How much does car insurance cost per month in California?
Key Takeaways: Geico, USAA, Mercury Insurance, Progressive and CSAA are the five cheapest car insurance companies in California, according to our research. The average cost of full-coverage car insurance in California is $193 per month or $2,313 per year.
California drivers spend $1,015 per month on average for fuel, maintenance, insurance, depreciation and other car ownership expenses.
So what's driving up the costs? "Every accident costs thousands of dollars, whereas there used to be smaller claims," said insurance expert Karl Susman, of Susman Insurance Agency. He says the technology in today's cars makes them more expensive to repair, adding to a rise in premiums.
Car insurance for a new driver in California costs an average of $981 per year to $2,534 per year. Auto insurance premiums for new drivers in California vary widely depending on a driver's age and whether they are being added to an existing policy or purchasing their own.
Car insurance for a 20-year-old in California costs an average of $1,391 per year for minimum coverage, while a full coverage policy for a 20-year-old in California costs an average of $4,070 per year. The company with the cheapest rates for a minimum coverage policy for 20-year-olds in California is Wawanesa.
Generally, however, a car payment is considered high if it exceeds 10-15% of a person's gross monthly income. This means that if a person earns $3,000 per month, a car payment that is greater than $300-$450 per month may be considered high.
An affordable car payment would be one that doesn't exceed $600 a month, based on the rule of thumb that your car payment shouldn't be more than 15% of your take-home pay.
Company | Estimated Monthly Rate | Estimated Annual Rate |
---|---|---|
Geico | $153 | $1,837 |
Progressive | $173 | $2,077 |
Kemper | $193 | $2,313 |
*USAA | $163 | $1,959 |
The city in California with the least expensive auto insurance premiums is Chula Vista, which has an average annual premium of $1,299 per year. By comparison, the average cost of car insurance in California overall is $1,601 per year.
- #1 Geico: Affordable for Most Drivers. 9.1/10. Learn More. J.D. Power rating: 824/1,000. ...
- #2 Progressive: Low Rates for High-Risk Drivers. 9/10. Learn More. J.D. Power rating: 803/1,000. ...
- #3 USAA: Low Rates for Military. 9.2/10. Learn More. ...
- #4 State Farm: Editor's Choice. 9.4/10. Learn More.
Who typically has the cheapest car insurance?
State Farm is the cheapest car insurance company overall according to NerdWallet's analysis, with an average rate of $39 a month for minimum coverage.
California has a new-car insurance grace period of 30 days in most cases. The new-car grace period is how long you have after purchasing a vehicle to get a car insurance policy for it and provide proof of insurance to the California DMV.
Car Insurance Company | Motor OD Claim Settlement Ratio FY23 | Network Garages |
---|---|---|
Digit Car Insurance | 96.00% | Repair anywhere |
Bajaj Allianz Car Insurance | 98.50% | 4,000+ |
Kotak Mahindra Car Insurance | 98.00% | 2,327+ |
Zuno Car Insurance | 98.00% | 1,500+ |
As if high gas prices weren't making life miserable enough, California drivers are being buffeted by higher auto insurance premiums — if they can find coverage at all. Frustrated by state regulations, a number of insurers have limited the new policies their agents can sell in California.
Both Geico and Progressive offer cheap car insurance to drivers across the country. Geico's rates are typically lower overall, but Progressive tends to offer better prices to high-risk drivers. High-risk drivers are those with a recent DUI, at-fault accident or speeding ticket on their driving record.
Full coverage car insurance costs an average of $2,692 per year in California. The average cost for state minimum coverage is $653 per year. Nationally, full coverage costs $2,545, and minimum coverage costs $741 on average per year, so California is an expensive place to buy insurance.
How much car can I afford based on salary? According to our research, you shouldn't spend more than 10% to 15% of your net monthly income on car payments. Your total vehicle costs, including loan payments and insurance, should total no more than 20%.
If you wanted to stick to this rule of thumb and buy a $50,000 car, you would need a monthly take-home income of at least $7,240 if you got a car loan at a below-average rate and stretched out your payoff time for a long time. Many people will find that purchasing such an expensive car really isn't affordable.
The average monthly car payment is now a record $733, according to Edmunds. And even if your monthly auto loan payments are around $500 per month, that still may be uncomfortably high. And that's before adding up the cost of maintenance, fuel, and auto insurance.
A good rule of thumb is to spend no more than 10% of your take-home pay on a car loan payment when possible.
How much should I spend on a car if I make $100000?
Starting with the 1/10th guideline, created and pushed by Financial Samurai, this guideline states: buy a car in cash that costs less than 1/10th your gross annual pay. If you make $50,000 you should buy a car in cash worth $5000. If you make $100,000, the car you buy should be worth no more than $10,000.
The 35% rule states that the most that you should spend. on the price of a car. is not to exceed 35% of your gross income. That means if you make $40,000 a year, the cars price should not exceed $14,000. If you make $80,000, the cars price should be below $28,000.
AAA insurance premiums tend to be more expensive than the national average because AAA doesn't write its own policies. Each regional club operates independently and sells insurance policies underwritten by different agencies.
Drivers in California need $15,000 of bodily injury liability insurance per person (up to $30,000 per accident) and $5,000 of property damage liability insurance. Collision, comprehensive and gap insurance may also be required by a lender or lessor if your vehicle is financed.
The most expensive car to insure in 2024 is the Maserati Quattroporte, with an average insurance premium of $6,166 per year, according to Insure.com's data study. The Maserati Quattroporte Trofeo is the most expensive car to insure for young drivers, whereas the Chevrolet TrailBlazer is the cheapest car to insure.
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