The top insurance provider may vary across individuals. For instance, National General offers the cheapest full coverage insurance in Salinas and is the least expensive for those with violations and military drivers. State Farm is the most affordable for families with teens. Chubb scored the highest for service quality, while GEICO is the cheapest option and MoneyGeek’s best overall pick.
Cheapest and Best Car Insurance in Salinas, CA








Cheapest Minimum Liability Car Insurance in Salinas
The following companies in Salinas provide the lowest minimum coverage vehicle insurance rates:
- GEICO: $330 per year
- CSAA: $374 per year
At an annual cost of $686 as of October 2022, Chubb's minimum insurance premium is the most expensive in Salinas.
Car insurance policies in California must satisfy the following minimum requirements:
- $15,000 bodily injury liability per person
- $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident
- $5,000 property damage liability per accident
If you cause an accident and have bodily injury liability insurance, your insurer will pay for the injured parties' medical expenses up to that amount. In this case, it is up to $15,000 per person involved and $30,000 per accident if you are at fault. If the total cost exceeds $30,000, the remaining balance is your responsibility.
Cheapest Full Coverage Car Insurance in Salinas
The following companies in Salinas provide full coverage auto insurance at the lowest prices:
- National General: $757 per year
- Progressive: $923 per year
At an average yearly cost of $1,686 as of October 2022, Chubb’s full coverage insurance is the most expensive in Salinas.
A full coverage insurance policy comes with collision and comprehensive coverage for added protection.
- Collision Insurance: Covers the cost of fixing damage to your car due to an accident with another vehicle or object.
- Comprehensive Insurance: Covers the cost to replace or repair your car due to theft, vandalism, flooding, fire and other non-collision damages.
Buying comprehensive insurance is a sound financial decision for those with new cars. However, if you have an older car, the cost of full coverage insurance could be higher than the car’s value.
Cheapest Car Insurance in Salinas After a Driving Offense
National General offers the most affordable full coverage auto insurance in Salinas if you have a driving violation.
- Speeding ticket: National General ($795 per year)
- At-fault accident: National General ($1,121 per year)
- DUI: National General ($795 per year)
Chubb is the most expensive after an accident ($2,713 per year) and after a speeding ticket ($2,209 per year), while Hartford has the highest yearly premiums after a DUI ($4,822). Even the cheapest insurance will cost more for drivers with violations than those with clean records.
The increase in your insurance premium will often depend on the violation’s seriousness. For instance, your premium could increase by as much as $495 per year after a speeding ticket in Salinas. However, a DUI can result in an average increase of $1,690 per year. MoneyGeek researched the most affordable car insurance options for those with a bad driving record to help you explore your options.
Cheapest Car Insurance in Salinas for Teens and Their Families
The following companies offer the lowest insurance rates for adding teens to a family auto policy:
- State Farm: $2,695 per year for female and male teens
- GEICO: $2,696 per year for female teens; Farmers: $2,711 per year for male teens
With yearly average rates of $4,479, Nationwide is the most expensive provider for teens in Salinas.
Adding young drivers to a family policy is generally cheaper than purchasing an individual policy. Adding a male 16-year-old driver to a family policy in Salinas costs an average of $673 less than buying a separate policy. Always compare quotes to find the cheapest teen auto insurance providers.
Cheapest Car Insurance in Salinas for Military Drivers
The following companies in Salinas offer full coverage auto insurance for military personnel and their families at the most affordable prices:
- National General: $757 per year
- USAA: $864 per year
GEICO ($330 per year) and USAA ($359 per year) have the lowest minimum coverage premiums. MoneyGeek has also analyzed the cheapest military auto insurance companies to help you with your research.
How to Compare Cheap Salinas Car Insurance Quotes Online
Getting an online quote from one provider can take 15 minutes or longer, depending on how many details you need to provide. MoneyGeek’s car insurance calculator can give you a quick premium estimate when you simply enter your age, vehicle details, driving history and preferred level of coverage.
Auto Insurance Calculator
See how the Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates vary with the options chosen.
Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates
Click the section of the wheel in your price range to see options.
low end
on average
high end
Click an insurer below to visit their review page or continue to your personalized quote.
Best Car Insurance in Salinas: Summary
The insurance company that is best for you depends on your needs and preferences. These providers offer the best options in Salinas for different categories:
- Best overall: GEICO (MoneyGeek score of 69 out of 100)
- Best for service: Chubb (MoneyGeek score of 76 out of 100)
- Best cheap: GEICO (MoneyGeek score of 78 out of 100)
MoneyGeek scores for a company can change depending on the category. CSAA offers the best auto insurance in California. With an overall rating of 82 out of 100, USAA auto insurance is one of MoneyGeek's top choices for qualifying military members and their families.
Best Overall Car Insurance in Salinas
Based on an evaluation of costs, claims processing and client satisfaction scores, the following auto insurance providers are MoneyGeek's top picks in Salinas:
- GEICO: MoneyGeek score of 69 out of 100 ($947 per year)
- Progressive: MoneyGeek score of 69 out of 100 ($923 per year)
Most drivers will find a GEICO policy to be a worthwhile option because of its affordability and high customer satisfaction ratings.
With a MoneyGeek rating of 82 out of 100, USAA is also a top auto insurer for military members and their families.
How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

