Although California is one of the most expensive states to live in, California drivers actually pay less for auto insurance than most other states.
According to NerdWallet’s analysis, the average cost of full coverage insurance in California is $1,659 per year, or about $138 a month, for a 35-year-old driver with a clean driving record. The average cost of a minimum coverage policy in California is $506 per year, or about $42 per month.
California is one of the most consumer-friendly states when it comes to car insurance. Insurers are banned from using a driver’s gender or credit score to price insurance premiums. This means drivers with poor credit won’t necessarily pay more for a policy than those with good credit.
How we found the average cost of car insurance in California
Why you can trust NerdWallet: Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our writing and data analyses. You can trust the prices we show you because our data analysts take rigorous measures to eliminate outliers and inaccuracies in pricing data, which include rates from every locale in California where coverage is offered and data is available. When comparing rates for different coverage amounts, ages and backgrounds, we change only one variable at a time, so you can easily see how each factor affects pricing.
Cost of car insurance in California, by company
NerdWallet compared car insurance rates from 27 companies in California. Mercury offers the cheapest full coverage in the state, on average, with an annual rate of $1,023, or $85 per month, for a 35-year-old driver with a clean driving record.
Meanwhile, Geico is the cheapest option for minimum coverage. The company has an average rate of $207 per year, which breaks down to around $17 a month.
Here are the average yearly rates for all California companies, sorted from lowest to highest rate based on average full coverage cost.
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Average minimum coverage rate per year |
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Grange Insurance Association |
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*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families. |
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The cost of car insurance depends on factors such as age, driving history and the type of vehicle you drive. As a result, these rates might not reflect the quotes you receive from insurance companies. If you want the cheapest car insurance in California, shop around and compare quotes for at least three insurers.
Cost of car insurance in California, by age
Your age is one of the most important factors when it comes to your car insurance premium. Insurance companies see young drivers as more likely to cause an accident or get a speeding ticket. And whether it’s from a lack of experience or a higher tendency to take risks, the reality is that younger drivers pay more for car insurance in California. For example, a 20-year-old driver will pay over 75% more than a 30-year-old with the same coverage limits.
Here is the average cost of car insurance in California by age for both full and minimum coverage.
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Average minimum coverage rate |
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Cost of car insurance in California, by driving history
Your driving history affects the price of your car insurance. And with the cost to insure California drivers on the rise, practicing safe driving habits is the easiest way to keep your premium from increasing.
According to our analysis, drivers with a single at-fault accident on their record pay $1,000 more, on average, for full coverage car insurance than someone with a clean driving history. Drivers with a single DUI conviction pay over $2,000 more, on average, than good drivers.
Here’s our analysis of the average annual California car insurance costs for both full and minimum coverage based on driving history.
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Average full coverage rate per year |
Average minimum coverage rate per year |
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