San Jose, California, drivers pay an average of $135 per month for car insurance. But many car insurance companies offer rates below the citywide average, including USAA, Aspire General, and Sun Coast, with rates starting at $79 per month.
In this guide, we’ll highlight the cheapest car insurance companies in San Jose for different driver types. We’ll also explain how to choose the right car insurance company and share some tips for saving money on your car insurance.
USAA offers the cheapest car insurance in San Jose, with liability-only rates starting at $79.
San Jose drivers pay an average of $89 per month for liability-only coverage and $180 per month for full coverage.
California requires drivers to have at least 30/60/15 of personal liability insurance.[1]
The Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in San Jose, California
If you’re shopping for car insurance in San Jose, knowing how much other drivers pay for coverage can be helpful. But regardless of average rates, some car insurance companies offer lower-than-average premiums. The table below lists the cheapest car insurance companies in San Jose, according to Compare.com data.
Company | Average Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| USAA | $79 |
| Aspire General | $81 |
| Sun Coast | $84 |
| GEICO | $85 |
| Mercury | $88 |
| National General | $88 |
| Dairyland | $97 |
| Direct Auto | $103 |
| Root | $103 |
| Farmers | $112 |
| Anchor | $113 |
| Bristol West | $121 |
| State Farm | $121 |
| Kemper Special | $124 |
| Travelers | $128 |
| Kemper Rsvp | $136 |
| 21st Century | $139 |
| First Acceptance | $185 |
| Chubb | $216 |
USAA offers the cheapest car insurance in San Jose, with an average monthly premium of $79. But the cheapest company for you may differ based on factors like coverage types and driving history.
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Cheapest Car Insurance in San Jose by Driver and Coverage Type
The companies mentioned above have the cheapest average car insurance rates, but your actual rate can vary based on factors like your age, driving record, and address. The table below lists the cheapest car insurance companies for a variety of driver types and coverages, based on Compare.com data.
Driver/Coverage Type | Cheapest Insurer | Insurer’s Average Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|
| State-minimum coverage | USAA | $79 |
| Full coverage | Aspire General | $151 |
| Teens | USAA | $142 |
| Seniors | USAA | $66 |
| Drivers with a speeding ticket | USAA | $102 |
| Drivers with an at-fault accident | USAA | $105 |
| Drivers with a DUI | USAA | $110 |
| Drivers with excellent credit | USAA | $73 |
In the following sections, we break down each coverage and driver type to help you find the cheapest auto insurance.
San Jose drivers pay an average of $89 per month for minimum-coverage car insurance, according to Compare.com data.
Liability insurance is the cheapest car insurance you can get to legally drive, but most experts recommend purchasing more coverage than your state’s minimum requirements. A minimum-coverage policy may not fully cover your financial responsibilities if you cause an accident that injures another person or damages their property.
The chart below shows the five cheapest car insurance companies for state-minimum coverage, according to our research.
The below rates in San Jose, CA, are estimated rates current as of: Monday, August 31 at 5:00 PM PDT.Average Liability Rates by Company
CompanyAverage Monthly PremiumUSAA $79 Aspire General $81 Sun Coast $84 GEICO $85 Mercury $88 National General $88 Dairyland $97 Direct Auto $103 Root $103 Farmers $112 Anchor $113 Bristol West $121 State Farm $121 Kemper Special $124 Travelers $128 Kemper Rsvp $136 21st Century $139 First Acceptance $185 Chubb $216 Most San Jose drivers should consider buying a full-coverage car insurance policy. Full-coverage policies provide liability insurance, plus collision insurance and comprehensive insurance.
Collision insurance covers damage to your car from a crash with another vehicle or object. Comprehensive insurance covers damage to your car from something other than a collision, like vandalism or a falling tree branch. If you lease or finance your car, your lender usually requires you to buy full-coverage insurance.
Drivers in San Jose pay an average of $180 per month for full-coverage auto insurance. But even though full coverage costs more than minimum coverage, several insurers offer full coverage for close to the average liability price in San Jose.
The table below lists the five cheapest companies in San Jose for full-coverage car insurance, according to Compare.com data.
