San Diego Car Insurance – Cheapest Rates + 2023 Rankings

• San Diego car insurance cost averages $1,938 per year for a full coverage insurance policy.
• Auto insurance rates for a few popular vehicles in San Diego include the GMC Sierra at $177 per month, Nissan Rogue at $149, and Mazda CX-5 at $127.
• For cheap auto insurance in San Diego, CA, models like the Subaru Crosstrek, the Kia Seltos, and the Hyundai Venue have better rates.

How much does car insurance cost in San Diego?

San Diego car insurance costs an average of $1,938 per year, which is 11.5% more than the U.S. average rate of $1,728. The average cost of car insurance per month in San Diego is $162 for full coverage auto insurance.

In the state of California, the average price for car insurance is $2,172 per year, so the average cost in San Diego is $234 less per year. The average cost of insurance in San Diego compared to other California locations is approximately $104 per year cheaper than in Fresno, $90 per year less than in San Jose, and $478 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 – $6,942 per year or $579 per month
• 17-year-old driver – $6,490 per year or $541 per month
• 18-year-old driver – $6,062 per year or $505 per month
• 19-year-old driver – $5,490 per year or $458 per month
• 20-year-old driver – $3,856 per year or $321 per month
• 30-year-old driver – $2,044 per year or $170 per month
• 40-year-old driver – $1,938 per year or $162 per month
• 50-year-old driver – $1,764 per year or $147 per month
• 60-year-old driver – $1,734 per year or $145 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 2023 vehicle models including luxury brand cars and SUVs.

The average cost of auto insurance per month in San Diego is $162, with policy prices ranging from $122 to $373 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 2023 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 – $1,938 (San Diego average) versus $1,728 (U.S. average)
• Insurance for teens can cost a lot – The average cost ranges from $4,882 to $6,942 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 $1,812 less annually than a 20-year-old driver, $2,044 compared to $3,856.
• San Diego car insurance prices are cheaper than the California state average – $1,938 (San Diego average) compared to $2,172 (California average)
• Auto insurance gets more affordable as you age – Rates for a 50-year-old driver in San Diego are $2,092 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 Chevrolet Trailblazer, Subaru Crosstrek, and Mazda CX-5.

Average car insurance rates for those models cost $1,550 or less per year, or $129 per month, for a policy with full coverage.

Some additional vehicles that come in near the top in our cost comparison are the Honda HR-V, Subaru Forester, Hyundai Kona, and Ford Edge.

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 $1,642 or less per year ($137 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 Subaru Impreza takes the top ranking for the cheapest non-luxury sedan or hatchback to insure in San Diego, followed closely by the Volkswagen Jetta, Subaru Legacy, Nissan Sentra, and Toyota Corolla. The 2023 model averages $1,600 per year to insure with full coverage.

Not the cheapest, but still very affordable, are cars like the Toyota Camry, Toyota Prius, Kia K5, and Mazda 3, with an average cost of $1,870 per year or less.

Some additional 2023 models that make the list include the Honda Civic, Tesla Model 3, Volkswagen Arteon, and Chrysler 300, which average between $1,870 and $2,034 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 $133 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 Subaru Impreza at $1,600 per year, or $133 per month. For midsize 2023 models, the Subaru Legacy is cheapest to insure at $1,786 per year, or $149 per month. And for full-size sedans, the Chrysler 300 is most affordable to insure at $1,890 per year, or $158 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 Nissan Rogue Sport, Subaru Crosstrek, Honda Passport, Nissan Kicks, and Chevrolet Trailblazer. Car insurance quotes for these 2023 models average $1,512 or less per year, or around $126 per month.

Additional SUVs that have cheaper rates are the Subaru Ascent, Kia Seltos, Buick Encore, and Mazda CX-5, with an average cost to insure of $1,576 per year or less.

Car insurance in this segment for the average driver can cost as low as $122 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 Chevrolet Trailblazer at $122 per month and ending with the Chevrolet Trax at $139 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, Acura TLX, Cadillac CT4, and Genesis G70. Rates for for these five cars range from $1,742 to $2,064 per year.

Additional models that have affordable insurance rates are the Lexus ES 250, BMW 330e, Lexus ES 350, and BMW 228i, with an average cost of $2,108 per year or less.

Ranked in the lower half of the top 20, cars like the Lexus RC 350, BMW 230i, Mercedes-Benz C300, Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA45, and Audi A3 cost between $2,108 and $2,166 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 $145 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 $1,742 per year. For midsize luxury models, the Cadillac CT5 is the cheapest model to insure at $2,088 per year. And for full-size luxury models, the Audi A5 has the most affordable rates at $2,174 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 $1,742 per year and ending with the Volvo S60 at $2,166 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 $1,618 per year. Second place is the Lexus RX 350 at $1,734 per year, and the third most affordable is the Cadillac XT4, costing an average of $1,750 per year.

Some other luxury SUVs that rank well include the Mercedes-Benz GLA250, Cadillac XT5, Mercedes-Benz GLB 250, and Cadillac XT6, with average cost of $1,886 per year or less.

Ranked lower than 10th place, but still in the top 20, models like the Mercedes-Benz GLC300, Lincoln Nautilus, BMW X1, Acura MDX, and Lexus NX 350 cost between $1,886 and $1,974 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 $135 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 $1,618 per year. For midsize luxury SUVs, the Lexus RX 350 is the cheapest model to insure at $1,734 per year. And for large luxury SUVs, the Volvo XC90 has the best rates at $1,998 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 $1,792 per year, Audi TT at $2,008 per year, Ford Mustang at $2,102 per year, and BMW Z4 at $2,118 per year.

Not the cheapest in the list, but still ranking well, are cars like the Toyota GR86, Toyota GR Supra, Subaru BRZ, and Nissan Z, with an average car insurance cost of $2,336 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 $149 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 $1,792 per year and ending with the Lexus LC 500 at $2,916 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 Ford Maverick, with an average cost of $1,610 per year. Second place is the Chevrolet Colorado at $1,612 per year, in third place is the Nissan Frontier, costing an average of $1,672 per year, and the fourth cheapest is the Ford Ranger, at an average of $1,722 per year.

Not the cheapest in the list, but still ranking well, are pickups like the Nissan Titan, Honda Ridgeline, Toyota Tacoma, and Ford F150, with an average cost to insure of $1,970 per year or less.

Auto insurance in San Diego for this segment for a safe driver starts at an average of $134 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 $58 and $196 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 $330 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 $668 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 $2,714 per year for a 20-year-old driver and even as much as $592 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 $284 per year for a 40-year-old driver and $552 per year for a 20-year-old driver.