If you’re looking for cheap car insurance in San Diego, California, you’ll want to shop around and compare quotes from multiple companies. Insurers use a variety of factors to determine the cost of auto insurance, including your age, address, the type of car you drive and your driving history, which means every driver will ultimately get a different rate. That’s why shopping around is your best bet to getting the cheapest car insurance in San Diego — or anywhere.
To find the cheapest companies in San Diego, NerdWallet looked at average full coverage rates calculated from public filings obtained by pricing analytics company Quadrant Information Services. We analyzed rates for male and female drivers for all ZIP codes in San Diego driving a 2022 Toyota Camry LE.
Read on to find out how auto insurance companies in San Diego stack up. You can also check out our list of the cheapest car insurance companies nationwide.
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The biggest variable in your insurance cost will be the company you choose, so you’ll want to shop around to be confident you’re getting the best rate. In San Diego, these are the cheapest car insurance companies based on average rates for a 35-year-old driver with good credit and a clean driving record, according to NerdWallet’s most recent analysis. It's important to remember that rates are determined individually, so these may not be the cheapest companies for you.
| Company | Median annual rate |
|---|---|
| GEICO | $1,148 |
| Auto Club of SoCal | $1,221 |
| Kemper | $1,251 |
| Mercury | $1,277 |
| Progressive | $1,342 |
| State Farm | $1,508 |
| Grange Insurance Association | $1,529 |
| CSAA | $1,578 |
| CIG | $1,677 |
| USAA* | $1,111 |
*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.
Average car insurance cost in San Diego and California
Rates across California differ from those in San Diego for lots of reasons. The number of accidents, the type of roads and even the weather can affect the rates drivers are charged. According to NerdWallet’s most recent analysis, the average rate in California is $1,910, while in San Diego it's $1,870.
| Median City Rate | Median State Rate |
|---|---|
| $1,870 | $1,910 |
Average cost of car insurance in San Diego’s largest ZIP codes
The cost of auto insurance varies based on where you live, even from one neighborhood to the next. Some parts of a city may have higher rates of accidents or thefts, which can lead to an increase in the price you pay. According to NerdWallet’s analysis, here are the most populated ZIP codes in San Diego and the average annual cost of car insurance for a 35-year-old driver with good credit and a clean driving record.
| ZIP | Median Rate |
|---|---|
| 92154 | $1,921 |
| 92126 | $1,794 |
| 92105 | $2,049 |
| 92114 | $1,897 |
| 92115 | $1,831 |
| 92130 | $1,778 |
| 92129 | $1,729 |
| 92127 | $1,861 |
| 92117 | $1,778 |
| 92113 | $1,952 |
Cheap car insurance in San Diego by age
Along with where you live, your age is another major factor in the price you pay for car insurance. For example, younger drivers usually pay more than older drivers with similar driving histories and credit scores due to having less experience on the road.
You could easily find that the cheapest company for you changes as you age. Here's a breakdown of prices in San Diego for similar drivers at various ages, according to NerdWallet’s most recent analysis.
Cheapest for 20-year-olds
While teen drivers are the most likely to be in an accident, 20-year-old drivers are still relatively new to the road. A higher rate of accidents among younger drivers means they also pay more for car insurance. According to NerdWallet’s most recent analysis, here's what 20-year-olds in San Diego might pay, on average.
| Company | Median annual rate |
|---|---|
| GEICO | $1,989 |
| Auto Club of SoCal | $2,040 |
| State Farm | $2,065 |
| Mercury | $2,352 |
| Kemper | $2,433 |
| CIG | $2,691 |
| Progressive | $2,718 |
| Wawanesa | $2,894 |
| The Hartford | $2,966 |
| USAA* | $1,818 |
*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.
Cheapest for 35-year-olds
By 35, your car insurance rates should plateau. This is a great age to compare rates, as the cheapest insurer you found in your 20s may no longer be the best deal.
Here’s what 35-year-old drivers might pay, on average, in San Diego, according to NerdWallet’s analysis.
| Company | Median annual rate |
|---|---|
| GEICO | $1,148 |
| Auto Club of SoCal | $1,221 |
| Kemper | $1,251 |
| Mercury | $1,277 |
| Progressive | $1,342 |
| State Farm | $1,508 |
| Grange Insurance Association | $1,529 |
| CSAA | $1,578 |
| CIG | $1,677 |
| USAA* | $1,111 |
*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.
Cheapest for 60-year-olds
At age 60, your car insurance rates are about as low as they're going to get if your history is clean. Most drivers in this age group have lots of experience on the road and established driving records, so insurers know what they're getting into and charge less accordingly. That doesn't mean you won't be able to save money by bundling or tapping into other discounts, so keep shopping around. Below are the cheapest companies, on average, in San Diego, according to NerdWallet’s most recent analysis.
| Company | Median annual rate |
|---|---|
| Auto Club of SoCal | $1,042 |
| GEICO | $1,089 |
| Mercury | $1,133 |
| Kemper | $1,215 |
| State Farm | $1,293 |
| Toggle | $1,339 |
| Grange Insurance Association | $1,406 |
| CSAA | $1,419 |
| Progressive | $1,463 |
| USAA* | $1,035 |
*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.
