Coverage Watch does not have a financial relationship with any car insurance companies and quote providers. Everything displayed on the site is completely free from bias and based on legitimate data.

Get Cheap Car Insurance in San Diego County, CA

We monitor insurance prices, helping the average driver in San Diego County save up to 33.7% on car insurance.

 

Start Saving

;

The Cheapest Minimum Coverage in San Diego County

The chart below shows the cheapest car insurance company in San Diego County for a driver with a good record seeking minimum coverage on a mid-grade used vehicle. Values are estimated, and premiums may be lower or higher, but should be in an accurate order for a good driver. In general, drivers with good records will get the best prices through Metromile, followed by Geico, Progressive, and Travelers.

 
San Diego County Insurer Monthly Cost
Metromile $50
Geico $57
Progressive $61
Travelers $63

Savings for Every Kind of San Diego County Driver

The table shows how much the average auto insurance customer in San Diego County might save by following our recommendations.

Based on our extensive insurance data, we know the average San Diego County driver will save about 32% on car insurance. This isn’t marketing: this is unbiased data with no financial influence. The best auto insurance company depends on factors such as your driving record, home location, marital status, and age. The average driver will find themselves saving $639 per year by choosing the right vehicle insurance company. Some San Diego County residents are paying out over $1,999 extra every year for auto insurance in San Diego County. That cost may be even higher if you haven’t requested a new quote as your life situation changed.

Situation
San Diego County, CA Savings / Yr.
Drivers with good records
$639
Drivers with accidents
$1,170
Drivers with speeding tickets
$926
Drivers with a DUI conviction
$1,626
Young drivers
$835
Married drivers
$362
Drivers with bad credit
$0

San Diego County Car Insurance vs. California

People living in San Diego County pay an average of 0.47% less than the typical driver in the state. The average driver in San Diego County can expect to pay about $936 per year, or $1,999 for full coverage.

Based on our analysis, Metromile will be the cheapest provider in San Diego County for most people.

Car Insurance Prices by San Diego County Neighborhood

San Diego County, CA map of insurance costs by zip code and neighborhood

Insurance Prices

More expensive
Average
Less expensive

Where is insurance cheapest within San Diego County?

The map shows insurance prices in and around San Diego County, with more expensive areas in red and places with cheaper car insurance in green. Insurance can vary by as much as $717 per year within the county boundaries, with insurance premiums ranging from a high of $2,418 to a low of $1,701. Insurance prices tend to be higher for those living in the South area, and lower for those with homes in the Southwest parts of San Diego County.

Pick the Best Car Insurance Company for You in San Diego County

We have analyzed insurance costs for auto insurance customers based on the major variables that impact pricing. The results of our analysis are below, including US dollar savings. What about when you meet one or more of the criteria? For example, if you have both a DUI and a speeding ticket? Simply start with the San Diego County insurance provider for whom we have posted the highest savings dollar figure.

The best car insurance provider for most drivers in San Diego County

For drivers with clean driving records and no major strikes, Metromile is the best option, with annual savings of $639 over the average San Diego County car insurance company.

Visit Site

We use the average good driver, paying $113 per month, as our baseline for pricing in San Diego County. Allstate, Metromile, and Esurance are all good choices for quotes if you have a clean record. See also the best providers for married people if you are married, and look for repeated company names.

The best car insurance provider for San Diego County drivers with accidents on their records

In San Diego County getting into an accident will raise premiums an average 44% for a yearly cost of $3,594. That's $1,595 per year more than a driver with no at-fault crashes on their driving record might pay. To avoid paying out more than you need to, Travelers, Metromile, and Mercury Insurance are good choices for drivers with accidents.

In our analysis, Metromile saved the average person who had been in an accident the most, with annual savings averaging $1,170 over the competition.

Visit Site

The best car insurance company for San Diego County drivers with speeding tickets

>Metromile gave the average person with a speeding ticket the most savings, averaging $926 better than other car insurance companies.

Visit Site

Depending on the insurance company, a speeding ticket can actually raise insurance premiums more than getting in an accident. In San Diego County, tickets raise premiums on new quotes about $1,014. If you have a speeding ticket, we recommend Geico, Metromile, and Mercury Insurance for savings that beat the average insurance cost of $3,013 per year.

The best auto insurance for San Diego County drivers with a DUI conviction

Getting a DUI can increase the cost of insurance dramatically. The average person with a DUI paid $5,061 per year in auto insurance premiums, which was $3,063 more than a driver with no major issues. Progressive, Travelers, and Mercury Insurance penalized their customers the least for a DUI.

