Cheapest and Best Car Insurance Companies in Santa Clara, CA
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, Content DirectorYour driver profile and coverage needs, among other factors, may determine the cheapest Santa Clara auto insurer for you. The best and cheapest car insurer is GEICO. Meanwhile, National General has the most affordable full coverage policies and plans for people with poor driving records, while State Farm has the cheapest policies for teens. USAA is the most affordable insurer for military-affiliated policyholders. Finally, Santa Clara's best customer service provider is Chubb.
Cheapest and Best Car Insurance in Santa Clara, CA








Cheapest Minimum Liability Car Insurance in Santa Clara
The following Santa Clara car insurance providers have the most affordable rates for minimum coverage policies:
- GEICO: $365 per year
- CSAA: $409 per year
Chubb has the most expensive premiums for minimum coverage auto insurance at $743 per year.
In accordance with California law, a minimum coverage insurance policy must include property damage and bodily injury liability coverages.
In the event of an accident resulting in bodily harm, the insurance provider will pay up to $15,000 per injured person, up to a total of $30,000 per incident, along with up to $5,000 in property damage.
Cheapest Full Coverage Car Insurance in Santa Clara
If you're looking for the cheapest full coverage car insurance in Santa Clara, check out the following companies:
- National General: $921 per year
- GEICO: $952 per year
Chubb has the highest rates in the city, at $1,804 per year for full coverage.
Collision and comprehensive coverage are both part of a full coverage auto insurance plan.
- Collision Insurance: In the event of a collision, this insurance will cover the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle.
- Comprehensive Insurance: Coverage for occurrences other than collisions, such as theft and vandalism, is included in comprehensive insurance.
An older car may not warrant the added cost of full coverage insurance, especially if it is in poor shape and is not worth enough to offset the hundreds of dollars it would cost to upgrade minimum coverage to full coverage.
Cheapest Car Insurance in Santa Clara After a Driving Offense
Here are the auto insurance providers in Santa Clara with the most affordable prices after getting a driving violation on your record:
- Speeding ticket: National General ($968 per year)
- At-fault accident: National General ($1,367 per year)
- DUI: National General ($968 per year)
The companies with the highest auto insurance rates vary according to the specific infraction a driver has. For example, Kemper is the costliest for those with an at-fault accident at $3,344 per year. Meanwhile, Nationwide will charge the highest average rate at $2,451 per year if you have a speeding ticket, and The Hartford has the least affordable rate of $5,379 for a DUI violation.
Insurance premiums can be significantly higher for drivers with tickets, accidents or other infractions on their records — even the cheapest provider will charge more for such customers.
More severe offenses tend to cause a higher increase in rates. For example, insurance with an at-fault accident will cost around $399 more per year than insurance with a speeding ticket. Still, there are options available to people seeking the cheapest car insurance with a bad driving record.
Cheapest Car Insurance in Santa Clara for Teens and Their Families
These Santa Clara car insurance providers offer the most competitive rates for family policies that include teenage drivers.
- State Farm: $2,573 per year for teen boys and girls
- GEICO: $2,732 per year for teen girls
- Farmers: $2,808 per year for teen boys
Nationwide charges the highest rates for teen boys and girls at $5,063 per year.
While it isn't reflected in our top rankings, teenage boys typically pay higher rates than teenage girls because they are viewed as a higher risk to insure. For instance, this is the case if you choose GEICO ($2,732 for teen girls, $2,881 for teen boys). However, this difference drops off as teens become young adults.
Teens pay much more for insurance if they purchase coverage on their own, so it makes sense to include them in the family plan instead. A teen boy in Santa Clara, for instance, would pay roughly $673 more to buy a separate policy than to join the family’s policy. Finding the cheapest auto insurance for teens could save you hundreds of dollars each year.
Cheapest Car Insurance in Santa Clara for Military Drivers
The following are the two cheapest full coverage car insurance providers for military members, veterans and their families in Santa Clara.
- USAA: $816 per year
- National General: $921 per year
USAA is also the cheapest option for minimum coverage at $354 per year, followed by GEICO at $365.
How to Compare Cheap Santa Clara Car Insurance Quotes Online
A single online car insurance quote in Satna Clara, California, can take up to 15 minutes to obtain, and you have to fill out a lot of personal information. Fortunately, the MoneyGeek car insurance calculator can quickly provide you with a rough quote estimate based on your basic profile details, such as age, coverage level needed, vehicle type and driving record.
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Best Car Insurance in Santa Clara: Summary
Which auto insurance company you prefer in Santa Clara will depend on your priorities in terms of cost, coverage levels and other considerations. Our top choices across several categories are listed below.
- Best overall: GEICO (MoneyGeek score 74 out of 100)
- Best for service: Chubb (MoneyGeek score 76 out of 100)
- Best cheap: GEICO (MoneyGeek score 78 out of 100)
The MoneyGeek score for a company as a whole may change based on the weighted value of the various factors considered.
On a statewide basis, CSAA is the best provider of car insurance in California. The best option for military policyholders is USAA due to its military-specific policies and 85 out of 100 MG score, which is the highest in this category.
Best Overall Car Insurance in Santa Clara
After careful consideration of all the important characteristics of auto insurers, we determined that these are the two best full coverage auto insurers in Santa Clara:
- GEICO: MoneyGeek score 74 out of 100 ($952 per year)
- Progressive: MoneyGeek score 72 out of 100 ($998 per year)
In addition to competitive rates, GEICO also provides strong customer service, making it our top pick in this category.
USAA, with a MoneyGeek score of 85, is a great choice for people with military affiliation, such as active-duty personnel, veterans and their eligible family members.
How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

