Key Takeaways

• California is one of the most expensive states to get car insurance.
• State minimums rose in 2025 to $30,000/$60,000/$15,000.
• California does not allow credit history to be used in insurance quotes.

California continues to be a high priced state in the U.S. for car insurance. Factors like traffic congestion, urban density and natural disasters all contribute to costly premiums. 

In addition, California’s high cost of living drives up prices for car repairs, legal representation and medical expenses, leading to insurers facing higher payouts for car accident claims.

Drivers in the Golden State pay $115 monthly for minimum coverage, a Jerry analysis revealed. On average, the cost of full coverage insurance is $320 monthly.

What are California’s minimum requirements for car insurance?

California drivers used to be required to only carry liability coverage of $15,000/$30,000/$5,000. But effective Jan. 1, 2025, state law is mandating that drivers have higher limits of $30,000/$60,000/$15,000.

The new required minimums are:

• $30,000 per person for bodily injury liability.
• $60,000 for bodily injury per accident for multiple persons injured.
• $5,000 for property damage liability per accident.

Cheapest minimum coverage insurance in California

Check out the quotes for state minimum coverage in California, starting from the cheapest.

If you have a loan or lease on your vehicle, the lender will require full coverage. You may also need gap insurance, which can help you pay off your loan if your car is totaled.

Cheapest full coverage insurance in California

If you need full coverage, here are the cheapest quotes based on Jerry data.

Cheapest car insurance for young drivers in California

Unfortunately, young drivers tend to have to higher average quotes, especially if they’re younger, newer drivers.

Cheapest liability-only policy in California for a 20 year old

A 20-year-old Californian can expect to pay between $148 and $595 per month for state minimum insurance, according to our data.

Cheapest full coverage policy in California for a 20 year old

Here are the cheapest quotes for a 20-year-old California driver.

Average car insurance for mature drivers in California (25-54 years old)

Luckily, as Californians get older, insurance generally gets cheaper. Our data shows that there are decreases in quotes as a Californian ages from 25 to 54.

Cheapest liability-only policy in California for a 36 year old

The average Jerry customer is 36 years old. Here are the rates for a liability-only policy in California for a 36 year old.

Cheapest full coverage policy in California for a 36 year old

The cheapest rates for a 36-year-old California for full coverage are as follows.

Average car insurance for older drivers (55+ years old)

Older drivers will still see decreases in their quotes until they enter the 65+ age group where the trend starts to reverse and insurance gets more expensive.

Cheapest liability-only policy in California for a 65 year old

Check out the rates for a liability-only policy for a 65-year-old Californian.

Cheapest full coverage policy in California for a 65 year old

Drivers in California who are aged 65 years old have received these average quotes from various insurers.

Average car insurance for drivers with clean records in California

If you have no violations or claims, here’s how much our customers get quoted on average, plus the cheapest insurers for a Californian with a clean record.

Average car insurance for drivers with low credit scores in California

California does not allow credit history to be used in insurance quotes.

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with at-fault accidents in California

Getting into an accident will cause your average quote to rise, according to Jerrys data below.

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with at-fault accidents with no injury in California

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with at-fault accidents with injury in California

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket in California

Getting caught speeding will cause your insurance rates to rise, and Jerry’s data shows that the faster a speed you were caught at, the higher your average quote:

Different insurers will quote different prices for Californians with a speeding violation so be sure to shop around.

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a DUI in California

Check out the cheapest insurance rate for California drivers with a DUI.

Average car insurance for drivers with other violations in California

Minimum liability vs. full coverage in California

When you cause a car accident, minimum liability insurance helps pay for injuries and damage done by your vehicle to other drivers — but it doesn’t pay for your own injuries and accident-related car repairs. This is where full coverage kicks in and provides you with added financial protection, which is crucial in case you’re in a severe accident. 

Full coverage includes the state’s minimum requirements along with:

• Collision coverage, which pays for damage done to your vehicle in an accident.
• Comprehensive coverage, which covers non-collision incidents like theft, vandalism and natural disasters.

Considering the hefty costs for accident-related expenses in California, drivers often opt for full coverage insurance. The minimum coverage limits could potentially run out quickly and you’d be on the hook for remaining expenses if you don’t have additional coverage.

Keep in mind that full coverage is typically required when you lease and/or finance a car.

What is Med Pay coverage in California?

Also known as medical payment coverage, drivers can opt for this add-on insurance to their policies. Med Pay helps cover medical bills for you, your passengers and any family members on the policy despite who is found at-fault in a car wreck. It also helps pay for funeral expenses for you or your passenger in case there’s a fatality in a car wreck. Your insurer will help pay for this regardless who is found at fault. 

Med Pay also will kick in if your covered family member is injured while they’re a passenger in another person’s car. And if you or your covered family member are injured by a vehicle while you’re a pedestrian, this coverage can help pay for your medical expenses.

Factors that determine your car insurance premium

Insurers base rates on various factors, which include:

• ZIP code.
• Age.
• Driving and traffic violations record.
• Claims history.
• Marital status.
• Type of vehicle you drive.
• Policy deductibles.

Tips for lowering your car insurance in California

Insurers may offer discounts if you bundle your home and auto insurance policies. Also consider that drivers with clean records and a low claim history tend to pay less for premiums than drivers with a history of numerous traffic violations like speeding and running through red lights.

Learning to drive defensively will help you avoid traffic violations and potential collisions, both of which greatly impact the rate of your car insurance premiums.

The big picture is that what you pay for car insurance will vary across different insurers, even when drivers are seeking the same coverage, because insurance companies tend to use different risk assessments when putting together their rates. 

So when you’re hunting for the best cheap rate for your driver profile, you’ll need to compare rates from multiple insurers. It’s a good rule of thumb to compare rates well before your policy lapses to ensure you find the best deal. 

But finding the best cheap rate doesn’t have to be time consuming thanks to Jerry, America’s first and only AllCar™ app. 

After you set up your account, Jerry finds the best deal for you in minutes. And as a licensed broker, Jerry keeps your information secure and private so that you won’t get bombarded with sales calls.