San Diego car insurance rates

Compared to Los Angeles car insurance rates, San Diego's are hundreds of dollars less, but still not cheap. The same driver will pay hundreds of dollars more in Coronado than in Carlsbad, according to our California car insurance rate analysis. But even if you live in one of the higher-cost ZIP codes, you can save money by simple comparison shopping. No two car insurance companies will offer you the same rate.

San Diego ZIP code 92135 is the most expensive for car insurance in the city, $1,467 a year, according to a survey of rates from six major carriers. But the difference between the highest rate ($1,703) for that ZIP and the lowest ($1,130) is $573.

Why comparing car insurance rates saves you money

Prices for the same policy vary by hundreds – sometimes thousands – of dollars because no two insurance companies us the same formula to calculate rates. That’s why you have to shop around to save money. To see how car insurance rates compare, use our average rates tool below.

Enter a ZIP code to see the average premium for the location, as well as the highest and lowest rates from the six major carriers surveyed.

Here's how San Diego’s highest average rate ($1,467) compares to others:

• $471 more than the least expensive average rate ($996) in California, Los Olivos ZIP code 93441


• $34 more than the state average ($1,433)


• $236 more than the national average rate ($1,231)

You’ll see in the chart below of the 12 most expensive ZIP codes for San Diego how much rates can vary for the same policy.

San Diego car insurance rates

San Diego ZIP code	Average annual rate	Highest	Lowest
92135	$1,467	$1,703	$1,130
92145	$1,448	$1,713	$1,181
92155	$1,424	$1,713	$1,148
92105	$1,404	$1,828	$915
92113	$1,400	$1,767	$889
92147	$1,391	$1,740	$1,081
92114	$1,380	$1,802	$870
92102	$1,370	$1,795	$904
92134	$1,368	$1,733	$1,066
92184	$1,359	$1,670	$1,048
92152	$1,350	$1,694	$1,032
92179	$1,349	$1,713	$829

San Diego ranks tenth in the list of most expensive ZIP codes for car insurance in California's major cities:

1.       Los Angeles ZIP 90029

$2,416

2.       Oakland ZIP 94607

$1,868

3.       Sacramento ZIP 95824

$1,833

4.       San Francisco ZIP 94134

$1,815

5.       Long Beach ZIP 90813

$1,702

6.       Fresno ZIP 93701

$1,624

7.       Anaheim ZIP 92804

$1,559

8.       Santa Ana ZIP 92703

$1,543

9.       San Jose ZIP 95122

$1,475

10.   San Diego ZIP 92135

$1,467

San Diego car insurance requirements
California state law requires the following minimum car insurance coverage:
Minimum bodily injury liability	$15,000/$30,000
Minimum property damage liability	$5,000

Cheapest car insurance in San Diego

If you need just enough coverage to drive legally, you’ll want to shop for the lowest liability car insurance limits required by the state. In California, (written as 15/30/5) that means your liability car insurance would pay up to:

• $15,000 for injuries you cause to others


• $30,000 per accident


• $5,000 for damage you cause to others’ cars and property

The state average rate for a year of minimum coverage is $723, according to our rate analysis. You would pay just $188 more if you hiked your liability coverage to 50/100/50.

Best car insurance in San Diego

If you want to have enough car insurance coverage to protect your home and assets, you should buy liability insurance in the following amounts:

• $100,000 to pay for others’ medical bills


• $300,000 to pay for injuries to others in an accident you cause


• $100,000 to pay for damage to others’ property

You should also consider buying these optional coverages:

• Comprehensive, which replaces stolen cars and covers damage to your car from floods, fire, hail, vandalism.


• Collision, which pays for damage to your car from accidents.

Comprehensive insurance and collision coverage pay out up to the actual cash value of your car. In California, comprehensive costs $98 and collision costs $361, on average per year, according to the Insurance Information Institute. These two coverages come with a deductible. That’s the amount you pay for each claim before your insurer pays out. Deductibles of $1,000, $500 and $250 are the usual amounts from which you can choose. The lower the deductible is, the higher your rate will be.

California car insurance rates for coverage recommendations

100/300/100	Men	Women	State average
With $1,000 deductible	$2,413	$2,123	$2,268
With $500 deductible	$2,746	$2,401	$2,574
With $250 deductible	$2,955	$2,586	$2,771

*Average rate of six insurance carriers for a 2015 Honda Accord LX, from the following carriers, in no particular order: Progressive, Allstate, State Farm, Nationwide, GEICO and Farmers. Data was provided for CarInsurance.com by Quadrant Information Services.

Driving in San Diego

Traffic in San Diego: The city and nearby areas came in 13^th for the worst traffic in the country in a recent report by USA Today, which noted that commuters spend about 37 hours a year stuck in traffic.

Car crashes: Major accidents have resulted in an average of 70 deaths a year in recent years (2012-2014).

Commuting: The average commute in San Diego is 24.4 minutes.

High Occupancy Vehicle rules: The HOV lane, also known as the carpool or diamond lane, is designed to reduce traffic congestion and promote ride-sharing on freeways. In the San Diego area, only vehicles with at least two people, mass transit vehicles like buses and motorcycles are allowed to use the lanes. The lanes may be restricted during specified hours.

Public transportation: The U.S. Census Bureau says that the majority of riders in San Diego who commute to work by public transportation are white (about 29 percent), Hispanic (about 43 percent) and black (about 9 percent). The bureau notes that commuting is the main reason people use mass transit.

Smog rules: All California residents much have their vehicles tested for emissions at a licensed smog testing center every two years to renew registration. Vehicles that are six years old or less are exempt from testing. New California residents must have an initial inspection to have their vehicle registered, even if they have a current smog certificate from their previous state.

Bad intersection: Where 54^th Street and University Avenue meet is considered one of the worst intersections in San Diego, with 77 accidents reported during the past ten years.

The information was gathered from various sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, state transportation departments and city police departments.

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