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Your driver profile and the coverage you choose will affect the cost of your car insurance, but so will the insurance company itself. In Downey, Progressive has the most affordable, widely available full coverage and state minimum policies on average. Esurance offers the cheapest option for drivers with a speeding ticket. For military families, USAA, in many instances, may provide the best coverage. MoneyGeek picked AAA as the best overall car insurance company in the city due to its balance of excellent customer service and affordability.

MoneyGeek Logo Iconbestauto insuranceDowney
2023

The Cheapest and Best Car Insurance in Downey

The Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in Downey

In Downey, the most affordable, widely available full coverage car insurance is offered by:

  • Progressive: $1,194 per year
  • Esurance: $1,250 per year

Members of the military can opt for USAA, which is the second-cheapest auto insurer in the city at an average yearly premium of $1,216.

Progressive is 65% (or $779) less than the average quote from Allied, which has the most expensive rate in Downey at $1,973 per year. A full coverage policy includes both comprehensive and collision insurance, but remember that the price you’re quoted may change depending on how much liability insurance you choose.

Cheapest Car Insurance in Downey
Full Coverage 100/300/100
  • Company
    100/300/100per year
  • 1.
    Progressive
    $1,194
  • 2.
    USAA
    $1,216
  • 3.
    Esurance
    $1,250
  • 4.
    AAA
    $1,362
  • 5.
    GEICO
    $1,422
  • 6.
    Allstate
    $1,478
  • 7.
    MetLife
    $1,578
  • 8.
    Mercury
    $1,584
  • 9.
    State Farm
    $1,684
  • 10.
    Farmers
    $1,703
  • 11.
    Hartford
    $1,769
  • 12.
    Travelers
    $1,879
  • 13.
    Allied
    $1,973

As per MoneyGeek’s methodology, the average rates collected throughout this study were for our sample driver: a 40-year-old male carrying a full coverage policy.

Full coverage insurance covers any damages you cause or incur. Your insurance premiums will be much higher than liability-only because it typically adds comprehensive and collision coverage to your liability insurance.

  • Comprehensive insurance: covers damage to your car caused by something other than an accident, including theft and weather-related events
  • Collision insurance: pays to repair damage to your car if you’re in an accident

If you have an older car, you may wish to consider purchasing state minimum or liability-only insurance instead of full coverage. This is because your yearly premiums for full coverage may add up to more than your car’s replacement value.

Compare Car Insurance Rates in Downey

Ensure you're getting the best rate for your car insurance. Compare quotes from the top insurance companies.

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Insurance Rates

Cheapest Car Insurance in Downey for Minimum Coverage

State minimum or liability-only insurance is always more affordable than full coverage. The cheapest car insurance in Downey for minimum coverage is:

  • Progressive: $495 per year
  • GEICO: $581 per year

If you are in the military, you may be eligible for car insurance through USAA, which offers the second-cheapest minimum coverage in Downey at $515 per year.

Progressive’s coverage costs $424 less than Allied’s, the city’s most expensive option at $919 yearly. Minimum coverage insurance is cheaper than other types of insurance since it doesn’t have the benefit of comprehensive and collision insurance.

Check the table below to see how insurance rates change with different liability limits.

Cheapest Minimum Liability Car Insurance in Downey
State Minimum

California drivers are required by law to maintain a car insurance policy that meets the state minimum requirement of 15/30/5 in liability coverage. This is the cheapest insurance option; however, you may end up paying much more in an accident.

For example, if you’re at fault in an accident and the other driver’s medical bills reach $30,000, only half of that will be covered by your insurance. You’ll be responsible for paying the balance of $15,000 yourself.

California Minimum Liability Requirements

  • Item
    Description
  • Bodily Injury and Property Damage
    $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident and $5,000 for property damage. A more protective level is 100/300/100.

Cheapest Car Insurance in Downey if You Have Driving Violations

If you commit a traffic violation, such as speeding or a DUI, you can expect an increase in your insurance premiums. The same thing will happen if you’re in an at-fault accident. The cheapest car insurance in Downey for drivers with violations is as follows:

  • Cheapest after a ticket: Esurance, $1,595 per year
  • Cheapest after an at-fault accident: Esurance, $1,980 per year
  • Cheapest after a DUI: Mercury, $2,600 per year

If you are on active military duty or a veteran, USAA may provide the most affordable insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket at $1,331 per year.

Over time, you can improve your poor driving record and get lower insurance premiums. But in the meantime, shopping around for quotes can help you find the best cheap car insurance available in Downey for drivers with poor records.

Cheapest Car Insurance in Downey With a Violation
Speeding Ticket

Average Cost of Car Insurance in Downey

Downey$1,573
California$1,429
U.S.$1,424

Downey's average car insurance rate is higher than the state and national averages. The average rate of auto insurance in Downey is $1,573 per year. This is 10.1% higher than California’s state average for a comparable policy and 10.5% higher than the national average rate of $1,424 per year.

Personalized Quotes to Get You the Cheapest Car Insurance in Downey

A few factors that influence car insurance rates in Downey include age, gender, location, driving record, driving history and more. By regularly comparing auto insurance quotes from each company, you can find the one that offers the best rate in Downey. You may even be able to get discounts.

Compare Car Insurance Rates in Downey

Ensure you're getting the best rate for your car insurance. Compare quotes from the top insurance companies.

