Updated: January 25, 2026
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GEICO: Most affordable for diverse driver types in San Diego. You'll pay just $37 monthly for minimum coverage or $86 for full coverage, saving 20% compared to the city average.
Progressive: Runner-up for affordability with $48 monthly minimum and $92 full coverage rates. It's competitive for drivers with a DUI who pay higher premiums.
AAA: Has the best pricing for drivers with an accident and drivers with a speeding ticket, making it a smart choice if you have violations on your record.
Cheapest by Coverage and Driver Profile in San Diego:
GEICO beats all San Diego insurers at $86 monthly for full coverage, 39% cheaper than the city average. Progressive ranks second at $92 per month, still 31% below average.
Minimum coverage? GEICO charges just $37 monthly, 40% under the city average. AAA ranks second at $45 monthly, 26% less than average.
| Geico | $37 | $87 | -40% |
| AAA | $45 | $106 | -26% |
| Progressive | $49 | $93 | -31% |
| State Farm | $57 | $128 | -10% |
| Mercury Insurance | $65 | $133 | -3% |
Not in San Diego? Read more about the cheapest car insurance in California or the best car insurance in California.
Drivers ages 16 to 25 pay the most in San Diego because insurers consider them high-risk. GEICO offers the lowest rates at $162 monthly, followed by State Farm at $178 and Wawanesa at $184.
Stay on your parents' plan before buying your own policy. You'll save hundreds annually. A defensive driving course cuts your premiums by 5% to 15%.
| Geico | $163 | $1,954 | -35% |
| State Farm | $179 | $2,147 | -28% |
| Wawanesa Insurance | $185 | $2,217 | -26% |
| Progressive | $202 | $2,420 | -19% |
| AAA | $204 | $2,443 | -19% |
GEICO has the most affordable full coverage for seniors at $92 monthly, followed by State Farm at $110 and Progressive at $112. Most insurers offer accident forgiveness programs for drivers 65 and older.
Seniors can also reduce premiums up to 10% by completing a defensive driving course. State Farm provides additional age-specific discounts and credits for defensive driver class completion.
| Geico | $93 | $1,112 | -41% |
| State Farm | $110 | $1,325 | -29% |
| Progressive | $113 | $1,354 | -28% |
| AAA | $123 | $1,478 | -21% |
| Allstate | $124 | $1,482 | -21% |
If you have a DUI, GEICO offers the most affordable coverage at $89 monthly for minimum limits, while Progressive comes in second at $109. For speeding tickets, GEICO costs $56 monthly, followed closely by AAA at $58.
At-fault accidents see AAA taking the top spot at $61 per month, with GEICO as the runner-up at $66. Shopping around after any violation makes sense since there are rate differences among providers.
| At-Fault Accident | AAA | $62 | -40% |
| At-Fault Accident | Geico | $67 | -36% |
| DUI | Geico | $90 | -42% |
| DUI | Progressive | $109 | -30% |
| Speeding Ticket | Geico | $56 | -41% |
| Speeding Ticket | AAA | $59 | -38% |
Your specific ZIP code matters when it comes to insurance rates because of differences in traffic density and crime rates. The difference is dramatic: drivers in 92136 pay around $173 monthly for full coverage, while those in 92128 pay just $118. That's a $55 monthly gap between the most and least expensive areas in the city.
| 92136 | $173 |
| 92108 | $167 |
| 92135 | $161 |
| 92102 | $161 |
| 92130 | $157 |
| 92155 | $155 |
| 92120 | $154 |
| 92126 | $154 |
| 92134 | $153 |
| 92131 | $151 |
| 92128 | $118 |
| 92129 | $119 |
| 92124 | $121 |
| 92154 | $121 |
| 92103 | $122 |
| 92116 | $123 |
| 92117 | $124 |
| 92110 | $124 |
| 92104 | $125 |
| 92111 | $126 |
Progressive is best in San Diego with a MoneyGeek score of 91 out of 100. This insurer offers good coverage options paired with top-tier customer service. GEICO, AAA, State Farm and Mercury round out the top five contenders worth considering.
| Progressive | 91 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Geico | 87 | 1 | 7 | 7 |
| AAA | 84 | 3 | 5 | 7 |
| State Farm | 80 | 4 | 4 | 7 |
| Mercury Insurance | 79 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
Snapshot adjusts pricing based on real driving behavior
Broad coverage choices that give drivers more flexibility
Often open to drivers with past violations
Deductibles are often higher than those of competing insurers
Claims experiences can be uneven
Discount availability is more limited than with some rivals
Progressive focuses heavily on digital tools, offering full mobile access, simple policy management, and live claim updates at any time. This approach works well for San Diego drivers who prefer handling insurance online. The company also prices coverage competitively for drivers with tickets or previous incidents and offers options that help address local concerns such as vehicle theft.
Low pricing across a wide range of driver profiles
Strong military discounts for San Diego service members
DriveEasy offers savings based on driving habits
Limited access to in-person support through local offices
Coverage may not extend to custom upgrades or specialty parts
Some repair expenses may require out-of-pocket payment
GEICO pairs low rates with a digital-first approach to customer service. The company frequently prices well for younger drivers, older motorists, and those with prior violations such as speeding tickets or DUI records. Policyholders can manage coverage, file claims and track updates at any time through GEICO’s mobile app and online tools.
Get quotes from at least three insurers to find lower rates in San Diego.
Add home or renters insurance to your auto policy and save 15% to 25%. Throw in good driver and paperless discounts. Own multiple cars? Save another 10% to 25% per vehicle. Combined savings hit 30% to 40%.
Switch from a $500 to $1,000 deductible and your premiums drop 10% to 15% yearly. Just make sure you've got cash set aside to cover claims.
Insurers change San Diego rates constantly based on local risk. Plus, your record cleans up after three violation-free years.
Our San Diego FAQ covers common questions to help you find coverage that fits your budget and priorities.
Car insurance in San Diego runs about $137 monthly for full coverage. While that's not cheap, it's reasonable compared to Granada Hills at $243 per month or incredibly affordable Weed at just $47 monthly, showing San Diego falls in the middle range for California.
Finding affordable car insurance in San Diego starts with understanding how insurers price policies across the city. Traffic congestion, theft risk and California’s insurance requirements all shape your premium.
We partnered with the California Department of Insurance and Quadrant Information Services to analyze hundreds of thousands of quotes from 12 insurers across every San Diego ZIP code.
Our ratings for the best car insurance in San Diego are calculated by a weighted score incorporating affordability (60%), customer experience (30%) and coverage options (10%).
Read more about our methodology, which reveals which insurers maintain competitive rates across San Diego neighborhoods and driver categories while delivering reliable claims service, not just advertised rates for perfect-record drivers.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. He has analyzed the insurance market for over five years, conducting original research for insurance shoppers. His insights have been featured in CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.
Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!
He writes about economics and insurance, breaking down complex topics so people know what they're buying.
