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Finding the best car insurance can be time-consuming no matter where you live. But with some insurance companies closing shop in California because of increasing costs to insure drivers, it’s more challenging than ever to find the best auto insurancein California.
To make it easier for you, NerdWallet analyzed 21 car insurance companies in California to find the top picks for the following categories:
Best overall.
Best budget pick.
Best for customer satisfaction.
Best for ease of use.
If you prefer to see a full list of the top auto insurance companies in California, you can jump to the bottom of this page.
Are you wondering why insurance rates are higher? Ask a Nerd directly
Simply send us your questions, and our dedicated in-house Nerds will provide you with thoughtful responses within 2 business days.
How we found the top 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.
Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our coverage so you can choose the insurance company that works best for you. Our ratings are specific to auto insurance; a company's rating for other products may be different on our site. See our criteria for evaluating auto insurance companies.
Best car insurance in California overall: Travelers
Out of 21 eligible car insurance companies in California, Travelers earned the highest overall score. Our star ratings focus on some of the most common factors that could affect customer experience.
Read our Travelers auto insurance review to see why this insurer came out on top.
Best overall 5.0 NerdWallet rating Travelers offers a broad range of coverage options and discounts to help you customize your car insurance policy. Discounts Great set of discounts Ease of use Above average NAIC complaints Fewer than expected Best overall 5.0 NerdWallet rating Travelers offers a broad range of coverage options and discounts to help you customize your car insurance policy. Discounts Great set of discounts Ease of use Above average NAIC complaints Fewer than expected
Travelers
Travelers
» MORE: The best car insurance companies
Best California auto insurance for your budget: Auto Club of SoCal
Out of the 21 companies we looked at to find the best car insurance in California, Auto Club of SoCal is the cheapest top-rated company. Our analysis showed that the average rate for full coverage insurance from Auto Club of SoCal is $1,147 per year or $96 per month for California drivers. (However, your rate may be different.)
Auto Club of SoCal is affiliated with the American Automobile Association, or AAA. Read our AAA auto insurance review to learn more.
🤓Nerdy Tip
We don’t have data for every single company that offers coverage in California, so Auto Club may not actually be the best California car insurance provider for you. Compare car insurance rates from several companies to make sure which company is cheapest for you.
Check out NerdWallet’s analysis of cheap car insurance in California for a detailed breakdown of the most affordable insurers in your state.
Best budget pick 4.5 NerdWallet rating Auto Club of SoCal provides AAA-branded auto insurance in 20 states. Discounts Average set of discounts Ease of use Above average NAIC complaints Fewer than expected Best budget pick Auto Club of SoCal provides AAA-branded auto insurance in 20 states. Discounts Average set of discounts Ease of use Above average NAIC complaints Fewer than expected
Auto Club of SoCal
Auto Club of SoCal
Best car insurance in California for customer complaints: Amica
Amica is the best car insurance company for California drivers when it comes to customer satisfaction, based on the low number of complaints to state regulators for a company of its size. This is based on a comparison across auto insurers in California with a NerdWallet 5.0-star rating.
You can learn more in our Amica auto insurance review.
Best for customer complaints 5.0 NerdWallet rating High marks for customer satisfaction and low consumer complaints make Amica a great choice for good drivers. Discounts Great set of discounts Ease of use Average NAIC complaints Fewer than expected Best for customer complaints 5.0 NerdWallet rating High marks for customer satisfaction and low consumer complaints make Amica a great choice for good drivers. Discounts Great set of discounts Ease of use Average NAIC complaints Fewer than expected
Amica
Amica
Best California car insurance for ease of use: State Farm
State Farm is the best car insurance company in California for ease of use. State Farm customers can manage their policy and submit claims online, and the mobile app has excellent user ratings for both iOS and Android devices.
You can learn about more features in our State Farm auto insurance review.
Best for ease of use 5.0 NerdWallet rating State Farm offers numerous discounts and extras including travel expense coverage, making it a good choice for most drivers. Discounts Average set of discounts Ease of use Above average NAIC complaints Fewer than expected Best for ease of use 5.0 NerdWallet rating State Farm offers numerous discounts and extras including travel expense coverage, making it a good choice for most drivers. Discounts Average set of discounts Ease of use Above average NAIC complaints Fewer than expected
State Farm
State Farm
Full list of the top auto insurance companies in California
Out of all 21 car insurers NerdWallet analyzed, here is the full list of the companies that provide the best car insurance in California. Only companies with a NerdWallet star rating of 4.5 or higher were considered.
Company | Star rating |
|---|---|
Amica | 5.0 NerdWallet rating |
Geico | 5.0 NerdWallet rating |
State Farm | 5.0 NerdWallet rating |
Travelers | 5.0 NerdWallet rating |
USAA* | 5.0 NerdWallet rating |
Allstate | 4.5 NerdWallet rating |
Auto Club of SoCal | 4.5 NerdWallet rating |
Chubb | 4.5 NerdWallet rating |
Farmers | 4.5 NerdWallet rating |
Nationwide | 4.5 NerdWallet rating |
Progressive | 4.5 NerdWallet rating |
*USAA is available only to active-duty military members, veterans and their families. | |
» MORE: The best car insurance companies
Learn more about California car insurance |
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