California Car Insurance Quotes & Rates (2026)

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For a 40-year-old driver with a clean record, California car insurance averages about $332 a month ($3,979 a year) for full coverage, based on the rates insurers had filed with state regulators as of Aug. 31, 2026. That’s 42% above the national average in our data. It’s higher than in Arizona and Oregon but lower than in Nevada. GEICO has the lowest full-coverage average of the four major insurers we compared (Allstate, Farmers, GEICO and State Farm), at about $199 a month.

California car insurance: key numbers

• Full coverage: about $332 a month ($3,979 a year)
• Liability only (15/30/5): about $122 a month
• Lowest-priced insurer: GEICO has the lowest full-coverage average of the four major insurers we compared, at about $199 a month
• Recent price change: −3.4% for full coverage (same insurers and ZIP codes)
• Most and least expensive counties: Los Angeles County (about $420 a month) and Siskiyou County (about $231)

Where you live matters. Los Angeles County costs the most in our data, at about $420 a month for full coverage, and the 69 most expensive of the 591 cities and towns we price are all in Los Angeles County. San Francisco County is next, at $350, then San Bernardino County at $336. Rural Northern California costs the least: Siskiyou County averages about $231 and Plumas County $244, the two lowest of the 55 counties we price. Use these averages as a benchmark for where you live, then compare quotes for your own car and address.

_{Cost data comes from the auto rates insurers file with state regulators, priced across 1,121 California ZIP codes, compiled by Quadrant Information Services and updated as new rates are filed.}

Rates as of Aug. 31, 2026. Page reviewed Oct. 7, 2026.

How Much Is Car Insurance in California? Average Cost per Month

Full coverage in California costs about $332 a month ($3,979 a year) on average. That is for a 40-year-old driver with a clean record, using rates insurers had filed with state regulators as of Aug. 31, 2026. Liability-only coverage averages about $122 a month at 15/30/5 limits, which fall below the 30/60/15 minimum.

Full coverage in California averages $3,979 a year, or about $332 a month, for our benchmark driver. Liability-only coverage at 15/30/5 limits averages $1,460 a year ($122 a month), and 50/100/50 liability with comprehensive and collision averages $3,695 ($308 a month).

• Full coverage (100/300/100, $500 deductibles): $3,979 a year ($332 a month)
• 50/100/50 with $500 deductibles: $3,695 a year ($308 a month)
• Liability only (15/30/5): $1,460 a year ($122 a month)
• Los Angeles: $5,717 a year ($476 a month) for full coverage
• San Diego: $3,616 a year ($301 a month) for full coverage
• San Jose: $3,462 a year ($289 a month) for full coverage
• San Francisco: $4,194 a year ($350 a month) for full coverage
• Sacramento: $4,056 a year ($338 a month) for full coverage
• National average: $2,806 a year ($234 a month) for full coverage

How California Compares With Neighboring States

California’s average is about $126 a month above Arizona’s, $75 below Nevada’s and $159 above Oregon’s. It’s the third-highest of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., in our data.

Cheapest Car Insurance Rates in California: Companies Compared

The best full-coverage rates in our California data come from GEICO, which has the lowest full-coverage price for our benchmark driver in 1,057 of the 1,121 California ZIP codes we price. A ticket, an at-fault crash or a DUI changes how insurers price you, so the order can be different for your record.

• Lowest average in our data, full coverage: GEICO, at about $199 a month ($2,386 a year).
• Next lowest among these four insurers: State Farm, at about $326 a month, then Allstate at $418.
• Liability only (15/30/5): about $55 to $171 a month across these four insurers.
• California’s two AAA insurers: Auto Club of Southern California averages about $333 a month for full coverage in the 644 ZIP codes where it’s priced and CSAA (AAA Northern California) $213 in the other 477. Each is priced in only part of the state statewide.
• Also on our list: USAA at about $213 a month, Mercury at $245, Progressive at $251, Travelers at $333 and Nationwide at $346 (USAA sells only to military families).
• Most expensive in our data: Farmers, at about $433 a month for full coverage, $2,812 a year more than GEICO.

