The Cheapest Car Insurance in California (January 2024)

Although CSAA offers the cheapest car insurance overall for many different types of drivers, the cheapest for you will depend on your personal characteristics. MoneyGeek also found that Progressive and National General had the cheapest rates in California for certain types of drivers.

Drivers looking to balance cost with quality service should look for the best car insurance in California.

Insurance companies provide online quotes for their customers, but it can take up to 15 minutes to input the required personal data for each company. If you're comparing multiple companies, this time could add up.

MoneyGeek’s car insurance calculator helps you find the cheapest car insurance without having to provide personal information. This gives you an idea of what you can expect to pay for car insurance before beginning your search.

The cheapest car insurance companies for a minimum coverage policy in California are:

• CSAA: $125 per year
• AAA California: $385 per year

Chubb is the most expensive insurance provider, with a minimum coverage policy costing an average of $791 per year.

These rates are for a policy that only includes the state’s minimum car insurance requirements for bodily injury liability and property damage liability.

A minimum coverage policy covers damages or injuries to others — not damages to your car or injuries to yourself. To avoid paying high out-of-pocket costs for damages to your own car, you should purchase a full coverage policy that includes comprehensive and collision insurance.

The following insurers offer the cheapest full coverage auto insurance in California:

• CSAA: $369 per year
• AAA California: $858 per year

Chubb offers the most expensive full coverage policies in the state at $1,868 per year. The cheapest insurer, CSAA, charges $244 more for a full coverage policy than a minimum coverage policy. Although more expensive, full coverage policies cover more costs in the event you have a car accident.

The amount of car insurance you need will significantly affect your premium. MoneyGeek’s sample full coverage policy includes liability protection of $100,000 in bodily injury liability per person, $300,000 in bodily injury liability per accident and $100,000 in property damage liability per accident. These are levels recommended by most insurance professionals.

You can buy lower liability limits, remove comprehensive and collision insurance or raise your deductible to save money, but this could mean paying more out of pocket if you get into an accident that causes significant injuries or damages.

Age is one of the biggest factors affecting car insurance rates in California. MoneyGeek found that State Farm or CSAA offer the cheapest options on average, depending on what age group you and your family belong to.

The following companies offer families with teens the most affordable car insurance:

• State Farm: $2,943 per year for males and $2,943 per year for female teens
• GEICO: $3,117 per year for males and $2,978 per year for female teens

Car insurance rates differ big time between 16- and 19-year-old drivers, with the latter paying the lowest premiums. GEICO ($2,082 per year) offers the most affordable rate for 19-year-old drivers in California.

At $5,378 per year, Kemper is the most expensive insurer for teenage drivers in California. Teens who are added as additional drivers to their family’s plan pay approximately $673 less than if they buy an individual policy. And teens under 18 cannot legally purchase car insurance without a parent or guardian as a co-signer.

Due to their lack of driving experience, providers typically charge teen drivers more for insurance as they have a high level of accident frequency and moving violations. However, you may be able to reduce the cost of your annual premium through good student or distant student discounts commonly offered by insurers.

Drivers in their 20s will find the most affordable rates from the following companies:

• CSAA: $408 per year
• AAA California: $1,126 per year

Chubb has the most expensive annual premium at $2,752 for a full coverage policy.

Those in their 20s will likely be charged more for car insurance than middle-aged drivers since they’re more likely to file insurance claims, based on actuarial data. For a full coverage policy, CSAA charges $39 more to drivers in their 20s than middle-aged drivers.

The following companies offer the cheapest full coverage car insurance in California for seniors:

• CSAA: $367 per year
• AAA California: $853 per year

Chubb offers the most expensive auto insurance policy for seniors in California at $1,929.

Seniors in California pay $2 less for car insurance than middle-aged drivers. However, as drivers reach their 70s and 80s, the cost of car insurance increases.

Senior drivers may be able to save on car insurance by comparing rates from carriers and getting discounts. Companies, like State Farm and GEICO, offer discounts to seniors who have completed an approved defensive driving course.

Drivers with violations on their record will pay more car insurance than those with clean driving records. Those with a ticket or an accident will get the cheapest car insurance from CSAA, whereas drivers with a DUI should consider National General.

Insurance companies also consider drivers with a sports car to be higher risk. MoneyGeek found that Progressive is the cheapest option for those drivers.

We found that the cheapest car insurance companies in California for drivers with a speeding ticket are:

• CSAA: $466 per year
• AAA California: $1,112 per year

Farmers offers the priciest insurance, with an average annual premium of $2,534.

