How Much Is Car Insurance in California? (2023)

Several factors can significantly affect your car insurance rates, including age, location, coverage level, driving history and more.

For example, the average cost of full coverage in California ranges from $1,001 per year (AAA) to $1,868 per year (Chubb). Rates for a driver over the age of 60 are $1,307, while someone in their 20s might pay $1,681. Credit score is not a factor in California, as the law prohibits insurance companies from using your credit score to determine your premium rate.

California drivers pay an average of $1,343 per year for full coverage car insurance, but the average cost of car insurance can vary depending on factors like coverage amount and driving record. Drivers with violations might pay:

• Clean: $1,343 per year
• Speeding ticket: $1,944 per year
• Accident: $2,205 per year
• DUI: $3,375 per year

Rates can also vary depending on the insurer and your location within the state.

California is among the most expensive states for car insurance. On average, full coverage policies in the state costs more than the $1,343 nationwide average cost.

California’s expensive car insurance rates might be attributed to its high levels of traffic, expensive healthcare costs, costly auto repairs and severe weather and natural disaster risks. Depending on your driving history and other factors like age, you may pay even more.

When it comes to auto insurance in California, the average cost does not reflect the actual cost since prices vary between companies. GEICO is the cheapest car insurance option, costing $419 for minimum coverage ($1,001 for full coverage).

Chubb is the most expensive insurer, costing around $791 annually for minimum coverage ($1,868 for full coverage). Generally, liability-only policies are cheaper than full coverage. California drivers can still find affordable full coverage rates by comparing multiple quotes.

Depending on the limits, California's auto insurance costs range from $551 per year for minimum coverage to $1,475 per year for full coverage with increased liability limits and a lower deductible. If you buy comprehensive and collision coverages, your annual rate will likely increase by several hundred dollars. As your liability coverage increases, so will the cost of your insurance. You can opt for a higher deductible if you want to save money on a full coverage policy.

The state's most affordable policy only includes the mandated minimum coverages for California. These policies have the lowest liability limits and don't include comprehensive or collision insurance. For policies with higher liability limits, insurers may offer 50/100/50 or 100/300/100 limits. A 50/100/50 policy would provide coverage for:

• $50,000 in bodily injury liability insurance per person
• $100,000 in bodily injury liability insurance per accident
• $50,000 in property damage liability insurance per accident

Most insurers provide a maximum liability of 300/500/300, which only covers damage or medical expenses to others. Those looking for protection for themselves and their vehicle must purchase comprehensive and collision insurance, which makes the policy full coverage.

Age often affects the cost of car insurance, particularly for new or young drivers. In California, the average cost of a full coverage policy varies by age group as follows:

• 22–29: $1,681 per year
• 30–59: $1,343 per year
• 60+: $1,307 per year

Although drivers in their 20s usually have to pay higher premiums for insurance, those between the ages of 30 and 59 tend to have relatively consistent rates before changing again after age 60. Middle-aged drivers who are new to driving may also pay a similar amount to young adults due to their lack of experience.

In California, teen drivers typically pay more for auto insurance than other age groups. The average cost for a 16-year-old on a family policy with full coverage is $3,772 per year, while individual policies cost around $4,458 annually. Keep in mind drivers under the age of 18 might not be able to buy auto insurance on their own.

Premiums decline as young drivers age. It costs 19-year-olds on family policy an average of $2,707 annually, while 22-year-olds pay an average of $2,095 per year. To find the best rates for teen drivers in California, it is important to compare different providers.

In most states, rates for male and female drivers can vary significantly, but in California, this practice is banned and rates are the same for both sexes.

In California, it is about 27% more expensive to insure a new vehicle than an older one, with the cost of full coverage for a new car being $1,818 per year and $1,432 for an older car, on average.

This is due to the higher actual cash value, cost of repairs and risk of theft. When an insurer pays out a claim, it is based on the actual cash value (ACV) of the vehicle, which decreases significantly over time since an old car is cheaper to insure. Drivers of newer cars in California should consider getting full coverage insurance, which covers the car owner for damages to their car caused by an accident in addition to liability for damages to others.

Drivers in California with traffic violations pay more for car insurance than those with clean driving histories. We compared average full coverage car insurance rates to illustrate the difference in cost.

• Clean record: $1,343 per year
• Speeding ticket: $1,944 per year
• Accident: $2,205 per year
• DUI: $3,375 per year

The more serious the driving offense, the higher the associated costs. A DUI will increase your car insurance premium more than a speeding ticket. To get cheap rates on car insurance for drivers with poor records, shop around and compare rates from multiple providers.

Where you live in California can have a major impact on your car insurance premiums. Glendale drivers pay the highest amount for a full coverage policy annually, which is $2,115, while those in Santa Maria pay the least at $1,106. Car insurance rates are usually more expensive in cities with higher traffic and population density, such as Glendale.

Navigating the process of shopping for car insurance in California can be overwhelming. To make it easier, we answered the most frequently asked questions about car insurance costs.