pros
Ranked #3 out of 14 insurers for affordability
Ranked #4 out of 14 insurers for customer satisfaction
Offers mechanical breakdown insurance and accident forgiveness
cons
Does not offer deductible modification or OEM coverage
No new or better car replacement
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
GEICO offers a good balance of affordability and quality service in Salinas. It offers mechanical breakdown assistance, a unique add-on coverage, as well as essential coverages. Unlike other top insurance providers, GEICO does not offer new car replacement or OEM coverage.
Compared to the standard extended warranty from your dealer, GEICO’s mechanical breakdown insurance offers superior coverage at a more affordable price. It is available for new or leased cars that are less than 15 months old and have fewer than 15,000 miles on them.
If you have accident forgiveness on your GEICO auto insurance policy, your insurance premium won't increase after your first accident, even if you were at fault. GEICO offers this add-on for free if you maintain a clean driving record, but it is also available for purchase.
Best Car Insurance in Salinas for Customer Service
According to MoneyGeek's criteria for customer experience, the following companies provide the best full coverage auto insurance in Salinas, regardless of price:
- Chubb: MoneyGeek score of 76 out of 100 ($1,686 per year)
- Capital Insurance Group: MoneyGeek score of 68 out of 100 ($1,323 per year)
Chubb received the fewest customer complaints out of 14 insurers and received the best scores for claims handling. However, it is also the most expensive provider.
How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

pros
Ranked #1 out of 14 insurers for claims management
Ranked #2 out of 14 insurers for customer satisfaction
Offers rental car reimbursement and OEM coverage
cons
Most expensive insurer
Lacks new or better car replacement
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners customer complaint index and the 2022 J.D. Power study, Chubb provides excellent service and receives fewer complaints than other businesses of its size.
In the case of a covered loss, Chubb's rental car reimbursement coverage offers policyholders much greater flexibility when renting a replacement car. This coverage, which has a cap of $15K, has no daily maximum. Moreover, Chubb offers OEM coverage, which pays for the cost of repairing your car with factory parts after a covered accident. In comparison, some suppliers only provide aftermarket components, which can be less reputable than components from the original manufacturer.
Unfortunately, this company does not offer optional gap insurance or new or better car replacement, which many other insurers provide.
Best Cheap Car Insurance in Salinas
After evaluating price and customer satisfaction across several Salinas insurance providers, MoneyGeek determined the following companies offer the best minimum coverage auto insurance:
- GEICO: MoneyGeek score of 78 out of 100 ($330 per year)
- Progressive: MoneyGeek score of 71 out of 100 ($386 per year)
Although minimum coverage policies are the cheapest, they provide very limited protection against liability costs and don’t cover vehicle damage in the case of an accident.
How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

pros
An affordable minimum coverage policy costs $330 per year
Provides various discounts
Outstanding client satisfaction and essential coverage options
cons
No paperless discounts
Poor claims management
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
GEICO offers the best and most affordable minimum coverage policies in Salinas and has a solid reputation for providing great customer service. The company rewards safe driving practices with discounts and provides discounts for bundling.
You can be eligible for a discount on the medical payments or personal injury protection component of your premium if you consistently wear a seatbelt. You can also save up to 22% on most coverages if you've had no accidents for five years.
If your car has airbags, you may save up to 23%, and if it has an anti-lock brake system installed by the manufacturer, you could save 5%. You can also save money on your auto insurance if you already have other GEICO insurance, such as a home or renters. Also, drivers who insure more than one vehicle can receive premium discounts of up to 25%.
Average Cost of Car Insurance in Salinas
Where you live is one of many factors that affect insurance premiums. For Salinas drivers, the average yearly rate for full coverage auto insurance is $1,199 as of October 2022. That is $188 less than the average cost of auto insurance in California ($1,387) and $122 less than the average national cost of auto insurance ($1,265). These rates are for a full coverage insurance plan with bodily injury liability limits of $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident and $100,000 in property damage.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
