San Diego Car Insurance – Cheapest Rates + 2025 Rankings

• San Diego car insurance cost averages $2,652 per year for a full coverage insurance policy.
• Auto insurance rates for a few popular vehicles in San Diego include the GMC Sierra at $244 per month, Nissan Rogue at $199, and Mazda CX-5 at $180.
• For cheap auto insurance in San Diego, CA, models like the Chevrolet Trailblazer, the Mazda CX-5, and the Volkswagen Tiguan have better rates.

How much does car insurance cost in San Diego?

San Diego car insurance costs an average of $2,652 per year, which is 15.3% more than the U.S. average rate of $2,276. The average cost of car insurance per month in San Diego is $221 for full coverage auto insurance.

In the state of California, the average price for car insurance is $2,884 per year, so the average cost in San Diego is $232 less per year. The average cost of insurance in San Diego compared to other California locations is approximately $102 per year cheaper than in Fresno, $90 per year less than in San Jose, and $472 per year less than in San Francisco.

Driver age influences the price you pay for car insurance, so the list below illustrates these differences by showing the difference in average car insurance rates in San Diego for different driver ages.

Car insurance cost in San Diego, CA, for drivers age 16 to 60

• 16-year-old driver – $9,451 per year or $788 per month
• 17-year-old driver – $9,155 per year or $763 per month
• 18-year-old driver – $8,206 per year or $684 per month
• 19-year-old driver – $7,474 per year or $623 per month
• 20-year-old driver – $5,336 per year or $445 per month
• 30-year-old driver – $2,832 per year or $236 per month
• 40-year-old driver – $2,652 per year or $221 per month
• 50-year-old driver – $2,352 per year or $196 per month
• 60-year-old driver – $2,202 per year or $184 per month

The next chart shows average San Diego, CA, car insurance cost broken out for both different driver ages and policy deductibles. Rates are averaged for all 2024 vehicle models including luxury brand cars and SUVs.

The average cost of auto insurance per month in San Diego is $221, with policy prices ranging from $155 to $517 for the data in the prior chart.

Auto insurance rates have different premiums for every driver and slight changes in driver risk profiles can have meaningful effects on car insurance cost. The possibility of a wide range of rates stresses the need for accurate car insurance quotes when shopping online for the cheapest rate.

The cost of car insurance for San Diego’s favorite vehicles

The previous auto insurance rates in this article are the average cost across all 2024 model year vehicles, which is handy when making generalized comparisons like the cost difference between driver ages or locations.

For deeper car insurance rate comparisons, however, the rates will be more accurate if we look at the specific model of vehicle being insured. Later on in this article, we get into both rates by vehicle segment and rates for many different specific vehicles, but for now, let’s look at just a few of the more popular vehicles to discover how auto insurance rates compare in San Diego.

The chart below displays the cost of auto insurance in San Diego for the more popular models.

The models that have high popularity in San Diego tend to be compact and midsize sedans like the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, and Toyota Camry and compact or midsize SUVs like the Honda CR-V, Chevy Equinox, and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Other popular vehicles from other vehicle segments include luxury models like the Infiniti Q50 and Infiniti QX60, pickup trucks like the Ford Ranger and Ram 1500, and sports cars like the Audi TT and Porsche 911.

We explore rates for lots more vehicles later in this article, but before that, let’s revisit some of the general concepts that were presented in the data up to this point.

• San Diego, CA, car insurance cost is more than the U.S. average – $2,652 (San Diego average) versus $2,276 (U.S. average)
• Insurance for teens can cost a lot – The average cost ranges from $6,321 to $9,451 per year for insurance on a teen driver in San Diego, CA.
• Insurance rates drop considerably from age 20 to 30 – The average 30-year-old San Diego, CA, driver will pay $2,504 less annually than a 20-year-old driver, $2,832 compared to $5,336.
• San Diego car insurance prices are cheaper than the California state average – $2,652 (San Diego average) compared to $2,884 (California average)
• Auto insurance gets more affordable as you age – Rates for a 50-year-old driver in San Diego are $2,984 per year cheaper than for a 20-year-old driver.

Which cars have cheap insurance in San Diego, California?

The models with the best car insurance prices in San Diego tend to be compact SUVs like the Subaru Crosstrek, Chevrolet Trailblazer, and Buick Envision.

Average car insurance rates for those models cost $2,156 or less per year, or $180 per month, for a policy with full coverage.

Some additional vehicles that come in near the top in our cost comparison are the Buick Encore, Volkswagen Taos, Buick Envista, and Kia Niro.

The average rates are slightly higher for those models than the cheapest crossovers and compact SUVs at the top of the rankings, but they still have an average cost of $2,308 or less per year ($192 per month) in San Diego.

The following table ranks the cheapest vehicles to insure in San Diego, sorted by average cost.

