The average cost of full coverage car insurance in San Diego is $1,754 per year, which is $83 less than the average cost of car insurance in California, which is $1,837. But the best and cheapest companies in San Diego — Wawanesa, GEICO, National General, Mercury, and USAA may offer lower-than-average rates.
The best way to save money on your car insurance is by comparing multiple quotes before choosing a policy. Policygenius can help you compare rates from multiple companies to find the coverage that meets your needs.
Methodology & why you can trust our rates
Policygenius has analyzed car insurance rates provided by Quadrant Information Services for every ZIP code in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. For full coverage policies, the following coverage limits were used:
Bodily injury liability: $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident
Property damage liability: $50,000
Uninsured/underinsured motorist: $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident
Comprehensive: $500 deductible
Collision: $500 deductible
In some cases, additional coverages were added where required by state or insurer.
Rates for overall average rate, rates by ZIP code, and cheapest companies determined using averages for single drivers ages 30, 35, and 45. Our sample vehicle was a 2017 Toyota Camry LE driven 10,000 miles/year.
Rates for driving violations and “Poor” credit determined using average rates for a single male 30-year-old driver with a credit score under 578.
Some carriers may be represented by affiliates or subsidiaries. Rates provided are a sample of costs. Your actual quotes may differ.
Cheapest car insurance companies in San Diego, CA
Comparing quotes from multiple companies is the best way to save money on your car insurance. Here are our picks for the best and cheapest car insurance companies in San Diego:
Company | Average cost | JD Power Rating |
|---|---|---|
Wawanesa | $76/month | -- |
GEICO | $110/month | 874 |
National General Insurance | $111/month | 838 |
Mercury Insurance | $125/month | 830 |
USAA | $127/month | 890 |
Cheapest car insurance rates by ZIP code in San Diego, CA
One of the biggest factors insurance companies use to set your rates is your ZIP code. Rates vary in each ZIP code based on a number of factors, including:
Secure parking options
Amount of available street parking
Population density
Number of accidents reported each year
How many traffic tickets are issued
Reported car thefts
The number of people in an area is a big factor when setting rates by ZIP code. This means San Diego residents, who live in an area with fewer people than larger metropolitan areas, are charged less for coverage than drivers in larger cities like L.A. or San Francisco.
ZIP code | Average cost |
|---|---|
92119 | $1,591 |
92128 | $1,603 |
92131 | $1,623 |
92120 | $1,627 |
92124 | $1,630 |
92129 | $1,635 |
92154 | $1,639 |
92117 | $1,650 |
92126 | $1,657 |
92110 | $1,661 |
Choosing the right car insurance company in San Diego, CA
The right car insurance policy isn’t necessarily the cheapest one, it is the one that meets your needs. Our experts at Policygenius help you compare quotes from multiple companies. Having more than one or two options is the most effective way to find the right policy at the right price.
Car insurance rates for drivers with driving violations in San Diego, CA
Your driving record has all of the same personal information as your driver's license, including your identifying information (height, hair color, etc.) and your license number. It also contains information about any driving violations you may have on your record, including:
Accidents
Tickets
Suspensions
Revocations
Points
DUIs
Fines
One of the simplest ways to keep your insurance costs low is to keep your driving record clean. Having a violation like a car accident or a moving violation can increase your rates, sometimes significantly, potentially adding hundreds of dollars to your annual premiums.