The below rates in San Jose, CA, are estimated rates current as of: Monday, August 31 at 5:00 PM PDT.Average Full-Coverage Rates by Company
CompanyAverage Monthly PremiumAspire General $151 Root $167 GEICO $179 Mercury $179 USAA $185 Kemper Special $204 Kemper Rsvp $208 Sun Coast $211 Anchor $219 National General $250 Dairyland $251 Farmers $263 Direct Auto $269 Bristol West $277 State Farm $285 Travelers $299 21st Century $326 First Acceptance $439 Chubb $507 Teen drivers pay some of the highest car insurance rates of any age group. Insurers consider younger drivers riskier to insure because they lack experience behind the wheel and cause more accidents than older drivers.[2]
Teen drivers in San Jose pay a monthly average of $240 for car insurance. But you can still find affordable coverage if you’re a teen driver or have one on your policy.
The table below shows the five cheapest auto insurance companies for teens in San Jose, according to Compare.com data.
The below rates in San Jose, CA, are estimated rates current as of: Monday, August 31 at 5:00 PM PDT.Average Rates for Teens
CompanyAverage Monthly PremiumUSAA $142 Aspire General $144 Sun Coast $149 GEICO $152 Root $153 Mercury $158 Dairyland $165 National General $172 Direct Auto $198 Bristol West $211 Anchor $214 Farmers $220 Kemper Special $220 State Farm $230 Kemper Rsvp $242 21st Century $243 Travelers $261 First Acceptance $329 Chubb $434 Seniors tend to have the cheapest car insurance rates of any age group. Many seniors drive less frequently than younger drivers and are more cautious on the road.[3]
Senior drivers in San Jose pay an average of $123 per month for car insurance. Even with these low average premiums, several insurance companies offer better rates for seniors.
The chart below shows the five cheapest auto insurance companies in San Jose for seniors, based on Compare.com data.
The below rates in San Jose, CA, are estimated rates current as of: Monday, August 31 at 5:00 PM PDT.Average Rates for Seniors
CompanyAverage Monthly PremiumUSAA $66 GEICO $69 National General $71 Mercury $71 Aspire General $74 Sun Coast $76 Dairyland $84 Direct Auto $87 Farmers $91 Anchor $93 Root $97 State Farm $98 Bristol West $103 Travelers $105 Kemper Special $113 21st Century $113 Kemper Rsvp $123 Chubb $168 First Acceptance $168 Getting a speeding ticket can cause your car insurance premium to go up when your policy renews. That’s because insurance companies consider drivers who speed riskier to insure. According to our research, a single speeding ticket causes average premiums to increase by 37% nationwide.
San Jose drivers with a recent speeding ticket pay an average of $172 per month for car insurance. But we found several insurers that offer lower-than-average premiums.
The table below lists the five cheapest car insurance companies in San Jose for drivers with a recent speeding ticket on their record, based on Compare.com data.
The below rates in San Jose, CA, are estimated rates current as of: Monday, August 31 at 5:00 PM PDT.Average Rates With a Ticket
CompanyAverage Monthly PremiumUSAA $102 Aspire General $103 Sun Coast $107 National General $111 GEICO $112 Dairyland $121 Mercury $122 Root $124 Direct Auto $131 Anchor $140 Farmers $144 Bristol West $154 State Farm $154 Kemper Special $158 Travelers $167 Kemper Rsvp $173 21st Century $184 First Acceptance $235 Chubb $277 An at-fault accident can substantially increase your car insurance premium. Our research shows that a single at-fault accident causes average insurance rates to increase by 41% nationwide.
San Jose drivers with a recent accident pay an average of $173 per month for car insurance. But some companies offer cheaper rates to these drivers.
The five insurers below have the cheapest car insurance for San Jose drivers with a recent accident on their driving record, according to Compare.com data.