A list of 25 ranked vehicles really is not a great way to present a complete summary of car insurance rates in San Diego. A better way to group and rank rates in a practical manner is by organizing them by their automotive segment. The sections below list the top 20 vehicles with the most affordable insurance rates for the six main segments.

Cheapest car insurance rates in San Diego

The Toyota GR Corolla takes the top ranking for the cheapest non-luxury sedan or hatchback to insure in San Diego, followed closely by the Nissan Leaf, Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra, and Subaru Impreza. The 2024 model averages $2,308 per year to insure with full coverage.

Not the cheapest, but still very affordable, are cars like the Honda Accord, Kia K5, Toyota Corolla, and Chevrolet Malibu, with an average cost of $2,584 per year or less.

Some additional 2024 models that make the list include the Nissan Versa, Hyundai Sonata, Mazda 3, and Volkswagen Arteon, which average between $2,584 and $2,746 per year for full-coverage insurance in San Diego.

From a monthly standpoint, car insurance rates on this segment in San Diego for a safe driver will start around $192 per month, depending on where you live.

When vehicle size is considered, the cheapest non-luxury compact car to insure in San Diego is the Toyota GR Corolla at $2,308 per year, or $192 per month. For midsize 2024 models, the Kia K5 is cheapest to insure at $2,556 per year, or $213 per month. And for full-size sedans, the Chrysler 300 is most affordable to insure at $2,526 per year, or $211 per month.

The next table ranks the twenty cars with the most affordable average car insurance rates in San Diego.

See our comprehensive guides for compact car insurance, midsize car insurance, and full-size car insurance to view data for vehicles not featured in the table.

Don’t see insurance cost for your vehicle? That’s no problem! Enter your zip code at the bottom of the above table and click the orange ‘GO’ button to get free car insurance quotes from top-rated car insurance companies in California.

Cheapest SUV insurance rates in San Diego

Ranking at the top for the cheapest San Diego car insurance rates in the non-luxury SUV segment are the Honda Passport, Chevrolet Trailblazer, Nissan Kicks, Kia Soul, and Subaru Crosstrek. Car insurance quotes for these 2024 models average $2,114 or less per year, or around $176 per month.

Additional SUVs that have cheaper rates are the Ford Bronco Sport, Mazda CX-5, Toyota Corolla Cross, and Buick Envision, with an average cost to insure of $2,172 per year or less.

Car insurance in this segment for the average driver can cost as low as $164 per month, depending on where you live.

The comparison table below ranks the twenty SUVs with the cheapest car insurance rates in San Diego, starting with the Subaru Crosstrek at $164 per month and ending with the Subaru Ascent at $192 per month.

For more car insurance comparisons, see our guides for compact SUV insurance, midsize SUV insurance, and full-size SUV insurance.

Don’t see rates for your SUV? Enter your zip code at the bottom of the above table and click the orange ‘GO’ button to get free San Diego car insurance quotes from the best car insurance companies in California.

Cheapest luxury cars to insure in San Diego, CA

In our comparison, the top five cheapest luxury cars to insure in San Diego are the Acura Integra, BMW 330i, Mercedes-Benz CLA250, Lexus IS 300, and Acura TLX. Rates for for these five cars range from $2,358 to $2,744 per year.

Additional models that have affordable insurance rates are the Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA35, Genesis G70, Lexus ES 350, and Lexus RC 300, with an average cost of $2,786 per year or less.

Ranked in the lower half of the top 20, cars like the BMW 228i, Lexus ES 250, Lexus RC 350, Lexus ES 300h, and Cadillac CT5 cost between $2,786 and $2,974 per year for full-coverage insurance in San Diego.

On a monthly basis, full-coverage insurance on this segment in San Diego for a safe driver starts at around $197 per month, depending on the company.

When vehicle size is considered, the most affordable small luxury car to insure in San Diego is the Acura Integra at $2,358 per year. For midsize luxury models, the Mercedes-Benz CLA250 is the cheapest model to insure at $2,728 per year. And for full-size luxury models, the Audi A5 has the most affordable rates at $3,152 per year.

The rate comparison table below ranks the twenty luxury cars with the lowest-cost car insurance in San Diego, starting with the Acura Integra at $2,358 per year and ending with the Audi S3 at $2,974 per year.

See our comprehensive guide for luxury car insurance to view data for vehicles not featured in the table.

Don’t see rates for your luxury car? That’s no problem! Enter your zip code at the bottom of the above table and click the orange ‘GO’ button to get cheap San Diego car insurance quotes from top-rated car insurance companies in California.

Cheapest luxury SUVs to insure in San Diego

Sitting at number one in San Diego for cheapest average insurance rates in the luxury SUV segment is the Acura RDX, costing an average of $2,220 per year. Second place is the Lexus NX 250 at $2,350 per year, and the third most affordable is the Cadillac XT4, costing an average of $2,394 per year.

