Cheapest and Best Car Insurance in Santa Clara, CA (July 2024)

Finding the right coverage in Santa Clara is influenced by your coverage preferences and personal driving profile. For full coverage, Progressive is the cheapest, whereas GEICO is the least expensive for minimum coverage. State Farm offers the best rates for families with teen drivers.

Chubb is best for customer service, but Capital Insurance Group is the best overall for balancing cost and service. Your choice ideally incorporates your coverage needs and service expectations.

GEICO is the most affordable option in Santa Clara for minimum coverage car insurance.

• GEICO: $412 per year
• Mercury: $413 per year

The most expensive minimum coverage policy in Santa City is offered by Chubb, with an annual premium of $743. That's $331 more than GEICO, highlighting why consumers should compare rates to find the cheapest car insurance.

State Minimum Liability Requirements

For drivers across California, state law dictates the minimum car insurance coverage required. Here's the breakdown:

• $15,000 bodily injury liability per person
  
• $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident
  
• $5,000 property damage liability per accident
  

For instance, if you hold a minimum coverage policy and are at fault in an accident, the policy would cover up to $15,000 for an individual's injury and a total of $30,000 for injuries to all persons affected. Should costs exceed these amounts, you'd be responsible for the remaining expenses out of pocket.

Progressive is the cheapest full coverage car insurance option in Santa Clara.

• Progressive: $1,022 per year
• GEICO: $1,083 per year

Farmers offers the most expensive full coverage policy in Santa Clara, with an annual rate that is $928 higher than Progressive. This considerable gap highlights the importance of comparing rates for full coverage car insurance, which generally costs more than minimum coverage due to the broader protection it provides, such as collision and comprehensive coverage.

Do You Need Full Coverage in California?

A full coverage policy in Santa Clara includes coverage for damage to your own vehicle in the form of comprehensive and collision coverages. It usually also includes increased liability limits.

• Collision Insurance: This provides coverage for your vehicle in the event of a collision, whether with another vehicle or a stationary object like a tree or light pole. It also covers rollover accidents and pothole damage.

• Comprehensive Insurance: This coverage insures your vehicle against various types of damage not caused by collisions, including theft, vandalism, fires, natural disasters and being struck by an animal like a deer.

If you have a new vehicle, it's wise to opt for full coverage insurance for more robust financial protection. If you're leasing or have a car loan, you are typically required to carry full coverage insurance.

On the other hand, owners of older vehicles may find that the extra cost — which can amount to several hundred dollars more per year — is not justified by the value of the vehicle. When deciding how much car insurance coverage you need, consider your ideal balance: more extensive coverage comes with higher premiums, but getting less coverage means you may pay more out of pocket if you need to file a claim.

National General is the cheapest option in Santa Clara for drivers with a variety of offenses. Below are the cheapest providers for each specific offense:

• Speeding ticket: National General ($1,154 per year)
• At-fault accident: Capital Insurance Group ($1,557 per year)
• DUI: National General ($1,154 per year)

Among these companies, Hartford has some of the most expensive rates for each offense, with a particularly significant jump for a DUI at $5,298 per year. This highlights the variance car insurance rates can have based on the severity of the violation.

In Santa Clara, as in many cities, insurance premiums typically escalate with the severity of a driving offense. For example, drivers with a speeding ticket might expect to pay an average annual premium of approximately $2,006, while those with a DUI offense could be looking at nearly $3,398.

This difference highlights the significance for people with driving infractions to diligently compare insurance rates to identify potential savings and obtain the most cost-effective coverage.

In Santa Clara, State Farm offers the cheapest car insurance for teens. Here are the two most cost-effective providers:

• State Farm: $2,573 per year for female and male teens
• GEICO: $2,732 per year for female teens and $2,881 per year for male teens

These rates reflect the combined annual premium for a policy that comprises two parents and a teen driver.

Nationwide is the priciest option for teen family policies in Santa Clara, with the annual premium for a female teen being $5,063. This highlights a substantial savings opportunity of $2,490 when comparing State Farm to Nationwide. Such a significant difference underscores the importance of comparing insurance rates, especially when adding high-risk drivers like teenagers to your policy.

