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

Finding the cheapest or best car insurance in Santa Rosa, California, depends on coverage needs and driver specifics. Progressive offers the lowest rates for full coverage, while GEICO leads in minimum coverage. Farmers is the most budget-friendly option for families with teens. Chubb excels in customer service, and Capital Insurance Group provides the best affordability and service.

MoneyGeek found GEICO the cheapest option for minimum coverage car insurance in Santa Rosa, offering significant savings. Discover the provider with the cheapest car insurance and compare costs:

• GEICO: $399 per year
• Mercury: $439 per year

While GEICO has the most affordable rate, Chubb offers the most expensive minimum coverage policy at $746 per year. The $347 difference highlights the importance of shopping around to find the best rates and avoid overpaying for car insurance.

For all cities in California, the state requires all drivers to carry the minimum car insurance coverage with the following limits:

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

If you have the minimum required coverage and are at fault in an accident, your policy would cover up to $15,000 for one person's injuries. If three people are injured and the total cost is $45,000, your policy would pay only up to $30,000 for the accident. You need to pay any additional expenses out of pocket.

MoneyGeek found that Progressive offers the cheapest full coverage car insurance in Santa Rosa.

• Progressive: $1,119 per year
• National General: $1,132 per year

Travelers has the most expensive full coverage policy in Santa Rosa at $1,976 annually, emphasizing the need to compare rates. The $857 difference between the cheapest and priciest options shows why full coverage policies, including comprehensive and collision insurance on top of liability, vary widely in cost.

Upgrading your Santa Rosa policy through MoneyGeek to full coverage enhances your liability protection. It covers up to $100,000 for bodily injury per person, $300,000 for bodily injury per accident and $100,000 for property damage per accident. This is known as a 100/300/100 policy.

Aside from increased liability coverage, a full coverage policy includes comprehensive and collision insurance.

• Collision insurance covers your vehicle against accidents involving other vehicles, objects like trees or light poles, rollovers and pothole damage.
• Comprehensive insurance covers non-collision incidents that cause vehicle damage or loss, such as theft, natural disasters and collisions with animals like deer.

Selecting full coverage insurance is wise for new cars to protect your investment. For older vehicles, the cost of additional coverage outweighs the benefits, adding hundreds to your premiums. If you lease or loan a car, full coverage is required.

To know how much car insurance you need, weigh the pros of increased protection against the cost of higher premiums. This balance is crucial, as lower coverage could leave you underinsured.

MoneyGeek found that National General is the cheapest option for drivers in Santa Rosa with speeding and DUI violations, while Capital Insurance Group offers the most competitive rates for accidents. Here are the lowest premiums for the various offenses:

• Speeding ticket: National General ($1,186 per year)
• At-fault accident: Capital Insurance Group ($1,661 per year)
• DUI: National General ($1,186 per year)

CSAA charges the highest annual premium, $5,208, after a DUI, compared to the cheapest option, $1,618. The $3,590 difference shows how rates rise significantly with the seriousness of the driving offense.

In Santa Rosa, insurance rates are higher for drivers with serious offenses due to their increased risk to insurers. For example, drivers with a DUI pay an average annual premium of $3,532, while those with a speeding ticket have a lower rate of $2,084. Given this big difference, comparing rates is crucial for drivers with offenses to save money.

MoneyGeek found that Farmers provides the cheapest car insurance for teens. Here are the two most affordable providers for teen drivers (the rates are for insuring two parents and a teenager):

• Farmers: $2,807 per year for female and male teens
• Allstate: $2,847 per year for female and male teens

Nationwide has the most expensive policy at $4,931 annually for families with a male or female teen in Santa Rosa. The difference of over $2,000 compared to Farmers highlights the importance of shopping around for the best rates, particularly for teens who are considered higher-risk drivers.

In Santa Rosa, teen drivers often face high car insurance premiums. An individual teen policy costs an average of $4,221 annually, while adding a teen driver to a family’s existing policy typically averages $3,533 per year. This big gap exists because insurers consider young drivers high-risk due to inexperience, preferring to provide family plans that usually include more experienced drivers to mitigate risks.

MoneyGeek found that Progressive offers the cheapest car insurance for military backgrounds in Santa Rosa.

• Progressive: $1,119 per year
• National General: $1,132 per year

Among the providers, USAA ranks fifth with an annual premium of $1,212. While its rates are not the lowest, USAA is renowned for its services tailored to the needs of active-duty military members.

A thorough comparison helps you find affordable car insurance rates in Santa Rosa. However, reviewing three or more providers is time-consuming, usually taking over an hour. The MoneyGeek car insurance calculator speeds up this task. By entering details such as age, driving history, credit score and desired coverage level, residents can swiftly receive a personalized estimate, making it a practical tool for saving time and money.

The best auto insurance depends on your preference for service, cost, coverage and other factors. Using distinct criteria for each category, MoneyGeek's research highlights Santa Rosa's top car insurance providers:

• 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 79 out of 100)

These top picks differ based on their strengths. Mercury appeals to budget-conscious drivers seeking low rates and competent service. Chubb is preferred for its top-notch customer service, regardless of cost. Capital Insurance Group is the best overall option in the city, offering a balanced mix of quality service and cost efficiency.

MoneyGeek found that Capital Insurance Group has the overall best car insurance in Santa Rosa:

• Capital Insurance Group: MoneyGeek score of 82 out of 100 ($1,404 per year)
• Chubb: MoneyGeek score of 81 out of 100 ($1,784 per year)

Capital Insurance Group's highest MoneyGeek score reflects superior customer satisfaction and affordability, as well as its exceptional full coverage policies.

MoneyGeek found that Chubb excels in customer service for car insurance in Santa Rosa based on general satisfaction, claims handling and coverage:

• Chubb: MoneyGeek score of 94 out of 100 ($1,784 per year)
• Capital Insurance Group: MoneyGeek score of 82 out of 100 ($1,404 per year)

Chubb stands out with its exceptional balance of high satisfaction, unmatched claims service and comprehensive coverage options. These factors contribute to its high MoneyGeek score, making it Santa Rosa's best insurance provider for customer service.

MoneyGeek found that Mercury offers the best cheap car insurance in Santa Rosa, balancing affordability with quality service. This selection considers cost, customer satisfaction and claims handling.

• Mercury: MoneyGeek score of 79 out of 100 ($439 per year)
• Capital Insurance Group: MoneyGeek score of 75 out of 100 ($571 per year)

Mercury earns a high MoneyGeek score because of its competitive rates for a minimum coverage policy. This top insurer in Santa Rosa also ensures customer satisfaction and efficient claims handling.

In Santa Rosa, the average car insurance cost is $1,479, close to California's average of $1,562 but much lower than the national average of $1,781.

Various factors, such as location, affect premiums. Urban areas with heavy traffic often have higher rates due to increased accident and theft risks. In California, Santa Maria has the lowest premium at $1,251, while Glendale has the highest at $2,433. The difference of $1,182 shows the impact of location on insurance costs, with rural and less populated areas generally offering lower rates.