Home Car insurance Car insurance rates by state Cheapest car insurance in California Cheapest car insurance in California Geico offers the cheapest car insurance rates in California, based on Insure.com's analysis. View Carriers Please enter valid zip Compare top carriers in your area Written by Shivani Gite Shivani Gite Shivani Gite is a personal finance and insurance writer with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She is passionate about making insurance topics easy to understand for people and helping them make better financial decisions. | Reviewed by Nupur Gambhir Nupur Gambhir Nupur Gambhir is an insurance expert and managing editor of Insure.com. She specializes in life and health insurance content, and has experience as a marketing consultant. | Updated on: May 20, 2025 Why you can trust Insure.com Quality Verified At Insure.com, we are committed to providing the timely, accurate and expert information consumers need to make smart insurance decisions. All our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. Our team carefully vets our rate data to ensure we only provide reliable and up-to-date insurance pricing. We follow the highest editorial standards. Our content is based solely on objective research and data gathering. We maintain strict editorial independence to ensure unbiased coverage of the insurance industry. Geico provides the cheapest car insurance in California at $1,919 a year. Your rates may vary, but the average premium is $201 per month in California, according to Insure.com’s rate analysis.Car insurance requirements vary by state, and in California, drivers must carry at least the minimum liability coverage: $30,000 for bodily injury protection per person, $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $15,000 for property damage per accident. However, many drivers choose to purchase full coverage car insurance, which provides additional protection in the event of an accident.Below, you’ll find which insurance companies are the most affordable for different categories. Cheapest overall: Geico $1,919/year National avg. rate Cheapest for at-fault accident: Mercury Insurance $3,563/year Avg. rate after an at-fault accident Cheapest for speeding ticket: Mercury Insurance $2,893/year Avg. rate after speeding ticket Key Takeaways Geico offers the lowest car insurance rate in California, at $1,919 per year, which is about 21% cheaper than the state average.Mercury Insurance has the cheapest rates for drivers with a history of at-fault accidents, with an average annual cost of $3,563.The ZIP code 96067 has the most affordable car insurance rates in California, at an average annual cost of $1,832. Cheap car insurance companies in CaliforniaGeico offers the cheapest car insurance in California, with an average price of $1,919 per year. It’s 21% less expensive than the average car insurance cost in California. The rates will vary based on factors such as your driving history, age, ZIP code, and the make and model of your car.When shopping for auto insurance, compare rates from multiple companies to make sure you’re getting the best deal.Below are the annual rates for car insurance from the cheapest car insurance companies.CompanyAverage annual ratesGeico$1,919Mercury Insurance$2,031Progressive$2,179Kemper$2,429Travelers$2,460Auto Club Enterprises (AAA)$2,466CSAA Insurance (AAA)$2,600Allstate$2,627State Farm$2,701Nationwide$2,799Farmers$3,035USAA*$1,827 *Note: USAA only offers coverage to military members, veterans and their families.How we choose the cheapest car insurance companies in California 170+ Carriers reviewed 53M+ Quotes analysed 34K+ ZIP codes examined Cheapest ZIP codes for car insurance in CaliforniaIn California, the 96067 ZIP code has the most affordable car insurance rates at $1,832. The table below shows the cheapest ZIP codes for car insurance rates.ZIP codeCityAverage annual rates96067Mount Shasta$1,83296097Yreka$1,85896094Weed$1,85996080Red Bluff$1,91693402Los Osos$1,92796064Montague$1,93093950Pacific Grove$1,93696093Weaverville$1,94493930King City$1,94693428Cambria$1,949Auto insurance premiums vary significantly from city to city, so drivers need to be sure they’re getting the best deal. Insure.com has done the research for you. Get more information on auto insurance rates by city below.Car insurance rates in California by cityFresnoLos AngelesSan DiegoSan FranciscoSan JoseCheapest car insurance in California by ageIn California, insurance rates for young drivers are significantly higher than for adults, as they are more prone to accidents and filing claims. Insure.com’s analysis shows that a 16-year-old pays $4,908 more for car insurance than a 40-year-old driver.The following table shows the cheapest car insurance premiums for drivers of different ages.Age groupFull coverage annual premiumsTeens (16-19)$6,233Young Adults (20-24)$3,622Adults (25-60)$2,460Seniors (65-75)$2,424 You might find interesting The best, cheapest car insurance in CaliforniaCalifornia car insurance calculatorNon-owner car insurance in California: Which company has the cheapest rates?Cheapest SR-22 insurance in CaliforniaBest and cheapest companies for home and auto bundles in California Cheapest car insurance in California by driver historyYour driving history is one of the main factors insurers look at when determining insurance rates. If you are responsible for a car accident or are convicted of a driving infraction, your auto insurance premiums will likely go up. However, if you have a clean driving record, insurance companies see you as a low-risk driver, and you are likely to get cheap car insurance.Cheapest car insurance after a speeding ticket in CaliforniaBelow is a list of the top three companies that provide affordable car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket.Mercury Insurance: $2,893 per yearGeico: $2,994 per yearCSAA Insurance (AAA): $3,299 per yearA single speeding ticket in California can cause your insurance rates to go up by 48%, or $1,159, according to Insure.com’s analysis.Dealing with a speeding ticket can be a hassle, as it involves paying a fine and facing increased insurance rates. However, there are some insurers who offer affordable premiums to drivers with a speeding ticket on their record.CompanyAverage annual premiumNew rate after accident% Increase$ IncreaseMercury Insurance$2,031$2,89342%$862Geico$1,919$2,99456%$1,075CSAA Insurance (AAA)$2,600$3,29927%$699Progressive$2,179$3,36855%$1,189Auto Club Enterprises (AAA)$2,466$3,55344%$1,087Travelers$2,460$3,70050%$1,240Allstate$2,627$3,80845%$1,181State Farm$2,701$4,07151%$1,370Farmers$3,035$4,22439%$1,189Nationwide$2,799$5,24187%$2,442USAA*$1,827$2,23022%$403 *Note: USAA only offers coverage to military members, veterans and their families.Cheapest car insurance after an accident in CaliforniaBelow are the top three insurance companies that provide affordable car insurance rates after an accident.Mercury Insurance: $3,563 per yearProgressive: $3,600 per yearGeico: $3,876 per yearMercury Insurance has the cheapest auto insurance rates for California drivers after an at-fault accident at $3,563 a year.If you’re responsible for an accident, expect your car insurance rates to increase. However, you can still shop around to find affordable car insurance rates.Below, you’ll find a list of companies that offer affordable car insurance for drivers with an accident on their record.CompanyAverage annual premiumNew rate after accident% Increase$ IncreaseMercury Insurance$2,031$3,56375%$1,532Progressive$2,179$3,60065%$1,421Geico$1,919$3,876102%$1,957CSAA Insurance (AAA)$2,600$3,96152%$1,361Auto Club Enterprises (AAA)$2,466$4,00662%$1,540Travelers$2,460$4,26373%$1,803State Farm$2,701$4,54368%$1,842Farmers$3,035$4,89261%$1,857Nationwide$2,799$5,30189%$2,502Allstate$2,627$6,275139%$3,648USAA*$1,827$3,00765%$1,180 *Note: USAA only offers coverage to military members, veterans and their families.Cheapest car insurance after a DUI conviction in CaliforniaBelow is a list of the top three companies offering affordable car insurance following a DUI conviction.Mercury Insurance: $3,616 per yearGeico: $4,825 per yearTravelers: $5,250 per yearIf you’ve recently been convicted of a DUI, you might be concerned about how it will impact your car insurance rates. Most insurance companies will consider you a high-risk driver and increase your premiums. But some insurers offer relatively affordable rates.The table below outlines the insurance companies that offer the most affordable car insurance rates following a DUI conviction.CompanyAverage annual premiumNew rate after accident$ Increase% IncreaseMercury Insurance$2,031$3,616$1,58578%Geico$1,919$4,825$2,906151%Travelers$2,460$5,250$2,790113%Progressive$2,179$5,283$3,104142%Auto Club Enterprises (AAA)$2,466$7,730$5,264213%Nationwide$2,799$8,024$5,225187%CSAA Insurance (AAA)$2,600$9,392$6,792261%State Farm$2,701$9,499$6,798252%Allstate$2,627$10,478$7,851299%Farmers$3,035$12,025$8,990296%USAA*$1,827$5,690$3,863211% *Note: USAA only offers coverage to military members, veterans and their families.Average car insurance cost in CaliforniaWhile full coverage insurance is more expensive than minimum liability insurance, many drivers find the extra cost worth it. In California, the average cost of full coverage car insurance is $521 more than the national average car insurance cost.While multiple full coverage limits are available, Insure.com editors recommend getting a policy with 100/300/100 coverage limits for adequate protection.What is full coverage car insurance in California?Full coverage car insurance covers bodily injury liability, property damage liability, collision and comprehensive coverage. Collision insurance helps pay for repairs if your car is damaged in an accident, while comprehensive insurance protects against damage from non-collision events like theft or natural disasters.In California, if you’re leasing or financing your car, your lender might require you to purchase collision and comprehensive insurance on top of the state-required liability coverage.Final thoughtsWhen it comes to car insurance, everyone is looking for ways to save. However, skimping on coverage to save a few dollars now could end up costing you more down the road.Make sure you’re adequately protected and take into account your specific needs before buying an auto insurance policy. Car insurance rates vary, so compare quotes from at least three different companies to get the cheapest coverage in California.MethodologyInsure.com gathered data from Quadrant Information Services to get car insurance rates in California. The rates are based on a sample profile of a 40-year-old male and female driving a Honda Accord LX with a good insurance score and no violation on record for a full coverage insurance policy with limits 100/300/100 and $500 comprehensive and collision deductibles.We analyzed 53,409,632 insurance quotes from 170 insurance companies across 34,588 ZIP codes nationwide.To determine car insurance rates for high-risk drivers with a history of traffic violations, we used a sample profile of a 40-year-old male and female driver who own a Honda Accord LX.We also used sample profiles of drivers from different age groups: Teen drivers (Age 16-19), young drivers (Age 20-24), adult drivers (Age 25-60) and senior drivers (Age 65-75)We determined the premiums for a high-risk driver with the following incidents applied1 At-fault property damage accident over $2K1 At-fault property damage accident under $2KAt-fault bodily injury accidentPoor creditDUI/DWI first offenseSpeeding 30+ over limitSpeeding ticket 1-10 MPH over limitSpeeding ticket 11-29 MPH over the limitThese are sample rates, and your exact rates may vary. Find cheapest car insurance in other statesAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyShow moreShivani GiteContributing Writer | . .Shivani Gite is a personal finance and insurance writer with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She is passionate about making insurance topics easy to understand for people and helping them make better financial decisions. In case you missed it Best Car Insurance Companies of 2025 The most and least expensive states for car insurance in 2025 What is full coverage car insurance? How much does car insurance cost for seniors in 2025? 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Part 1: How insurance companies spot bogus claims Insurance options for rideshare drivers 10 things that are illegal but shouldn’t be 1/1 On this page Cheap car insurance companies in CaliforniaHow we choose the cheapest car insurance companies in CaliforniaCheapest ZIP codes for car insurance in CaliforniaCheapest car insurance in California by ageCheapest car insurance in California by driver historyAverage car insurance cost in CaliforniaFinal thoughtsMethodology ZIP Code Please enter valid ZIP See rates