Cheapest minimum liability car insurance quotes in California: Geico
Geico has the cheapest car insurance for most drivers in California. The company charges $390 per year on average for a minimum liability policy. That's 35% cheaper than the statewide average.
The average cost of minimum-coverage car insurance in California is $604 per year, or $50 per month.
Drivers may also find affordable coverage from AAA of Northern California (AAA NorCal) or Progressive. Both auto insurers offer rates that are within $100 of Geico's annual rate, and are still substantially cheaper than the statewide average.
AAA offers insurance to residents of Northern California through AAA of Northern California, also called AAA NorCal or CSAA, while The Auto Club of Southern California (AAA SoCal) covers Southern California drivers.
Cheapest full-coverage car insurance company in California: Mercury
Mercury has the cheapest full-coverage car insurance quotes in California, at $1,731 per year.
On average, full-coverage car insurance costs $2,148 per year in California — or $179 per month.
You may also find affordable quotes from Geico and Progressive. These companies both have rates under $2,000 per year.
Mercury | $1,731 | $144 |
| Geico | $1,755 | $146 |
| Progressive | $1,850 | $154 |
| AAA NorCal | $2,149 | $179 |
| State Farm | $2,298 | $192 |
| Farmers | $2,414 | $201 |
| Allstate | $2,432 | $203 |
| AAA SoCal | $2,553 | $213 |
Full-coverage car insurance quotes include comprehensive and collision insurance, which reimburse you for damage to your car after most accidents, thefts, natural disasters and vandalism. Full coverage is usually required if you have a car loan or lease.
Cheapest car insurance for California drivers with prior incidents: Mercury
Overall, Mercury offers the most affordable rates for drivers with recent tickets or driving infractions.
Just one accident and claim on your driving record can increase your car insurance quotes by hundreds of dollars. Drivers with incidents on their records, such as accidents, speeding tickets and DUIs, often pay more expensive premiums than other drivers.
Cheapest car insurance quotes for California drivers with a speeding ticket: Mercury
Mercury has the best rates for full-coverage auto insurance for California drivers who have received a speeding ticket.
Full-coverage policies from Mercury average $2,293 annually, which is 28% cheaper than the state average of $3,200 for drivers with a speeding ticket.
| Mercury | $2,293 | $191 |
| AAA NorCal | $2,719 | $227 |
| Geico | $2,741 | $228 |
| Farmers | $3,408 | $284 |
| State Farm | $3,495 | $291 |
| Progressive | $3,567 | $297 |
| Allstate | $3,570 | $298 |
| AAA SoCal | $3,802 | $317 |
Drivers typically pay more for car insurance after they receive a speeding ticket because they are statistically more likely to get in a crash. ValuePenguin found that a full-coverage policy in California is $1,052 more expensive annually ($88 more expensive monthly) after a speeding ticket. That's a 49% increase.
Cheapest auto insurance for California drivers after an accident: Mercury
Mercury offers the cheapest full-coverage car insurance quotes for California drivers with an accident on their driving record.
The company's average annual rate after an accident is $2,604 per year, or 40% cheaper than the California average of $4,330.
| Mercury | $2,604 | $217 |
| Progressive | $3,822 | $319 |
| AAA SoCal | $4,010 | $334 |
| Farmers | $4,259 | $355 |
| AAA NorCal | $4,361 | $363 |
| Geico | $4,408 | $367 |
| State Farm | $4,505 | $375 |
| Allstate | $6,672 | $556 |
California drivers with an accident history typically pay 102% more for car insurance than drivers with no previous accidents.
Cheapest car insurance rates after a DUI: Mercury
If you have a DUI in California, you can get a good deal on auto insurance from Mercury. Its typical rate of $2,867 per year is about half as expensive as the average price overall.
A DUI conviction usually means a substantial increase in your car insurance rates. The average cost of DUI insurance in California is $5,839 per year, a 172% jump compared to a driver with a clean record.
| Mercury | $2,867 | $239 |
| Farmers | $4,259 | $355 |
| Geico | $4,419 | $368 |
| Progressive | $4,467 | $372 |
| AAA SoCal | $7,415 | $618 |
| AAA NorCal | $7,727 | $644 |
| Allstate | $9,720 | $810 |
Cheapest car insurance quotes for married California drivers: Progressive
The best price for married drivers in California is from Progressive, which offers a typical rate of $1,448 per year, or 26% less than average across all insurers. Progressive also has the biggest discount for married drivers, at 27%.
The average rates California insurers charge married drivers are 9% lower than the rates they charge single drivers. Most insurers offer slightly cheaper rates to married drivers because there's a correlation between being married and getting into fewer car accidents.
| Progressive | $1,448 | $121 |
| Geico | $1,494 | $125 |
| Mercury | $1,542 | $129 |
| AAA NorCal | $2,149 | $179 |
| Allstate | $2,170 | $181 |
| Farmers | $2,209 | $184 |
| State Farm | $2,298 | $192 |
| AAA SoCal | $2,384 | $199 |
Cheapest car insurance quotes for young California drivers: Geico
The cheapest auto insurance company for young drivers in California is Geico. Its typical rate of $1,167 for minimum coverage is 26% less than average.
For full coverage, State Farm is slightly cheaper than Geico, at $3,949 per year, versus Geico's average rate of $4,306.
