How Much Is Car Insurance in California: Average Cost (2021)

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California is known to be one of the most expensive states in regards to living expenses, but according to our average car insurance cost per month study, California auto insurance rates may not be the cheapest of all states, however, it is not the most expensive either. Although California isn't the top 10 most expensive states to get car insurance in, it's certainly located somewhere in the middle.

California has a lot of emissions regulations that vehicle owners are expected to keep up with. This translates to people having to buy more modern vehicles that are often more expensive and not the cheapest cars to insure. However, several other factors affect California car insurance rates, like the fact that drivers in California aren't always the best and most careful drivers, which adds to their risk for insurers.

Suppose you're thinking about purchasing a vehicle in California or you're wondering how much is car insurance in California per year. In that case, this article will help you understand more about the state car insurance costs and what you can do to get cheap car insurance insurance in California that works for you. 

Our California car insurance calculator we will outline the average auto insurance cost in California, in order to help you get a more affordable policy that's below the average - yet keeps you well protected while on the roads of beautiful sunny California! 

Let's take a look!

How Much Is Car Insurance in California? 

Average Car Insurance Cost Per Year in California

According to the Insurance Information Institute, the average cost of California car insurance in 2019 was $1,034. However, California is a huge state, and this is just the average that policyholders pay across the board. Your individual rate will vary greatly depending on how much coverage in California you have, which insurance companies you're dealing with, your personal driving record, and whether you're purchasing full-coverage or basic liability coverage.

Insurance companies in California typically charge the following for the basic types of coverage:

• Basic Liability (covers other drivers and property damage): $616

• Collision Coverage (covers your vehicle repair costs): $484

• Comprehensive Coverage (covers "acts of God," natural disasters, theft, etc.): $95

Of course, these are just the basics that most California car insurance companies provide. Depending on your personal needs, you may want to pay for additional property damage coverage, uninsured motorist, bodily injury liability, or extra comprehensive coverage to protect you from disasters such as wildfires or earthquakes.

How Much is Car Insurance In California Per Month?

The insurance rates that we listed above are all based on a typical "insurance year" and are rates that are charged to policyholders per year. However, you'll usually be able to choose between a six-month and a twelve-month policy.

When you first sign up, you'll be required to make a small down payment, and then the rest of your car insurance policy will be paid off in monthly increments. If you're willing to pay for the entire policy upfront, then you may be eligible to receive a small discount. However, most people aren't able to afford to pay their entire policy in one payment, so monthly payments are, by far, more popular.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, the average cost of liability insurance in the state of California is just under $500 per year with per-person $30,000 coverage limits. The state also required drivers to have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to ensure that they're still covered even if they're involved in an accident with a person who does not have auto insurance. This typically costs an extra $100 per policy period.

So, doing the math, if you have a $600 per year policy that renews on a twelve-month basis, then you'll pay around $50 per month, plus any applicable taxes and fees. This is for the minimum liability policy, though.

Suppose you want a full-coverage insurance policy that covers collision insurance, comprehensive coverage, personal injury protection or bodily injury liability coverage, enhanced property damage liability insurance, and others, though. In that case, you'll typically pay $1,700 per year for your full coverage car insurance in California, or around $148 per month.

As we mentioned, though, these are just averages. The city you live in plays a major role in your car insurance rates in California. For example, car insurance in LA is a lot more expensive than car insurance coverage in San Diego!

How much does car insurance cost per month in California then? Please find this average car insurance cost per month in California breakdown below:

Minimum Car Insurance California

Minimum liability car insurance cost in CA is $48 per month or $574 per year in 2020. Getting minimum auto insurance in California is not recommended, as it doesn't provide sufficient coverage to protect you from the unexpected and cover potential expenses involved with driving in CA.

How Much is Full Coverage Car Insurance in California?

However, in order to get the best car insurance in California, aka cheap auto insurance that also keeps you well protected on the road, we recommend full coverage car insurance, which has an average California car insurance cost of $142 per month or $1700 per year.

Why Is Car Insurance So Expensive In California?

Although California isn't the most dangerous state to drive in (Florida holds that title) or the most expensive state to insure a car, it's still in the the bottom of the top 25 most expensive states to insure a car. This is likely due to the fact that California drivers have to deal with a lot of traffic (especially in large cities with jam-packed rush hours). California is also ranked number 12 in the nation for uninsured motorists, and the state requires all drivers to possess uninsured motorist coverage.

If you're a young driver, own a sports car, have speeding tickets on your record, and a lower credit score, then your average car insurance cost may be a bit higher than the typical California car insurance rates. However, if you have a clean driving record, you're 25-years-old (or older), and haven't been involved in a recent accident, then your average auto insurance rates will probably be on the lower side.

How To Get Car Insurance In California

Getting California auto insurance is easy! You can easily compare car insurance quotes online, over the phone, or speak to an insurance agent in-person to receive your quotes.

Most insurance websites, companies and agents will ask you for some basic information about your driving record and your vehicle. Once they process the information, they'll give you their quotes for monthly/6-month/annual payments, and you can finalize the transaction in less than 24 hours, and many times much faster.

What Is The Cheapest Car Insurance In California?

Car insurance quotes vary greatly from one company to another. The best way to ensure that you're getting a good deal is to compare quotes online from trusted companies that you can read other people's reviews of, as you can do here. Just be sure to let them know that you're comparing quotes, to reassure that you get their best possible rates!

How To Get The Cheapest Full Coverage Car Insurance in California

• Compare car insurance quotes online
• Leverage California's low cost auto insurance program!
• Be a safe driver and maintain a clean driving record
• Maintain an excellent credit score
• Make sure you own a car that is cheap to insure!

In any case, you want to compare car insurance quotes from the best auto insurance companies in California in order to find the most affordable, cheapest car insurance rates possible near you!

When you compare auto insurance quotes in California, be sure to collect maximum amount of full coverage car insurance quotes that have your needs protected, so you can later decide which is the cheapest California low cost auto insurance option that is also reliable and protective enough.

SR22 Insurance California: Cost Per Month & Year (1 DUI)

The average SR22 insurance cost in California with 1 DUI is $425 per month or $5,100 per year, which is above the national average. Whatever driving violation you did, it increases your SR22 insurance cost in California by 185% on average! That's a great reason to drive safe and improve yourself as a driver!

Cheapest SR22 Insurance California

To get the cheapest SR22 insurance in California, we recommend you to compare cheap SR22 insurance quotes through this page and find SR22 insurance rates starting from as little as $7/month.

Learn More: SR22 Insurance Cost.

Cheapest Car Insurance: San Diego

To get the cheapest car insurance in San Diego, our best recommendation for you is to compare San Diego, California low income car insurance quotes through this page and collect as many quotes as you can.

Cheapest Car Insurance: Los Angeles

To get the cheapest car insurance in Los Angeles, city of angels, our best recommendation is to compare auto insurance quotes through this page, collect as many price quotes as possible in LA and find the best car insurance in Los Angeles and the best auto insurance rates in California!