The below rates in San Jose, CA, are estimated rates current as of: Monday, August 31 at 5:00 PM PDT.Average Rates With an Accident
CompanyAverage Monthly PremiumAspire General $104 USAA $105 Sun Coast $108 GEICO $111 National General $116 Dairyland $126 Root $127 Mercury $130 Direct Auto $139 Anchor $145 Farmers $148 Bristol West $158 State Farm $159 Kemper Special $159 Travelers $171 Kemper Rsvp $175 21st Century $188 First Acceptance $237 Chubb $286 A DUI conviction causes the biggest increase in car insurance rates of any traffic violation. Our research shows that the car insurance rate goes up by an average of 61% nationwide after a DUI conviction.
San Jose drivers with a DUI conviction pay an average of $184 per month for auto insurance. But if you choose the right insurer, you might find a lower premium.
The table below shows the five cheapest car insurance companies in San Jose for drivers with a DUI, according to Compare.com data.
The below rates in San Jose, CA, are estimated rates current as of: Monday, August 31 at 5:00 PM PDT.Average Rates With a DUI
CompanyAverage Monthly PremiumAspire General $110 USAA $110 Sun Coast $114 GEICO $119 National General $123 Mercury $131 Dairyland $135 Direct Auto $144 Root $144 Farmers $156 Anchor $157 Kemper Special $169 Bristol West $169 State Farm $169 Travelers $179 Kemper Rsvp $185 21st Century $188 First Acceptance $252 Chubb $302
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California Auto Insurance Requirements
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Like most states, California requires drivers to have a minimum amount of auto insurance coverage to legally drive. California’s minimum coverage requirements include:
$30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident of bodily injury liability coverage
$15,000 per accident of property damage liability coverage
Instead of traditional liability auto insurance, California drivers have several options to meet the state’s financial responsibility requirements. You can make a cash deposit of $75,000 with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), get a DMV-issued self-insurance certificate, or get a surety bond of $75,000 from a licensed insurance company.
Most auto insurance experts recommend buying more coverage than the state’s minimum requirements. With liability-only coverage, you risk not having enough insurance if you cause a serious accident.
For example, if you hit another car and cause $30,000 in damage, a minimum-coverage policy would cover only $15,000, leaving you to pay the remaining $15,000 out of pocket.
Minimum-coverage insurance also doesn’t protect your vehicle if it gets damaged or stolen. You’d be responsible for paying for the repairs. Remember that if you lease or finance your car, your lender usually requires you to buy full-coverage insurance with comprehensive and collision coverage.
San Jose Auto Insurance FAQs
San Jose drivers pay an average of $135 per month for car insurance, according to Compare.com data. Liability-only insurance costs an average of $89 per month, and full coverage costs $180 per month.
USAA offers the cheapest car insurance in San Jose, with an average monthly rate of $79, according to Compare.com data.
It depends. San Jose drivers pay an average of $135 per month for auto insurance. That’s compared to the national average of $142 per month. Your address, driving history, age, and more factor into how much you pay for car insurance.
USAA offers the cheapest car insurance in California, with rates starting at $86. But the most affordable auto insurer for you depends on your situation. You can compare quotes from multiple companies to find the cheapest insurer for you.
It depends. For some drivers, $200 per month is expensive for car insurance, while it might be a good deal for others. Your car insurance premium depends on a variety of personal factors, like your age and location, and some insurance companies offer cheaper rates than others for the same coverage.
Sources
- California Department of Motor Vehicles. "Auto Insurance Requirements."
- Insurance Information Institute. "What determines the price of an auto insurance policy?."
- Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "Older drivers."
Methodology
Data scientists at Compare.com analyzed more than 50 million real-time auto insurance quotes from more than 75 partner insurers in order to compile the rates and statistics seen in this article. Compare.com’s auto insurance data includes coverage analysis and details on drivers’ vehicles, driving records, insurance histories, and demographic information.
All the rates listed in this article have been collected from a combination of real Compare.com quotes and external insurance rate data gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. Compare.com uses these observations to provide readers with insights into how auto insurance companies determine their premiums.
Compare.com's #1 goal is to save you money. We publish resources that are based on hard-hitting data and years of industry experience to help you make more informed decisions with your wallet.
- All of Compare.com's content is written and reviewed for accuracy by a team of experienced writers and editors who are experts on the topics they cover.
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