advantage of. It’s always smart to look into bundling discounts, which you can earn by buying your auto insurance from the same company that issues your life insurance, renters insurance, or home insurance. The California Department of Insurance also offers a low-cost liability insurance program for eligible drivers.
Sources
- State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. "Insurance Requirements."
- City of Santa Clara. "Flood Protection Information."
- California Department of Transportation. "District 04 Mobility Performance Report."
- United States Census Bureau. "QuickFacts Santa Clara County, California."
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 190 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 500+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
- Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
- No additional coverage
- Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
- Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
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