With GEICO, Modesto drivers can get the best and cheapest minimum and full coverage policies. National General is the most affordable for those with a speeding ticket or DUI offense, while Capital Insurance Group offers the least expensive premiums for drivers with an at-fault accident. Consider State Farm if you have a teen on your policy, USAA if you have a military background and Chubb if you want the best service quality available.
Cheapest and Best Car Insurance in Modesto, CA








Cheapest Minimum Liability Car Insurance in Modesto
On average, the following insurers offer the cheapest minimum coverage policies in Modesto:
- GEICO: $418 per year
- Progressive: $490 per year
Chubb has the most expensive rates at $815 per year.
In the Golden State, liability-only policies must include the following minimum coverage for bodily injury and property damage:
- $15,000 bodily injury liability per person
- $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident
- $5,000 property damage liability per accident
Liability-only insurance covers the cost of damages to the other driver’s vehicle, not your own. With the coverage limits above, the insurance provider will pay medical expenses of $15,000 per person, up to a maximum of $30,000 per accident. You will be responsible for any costs exceeding this amount.
Cheapest Full Coverage Car Insurance in Modesto
The following companies offer the cheapest full coverage policies in Modesto:
- GEICO: $1,093 per year
- Progressive: $1,101 per year
Chubb has the most expensive rate at $1,941 per year.
For additional protection, you can opt for full coverage that includes collision and comprehensive insurance.
- Collision Insurance: Pays for damages to your car from crashes with other vehicles or objects.
- Comprehensive Insurance: Covers damages to your vehicle in the event of theft, animal damage or severe weather.
We recommend drivers with newer vehicles purchase full coverage to safeguard their investment. Full coverage may not be worth the added cost for drivers with older vehicles.
Cheapest Car Insurance in Modesto After a Driving Offense
Drivers with a traffic violation in Modesto can get the cheapest rates from the following insurers:
- Speeding ticket: National General ($1,200 per year)
- At-fault accident: Capital Insurance Group ($1,698 per year)
- DUI: National General ($1,200 per year)
Drivers with speeding tickets, at-fault accidents and DUI offenses will get the cheapest rates from Chubb ($2,546 per year), Kemper ($3,336 per year) and Hartford ($6,075 per year), respectively. Having a poor driving record can significantly increase the cost of your insurance. Even a cheap provider for a driver with a violation will cost more than an average-priced provider for someone with a clean driving history.
Car insurance rates typically increase in proportion to the severity of the driving offense. For instance, drivers in Modesto with a DUI offense pay an average of $1,423 more per year for car insurance than those with speeding tickets. Although a driving violation will increase the cost of your insurance, you can still find relatively cheap car insurance with a bad driving record.
Cheapest Car Insurance in Modesto for Teens and Their Families
Families that add a 16-year-old driver to their policy will get the cheapest rates from the following insurers:
- State Farm: $3,033 per year for male and female teens
- Farmers: $3,061 per year for male and female teens
Nationwide is the most expensive provider, costing approximately $4,816 per year. While not the case in Modesto, insurers typically charge male teens more for car insurance than female teens, as they consider the former riskier to insure. However, this cost discrepancy tends to decrease as teens approach adulthood.
Teen drivers can save money by joining a family plan instead of purchasing an individual policy. In Modesto, a 16-year-old male can save approximately $673 per year by joining a family policy. Compare providers for their rates and discount opportunities to find the cheapest car insurance for teens.
Cheapest Car Insurance in Modesto for Military Drivers
The following insurers offer the cheapest rates for military-affiliated drivers in Modesto:
- USAA: $923 per year
- GEICO: $1,093 per year
These rates are for a full coverage policy. Drivers who are interested in the cheapest auto insurance for military personnel can get minimum coverage policies with USAA at $401 per year or GEICO at $418 per year.
How to Compare Cheap Modesto Car Insurance Quotes Online
It can take up to 15 minutes to input the personal information required for a single car insurance quote. When comparing rates from multiple providers, this time adds up. MoneyGeek’s car insurance calculator allows you to easily estimate your rate using only your vehicle type, coverage level and driving record.
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Best Car Insurance in Modesto: Summary
The best auto insurer for you will vary based on how much you value affordability, customer satisfaction and coverage options. The following insurers are the best options for each respective category:
- Best overall: GEICO (MoneyGeek score of 75 out of 100)
- Best for service: Chubb (MoneyGeek score of 76 out of 100)
- Best cheap: GEICO (MoneyGeek score of 78 out of 100)
An insurer’s MoneyGeek score may vary based on how factors were weighted in that category. While GEICO is the best insurer in the city, CSAA is the best car insurance company in California. Drivers with a military background may consider USAA for their needs, as the insurer received a high MoneyGeek score of 85 out of 100.
Best Overall Car Insurance in Modesto
The following insurers are the best overall providers for full coverage policies in Modesto:
- GEICO: MoneyGeek score of 75 out of 100 ($1,093 per year)
- Progressive: MoneyGeek score of 74 out of 100 ($1,101 per year)
Compared to the 14 providers ranked in our study, GEICO has the least expensive rates and fifth-highest scores for customer service. With a MoneyGeek score of 85 out of 100, USAA is another great option for military drivers.
How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

