Key takeaways
Travelers is the best car insurance company in California, according to our analysis.
Mapfre and State Farm are also great options for many California drivers.
USAA is the cheapest of our top picks in California, with an average monthly rate of $105 for full coverage insurance. It’s significantly less expensive than the state average of $165.
NerdWallet’s editorial team thoroughly evaluated 23 insurers to find which ones offer the best car insurance in California. Our evaluation focused on factors like coverage and discount options, affordability, customer satisfaction and financial strength ratings.
Our September 2025 winners are:
Category winner | NerdWallet star rating |
|---|---|
Best overall: Travelers | |
Fewest complaints: Mapfre | |
Best user experience: State Farm | |
Best for military families: USAA* | |
*USAA is available only to members of the military, veterans and their families. | |
- How we found the best car insurance in California
NerdWallet’s editorial team considered pricing, discounts, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and more to determine the best car insurance companies in California. Our “ease of use” category includes factors such as website transparency and how simple it is to file a claim.
As we continue to evaluate more insurance providers and receive fresh market data, our list of best car insurance companies is likely to change over time. In our list of the best insurers in the state, we only include insurance companies that have achieved a minimum NerdWallet star rating of 4.5.
- Why you can trust NerdWallet
Strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our coverage.
Thorough rating guidelines for evaluating auto insurance companies.
More than 1.5 billion rates analyzed by our team of specialists.
More than 50 insurance companies analyzed in all 50 states and Washington D.C.
You can trust the prices we show you because our data analysts take rigorous measures to eliminate outliers and inaccuracies in pricing data, which includes rates from every locale in the state where coverage is offered and data is available. When comparing rates for different coverage amounts, ages and backgrounds, we change only one variable at a time, so you can easily see how each factor affects pricing.
See what you could save on car insurance
Easily compare personalized rates to see how much switching car insurance could save you.
Best car insurance company in California: Travelers
Best overall
Travelers
- Received fewer customer complaints than expected for auto insurance.
- Lots of coverage options for auto insurance.
- One of the largest insurance providers in the nation.
- Rideshare insurance is not available in California.
Why it's the best: Travelers earned the highest overall score out of 23 eligible car insurance companies in California. Our star ratings focus on factors that could affect customer experience, like customer complaints, available discounts and ease of use.
Wide-ranging coverages: California drivers could benefit from the wide variety of coverage options from Travelers, including new car replacement coverage (which can help if your new car is totaled in an accident or wildfire). The company has a great set of discounts, and also offers two different accident forgiveness plans.
Average rates: A full coverage policy from Travelers costs an average of $2,299 a year, or $192 a month. The state average is $1,979 a year, or $165 a month, for the same coverage.
» Read the full review: Travelers auto insurance review
Best for customer satisfaction: Mapfre
Best for customer complaints
Mapfre
- Website available in Spanish.
- A lot of coverage options and discounts.
- Far fewer than expected complaints about auto insurance to state regulators.
- Some coverage options may not be available to all California drivers.
Why it's the best: Mapfre is the best car insurance company in California when it comes to customer satisfaction. For this category, we grouped insurers by size and compared the number of customer complaints filed to state regulators against them. We only considered auto insurers in California with a NerdWallet 4.5-star rating or higher.
Great optional benefits: Safe drivers may become eligible for Mapfre’s disappearing deductible, which can be used to pay down your deductible, up to $300. You might also be able to purchase accident forgiveness, whether you are a new Mapfre customer or even a new driver.
Average rates: Rates data from Mapfre wasn’t available in California, according to NerdWallet’s September 2025 analysis.
» Read the full review: Mapfre auto insurance review
Best for customer experience: State Farm
Best for ease of use
State Farm
- Numerous discounts offered, including two programs — one for safe driving and the other for young drivers.
- Generous rental car and travel expenses coverage.
- Above average customer satisfaction rating for buying auto insurance among large insurers, according to J.D. Power.
- Doesn't offer gap insurance.
Why it's the best: State Farm is the best car insurance company in California for ease of use, according to our analysis. The company’s mobile app has excellent user ratings for both iOS and Android devices. In fact, the ratings are higher than almost any other insurer in our comparisons. State Farm also ranked near the top of J.D. Power’s claims satisfaction and shopping surveys.
Extra travel protection: Many insurers offer rental car reimbursement, which pays the cost of a rental car after a covered claim. State Farm’s travel expenses coverage also pays for your meals, housing and other expenses. (These extras only apply if you’re in an accident more than 50 miles from home.)
Average rates: A full coverage policy from State Farm costs an average of $2,123 a year, or $177 a month. The state average is $1,979 a year, or $165 a month, for the same coverage.
» Read the full review: State Farm auto insurance review
Looking for the lowest auto insurance rates in your state? GEICO has the cheapest average full coverage rate in California. To find other low-cost options, check out NerdWallet’s list of the cheapest car insurance in California.
