California Car Insurance Rates for 2021

• Average car insurance cost in California is $1,676 per year, or around $140 per month.
• When compared to the western region states, California ranks #10 out of 11 states for car insurance affordability and comes in at #43 overall for the entire U.S.
• The cheapest car insurance in California can be found on models like the Honda CR-V, the Mazda CX-3 and the Subaru CrossTrek.
• Teenage drivers cost the most to insure in California, with average rates ranging from $4,226 per year for a 19-year-old female driver up to $6,016 per year for a 16-year-old male driver.

What is average car insurance cost in California?

Average car insurance rates in California cost $1,676 per year, or about $140 per month, which is 10% more than the national average rate of $1,523.

Some of the cheaper cars to insure in California include the Honda CR-V at $1,264 per year, the Toyota Camry at $1,680 per year, and the Ford Edge at $1,336 per year.

High end models like the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT63, the Tesla Model Y, and the BMW M760i cost an average of $3,284, $2,178, and $3,284 per year, respectively, for full-coverage car insurance.

The chart below shows average car insurance rates in California for 2021 model year vehicles and different driver ages and policy deductible amounts. The overall average rate in the chart is the $500 deductible policy for a 40-year-old driver which costs $1,676 per year, or $140 per month. For the same deductible level, cost ranges from $1,500 for a 60-year-old driver to $3,336 for a 20-year-old driver.

As shown in the chart, the average cost of car insurance ranges from $1,272 per year for a 60-year-old driver with a policy with high deductibles to $3,870 per year for a 20-year-old driver with low physical damage deductibles. From a monthly standpoint, the average cost in the chart above ranges from $106 to $323 per month.

California car insurance rates for teenage drivers are not included in the chart, but expect to pay quite a bit if you are insuring a 16 to 19-year-old. Average rates range from $4,226 per year for a 19-year-old female driver up to $6,016 per year for a 16-year-old male driver.

For 17 and 18-year-olds, average car insurance rates in California will cost $5,000 to $5,622 per year for 17-year-olds and $4,556 to $5,252 per year for 18-year-olds. Rates will fluctuate considerably based on the vehicle driven, however, so the best way to nail down a rate for your specific vehicle, Zip Code, and risk profile, is to just get some California car insurance quotes.

Some additional factors and situations that can affect car insurance rates in California include:

• A 40-year-old driver with a DUI or other major driving violation could pay as much as $1,546 more per year.
• Increasing policy deductibles from $100 to $1,000 could save $764 or more each year.
• Even minor traffic violations like speeding tickets or failure to yield could increase the annual cost of car insurance in California by $444 for a 40-year-old driver.
• Earning multiple policy discounts could save as much as $522 per year. These discounts include things like multi-vehicle, multi-policy, safe driver, claim-free, customer loyalty, and others.
• Insuring multiple vehicles on one policy could save $90 per year.
• Being a homeowner could save around $24 per year.
• Bundling your auto and homeowners insurance with the same company could save an average of $218 per year.
• Having an at-fault accident could cause your rates to increase by as much as $692 each year.
• Driving a vehicle with lower insurance rates can save a lot. For example, driving a Honda CR-V instead of a Jeep Wrangler could save as much as $468 per year on insurance cost.

Is car insurance expensive in California?

When compared to surrounding states, California car insurance rates are 1.3% less than Nevada, 24.9% more than Oregon, and 22.3% more than Arizona.

When compared to other states outside the immediate western region, the average cost of car insurance in California is 0.4% cheaper than New York, 18.1% cheaper than Florida, and 13.9% more expensive than the average rate in Texas.

As an example, Tesla Model 3 insurance in California costs an average of $1,920 per year for full coverage. In Nevada, it would cost slightly more at around $1,942, but Arizona and Oregon are considerably cheaper at $1,566 and $1,530 per year, respectively.

The chart below shows how car insurance in California compares to the other states in the U.S. west region. California car insurance cost ranks #10 out of the 11 states in the west region for affordability, which essentially means car insurance in California is expensive.

The cost of insuring a vehicle in California varies considerably based on the area you live in. For example, in San Diego, Honda Civic insurance would cost around $1,568 per year. Living in Sacramento would cause the cost of insurance to increase to $1,876, and Los Angeles car insurance cost would average $2,326 per year.

When average rates are compared to the cost of car insurance in specific U.S. cities, California auto insurance rates are 4% higher than Chicago, 42.2% higher than Miami, and 8.8% higher than Denver.

As mentioned earlier, rates can vary considerably based on where you live. Areas with higher crime, higher traffic congestion, or higher frequency of fire or hail can have more expensive rates. The best way to compare rates and know exactly how much each company costs is to get some free car insurance quotes.

Our simple-to-use form allows you to drill down to the best companies based on a few easy questions. No personal data is required, and it’s a great way to find out if you can save on your next policy.

California car insurance rates by vehicle segment

The chart below shows average car insurance rates in California for different vehicle segments. Rates range from an average of around $1,500 per year for compact SUVs like the Ford Edge and Honda CR-V up to the highest rates for luxury car insurance and exotic performance cars at an average of over $2,500 per year for large luxury cars and over $3,400 per year for exotic performance models.

Cheapest car insurance in California

The models with the best car insurance rates in California are primarily compact SUVs like the Subaru Forester and Honda CR-V, which cost an average of $105 per month for full coverage insurance.

Other vehicles that have some of the cheapest California car insurance rates are the Volkswagen Golf at an average annual cost of $1,338, the Mazda 6 at $1,560 per year, the Honda Civic at $1,574, and the Toyota Corolla at $1,456 per year.

The vehicle being insured is only part of the car insurance rate equation, however. Things like driving citations, at-fault accidents, policy deductibles, extra add-on coverages, your Zip Code, and many other factors all contribute to the bottom line cost of a policy.

Driving a Mercedes G63 AMG, a Tesla Model X, or a Porsche Cayenne will not be a good start in finding cheap car insurance in California. High-end models that cost a lot to drive off the lot are not going to be your best bet for cheap rates.

The models shown in the table below have below-average car insurance rates based on vehicle safety ratings, ease-of-repair, and liability loss history and are an excellent place to start when trying to find cheaper insurance in California, or really anywhere in the U.S.

Average rates in select California cities

Average annual and monthly car insurance rates are shown below for some of the larger cities in California. Click and visit any page for detailed rates including the cheapest cars, trucks, and SUVs to insure in each city.

• Los Angeles Car Insurance - $2,478 per year or $207 per month
• San Diego Car Insurance - $1,668 per year or $139 per month
• San Jose Car Insurance - $1,756 per year or $146 per month
• San Francisco Car Insurance - $2,128 per year or $177 per month
• Fresno Car Insurance - $1,766 per year or $147 per month