Your driver profile and needs will help determine which company has the cheapest rate.
GEICO offers the cheapest minimum coverage policy. Progressive has the most affordable full coverage policy and is best for those looking for a blend of affordability and quality service.
National General has the least expensive premium for drivers with a violation. Farmers is the cheapest for teens.
The best and cheapest company for military families is USAA. If you value customer service, MoneyGeek’s top pick is Chubb.
Cheapest and Best Car Insurance in Downey, CA








Cheapest Minimum Liability Car Insurance in Downey
Downey drivers looking for a car insurance policy with minimum coverage can find, on average, the cheapest from the following companies:
- GEICO: $471 per year
- Progressive: $496 per year
Chubb has the most expensive minimum coverage policy, with an average cost of $900 per year.
Location affects the cost of car insurance. The most affordable option may vary depending on where you live in the state. The cheapest auto insurance provider in California for minimum liability coverage is CSAA at around $125 per year as of October 2022. Downey car insurance tends to be more expensive than the lowest price in the state as a whole.
A minimum coverage policy is based on state auto insurance requirements. In California, the policy only covers bodily injury and property damage with the following limits:
- $15,000 bodily injury coverage per person
- $30,000 bodily injury coverage per accident
- $5,000 property damage coverage per accident
California’s minimum coverage policy only has liability coverage, which pays the cost of injuries/damages the other driver and their passengers incur in an accident. The limits determine the maximum amount the insurance company will pay. For example, if you’re involved in an at-fault accident, the policy pays for up to $15,000 in bodily injury for any given person for a maximum of $30,000 per accident. If the total expenses exceed this, you’ll have to pay the rest out of pocket.
Cheapest Full Coverage Car Insurance in Downey
On average, the following companies offer the least expensive full coverage car insurance in Downey:
- Progressive: $1,171 per year
- National General: $1,193 per year
Based on average rates, Chubb is the most expensive company in Downey; the cost of its full coverage policy is $2,138.
A full coverage policy often has higher liability limits than minimum coverage and includes comprehensive and collision insurance.
- Collision Insurance: Covers damages to your vehicle due to an at-fault accident, such as a collision with another vehicle or an object
- Comprehensive Insurance: Covers damages caused by non-accident incidents, including weather-related events, animal damage, theft and vandalism
Although full coverage provides more protection, it can cost much more than minimum coverage or liability-only insurance. If your car is older and has a low value, it may not be worth paying potentially hundreds of dollars more a year for full coverage.
Cheapest Car Insurance in Downey After a Driving Offense
On average, the cheapest car insurance companies in Downey for drivers with a violation are:
- Speeding ticket: National General ($1,254 per year)
- At-fault accident: National General ($1,776 per year)
- DUI: National General ($1,254 per year)
The average highest car insurance rates are from Nationwide at $3,060 per year for a speeding ticket, Kemper at $3,714 per year for an at-fault accident and Hartford at $6,374 per year for a DUI.
Driving violations typically lead to a higher car insurance premium. Drivers with poor records won’t get rates as cheap as those offered to people with no violations.
Generally, car insurance rates increase with the severity of the violation. For instance, Downey drivers with a speeding ticket pay an average of $2,171 per year for a full coverage policy. A DUI may cost roughly $3,740 annually. That’s $1,569 more per year.
But there are ways to find cheap auto insurance with a bad driving record.
Cheapest Car Insurance in Downey for Teens and Their Families
The least expensive auto insurance providers, on average, for teenage drivers on a family policy in Downey are:
- Farmers: $3,278 per year for female and male teens
- State Farm: $3,493 per year for female and male teens
Nationwide has the highest average car insurance rate. Having a teen on its policy costs a family around $6,430 annually.
Some companies charge male teens more than female teens because the former are seen as riskier to insure. The difference in rate typically drops off in early adulthood. In Downey, Farmers and State Farm charge the same rate for female and male teens.
Car insurance rates tend to be much more expensive if a teen purchases their own policy. The average annual cost of including a teen on a family policy in Downey is $3,825. An individual policy costs an average of $4,498 for a young driver, which is around $673 more.
Taking extra steps to find the cheapest auto insurance for teenagers can help you save in the long run.
Cheapest Car Insurance in Downey for Military Drivers
Active-duty and veteran military families may find the average cheapest car insurance rates in Downey from the following companies:
- USAA: $1,044 per year
- Progressive: $1,171 per year
These rates are for a full coverage policy. For minimum coverage, the cheapest auto insurance for military members in Downey is from USAA (around $467 per year) and GEICO (roughly $471 per year).
How to Compare Cheap Downey Car Insurance Quotes Online
Comparing personalized quotes from different companies can help you find the best and cheapest auto policy in Downey. You can start by getting quotes online. That can take around 15 minutes or more since you’ll have to enter a lot of personal information.
A quicker option is MoneyGeek’s car insurance calculator, which provides an estimate of how much your premium may cost based on your age, driving record, vehicle type and preferred coverage level.
Auto Insurance Calculator
See how the Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates vary with the options chosen.
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Best Car Insurance in Downey: Summary
The best car insurance in Downey may vary due to differences in driver needs and priorities. How much you value affordability, service quality and coverage amounts also determines the right policy for you. The best car insurance providers in Downey, based on MoneyGeek’s analysis, are:
- Best overall: Progressive (MoneyGeek score of 74 out of 100)
- Best for service: Chubb (MoneyGeek score of 76 out of 100)
- Best cheap: Progressive (MoneyGeek score of 78 out of 100
For active and former military members, USAA is the best and cheapest insurer in Downey, scoring 85 out of 100.
A company’s overall MoneyGeek score may change since the factors are weighted differently in each category.
Your location can affect car insurance rates, which has an impact on affordability scores. For instance, the best auto insurance in California is from CSAA.
Best Overall Car Insurance in Downey
Considering service quality, affordability, financial stability and coverage, the overall best car insurance companies in Downey are:
- Progressive: MoneyGeek score of 74 out of 100 ($1,171 per year)
- GEICO: MoneyGeek score of 72 out of 100 ($1,263 per year)
Progressive ranks first with its overall MoneyGeek score, mainly driven by high affordability and coverage ratings. With Progressive, a Downey driver spends an average of $1,171 per year for a full coverage policy — the cheapest, open-to-all option in the city.
For military families in Downey, USAA is the overall best, with a MoneyGeek score of 85 out of 100 and a low price of around $1,044 annually.
How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