Getting a quote from Mercury Insurance may cost the average person with a DUI about $1,626 less each year.

Visit Site

The least expensive car insurance company for new and young drivers in San Diego County

In San Diego County, State Farm costs young drivers $835 less each year versus the average auto insurance bill.

Visit Site

Teen drivers account for more than their share of accidents, and thus end up paying about 62% more for insurance than more mature drivers in San Diego County. With an average cost of $5,303 per year (for young drivers who aren't on a parent's plan), car insurance for inexperienced drivers can’t ever be called "cheap." A few companies like State Farm, Geico, and Mercury Insurance try to attract these younger drivers with lower prices in the hopes that they will stay with the company.

The best marriage discounts for vehicle insurance in San Diego County

Not everything is an excuse for the auto insurance companies to charge you more. Getting married provides an average discount of $198. Geico, Progressive, and Mercury Insurance provided the largest discounts to couples living in San Diego County.

Progressive gave the largest car insurance discounts to married couples, averaging $362 saved each year compared to an average San Diego County couple's premiums.

Visit Site

The cheapest car insurance in San Diego County for drivers with bad credit

The state of California does not allow companies to use credit score to figure out premiums, so the prices are unchanged regardless of credit score

The best San Diego County car insurance company for customer service

Many car insurance companies over the years have struggled with customer service. In San Diego County, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) ranks Nationwide as the best. Another valuable metric: JD Power ranks American Family Insurance as the best provider in San Diego County.

Nationwide was the best company for customer service in San Diego County according to the NAIC.

Visit Site

Recent price drops

Due to improvements in our tracking and methodology, we are unable to show price change data for the most recent year. This data will return next year (2023).

In 2020, at the peak of the global pandemic, {{top1_2020pricedrop_company}} changed their average price {{top1_2020pricedrop_company_percentage}}% in San Diego County, which was better than other insurers.

Visit Site

During the Covid-19 pandemic a few insurance companies realized people were driving less and struggling overall. They proactively lowered their rates for many customers in San Diego County. We think helping communities in a time of need deserves special attention. Many insurance companies have advertisements telling us how much they care: we prefer to look at their actions.

The cheapest large national provider in San Diego County

Many customers have informed us that they prefer to work with large national brands. Maybe they're one of the 44% of San Diego County residents who are renting, and don't plan to be in the county or state for very long. Or maybe national recognition and funds make people feel more secure with a large provider. Regardless, Allstate tends to have the lowest prices for most drivers.

For customers who prefer to work with large national providers, we recommend Allstate for pricing. The average San Diego County driver can expect to pay about $129 per month.

Visit Site

What About USAA?

JD power consistently ranks USAA as the top car insurance company in the United States. We don’t compare their rates because most people can’t sign up. USAA only allows active military members and their spouses and children to apply. In San Diego County, USAA has the best prices for good drivers, drivers with a DUI conviction, drivers with speeding tickets, young drivers, and drivers with accidents.
Get USAA (An excellent choice if you qualify)

Auto Insurance Prices in and Around San Diego County

What Influences the Cost of Car Insurance in San Diego County?

On average, car insurance in San Diego County is actually less expensive than the rest of the state. These low prices are no mystery to us. Coverage Watch tracks car insurance costs and uses a complex AI that finds related variables, and has determined car insurance prices in the county are influenced by the following factors:

  • The average commute time in San Diego County is 32 minutes, which is a little less than average for a driver in the state.
  • California state insurance regulations may require higher prices.
  • An average of 0 weeks with snow on the ground, which impacts accident rates.
  • Marriage rates in San Diego County are lower than average in the state, and marriage often results in car insurance discounts.
  • Vehicle theft rates in the area are very high, with a Vehicle Theft Crime Grade of F according to CrimeGrade.org.
  • San Diego County has an average population density in the state. The county’s density could result in a price decrease for drivers.

As a result of these and other factors, the average cost of car insurance in San Diego County is $78 per month for minimum coverage and $167 per month for full coverage. Costs vary widely based on your situation, and will likely be lower if you have a clean driving record and follow our insurance company research to find the best car insurance company for you.

Car Insurance in Nearby Counties

Counties with Similar Populations

* Who is the average San Diego County driver? Based on national demographic data provided by BestNeighborhood, we took a single unmarried man living in central San Diego County with good (but not perfect) credit driving a used midsized sedan. Data sources: proprietary data collection and analysis, unique to CoverageWatch.org All content copyright CoverageWatch.org. Journalists and other websites are free to cite any data with attribution.