Some other luxury SUVs that rank well include the Mercedes-Benz GLB 250, Lincoln Corsair, Lexus NX 450h, and Lexus UX 250h, with average cost of $2,560 per year or less.

Ranked lower than 10th place, but still in the top 20, models like the Lexus RX 350, Acura MDX, Land Rover Evoque, Mercedes-Benz GLA250, and Mercedes-Benz GLA35 AMG cost between $2,560 and $2,666 to insure per year.

From a monthly standpoint, full-coverage car insurance on this segment in San Diego for an average middle-age driver can cost as low as $185 per month, depending on your location and insurance company.

If rates are ranked by vehicle size, the cheapest compact luxury SUV to insure in San Diego is the Acura RDX at $2,220 per year. For midsize luxury SUVs, the Jaguar E-Pace is the cheapest model to insure at $2,480 per year. And for large luxury SUVs, the Infiniti QX80 has the best rates at $2,974 per year.

The table below ranks the twenty luxury SUVs with the most affordable average auto insurance rates in San Diego.

For all luxury SUV comparisons, see our complete guide for luxury SUV insurance.

Is your luxury SUV not in the list? No problem! Enter your zip code at the bottom of the table above and click the orange ‘GO’ button to get free car insurance quotes from top companies in California.

Cheapest sports cars to insure in San Diego, California

The four most affordable sports cars to insure in San Diego are the Mazda MX-5 Miata at $2,454 per year, Toyota GR86 at $2,794 per year, Ford Mustang at $2,916 per year, and BMW Z4 at $2,932 per year.

Not the cheapest in the list, but still ranking well, are cars like the Nissan Z, BMW M2, Subaru BRZ, and Toyota GR Supra, with an average car insurance cost of $3,172 per year or less.

As a cost per month, full-coverage car insurance in San Diego on this segment for an average middle-age driver starts at around $205 per month, depending on where you live. The next table ranks the sports cars with the cheapest insurance rates in San Diego, starting with the Mazda MX-5 Miata at $2,454 per year and ending with the Porsche Taycan at $4,494 per year.

Need rates for a different vehicle? Enter your zip code at the bottom of the table above and click the orange ‘GO’ button to get free car insurance quotes from top-rated companies in California.

Cheapest pickup insurance rates in San Diego

Ranked at #1 in San Diego for cheapest auto insurance in the pickup truck segment is the Chevrolet Colorado, with an average cost of $2,336 per year. Second place is the Nissan Titan at $2,484 per year, in third place is the Nissan Frontier, costing an average of $2,508 per year, and the fourth cheapest is the Ford Ranger, at an average of $2,536 per year.

Not the cheapest in the list, but still ranking well, are pickups like the Toyota Tacoma, GMC Sierra 2500 HD, Honda Ridgeline, and GMC Canyon, with an average cost to insure of $2,730 per year or less.

Auto insurance in San Diego for this segment for a safe driver starts at an average of $195 per month, depending on where you live and the company you use.

The next table ranks the pickups with the most affordable car insurance rates in San Diego.

See our guides for midsize pickup insurance and large pickup insurance to compare rates for all truck makes and models.

Looking for insurance rates for a different truck? No problem! Enter your zip code at the bottom of the above table and click the orange ‘GO’ button to get cheap San Diego car insurance quotes from top-rated car insurance companies in California.

Tips for cheaper San Diego auto insurance rates

Smart drivers in San Diego are always looking to reduce the monthly expense for insurance So take a minute to read through the money-saving ideas in this next list and maybe you can save a little money on your next policy.

• Get a discount from your employment. Some insurance companies offer discounts for having a job in professions like doctors, members of the military, lawyers, dentists, scientists, high school and elementary teachers, and others. Getting this discount may save between $80 and $258 on your car insurance bill, subject to the policy coverages selected.
• Save money by qualifying for discounts. Discounts may be available if the insured drivers are good students, are senior citizens, take a defensive driving course, drive a vehicle with safety or anti-theft features, choose electronic billing, or many other discounts which could save the average San Diego driver as much as $450 per year on the cost of auto insurance
• Buy vehicles that are cheaper to insure. The make and model of vehicle you drive is one of the biggest factors in the price you pay for auto insurance. As an example, a Subaru Outback costs $910 less per year to insure in San Diego than a Subaru BRZ. Lower performance vehicles cost less to insure.
• Avoid accidents for cheaper auto insurance rates. Multiple at-fault accidents raise rates, possibly as much as $3,790 per year for a 20-year-old driver and even as much as $650 per year for a 60-year-old driver. So be a cautious driver and save.
• Lower policy cost by raising deductibles. Increasing deductibles from $500 to $1,000 could save around $382 per year for a 40-year-old driver and $742 per year for a 20-year-old driver.