Best Car Insurance in California

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Metromile uses technology to make insurance more convenient and affordable. It’s the best option for California drivers across the board.

California has no shortage of reputable auto insurers, but Metromile stands out from the crowd thanks to its affordable and convenient usage-based policies. This type of insurance allows you to only pay for the miles you actually drive, often saving money in the process. Metromile tracks mileage using a small device called the Pulse which only takes a few minutes to self-install in your vehicle.

Like any other auto insurer, Metromile considers information such as your age and driving history to assess risk and determine your rate. But instead of charging a flat monthly premium, Metromile gives customers a per-mile rate that is multiplied by the total mileage for the month. Based on the quotes we obtained, this comes down to around $52 per month for minimum coverage and $180 for full coverage—around 30% below the average rates we got from competitors.

Those who love technology will also be happy with Metromile’s smartphone app, which lets you access data from the Pulse device and track your mileage. It’s also easy to file a claim through the app by completing a quick form and uploading photos. If you’d rather get help from a real person, Metromile customer service representatives are available by phone and live chat.

As you might imagine, those who drive less stand to save most with Metromile. To help give you a better idea of how much you’d pay, the company offers a Ride Along program that lets you test drive the technology before becoming a customer. All you need to do is download the Metromile app and complete a 17-day driving period to be given a more accurate quote.

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Wawanesa’s affordable full coverage policies come with best-in-class customer service, making it the easy winner in this category.

If you’re looking for more than California’s mandatory bodily injury and property damage liability coverage, Wawanesa is our go-to pick. The insurer offers ten optional coverages in addition to state liability requirements with plenty of deductibles and limits to choose from. Their straightforward online quote tool makes it easy to select and purchase a customized policy.

Auto insurance from Wawanesa comes at an extremely affordable price. We were quoted $161 per month for a full coverage policy that included bodily injury and property damage liability, comprehensive, collision, uninsured/underinsured motorist, medical payments, and rental car reimbursement. That’s about one-third lower than the average quote we received from competitors.

On top of its low prices, Wawanesa is also highly regarded for outstanding customer service. Drivers can file a claim 24/7 over the phone or by submitting a report online. Customers seem to appreciate the convenience; Wawanesa took first place in J.D. Power’s 2022 U.S. Auto Insurance Satisfaction Study for the state of California.

As a smaller local insurer, Wawanesa doesn’t have quite as many resources as its larger competitors. The company has yet to offer a smartphone app and offers fewer discounts than others. You should also be aware that Wawanesa has high standards for its drivers and won’t accept you if you’ve had more than one traffic violation or at-fault accident in the past three years.

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Drivers on a budget will find Safeco to be the best minimum coverage option in California thanks to low premiums and additional opportunities to save.

Carrying the bare minimum coverage isn’t always the best choice, but if you’re strapped for cash and need to keep expenditures to a minimum, Safeco is the way to go. Our sample driver was quoted just $65 per month for basic coverage in California, with the state’s liability requirements of $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident for bodily injury and $5,000 for property damage.

Keep in mind that this is simply the bare minimum required by law and won’t be sufficient for everyone, particularly those with more assets. We found that Safeco’s rates remain low even when raising limits, so don’t be afraid to check pricing for various coverage levels when getting a quote.

Safeco also gives drivers the ability to further reduce premiums by staying safe on the road. For every year that you go without a claim for an at-fault accident, Safeco will write you a check for up to 5% of your annual premium. Unfortunately, Safeco’s more advanced safe driving program, RightTrack, isn’t available in California.

If you need to file a claim, you can do so in under 10 minutes through Safeco’s website or by downloading their smartphone app.

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If driving infractions have sent your auto insurance rate through the roof, The General is the best and most affordable solution in California.

Drivers who have accumulated multiple tickets, at-fault accidents, or DUIs typically see their insurance rates skyrocket—if they can find coverage at all. The General is California’s most forgiving insurer for high-risk drivers with more than one traffic violation or at-fault accident in the past three years. Our test driver with two recent infractions was quoted $252 per month for standard coverage, about half the average price we saw from other insurers. If you need an SR-22 certificate, The General can help with that, too.

While The General has received complaints regarding poor customer service in the past, the company has recently made a visible effort toward improvement. The main customer service phone number will get you to a live human six days per week and a 24-hour hotline is available anytime you need to file a claim. Claims can also be filed via The General’s smartphone app, which receives overwhelmingly positive reviews in both the App Store and Google Play. However, we were disappointed to learn that The General’s advertised live chat is nothing more than a chatbot with no option to connect with a representative.

Drivers with a clean record won’t find exorbitantly high rates with The General, but there are certainly better options out there from insurers with better incentives for safe driving. If you do sign up with The General due to recent infractions, you may want to think about shopping around again once you’ve cleaned up your record.

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Insuring your teen doesn’t have to break the bank with State Farm, the best auto insurer for new licensees in California.

Aside from safety, one of the main concerns for parents of teen drivers is the cost of insurance. State Farm is the best insurer in California for families with a new licensee, with affordable rates and discount programs geared specifically toward young drivers.

Our sample California family, which consists of a married couple with a newly licensed teen, was quoted $459 per month for standard coverage with State Farm, an increase of $174 over their previous rate. To put this into perspective, most other insurers hiked premiums anywhere between $250 and $500 per month to add a teen driver. Some charged even more.

In addition to offering low premiums to teen drivers, State Farm also has a few initiatives in place to help new licensees save even more. The insurer offers discounts of 10% to 15% for those who complete an approved safe driving course. Students who maintain a B average or better in school can earn savings up to 25%. If the student is away at college and not driving regularly, State Farm will often lower their premium even further.

The one downside is that these low rates don’t last forever. The quote we received from State Farm for a single adult was higher than average, which means your teen will probably need to shop around for a better rate when they’re ready to purchase their own policy.

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California Casualty is the best auto insurer for nurses, teachers, firefighters, and other essential service providers, offering special rates and benefits unavailable to the general public.

Frontline workers like educators and emergency responders are often underpaid despite providing essential services to the community. California Casualty seeks to help offset financial strain by lowering the cost of auto coverage for these professionals. When asking for quotes, we were offered basic coverage for just $51 per month and full coverage for $174 per month, about 30% below average rates.

As a further incentive, some employers may provide the option to pay your California Casualty premiums as a pre-tax payroll deduction. This applies not only to auto insurance but also homeowners and renters insurance, which can be bundled together at a discount.

California Casualty also offers a few specific coverages that can be particularly beneficial to certain professionals. For example, firefighters and police officers can elect firearms coverage and fallen hero survivor benefits. Nurses and teachers, on the other hand, may be eligible for deductible waivers.

Since California Casualty is a smaller insurance company, you won’t find advanced digital tools like a smartphone app, although web chat is available during limited hours. The company also has an extremely low tolerance for driving infractions such as speeding tickets and at-fault accidents. According to the quotes we were given, California Casualty more than doubles drivers’ premiums after two infractions in a three-year period.