San Diego’s cheapest companies and rates by driving record
Your driving history also plays a large role in your auto insurance rate. Drivers who have clean records will usually pay less than those with accidents, speeding tickets or other violations. Again, comparing insurance companies is your best bet to getting the lowest rate.
According to NerdWallet’s analysis, these are the average rates in San Diego by company for good drivers and those with violations on their record.
Good drivers
Drivers without any marks on their records are almost always going to pay the lowest prices for auto insurance when compared to drivers with an accident or driving violation. Insurers set rates based on the potential risk of you filing a claim, and good drivers are considered among the least risky. Here are the average rates for good drivers in San Diego according to NerdWallet’s most recent analysis.
| Company | Median annual rate |
|---|---|
| GEICO | $1,148 |
| Auto Club of SoCal | $1,221 |
| Kemper | $1,251 |
| Mercury | $1,277 |
| Progressive | $1,342 |
| State Farm | $1,508 |
| Grange Insurance Association | $1,529 |
| CSAA | $1,578 |
| CIG | $1,677 |
| USAA* | $1,111 |
*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.
Drivers with a DUI
Drivers with a DUI can struggle to find affordable insurance and may need to turn to a high-risk car insurance company. A DUI on your record means you should expect to pay substantially more than a driver without one.
Here are the average rates for drivers with a DUI in San Diego according to NerdWallet’s most recent analysis.
| Company | Median annual rate |
|---|---|
| Mercury | $2,252 |
| Kemper | $2,639 |
| Grange Insurance Association | $2,680 |
| Progressive | $2,866 |
| GEICO | $2,884 |
| Infinity | $3,087 |
| CIG | $3,354 |
| Auto Club of SoCal | $3,744 |
| Travelers | $4,199 |
| USAA* | $3,374 |
*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.
Drivers with an at-fault accident
If you've got an at-fault accident on your record, you'll pay more than a driver with a clean record, but likely less than someone with a DUI. Your insurance company may ask for details about the accident to determine your rate — a fender bender will likely be treated differently from an accident caused by running a red light. Here are the cheapest average rates for drivers with an at-fault accident on their record in San Diego, according to NerdWallet’s most recent analysis.
| Company | Median annual rate |
|---|---|
| Auto Club of SoCal | $1,904 |
| CSAA | $1,994 |
| GEICO | $2,050 |
| Progressive | $2,117 |
| Grange Insurance Association | $2,143 |
| CIG | $2,176 |
| Mercury | $2,345 |
| State Farm | $2,351 |
| Kemper | $2,358 |
| USAA* | $1,708 |
*USAA is only available to military, veterans and their families.
Shop around to get cheap insurance
No matter what company you're currently getting auto insurance from, remember that it's important to shop around and compare quotes from multiple companies. Prices and offers change over time, and you may be able to save by switching to another insurer.
Be sure to take advantage of potential discounts. Many insurers offer car insurance discounts for things like bundling other types of insurance with your auto policy or going years without filing a claim.
METHODOLOGY
For our “good driver” profile, NerdWallet averaged insurance estimates for single male and female drivers with good credit and no tickets or violations. The analysis included 5-10 of the largest insurance companies in each state; smaller insurers were also included when rates were available. Liberty Mutual and its subsidiaries were excluded from our analysis as rates were not available.
For full coverage policies, we used the following coverage limits:
$100,000 bodily injury liability per person.
$300,000 bodily injury liability per accident.
$50,000 property damage liability per accident.
$100,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person.
$300,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident.
Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible.
Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible.
In states where required, minimum additional coverages were added. Some policies include additional coverages at the insurer’s discretion.
We used a 2022 Toyota Camry LE for all drivers and assumed 12,000 annual miles driven.
We analyzed rates for drivers 20 to 70 years old in 10-year increments. For the average cost of full and minimum coverage in each state, we looked at 35-year-old drivers.
We used the same assumptions for all other driver profiles, with the following exceptions:
For drivers with minimum coverage, we adjusted the numbers above to reflect the minimum required coverage by law in the state.
We changed the credit tier from “good” to “poor” as reported to the insurer to see rates for drivers with poor credit.
For drivers with one at-fault crash, we added a single at-fault crash that happened six months ago, resulting in $10,000 in property damage and no bodily injury claim.
For drivers with a DUI, we added a single drunken driving violation that happened six months ago.
We looked at 35-year-old drivers to find the cheapest company overall, the cheapest company for minimum coverage and the cheapest company for drivers with poor credit in states where credit history is used to price rates. We looked at 20-year-old drivers to find the cheapest company for young drivers.
These are rates generated through Quadrant Information Services. Your own rates will be different. Some insurance companies included in this article may have made changes in their underwriting practices and no longer issue new policies in your state.