pros
Ranked #2 for affordability
Ranked #4 for customer service
Offers Mechanical Breakdown Insurance and classic car insurance
cons
Ranked #9 for claims handling
No new car replacement or deductible modification coverage
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
With competitive rates and reliable service, GEICO stands out as the top car insurer in Santa Clara. And although its competitors may provide more types of coverage, GEICO distinguishes itself through its selection of uncommon and rare coverages.
Mechanical Breakdown Insurance (MBI) is one such coverage and it covers vehicles under 15 months old with less than 15,000 miles that have been purchased or leased. All systems and components are protected at a lower cost than a dealer’s extended warranty. Another rare coverage, classic car insurance, may include medical coverage, liability protection and uninsured/underinsured motorist protection for eligible vintage or classic vehicles.
Meanwhile, GEICO's rental car reimbursement coverage will pay up to a set amount for a rental car if your vehicle is undrivable for over 24 hours due to a covered accident.
Best Car Insurance in Santa Clara for Customer Service
Once we removed affordability from our evaluation, the following car insurance providers stood out as the best auto insurers in Santa Clara in terms of customer service.
- Chubb: MoneyGeek score 76 out of 100 ($1,804 per year)
- Capital Insurance Group: MoneyGeek score 68 out of 100 ($1,324 per year)
Customers pay more for Chubb because of the company's excellent claims processing and customer support. However, as far as premiums go, it's the priciest option in the city.
How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

pros
Excellent customer service and claims management
Offers Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and diminished value coverages
cons
Most expensive provider in Santa Clara
Doesn’t offer roadside assistance or gap insurance
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Overall, the range of coverages offered by Chubb leaves something to be desired. Although it lacks some common basic coverages, it makes up for it by offering a couple of unique benefits.
For instance, with its Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) coverage, Chubb will cover the expense of using original parts — not aftermarket or third-party parts — to restore your vehicle to its pre-accident condition.
In addition, with Chubb’s diminished value coverage, you and the insurer agree upon the value of your car when the policy is written. If your vehicle is totaled or stolen, Chubb will pay you the agreed-upon amount rather than the car’s actual depreciated value.
Chubb also offers rental car reimbursement coverage, which allows you to rent an automobile that is identical to your own.
Best Cheap Car Insurance in Santa Clara
These are the best insurance companies in Santa Clara regarding costs and service standards for policies that only satisfy California's minimum coverage requirements:
- GEICO: MoneyGeek score 78 out of 100 ($365 per year)
- Progressive: MoneyGeek score 69 out of 100 ($443 per year)
In Santa Clara, the cheapest minimum coverage plans typically offer the least liability protection and do not cover the costs of damage to your own car should an accident occur.
How was this MoneyGeek score calculated?

pros
An affordable minimum coverage policy costs $365 per year
Offers discounts for multiple cars, anti-theft systems and electronic tracking devices
Ranked #4 of 14 insurers for customer satisfaction
cons
Doesn’t offer paperless and pay-in-full discounts
Ranked #9 for claims management
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
GEICO offers affordable insurance policies and solid customer support. It's inexpensive, to begin with, and it also provides a number of common and uncommon discounts to lower its premiums.
By bundling auto insurance with home, renters, mobile or condo insurance, you can reduce your premium. In addition, GEICO provides discounts if you have two or more vehicles insured, haven't been in an accident for at least five years or have a student on your policy who maintains excellent grades.
GEICO also provides uncommon and rare saving opportunities. For instance, you can reduce your monthly premium by always wearing your seatbelt. If you are in the military, you might get a discount if you’re deployed in an emergency.
Federal employees, teachers, military personnel and members of partner fraternities, sororities, alumni groups and professional organizations are also eligible for discounts.
Average Cost of Car Insurance in Santa Clara
Santa Clara residents pay an average cost of $1,289, which is $98 less than the average cost of car insurance in California as of October 2022. However, location is just one of a number of variables that affect the price of auto insurance.
These premiums are for full coverage insurance with liability limits of $100,000 for bodily injury liability per person, $300,000 for bodily injury liability per accident and $100,000 for property damage liability.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