Violation | Wawanesa | GEICO | National General Insurance | Mercury Insurance | USAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
At-fault accident | $1,409 | $2,428 | $2,021 | $2,625 | $2,187 |
Suspended license | $1,320 | $2,409 | $1,922 | $2,494 | $3,174 |
Open container | $1,650 | $3,373 | $1,437 | $2,494 | $3,377 |
Expired registration | $1,320 | $2,176 | $1,437 | $1,995 | $1,717 |
Driving without lights | $1,320 | $2,176 | $1,437 | $1,995 | $1,567 |
Running a red light | $1,320 | $2,176 | $1,437 | $1,995 | $1,717 |
Following too closely | $1,320 | $2,176 | $1,437 | $1,995 | $1,717 |
Hit and run | $1,650 | $2,409 | $1,922 | $2,494 | $3,593 |
Not-at-fault accident | $933 | $1,340 | $1,374 | $1,514 | $1,567 |
Passing a school bus | $1,320 | $2,176 | $1,437 | $1,995 | $2,306 |
Reckless driving | $1,650 | $2,409 | $1,922 | $2,494 | $2,702 |
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a DUI in San Diego, CA
Drivers in San Diego should expect to see their rates go up if they get a DUI or DWI. The average annual cost for car insurance in San Diego is $1,754 per year, but drivers with a DUI on their record will pay much more, with an average rate of $5,223 per year, which is massive 197% higher than the rates for drivers with a clean driving history.
But rates can vary significantly by company, even for drivers with a DUI. Our research shows that the companies in San Diego with the lowest rates for drivers with a DUI are Wawanesa, National General, and Mercury Insurance.
Company | Rates for drivers with DUIs |
|---|---|
Wawanesa | $1,650 |
National General Insurance | $1,873 |
Mercury Insurance | $2,494 |
GEICO | $3,373 |
USAA | $4,491 |
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket in San Diego, CA
A speeding ticket or other moving violation can also cause your car insurance rates to go up in San Diego, where the average cost of insurance for a driver with a speeding ticket is $2,788 per year.
Our research shows that Wawanesa, National General, and USAA offer the lowest rates for drivers with a speeding ticket in San Diego.
Company | Rates for drivers with speeding tickets |
|---|---|
Wawanesa | $1,320 |
National General Insurance | $1,437 |
USAA | $1,717 |
Mercury Insurance | $1,995 |
GEICO | $2,094 |
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with bad credit in San Diego, CA
Though there are some states that allow insurance companies to use your credit score to set your rates, California isn’t one of them. The state of California passed a law in 2003 that prevents insurance companies from using your credit score to help set your rate, which means that even if your credit score changes over time, it won’t impact your insurance rates.
Buying car insurance in San Diego, CA
California requires all drivers to carry some form of liability insurance, including:
Cash deposit of $35,000 with DMV
DMV-issued self-insurance certificate
Surety bond for $35,000 from a company licensed to do business in California
Motor vehicle liability insurance policy
Out of all the options listed above, the vast majority of drivers choose to carry the state minimum levels of liability insurance (at least), which are:
$15,000 per person/$30,000 per accident for bodily injury liability
$5,000 for property damage liability
The minimum levels of liability insurance are enough to fulfill your legal obligations, but those limits often aren’t enough to cover the amount of damage caused in an at-fault accident. Choosing the highest levels of liability insurance that you can afford is the best way to make sure you are financially protected in an accident.
Drivers who can’t afford to repair or replace their car in the event of an accident should also purchase comprehensive and collision insurance. These coverages protect you financially if you are at fault in an accident, but they can also step in to pay for damage to your vehicle if you are hit by an uninsured motorist or your car is damaged or stolen in a non-collision situation.
How to get cheap car insurance in San Diego, CA
There are multiple discounts available to drivers in San Diego, no matter which car insurance company you choose, including:
Safe driver discount
Accident free discount
Low mileage discount
Military discount
Good student discount
Bundling discount
Group/employer/professional discount
If a discount isn’t enough to make your insurance affordable, you may be eligible to apply for California’s Low Cost Auto Insurance program.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest car insurance in San Diego?
The cheapest car insurance in San Diego is offered by Wawanesa, but drivers may also find affordable coverage with GEICO.
How much does car insurance cost in San Diego?
The average cost of car insurance in San Diego is $146 per month. Compared to the cost of coverage in California, San Diego's rates are more affordable.
Is car insurance cheaper in San Diego or Los Angeles?
San Diego is a much cheaper city for car insurance than Los Angeles. The cost of coverage in San Diego is nearly $1,000 cheaper per year than it is in Los Angeles.
What is the minimum car insurance required in San Diego?
To drive legally in San Diego, you must get at least $15,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per person, $30,000 per accident, and $5,000 of property damage liability coverage.