Best for military members and veterans: USAA
Best for military drivers
USAA
- High customer satisfaction ratings.
- One-stop shop for insurance as well as banking and investing products.
- Policies available in all states and Washington, D.C.
- Available to active military, veterans and their families only.
Why it’s the best: NerdWallet has consistently ranked USAA among the top insurance companies in the nation. USAA stands out for its affordability — it’s often among the cheapest options for every age group and driver profile in our analysis.
Military-minded benefits: USAA offers great military-minded benefits, such as a discount on full coverage premiums for storing your car on a military base. However, car insurance from USAA isn’t available to the general public. USAA limits coverage to drivers who:
Are on active duty.
Serve in the reserves.
Are veterans.
Work for certain federal agencies.
Have an immediate family member who served in the military.
Average rates: A full coverage policy from USAA costs an average of $1,263 a year, or $105 a month. The state average is $1,979 a year, or $165 a month, for the same coverage.
» Read the full review: USAA auto insurance review
Full list of the top car insurance companies in California
Out of 23 car insurers NerdWallet analyzed, here are the top car insurance companies in California. Only companies with a NerdWallet star rating of 4.5 or higher were considered.
Company | Star rating |
|---|---|
USAA* | |
*USAA is available only to active-duty military members, veterans and their families. | |
- Read more auto reviews from NerdWallet
How to get the best auto insurance in California
Still not sure which company to go with? Try these tips:
Assess your needs. Everyone’s car insurance needs are unique. So it helps to think through your preferences before choosing a car insurance company. You may prioritize strong customer service and discounts, but your neighbor might only care about affordability and rideshare coverage.
Do additional research. The companies on this page are great choices, but they may not be right for you. If you want to see more options, you can check out our full list of auto insurance reviews. We recommend finding an insurer that’s financially stable and has few customer complaints. You should also look for the coverage you need at a competitive price.
Consider small companies. Small, regional insurers may provide better prices and customer service than the companies advertising on TV. You can work with an independent car insurance agent to find local insurers near you.
Shop around once a year. Make a practice of shopping for car insurance every year. Insurers adjust their rates regularly, so a company that gave you cheap rates last year might not be a bargain anymore. We recommend getting car insurance quotes from a few different companies. And for the most accurate comparison, use the same coverage options, deductibles and driver details while shopping around.
Learn more about California insurance |
|---|
For more information about California car insurance, check out these articles: |
We nerd out on car insurance
Our goal is to give you what you need to make smart decisions about your car insurance.
Here’s why you can trust NerdWallet:
We do our homework. We regularly evaluate and review many of the insurance companies we write about. And all of our content is fact-checked before publication. This means the star ratings you see on our reviews are accurate and up-to-date.
We analyze the data. We update our average car insurance rates every month. To do that, we analyze more than 500 million rates from across the country. These rates are provided by Quadrant Information Services.
We are unbiased. NerdWallet’s content is never influenced by our business partners and advertisers. Learn more about how we write in our editorial guidelines.
Article sources
NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary, trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high standards for journalism by reading our editorial guidelines.
- 1.J.D. Power. 2024 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study. Accessed Sep 19, 2025.
- 2.J.D. Power. 2025 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study. Accessed Sep 19, 2025.
Methodology
NerdWallet averaged rates based on public filings obtained by pricing analytics company Quadrant Information Services. We examined rates for 35-year-old men and women for all ZIP codes in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Unless otherwise stated, our analysis was based on our base driver profile, which has the following characteristics and coverage levels:
35 years old
Single. Male or female.
2022 Toyota Camry LE
12,000 annual miles driven.
Good driving record and credit
No moving violations.
"Good driving" discount applied.
Good credit-based insurance score.
Bodily injury liability coverage
$100,000 per person. $300,000 per crash.
Property damage liability coverage
$50,000 per crash.
Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage
$100,000 per person. $300,000 per crash.
Collision coverage
With a $1,000 deductible.
Comprehensive coverage
With a $1,000 deductible.
- See characteristics for other driver profiles
For all other driver profiles, we used the same assumptions, with the following exceptions:
We changed the credit tier from “good” to “poor,” as reported to the insurer, to see rates for drivers with poor credit. These rates are based on credit score approximations and do not account for proprietary scoring criteria used by insurance providers.
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.
For drivers with a ticket, we added a single speeding violation for driving 16 mph over the speed limit.
For young drivers, we considered 20-year-olds with good credit and no driving violations.
For millennial drivers, we considered 40-year-olds with good credit and no driving violations.
For senior drivers, we considered 70-year-olds with good credit and no driving violations.
These are median rates, and your rate will vary based on your personal details, state and insurance provider. Sample drivers had the minimum required coverage by law in each state. Some policies include additional coverage at the insurer’s discretion.
Although it’s one of the largest insurers in the country, Liberty Mutual is not included in our rates analysis due to a lack of publicly available information.
