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Esurance provides the cheapest full coverage car insurance policy in San Diego at $903 per year and the most affordable insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket at $1,139 per year. Progressive offers the cheapest minimum coverage policy at $427. USAA is an affordable option for military families, but overall, AAA is the best insurance company in San Diego, per MoneyGeek’s analysis.

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2023

The Cheapest and Best Car Insurance in San Diego

The Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in San Diego

The cheapest car insurance companies for full coverage policies in San Diego are:

  • Esurance: $903 per year
  • Progressive: $971 per year

Esurance policies are $653 cheaper than the most expensive policy in San Diego offered by Allied. A full coverage policy provides comprehensive and collision insurance, though your prices may differ depending on how much liability insurance you select.

Cheapest Car Insurance in San Diego
Full Coverage 100/300/100
  • Company
    100/300/100per year
  • 1.
    Esurance
    $903
  • 2.
    Progressive
    $971
  • 3.
    GEICO
    $1,052
  • 4.
    USAA
    $1,116
  • 5.
    MetLife
    $1,117
  • 6.
    Allstate
    $1,149
  • 7.
    AAA
    $1,165
  • 8.
    Mercury
    $1,303
  • 9.
    State Farm
    $1,383
  • 10.
    Hartford
    $1,434
  • 11.
    Farmers
    $1,465
  • 12.
    Travelers
    $1,493
  • 13.
    Allied
    $1,556

MoneyGeek analyzed insurance rates for a 40-year-old male driver in San Diego with a full coverage policy as set out in our methodology.

Along with liability insurance, full coverage car insurance also includes the following coverages that are not included in minimum coverage policies:

  • Collision Insurance: Pays for your car’s damages if you hit another vehicle or a stationary object.
  • Comprehensive Insurance: Protects against expenses to your car from non-collision damage and loss.

Although costlier than minimum coverage policies, full coverage insurance provides protection in case of any damage to your vehicle. If you own an older vehicle, choosing a policy that meets state minimum requirements may be a better option, especially if a full coverage policy costs more than your vehicle’s replacement value.

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Cheapest Car Insurance in San Diego for Minimum Coverage

A minimum coverage policy is the cheapest car insurance option in San Diego. The companies that offer the most affordable policies are:

  • Progressive: $427 per year
  • GEICO: $442 per year

Progressive’s policy is $352 cheaper than the most expensive minimum coverage policy provided by Farmers.

Although minimum coverage policies are the most affordable, they don’t include comprehensive or collision insurance and have low levels of liability. This puts you at risk of not being completely covered in the event of an accident.

You can check out the below table to understand how much higher liability coverage costs.

Cheapest Minimum Liability Car Insurance in San Diego
State Minimum

A minimum coverage policy is the cheapest insurance option in San Diego but only includes liability coverage. In the event of an accident, you may end up paying a substantial amount out of pocket.

For example, if you’re at fault in an accident and the medical bills for the other driver and their passengers surpass $30,000, you’ll be responsible for whatever that amount is.

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 San Diego if You Have Driving Violations

DUIs, speeding tickets and at-fault accidents will increase the cost of your car insurance premiums. The insurers with the cheapest policies for drivers with violations in San Diego are:

  • Cheapest after a ticket: Esurance, $1,139 per year
  • Cheapest after an at-fault accident: Esurance, $1,403 per year
  • Cheapest after a DUI: Mercury, $2,131 per year

Drivers in San Diego with prior violations can reduce their annual insurance premiums by improving their driving history over time. While doing that, it’s smart to look around for the best cheap car insurance options for drivers with bad records.

Cheapest Car Insurance in San Diego With a Violation
Speeding Ticket

Average Cost of Car Insurance in San Diego

San Diego$1,249
California$1,429
U.S.$1,424

In San Diego, the average annual cost of car insurance is $1,249, which is less than both the state and national average cost of auto coverage. Drivers in San Diego pay 12.6% less than the average annual cost of car insurance in California, and 12.3% less than the national average.

Personalized Quotes to Get You the Cheapest Car Insurance in San Diego

When determining car insurance quotes in San Diego, auto insurance companies rely on several factors to evaluate the risk associated with the driver. These factors include age, gender, make and model of the vehicle, driving experience and ZIP code, among others. For instance, in San Diego, an Allstate policy for an 18-year-old driver is more than double the cost of a policy for a 40-year-old driver. Regularly getting a personalized quote can help you find affordable coverage as your circumstances change.

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The Best Car Insurance Companies in San Diego

MoneyGeek graded the best insurance options for drivers in San Diego that balance affordability and quality service. The top car insurance companies in San Diego for most drivers are:

  • AAA: MoneyGeek score of 90 out of 100
  • GEICO: MoneyGeek score of 90 out of 100

USAA scored highest as per MoneyGeek’s rating system and is the best option for current and former military members and their families.

MoneyGeek evaluated user satisfaction, affordability and financial stability to calculate the final scores. We also used data from data analytics and consumer intelligence company J. D. Power and other independent outfits.


1
Esurance
Score:92

4.8/5

Affordability

3.7/5

Claims

4.2/5

User Satisfaction

4.5/5

Financial Stability

2
GEICO
Score:86

4.2/5

Affordability

4/5

Claims

4.5/5

User Satisfaction

5/5

Financial Stability

3
AAA
Score:82

3.9/5

Affordability

5/5

Claims

4.5/5

User Satisfaction

4/5

Financial Stability

4
Progressive
Score:79

4/5

Affordability

3.5/5

Claims

4/5

User Satisfaction

4.5/5

Financial Stability

5
MetLife
Score:73

3.5/5

Affordability

4.1/5

Claims

3.5/5

User Satisfaction

4.5/5

Financial Stability

6
Allstate
Score:66

2.9/5

Affordability

4/5

Claims

4/5

User Satisfaction

4.5/5

Financial Stability

7
State Farm
Score:62

2.5/5

Affordability

4/5

Claims

4.5/5

User Satisfaction

5/5

Financial Stability

8
Mercury
Score:61

2.7/5

Affordability

3.5/5

Claims

4/5

User Satisfaction

4/5

Financial Stability

9
Travelers
Score:55

2.1/5

Affordability

4.2/5

Claims

3.6/5

User Satisfaction

5/5

Financial Stability

10
Farmers
Score:42

1.3/5

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:21

1.5/5

Affordability

NaN/5

Claims

NaN/5

User Satisfaction

NaN/5

Financial Stability

Average Cost of Car Insurance by Postal Code

Where you live in California can play a big role in how much your car insurance will cost, and that’s definitely true in San Diego. This is because of factors such as car theft incidents, number of accidents and more. For instance, those living in the city’s most affordable neighborhood for auto coverage — ZIP code 92154 — will pay $255 less in annual car insurance premiums than drivers living in the 92105 neighborhood, the city’s most expensive ZIP code for auto insurance.

  • Zip Code
    State Minimumper year
  • 92154
    $1,161
  • 92129
    $1,188
  • 92117
    $1,205
  • 92126
    $1,209
  • 92130
    $1,215
  • 92114
    $1,292
  • 92115
    $1,308
  • 92105
    $1,416

Factors That Impact Insurance Costs in San Diego

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 San Diego. How San Diego 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 Fatalities176th/300
handcuffs2 icon
Most Car Thefts178th/300
uninsured icon
Most Uninsured Motorists by State12th/50
insurance2 icon
Personal Injury Protection RequiredNo
rain icon
Most Annual Rainfall283rd/300
umbrella icon
Most Rainy Days248th/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.