pros
Has the cheapest premiums at $1,093 per year
Ranks fifth-highest in customer service
Offers Mechanical Breakdown Insurance (MBI), a unique add-on option
cons
Has a relatively low claims management rating
Offers few add-on coverage options
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
GEICO has the best balance of customer service and cost. Although it only offers a few coverage options, the ones available apply to most drivers.
GEICO offers Mechanical Breakdown Insurance (MBI), a more cost-effective option than a standard dealer-extended warranty. Instead of only covering certain features, MBI covers all parts and systems in your vehicle. Drivers with new or leased cars less than 15 months old and with fewer than 15,000 miles are eligible for this add-on option. Securing MBI coverage can save you from paying expensive repair bills.
Drivers can also get common coverages with GEICO, a small cost to pay for peace of mind if you get in an accident or your vehicle breaks down. Roadside assistance covers the cost of flat tires, towing and locksmith services, whereas rental car and/or travel reimbursement pays for a rental car if your car is being repaired after a covered loss.
Best Car Insurance in Modesto for Customer Service
For this category, we excluded affordability to select the best auto insurance companies based primarily on customer service. Our picks are:
- Chubb: MoneyGeek score of 76 out of 100 ($1,941 per year)
- Capital Insurance Group: MoneyGeek score of 68 out of 100 ($1,442 per year)
Chubb has the highest rating for claims management and the second-highest rating for customer satisfaction. However, it’s the most expensive provider in our comparison group of insurers.
How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

pros
Has the highest claims management rating
Has the second-best customer satisfaction score
Offers original equipment manufacturer (OEM) coverage
cons
Has few add-on coverage options
Doesn’t provide roadside assistance
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Chubb offers outstanding customer satisfaction and processes claims efficiently, guaranteeing that policyholders will have a great experience. Chubb also provides original equipment manufacturer (OEM) coverage, a rare add-on coverage that virtually all drivers can use.
Drivers that value using original parts to maintain their vehicle will prefer OEM coverage, which covers the cost to replace any damaged parts with ones from the original manufacturer. Chubb’s diminished value coverage, also known as agreed value coverage, can save you thousands of dollars if your car is ever declared a total loss.
To get this add-on coverage, you and Chubb must agree on your vehicle’s value when you purchase a policy. Rental car and/or travel reimbursement coverage is a great option for drivers who frequently travel. It covers the cost of a rental vehicle up to $5,000 with no daily limit.
Best Cheap Car Insurance in Modesto
The following insurers offer the best policies for the minimum coverage limits required in Modesto:
- GEICO: MoneyGeek score of 78 out of 100 ($418 per year)
- Progressive: MoneyGeek of score 70 out of 100 ($490 per year)
Although cheaper, minimum coverage policies may not provide sufficient protection if you get in an accident. These policies feature lower liability limits and don’t cover damages to your vehicle.
How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

pros
An affordable minimum coverage policy costs $418 per year
Offers discounts for bundling and installing anti-theft systems and anti-lock brakes
cons
Has a below-average claims processing score
Does not offer a pay-in-full discount
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
GEICO provides the cheapest auto insurance rates for minimum coverage at roughly $418 per year. It also has the fifth-best rating for customer satisfaction. Not including discounts, a GEICO policy costs around $35 per month.
You can get common discounts with GEICO when you bundle your home and auto insurance, are accident-free for more than five years or insure multiple vehicles. Drivers can also save when they install airbags, anti-lock brakes and an anti-theft system. It’s possible to also get a discount for completing a defensive driving course or a driver’s education course. GEICO even offers unique discounts, including one for installing daytime running lights and using your seat belt frequently.
Average Cost of Car Insurance in Modesto
As of October 2022, a full coverage policy in Modesto costs an average of $1,401 per year, which is $14 less than the average cost of auto insurance in California at $1,387 per year. Modesto rates are around $136 cheaper than the national average of $1,265 per year.
The above estimates reflect a full coverage policy that has $100,000 in bodily injury liability per person and $300,000 in bodily injury liability per accident. This also includes $100,000 in property damage liability for each accident.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
