Car Insurance Cost Per Month in California

On the 2022/2023 Auto Insurance Database Report (2023 data year), a policy in California carrying liability, collision and comprehensive averaged $118 a month, and the liability portion alone $55. The average insured vehicle in the state cost $102 a month, whether or not it carried the physical damage coverages, which ranks California #34 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest). These are averages across every driver, vehicle and limit in the state, not quotes, and the NAIC series runs about two years behind.

California requires minimum liability coverage of 30/60/15. See the law changes section below for recent updates to minimum limits.

The top three carriers by market share in California are State Farm, GEICO, Mercury, per NAIC market share filings. Market share does not equal cheapest price -- the best rate for your specific profile (age, vehicle, driving record, credit score in states where legal) requires comparing quotes. We recommend comparing at least 3 carriers. carinsurancecomparisontool.com offers a side-by-side carrier comparison.

No. California is an at-fault state. When an accident occurs, the at-fault driver's liability coverage pays for the other driver's injuries and property damage. This means your state-minimum liability coverage must be high enough to cover a potential claim against you.

Credit scoring banned. High repair costs, wildfire risk (comprehensive), and litigation environment push premiums above average. New Jan 2025 minimums require policy updates.

No. California explicitly bans the use of credit-based insurance scores in car insurance underwriting. Carriers in California must price based on driving record, age, vehicle, and other non-credit factors.