pros
Affordable premium
Offers essential coverages like roadside assistance and rental car reimbursement
Has gap insurance
cons
Low claims score
Doesn’t offer original equipment manufacturer (OEM) coverage
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Progressive scores high in affordability and offers multiple add-on coverages. It has the cheapest full coverage policy in Downey, with an average rate of $1,171 per year. A minimum coverage policy from Progressive is also generally cheaper than from other companies at around $496 per year.
Policyholders can purchase rare add-on coverages like custom parts and equipment, which pays for the repair or replacement of items added to your car. The coverage typically has a $5,000 limit.
A common add-on coverage is rental car reimbursement to pay for a rental car. While a vehicle is under repair as part of a claim, the coverage can pay for a rental car up to a certain amount per day and up to a specific number of days.
Roadside assistance coverage is also available for an additional cost. It pays for the cost of towing services and certain roadside repairs if the vehicle breaks down.
Best Car Insurance in Downey for Customer Service
Excluding cost, the top auto insurance providers for customer service in Downey are:
- Chubb: MoneyGeek score of 76 out of 100 ($2,138 per year)
- Capital Insurance Group: MoneyGeek score of 68 out of 100 ($1,570 per year)
Chubb got the highest claims score among the 15 companies offering car insurance in Downey that MoneyGeek included in this analysis. The company also received an excellent customer satisfaction rating.
Chubb is the best option for drivers who value customer service the most. However, its policies are relatively more expensive compared to other insurers in the city.
How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

pros
Excellent customer satisfaction rating
Great claims processing
Offers rental car reimbursement and OEM coverages
cons
Doesn’t offer some core coverages
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Chubb is the best option for customer service in Downey, reflecting high customer satisfaction scores based on J.D. Power studies and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) customer complaint index. However, it doesn’t offer some core coverages like gap insurance.
Add-on coverages available to Chubb policyholders include original equipment manufacturer (OEM) coverage, which includes using original parts for repairs in the event of an accident. The rental car reimbursement coverage provides a car rental while your vehicle is under repair because of a claim. You can get up to $15,000 coverage with no per-day limit.
The company also offers unique coverages like antique/classic car insurance. That is a great option for a driver who owns a car that is at least 30 years old, a part of a vehicle collection or a limited model. To qualify, the vehicle must be garaged and only used for hobby purposes.
Best Cheap Car Insurance in Downey
The best insurers in Downey based on MoneyGeek’s analysis of affordability and service quality for an auto insurance policy that only meets California’s minimum coverage requirements are:
- GEICO: MoneyGeek score of 78 out of 100 ($471 per year)
- Progressive: MoneyGeek score of 75 out of 100 ($496 per year)
The most affordable minimum coverage policies have the lowest premiums in Downey. However, they offer the least amount of protection against liability costs. In the event of an at-fault accident, the policy does not pay for damages to the policyholder’s vehicle.
How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

pros
Affordable minimum coverage policy that costs around $471 per year
Multiple discounts, including safe driving, multiple car and daytime running lights
cons
Doesn’t offer some common discounts like pay in full and distant student
Below-average coverage and claims scores
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
GEICO is the best insurance provider for cheap minimum coverage car insurance in Downey. It received the highest affordability rating and an above-average customer satisfaction score. A GEICO policy with minimum coverage costs an average of $471 per year, cheaper than the other insurers MoneyGeek analyzed in Downey.
The company offers discounts, which can further lower the cost of a car insurance policy. GEICO has common discounts like safe driving, multiple car, bundling and good student.
Although it doesn’t have other standard discounts, there are rarer discounts like daytime running lights. Special discounts are also available to active or retired federal employees and military members deployed in an emergency. Drivers who complete a defensive driving and/or driver’s education course can also get a lower rate.
Average Cost of Car Insurance in Downey
The average cost of auto insurance varies by location. In Downey, drivers spend an average of $1,531 per year for full coverage auto insurance with the following liability limits:
- $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
- $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
- $100,000 property damage liability per accident
Downey drivers typically spend around $102 more per year than the average cost of auto insurance in California ($1,429) as of October 2022 and roughly $107 more than the national average ($1,424).
About Mark Fitzpatrick