GEICO has the lowest full-coverage average among the six insurers in our California rate data. Five of the eight published 2026 statewide California rate studies we reviewed also rank GEICO cheapest for full coverage, apart from USAA, which sells only to military families, and a sixth ties GEICO with Progressive. That’s why we name GEICO, though its lead in our data is wider than in those studies. For liability-only coverage at 15/30/5 limits, averages among these four insurers run from about $55 to $171 a month; the lowest is far enough below the rest that we don’t name a cheapest insurer for that coverage level.

These are statewide averages for our benchmark driver. See how we calculated these rates. Your own price depends on your car, driving record and coverage, so compare auto insurance quotes before you buy.

California’s two AAA insurers are each priced in only part of the state in our data, so we list them separately statewide. In the 644 ZIP codes where Auto Club of Southern California is priced, including every one we price in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties, it averages about $333 a month for full coverage, compared with $210 for GEICO and $349 for State Farm. In the other 477, where CSAA is priced, including every one in San Francisco, Santa Clara and Sacramento counties, CSAA averages $213, GEICO $183 and State Farm $295.

See What You’d Pay in California

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How California’s Major Car Insurers Compare

Here’s where each insurer in our rate data lands for our benchmark driver, and how its price has moved over the past nine months.

Are Car Insurance Rates Going Up in California?

Not for full coverage, for our benchmark driver. Comparing the five insurers that are in both sets of rates, in the same California ZIP codes, their full-coverage average fell from $3,804 a year nine months earlier to $3,674 in rates as of Aug. 31, 2026, a 3.4% drop. State Farm cut its California average 11.7%, while Allstate’s, Auto Club of Southern California’s, CSAA’s and GEICO’s averages were unchanged. Farmers is new in our rates over the past nine months, so it’s left out, which is why these averages differ from the California average above. Liability-only coverage at 15/30/5 limits rose 6.5%, led by State Farm, which raised its liability-only average 25.3%.

Because insurers change their rates on their own schedules, the cheapest company for you can change from one renewal to the next.

What to Know About California Car Insurance Costs

California’s full-coverage average is the third-highest of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., in our data. Three things stand out in our numbers and in state law.

• Los Angeles County costs the most. Los Angeles County averages about $420 a month for full coverage, the highest of the 55 counties we price. Los Angeles averages $476, the highest of the 12 California cities with nine or more ZIP codes we price, and Beverly Hills $551, the highest of all 591 cities and towns.
• Two AAA insurers split the state. Auto Club of Southern California is priced in 644 of our 1,121 ZIP codes and CSAA in the other 477, never both in the same ZIP code. Across all these four insurers, full coverage averages about $359 a month in the Auto Club ZIP codes and $294 in the CSAA ZIP codes.
• Your driving record comes first. Under Proposition 103, California insurers must base your rate first on your driving record, then on your annual mileage, then on your years of driving experience, according to the California Department of Insurance, and the department approves rates before insurers can use them.

California Car Insurance Rates by City

Among cities with at least nine ZIP codes in our data, Los Angeles is the most expensive, at $476 a month for full coverage, followed by Long Beach at $358 and Oakland at $354. San Jose is the least expensive of those 12 cities, at about $289, and Chico is the least expensive of the 86 cities with three or more ZIP codes, at $243. Across all 591 cities and towns we price, averages run from about $551 in Beverly Hills to $227 in Yreka.

The table lists all 591 California cities and towns in our data, using each place’s own ZIP codes, from most to least expensive. Search it for your town.

California City Car Insurance Guides

Each city guide has local prices, how the insurers compare there and, for cities where prices vary by ZIP code, a ZIP code table.

California Car Insurance Rates by County

Los Angeles County is the most expensive county in our data, at about $420 a month for full coverage, followed by San Francisco County ($350) and San Bernardino County ($336). The least expensive are Siskiyou County ($231), Plumas County ($244) and Shasta, Modoc and Tehama counties (each $249). We price 55 of California’s 58 counties.

How Much More Does Better Coverage Cost in California?