Young California drivers pay more than two and half times as much as older drivers for auto insurance. Insurers charge 18-year-old drivers an average of $1,577 annually, compared to just $604 for 30-year-olds, for a minimum-coverage policy.
| Geico | $1,167 | $4,306 |
| State Farm | $1,205 | $3,949 |
| Mercury | $1,355 | $4,217 |
| Progressive | $1,387 | $5,626 |
| AAA NorCal | $1,443 | $6,703 |
AAA SoCal | $1,850 | $6,539 |
| Allstate | $1,996 | $5,603 |
| Farmers | $2,211 | $5,288 |
While young drivers' high rates might discourage them from purchasing full coverage, consider the extra value of full coverage. The added protection of collision and comprehensive insurance is particularly useful to young drivers, who are more likely to get in more accidents than more experienced drivers.
Cheapest car insurance for young California drivers with a speeding ticket: Geico
In California, 18-year-old drivers could receive the best quotes from Geico after a speeding ticket.
Geico's rates average $1,312 per year for a minimum-coverage policy, which is 38% cheaper than the California state average of $2,107 for young drivers with a speeding ticket.
Overall, rates for young drivers in California increase by 34% after a speeding ticket. That's an additional $44 per month.
| Geico | $1,312 | $109 |
| Mercury | $1,764 | $147 |
| Progressive | $1,793 | $149 |
| State Farm | $1,912 | $159 |
| AAA NorCal | $2,182 | $182 |
| Allstate | $2,367 | $197 |
| AAA SoCal | $2,731 | $228 |
| Farmers | $2,794 | $233 |
Cheapest for teen drivers in California with an accident history: Geico
Geico and Mercury offer the most affordable auto insurance coverage for young California drivers after an at-fault accident. These companies both offered rates below $1,700 per year, far less than the typical price of $2,305 annually.
Teenagers pay more for car insurance after an accident because their lack of driving experience indicates a statistical likelihood to get in another crash — about 46% more. However, because teens are already more likely to get into a crash than older drivers, the relative increase is smaller. Older California drivers typically pay 102% more after a crash.
Geico | $1,606 | $134 |
| Mercury | $1,659 | $138 |
| Progressive | $1,993 | $166 |
| State Farm | $2,008 | $167 |
AAA SoCal | $2,557 | $213 |
| AAA NorCal | $2,678 | $223 |
| Farmers | $2,794 | $233 |
| Allstate | $3,145 | $262 |
Minimum auto insurance requirements in California
California requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 for bodily injury liability and property damage liability coverage.
- Bodily injury (BI): $15,000 per person/$30,000 per accident
- Property damage (PD): $5,000 per accident
While this is the lowest amount of insurance coverage you can have, we recommend tailoring your coverage limits to suit your driving habits and personal financial situation. For example, if you own a house in one of the most expensive ZIP codes in California and have sizable savings and investment accounts, we recommend that you increase your liability limits and consider adding umbrella coverage to your standard policy to protect your assets.
On the other hand, if you're a college student who doesn't drive frequently, you may consider liability limits that are closer to California's minimum state requirements for car insurance.
We recommend adding collision and comprehensive coverage if your car is worth more than a few thousand dollars. You'll probably be required to have both if your car is loaned or leased.
Recap of the cheapest car insurance in California
- Minimum coverage: Geico
- Full coverage: Mercury
- After a speeding ticket: Mercury
- After an at-fault accident: Mercury
- After a DUI: Mercury
- Married drivers: Progressive
- Young drivers: Geico
- Young drivers after a ticket: Geico
- Young drivers after an accident: Geico
Frequently asked questions
What's the average cost of car insurance in California?
The average cost of car insurance in California for a minimum-coverage policy is $604 per year, or about $50 per month. The average cost for a full-coverage policy is $179 per month.
Is insurance expensive in California?
Yes, California has the 13th most expensive average quotes for a full coverage policy compared to other states. However, the average cost for a minimum coverage policy is about average, ranking as the 27th most expensive, with an average rate of $604 per year. The average cost of car insurance remained roughly the same compared to the previous year.
Which company has the cheapest car insurance in California?
The cheapest car insurance in California is Geico, based on our analysis of thousands of quotes from ZIP codes across the state. Geico has the cheapest rates for minimum coverage, at $390 per year. Mercury has the best rates for full coverage, at $1,731 per year.
Which car insurance company is the best-rated in California?
AAA is the best-rated car insurance company in California in terms of customer satisfaction. It received strong ratings for service, coverage options and price. It's also one of the most popular options statewide.
Methodology
We collected thousands of rates from ZIP codes across California for the largest insurers. We used a sample driver with the following profile:
- 30-year-old male
- Drives a 2015 Honda Civic EX
- Average credit
For all quotes with a minimum-coverage policy, we used the minimum required limits in California.
The base policy for full-coverage quotes had the following limits:
| Bodily injury liability | $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident |
| Personal injury protection | $10,000 |
| Property damage liability | $25,000 per accident |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury | $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident |
| Comprehensive and collision | $500 deductible |
AAA insurance is available from two companies in California: Auto Club of Southern California (AAA SoCal) and AAA Northern California/CSAA (AAA NorCal). These are two separate companies with different rates. You'll only be able to buy insurance from one or the other based on where you live.
ValuePenguin's analysis used insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services. These rates were publicly sourced from insurer filings and should be used for comparative purposes only — your own quotes may be different.