In comparison to drivers with a clean driving history, those with a speeding ticket pay an average of $566 more for car insurance.

We found that the cheapest car insurance companies for drivers with an at-fault accident are:

• CSAA: $466 per year
• AAA California: $1,306 per year

The most expensive insurance is provided by Kemper at $3,345. Insurance companies charge at-fault drivers more due to the increased risk of accidents. Expect to pay an average of $832 more for car insurance if you have an at-fault accident on your record.

We found that the cheapest car insurance companies in California for drivers with a DUI are:

• National General: $1,280 per year
• CSAA: $1,315 per year

Allstate offers the most expensive full coverage insurance at $5,759.

If you get a DUI, you may struggle to find an insurer or be subject to an extremely high car insurance cost. Drivers with a DUI pay $1,890 more for car insurance, on average, than those with a clean driving history. And in California, a DUI stays on your motor vehicle record for 10 years.

We found that the cheapest car insurance companies in California for drivers with sports cars are:

• Progressive: $1,277 per year
• Capital Insurance: $1,554 per year

Chubb offers the most expensive insurance for luxury cars with an average premium of $2,198 per year. If you have a sports car, expect to pay around $344 more than the lowest premium for a 2012 Toyota Camry LE.

MoneyGeek used a Ford Mustang as its sample sports car in its analysis. The costs can differ greatly depending on your car model and other factors. For example, luxury, electric and sports cars are charged higher premiums. Their models are not major determinants of premiums.

We found that the cheapest car insurance company in California for active-duty or military veterans is CSAA, with an average premium of $369.

CSAA isn’t the only insurer that offers affordable and quality coverage to military members in the state. USAA provides coverage exclusively to military members and their families and has an average annual premium cost of $1,201. And GEICO has many discounts available to military-affiliated drivers that can lower their auto insurance premium.

The cost of car insurance varies by state and city. Depending on which city or area you live in, you could pay more or less for car insurance.

Car insurance typically costs more in larger cities, since they’re considered riskier to live than rural areas. This is typically because the incidence of accidents or theft is higher in cities than in rural areas.

Santa Maria has the cheapest premium in the state offered by National General at $775. Meanwhile, Burbank has the most expensive rates at $1,617, also from National General.

The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) requires that all drivers have at least liability insurance. Our guide below offers key information on auto insurance in the state.

California is among the many states that require coverage for both bodily injury and property damage liability. Learn more about its requirements below.

California drivers must carry at least basic liability insurance on their vehicles. At a minimum, your insurance must include bodily injury liability per person, bodily injury liability per accident and property damage liability per accident.

The required coverage also increases for drivers with a history of violations, as SR-22 insurance is required for repeat driving offenders in the state.

To save money, you can purchase the minimum amount of coverage required. However, this may not fully cover all your expenses if you get into an accident. Because of this, MoneyGeek recommends purchasing as much liability coverage as you can reasonably afford for added security in case of accidents.

MoneyGeek recommends getting $100,000 in bodily injury liability insurance per person, $300,000 in bodily injury liability insurance per accident and $100,000 in property damage insurance per accident. This will provide more coverage in the event another person or their property is harmed from an accident involving your vehicle.

Collision coverage pays for repairs to your vehicle from collisions with other vehicles or objects like a light pole or a tree.

Comprehensive coverage pays to repair your car when it’s damaged by something other than a collision, including fire, vandalism, fallen branches and natural disasters.

These insurance policies are ideal for drivers who have new or expensive vehicles.

Though car insurance is required in the state of California, there are a few alternative options, depending on your situation.

These options require cash upfront, which can be challenging to obtain. However, they can present advantages for people with particular requirements and preferences.

The alternatives are as follows:

• Cash deposit of $35,000 with DMV: The department helps drivers without insurance to fulfill financial responsibility by accepting a deposit of $35,000.
• DMV-issued self-insurance certificate: This is applicable to individuals who own over 25 vehicles. This type of protection requires a predetermined amount of security cash per number of vehicles registered or 130% of average annual claims paid by the self-insurer in the preceding three-year period.
• Surety bond: A surety bond is a contract that requires the driver to pay a specific amount of money if they cause an accident. The fund will cover the driver's expenses in an accident equal to its value. However, the driver has to pay back the funds paid out of the surety bond. Drivers must opt for $35,000 from a licensed company in California.

Choosing the right car insurance policy can be overwhelming, particularly if you don’t know where to start. MoneyGeek answered some of the most commonly asked questions to make the process less stressful for you.