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Progressive provides the cheapest car insurance in California at about $1,466 a year. Your specific rates may vary, but the average car insurance premium in California is $176 per month, according to Insure.com’s rate analysis.

Car insurance is a legal requirement in most states, and California is no exception. California drivers are required to carry at least the minimum amount of liability coverage—$5,000 of personal property coverage per person, $15,000 for bodily injury per person and $30,000 for bodily injury per accident.

However, many drivers choose to purchase full coverage car insurance, which provides additional protection in the event of an accident.

Cheapest car insurance in California by company

Progressive offers the cheapest car insurance in California an average of $1,466 per year. It’s 31% 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 cheapest car insurance companies.

CompanyAverage annual rates
Progressive$1,466
USAA$1,537
Geico$1,594
Mercury Insurance$1,622
Travelers$2,044
Auto-Owners$2,143
Auto Club$2,267
Allstate$2,303
Kemper Insurance$2,310
State Farm$2,334
Nationwide$2,361
CSAA Insurance$2,367
Farmers Insurance$2,423
The Hartford$2,535

Cheapest ZIP codes for car insurance in California

96067 ZIP code in California has the cheapest auto insurance cost at an average price of $1,571 annually. Know the cheapest ZIP codes for car insurance in California below.

ZIP codeAverage annual rates
96067$1,571
96094$1,582
96097$1,635
96080$1,644
95525$1,650
96027$1,653
95570$1,661
93402$1,665
93428$1,670
96025$1,678

Cheapest car insurance in California by age

Young drivers in California tend to pay higher insurance rates than adult drivers because they are more likely to get into accidents and file claims on their insurance policy. A 16-year-old driver pays 196% more than a 40-year-old mature driver in California, based on Insure.com’s analysis.

The table below shows cheapest car insurance rates for drivers of different ages:

Age groupFull coverage annual premiums
Teen drivers (age 16-19)$5,361
Young drivers (age 20-24)$3,210
Adult drivers (age 25-64)$2,177
Senior drivers (age 65+)$2,133

Read our Guide to car insurance for teens for more information

Cheapest car insurance in California by driver history

Your driving history is one of the main factors insurers look at when considering insurance rates. If you are responsible for a car accident or get 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 California

A single speeding ticket can increase your rates by 42% or $935 in California, based on Insure.com data.

Getting a speeding ticket is never any fun. Not only will you have to pay a fine, but your insurance rates may go up.

But if you’re looking for cheapest car insurance costs in California, below are some insurers that offer cheap car insurance after a speeding ticket.

CompanyAverage annual premiumNew rate after incident% Increase$ Increase
USAA$1,619$1,77310%$155
Mercury$1,768$2,33532%$566
Geico$1,596$2,49156%$894
Auto-Owners$2,217$2,57816%$360
Progressive$1,483$2,84592%$1,361
Auto Club Entreprises$2,259$3,14539%$886
Kemper$2,402$3,17332%$770
Allstate$2,285$3,34246%$1,057
Travelers$2,281$3,40049%$1,119
Farmers$2,489$3,44638%$957
CSAA$2,722$3,45027%$728
State Farm$2,431$3,69652%$1,265
Nationwide$2,473$3,76752%$1,293
Hartford$2,596$4,24564%$1,650

Cheapest car insurance after an accident in California

USAA offers the cheapest car insurance rates to drivers after an at-fault accident, at about $2255 a year. 

No one plans on getting into a car accident, but unfortunately, they happen. If you are in an accident and are at fault, you will probably see your car insurance premiums increase. However, this does not mean you can’t shop around to find the best rates.

Below, you’ll see which companies have cheap car insurance for drivers with one accident on their record.

CompanyAverage annual premiumNew rate after incident% Increase$ Increase
USAA$1,619$2,25539%$636
Auto-Owners$2,217$2,60317%$386
Geico$1,596$2,87780%$1,280
Mercury$1,768$3,05873%$1,290
Progressive$1,483$3,066107%$1,583
Auto Club Entreprises$2,259$3,38450%$1,125
CSAA$2,722$3,45027%$728
Nationwide$2,473$3,61746%$1,144
Travelers$2,281$3,76165%$1,480
State Farm$2,431$3,81457%$1,384
Farmers$2,489$3,86255%$1,373
Allstate$2,285$4,994119%$2,709
Kemper$2,402$5,169115%$2,767
Hartford$2,596$5,764122%$3,169

Cheapest car insurance after a DUI conviction in California

If you’ve recently been convicted of a DUI, you may wonder how it will affect your car insurance rates. Most insurers will view you as a high-risk driver and will charge you higher rates.

The table below shows the insurance companies offering cheap car insurance rates to drivers after a DUI conviction.

CompanyAverage annual premiumNew rate after incident% Increase$ Increase
Mercury$1,768$2,92065%$1,151
Progressive$1,483$3,559140%$2,076
Auto-Owners$2,217$4,01481%$1,796
Geico$1,596$4,014151%$2,418
USAA$1,619$4,645187%$3,026
Travelers$2,281$4,794110%$2,513
Kemper$2,402$5,169115%$2,767
Auto Club Entreprises$2,259$6,668195%$4,409
Nationwide$2,473$6,908179%$4,435
State Farm$2,431$8,557252%$6,126
Allstate$2,285$9,082298%$6,798
CSAA$2,722$9,812260%$7,089
Farmers$2,489$10,499322%$8,009
Hartford$2,596$10,565307%$7,969

Average car insurance cost in California

Full coverage insurance costs more than minimum liability insurance, but the extra cost is worth it for most drivers. The average cost of full coverage car insurance in California is 26% more than the national average car insurance rates in the U.S.

There are different full coverage limits that a driver can purchase. However, Insure.com editors recommend that every driver should carry 100/300/100 coverage limits.

What is full coverage car insurance in California?

Full coverage car insurance includes bodily injury liability and property damage liability coverage, as well as comprehensive and collision coverage, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III). Collision insurance covers your vehicle if it’s damaged or destroyed in an accident, while comprehensive insurance provides protection against damage that is caused by something other than collisions such as weather or theft.

If you lease or finance your car in California, your lender may ask you to purchase collision and comprehensive insurance beyond the state-mandated liability coverage. Every state except New Hampshire and Virginia requires drivers to get liability coverage, while comprehensive and collision coverage are optional. However, in Virginia, you have to pay an uninsured motorist fee of $500.

Final thoughts

When it comes to car insurance, everyone is always looking for ways to save. However, skimping on coverage to save a few dollars now could end up costing you dearly 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, make sure to compare insurance rates from various car insurance companies to get the cheapest car insurance coverage in California

Source:

Methodology

Insure.com gathered the auto insurance rates with the help of Quadrant Information Institute. We collected full coverage car insurance rates from major insurance companies for multiple ZIP codes across California.

The full coverage auto insurance rates are based on a sample driver profile of a 40-year-old man with a clean driving record and good credit score.