In Santa Clara and throughout the United States, the disparity in car insurance premiums for teens is considerable, especially when comparing individual policies to those bundled with a family plan. On average, an individual teenage driver might face an annual premium of roughly $4,092, while being added to a family plan could significantly reduce the rate to about $3,413. This difference often stems from insurance providers considering teens' lack of driving experience and higher risk factors, leading to increased individual policy rates.

Consequently, it is not just a matter of cost but also of accessibility because teens may struggle to secure an individual policy due to these perceived risks. For families, the prudent financial move is clear: adding a teen driver to the family insurance plan can result in considerable savings while still providing necessary coverage.

In Santa Clara, Progressive offers the cheapest car insurance for military backgrounds. The two most affordable providers are:

• Progressive: $1,022 per year
• GEICO: $1,083 per year

Although not the cheapest, USAA is also a competitive option, ranking at $1,156 per year. USAA is renowned for its tailored service to active duty military members.

In Santa Clara, comparing car insurance rates is a key strategy for cost savings. However, the process is often cumbersome, potentially requiring over an hour to examine rates from three or more companies.

MoneyGeek's car insurance calculator can help you streamline this process. By inputting details like age, driving history, credit score and preferred coverage, you can instantly receive rate estimates.

Choosing the best auto insurance depends on how you prioritize factors like service, cost, coverage and other variables. MoneyGeek's unique scoring system evaluates carriers in Santa Clara across these aspects to guide your decision:

• Best overall: Capital Insurance Group (MoneyGeek score 82 out of 100)
• Best for service: Chubb (MoneyGeek score 94 out of 100)
• Best cheap: Mercury (MoneyGeek score 82 out of 100)

With different victors in each category, the recommendations cater to varied preferences. Mercury may appeal to budget-focused drivers who still expect decent service. Chubb stands out for consumers seeking premier customer service, irrespective of cost. Capital Insurance Group offers a strong mix, providing balanced service and affordability, making it the top choice for those who desire overall value.

In Santa Clara, Capital Insurance Group offers the best comprehensive car insurance policy.

• Capital Insurance Group: MoneyGeek score of 82 out of 100 ($1,317 per year)
• Chubb: MoneyGeek score of 79 out of 100 ($1,804 per year)

Capital Insurance Group stands out largely due to its high satisfaction and affordability. This score reflects a full coverage policy, ensuring comprehensive protection for Santa Clara drivers.

Chubb offers exceptional car insurance focusing on customer service. Its MoneyGeek score signifies excellence in overall satisfaction, claims handling and coverage options, independent of rate consideration.

• Chubb: MoneyGeek score of 94 out of 100 ($1,804 per year)
• Capital Insurance Group: MoneyGeek score of 82 out of 100 ($1,317 per year)

Chubb distinguishes itself as the premier choice with its unparalleled claims handling and comprehensive coverages. With attention to such critical aspects of car insurance, Chubb stands out for providing customers with superior service and peace of mind.

Mercury offers the best cheap car insurance in Santa Clara, striking an optimal balance between affordability and customer satisfaction. Here’s how the top companies rank:

• Mercury: MoneyGeek score of 82 out of 100 ($413 per year)
• Capital Insurance Group: MoneyGeek score of 78 out of 100 ($543 per year)

Mercury stands out not only for its competitive pricing but also for its solid performance in customer satisfaction and claims handling, major factors contributing to its high MoneyGeek score for minimum coverage policies.

In Santa Clara, California, the average cost of car insurance is currently $1,562 per month, identical to California's overall average. However, when evaluated against the national average car insurance rate of $1,781, Californians pay $219 less.

Location is a decisive factor influencing car insurance rates, impacting premiums due to variables such as accident rates, vehicle thefts and the cost of living. For example, in Glendale, the city with the highest car insurance premium, policyholders pay an average of $2,115 — a contrast to the $1,106 premium in Santa Maria, which is the cheapest. This demonstrates a difference of $1,009 within the same state.

In less urbanized regions with reduced traffic congestion, insurance rates may drop even further, underscoring the significance of location in determining car insurance costs.