Raising liability limits from 50/100/50 to 100/300/100 adds about $284 a year on average statewide in our data, with the same $500 deductibles. Across the six insurers, the step up costs $65 (CSAA) to $419 (Farmers) a year. Statewide, that’s about $24 a month for double the per-person injury limit, three times the per-crash limit and double the property damage limit, and the full-coverage package also raises uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage to 100/300. Liability-only coverage is far cheaper, but it has no comprehensive or collision, so it won’t pay to fix or replace your own car.

California Car Insurance Rules at a Glance

What Car Insurance Is Required in California?

California raised its minimum liability limits on Jan. 1, 2025, under S.B. 1107, and policies moved to the new limits as they renewed, according to the California Department of Insurance. Every policy must now cover at least:

• $30,000 for injury or death to one person.
• $60,000 for injury or death to more than one person in a crash.
• $15,000 for damage to property.

Before 2025 the minimum was 15/30/5, and it’s scheduled to rise again, to 50/100/25, on Jan. 1, 2035. Instead of an insurance policy, you can show financial responsibility with a $75,000 cash deposit or surety bond or a DMV self-insurance certificate, according to the California DMV.

Liability is the only coverage California requires. Your insurer must offer uninsured motorist coverage, and you can turn it down only by signing a waiver, according to the Department of Insurance’s auto insurance guide. California doesn’t require personal injury protection; medical payments coverage, collision and comprehensive are optional, though a lender can require collision and comprehensive on a financed car.

California is an at-fault state: the at-fault driver’s liability insurance pays for the other driver’s injuries and damage. When both drivers share the blame, the police, the insurance companies or the courts decide each driver’s share, which California calls comparative negligence.

You must carry proof of insurance in the car and show it when a police officer asks, when you renew your registration and after a crash, according to the DMV, and you can show it on your phone under A.B. 1708. Insurers report your policy to the DMV electronically. If a canceled policy isn’t replaced within 45 days, the DMV suspends the registration, and reinstating it costs $14.

Not showing proof of insurance to an officer carries a $200 base fine, about $896 with penalty assessments, under the state’s 2026 bail and penalty schedule; the ticket is dismissed if you show you were insured. If you’re in a crash you must report and you don’t have insurance, the DMV suspends your license for at least a year and you must keep proof of insurance on file with the DMV for three years afterward. After any crash with an injury, a death or more than $1,000 in property damage, report it to the DMV on form SR 1 within 10 days.

How to Lower Your Car Insurance Rate in California

1. Quote several insurers. Statewide, the lowest and highest insurer averages are about $234 a month apart for the same driver and car.
2. Compare GEICO and your area’s AAA insurer first. GEICO has the lowest full-coverage average among the four major insurers we compared in California, about $199 a month. In the ZIP codes where each is priced, Auto Club of Southern California ($333 a month) and CSAA ($213) have the next-lowest averages of the four major insurers we compared there, ahead of State Farm.
3. Check that you get the Good Driver discount. If you’ve been licensed for at least three years in a row and have no more than one point on your record, California law requires your rate to be at least 20% lower than a non-Good Driver’s, according to the California Department of Insurance.
4. Think before you waive uninsured motorist coverage. California insurers must offer it, and you can drop it only by signing a waiver. It pays for your injuries when the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little. Our full-coverage prices include it at 100/300.
5. See if you qualify for Low Cost Auto. California’s Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program sells liability coverage at 10/20/3 limits to drivers with a household income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level, a car worth $25,000 or less and a valid California license, including an AB 60 license. You can check eligibility and apply at mylowcostauto.com.
6. Don’t let a cancellation lapse. Your insurer reports your policy to the DMV, and if a canceled policy isn’t replaced within 45 days, the DMV suspends your registration until you show proof of insurance and pay a $14 reinstatement fee, according to the California DMV.
7. Get help with a claim or complaint. The California Department of Insurance takes complaints about insurers online and through its consumer hotline, 1-800-927-4357, and its auto insurance guides explain each coverage.
8. Compare at every renewal. Over the past nine months, State Farm has cut its statewide average 11.7%, so the order in our table can shift.
9. Ask about discounts and check your deductible. Many insurers lower rates for a clean driving record, paying in full or insuring more than one car, so ask which auto insurance discounts you qualify for. Our full-coverage prices use $500 deductibles. A higher deductible lowers your premium but means you pay more yourself after a claim; see how deductibles affect your rate.
10. Insure your car and home together. A multi-policy discount is a common way to save, so check average home insurance rates in California and our home insurance guides for Fresno, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose, and compare home insurance quotes alongside your car quotes. Renting? A renters insurance policy can qualify too.