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Insurance Rates

The Best Car Insurance Companies in Downey

MoneyGeek researched average premiums, financial stability, customer satisfaction and claims ratings to find the best car insurance companies in Downey.

According to our analysis, the top insurance carriers in the Downey are:

  • AAA: MoneyGeek score of 89 out of 100
  • Esurance: MoneyGeek score of 88 out of 100

We excluded USAA from our analysis because only military members and their families can purchase its policies. However, if you are eligible, we highly recommend you consider USAA. The company received a MoneyGeek score of 97 out of 100, making it the best auto insurer in Downey.


1
AAA
Score:89

4.5/5

Affordability

5/5

Claims

4.5/5

User Satisfaction

4/5

Financial Stability

Geek Quick Take
Geek Quick Take

Ranking first in terms of claims ratings, AAA is our top pick in Downey, with full coverage policies costing around $1,362 annually. Identity theft coverage is already included in standard policies, which is a unique benefit among insurers.

More About AAA

AAA’s policies include roadside assistance to cover expenses for fuel delivery, flat tires, battery jumpstarts and replacements, vehicle lockout services and trip continuation. The company’s optional rental car and/or travel reimbursement coverage pays car rental or public transportation costs while your car is undergoing repairs.

Read MoneyGeek's AAA auto Insurance Review
2
Esurance
Score:88

4.5/5

Affordability

3.7/5

Claims

4.2/5

User Satisfaction

4.5/5

Financial Stability

Geek Quick Take
Geek Quick Take

Scoring high for affordability and stability, Esurance offers rare coverages, such as rideshare insurance and custom parts coverage. A full coverage Esurance policy for a 40-year-old in Downey costs $1,250 per year.

More About Esurance

Esurance has three unique coverage options that you can add to your policy. The gap insurance option will cover up to 25% more than your car’s actual cash value to help you pay off your car loan if your car is totaled or stolen.

Esurance’s rideshare insurance is only available to policyholders in three states, including California. If you work for companies like Uber or Lyft, this add-on protects you from gaps in coverage between your personal policy and the rideshare insurance policy. Esurance also offers a custom parts and equipment coverage that protects aftermarket modifications to your car, such as suspension and sound system upgrades.

Read MoneyGeek's Esurance auto Insurance Review
3
Progressive
Score:84

4.3/5

Affordability

3.5/5

Claims

4/5

User Satisfaction

4.5/5

Financial Stability

4
GEICO
Score:83

4/5

Affordability

4/5

Claims

4.5/5

User Satisfaction

5/5

Financial Stability

5
Mercury
Score:67

3.1/5

Affordability

3.5/5

Claims

4/5

User Satisfaction

4/5

Financial Stability

6
State Farm
Score:67

2.8/5

Affordability

4/5

Claims

4.5/5

User Satisfaction

5/5

Financial Stability

7
Allstate
Score:66

2.9/5

Affordability

4/5

Claims

4/5

User Satisfaction

4.5/5

Financial Stability

8
MetLife
Score:63

2.8/5

Affordability

4.1/5

Claims

3.5/5

User Satisfaction

4.5/5

Financial Stability

9
Travelers
Score:53

2/5

Affordability

4.2/5

Claims

3.6/5

User Satisfaction

5/5

Financial Stability

10
Farmers
Score:53

2.1/5

Affordability

4/5

Claims

4/5

User Satisfaction

4/5

Financial Stability

11
Hartford
Score:31

0.3/5

Affordability

4.5/5

Claims

4/5

User Satisfaction

4.5/5

Financial Stability

12
Allied
Score:19

1.3/5

Affordability

NaN/5

Claims

NaN/5

User Satisfaction

NaN/5

Financial Stability

Average Cost of Car Insurance by Postal Code

Your postal code will influence your car insurance premiums. Insurance companies take into account risk factors, such as car theft, accidents and claim history in your neighborhood before providing you with a quote. To find rates in your neighborhood, you can compare auto insurance rates in California.

Downey residents living in the 90242 ZIP code will pay an average of $1,545 for auto insurance per year, which is $55 less than what the residents of ZIP code 90241 pay on average.

  • Zip Code
    State Minimumper year
  • 90242
    $1,545
  • 90241
    $1,600

Factors That Impact Insurance Costs in Downey

In addition to individual driver needs and history, location-specific factors like the percentage of uninsured motorists and the rate of fatal accidents also contribute to car insurance rates in Downey. How Downey ranks compared to the 300 most populous cities in the United States can have a significant impact on premium costs.

accident2 icon
Most Accidents With Fatalities129th/300
handcuffs2 icon
Most Car Thefts210th/300
uninsured icon
Most Uninsured Motorists by State12th/50
insurance2 icon
Personal Injury Protection RequiredNo
rain icon
Most Annual Rainfall247th/300
umbrella icon
Most Rainy Days260th/300

About Mark Fitzpatrick


Mark Fitzpatrick headshot

Mark Fitzpatrick is a senior content director at MoneyGeek with over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, conducting original research and creating content that can be personalized for every buyer. He has been quoted on insurance topics in several publications, including CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

Mark earned a master’s degree in Economics and International Relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He is passionate about using his economics and insurance knowledge to bring transparency around financial topics and help others feel confident in their money moves.


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