Compare California Car Insurance Quotes

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How We Calculated California Car Insurance Rates

Insurers must file their rates and rating rules with each state’s insurance regulator. Quadrant Information Services uses those filings to calculate what each insurer would charge a specific driver, and InsuranceQuotes analyzes those prices. This page uses rates in effect on Aug. 31, 2026.

• Sample: 5,605 full-coverage premiums from six insurers across 1,121 California ZIP codes, plus the same number of liability-only and 50/100/50 premiums. Auto Club of Southern California is priced in 644 of the 1,121 ZIP codes, so its average covers those ZIP codes. CSAA (AAA Northern California) is priced in 477 of the 1,121 ZIP codes, so its average covers those ZIP codes. The two never overlap: every ZIP code we price has exactly one of them, Auto Club of Southern California in the counties from San Luis Obispo, Kern and Tulare south, plus Inyo and Mono counties and two Fresno County ZIP codes, and CSAA in the rest of Fresno County and the other 41 counties we price. Because each is priced in only part of the state, we list both separately statewide.
• Driver: a single 40-year-old driver, licensed 24 years, with good credit and no accidents or violations, driving a 2024 Toyota Camry LE they own, for personal use.
• Coverage: full coverage is 100/300/100 liability with $500 comprehensive and collision deductibles and 100/300 uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. We also price 50/100/50 with the same deductibles, and liability-only coverage at 15/30/5 limits, with 15/30 uninsured motorist coverage and no comprehensive or collision. California’s minimum has been 30/60/15 since Jan. 1, 2025, so our liability-only prices use lower limits than the law requires: half its injury limits and a third of its property damage limit.
• Calculation: for each insurer we take its lowest eligible price in each ZIP code and average those prices across the ZIP codes. The overall average is the mean of every insurer-and-ZIP price. Monthly figures are annual premiums divided by 12 and rounded.
• Rankings: we name a cheapest insurer only where it’s priced in at least half the ZIP codes and its lead over the next insurer isn’t so wide that it looks like an outlier. GEICO’s statewide full-coverage average is 39% below State Farm’s, a wider lead than that, but we name GEICO because most of the published 2026 statewide California rate studies we reviewed also rank it cheapest. Annual prices within 3% of each other are called effectively tied.
• Rate changes: we compare the same insurer in the same ZIP codes, for the same driver and coverage, in rates as of Nov. 30, 2025, and Aug. 31, 2026. Farmers is new in our rates since November 2025, so it’s left out of rate-change comparisons; the other five insurers are in both sets of rates, Auto Club of Southern California and CSAA in the ZIP codes where each is priced. Rate-change percentages are calculated from the annual premiums shown; other percentages use the rounded monthly figures.
• Insurers marked *: priced from published 2026 California rate studies, scaled to our benchmark driver. They aren’t included in our averages or rankings.
• What this isn’t: a quote. These are modeled prices for one driver profile, calculated from insurers’ rate filings. Your price depends on your ZIP code, vehicle, driving record, coverage choices and discounts.

Coverage requirements come from California law and the California Department of Insurance. We refresh these figures when new rate data is released.

More California Car Insurance Breakdowns

The tables in this section come from an additional InsuranceQuotes rate analysis. It uses its own driver profile, coverage levels and mix of insurers, so its prices differ from the averages above. Use them to compare vehicle types and drivers with each other. Where they show minimum-coverage prices, they use that analysis’s own minimum package, which may be lower than California’s current 30/60/15 minimum.

California Car Insurance Rates by County and Vehicle Type

Car Insurance Rates for Used Vehicles

This table compares used vehicle types in that analysis.

New Car Insurance Rates

This table compares new vehicle types in that analysis.

California Car Insurance Costs by Age

This table shows how that analysis prices drivers of different ages.

California Car Insurance FAQ