What is the average cost of car insurance in San Diego?
The typical San Diego driver pays $1,773 per year for auto insurance. That's cheaper than the statewide average in California ($1,868) and more expensive than the national average of $1,548. Our guide to San Diego car insurance includes average rates based on age, credit score, driving history, and marital status. Keep reading to learn more!
CAR INSURANCE RATES IN SAN DIEGO
| San Diego Average (yearly) | California Average | National Average |
| $1,773 | $1,868 | $1,548 |
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San Diego car insurance rates by insurer
The company-by-company differences in car insurance rates can be substantial, so it's important to compare quotes thoroughly and choose your insurer carefully. In San Diego, GEICO offers the cheapest rates for the average insurance customer. See below the best options for affordable auto insurance in San Diego. Don't forget to check out car insurance quotes based on your driving profile.
SAN DIEGO CAR INSURANCE RATES BY COMPANY
| Insurer | Average Rate (annual) |
| GEICO | $1,162 |
| Mercury | $1,411 |
| AAA | $1,647 |
| Infinity | $1,668 |
| Alliance | $1,868 |
Check out our guide to learn how to find the best cheap car insurance.
Auto insurance premiums by age in San Diego
The age group that pays the least for car insurance in San Diego are drivers in their 60s ($1,581per year). Those in their 50s don't pay significantly more ($1,590).
Teenage drivers pay San Diego's most expensive insurance rates. When drivers hit their 20s in San Diego and move out of the teenage age bracket, they reduce their premiums substantially. The cost differential between the car insurance premiums paid by teenage drivers and drivers in their 20s in San Diego is $3,844, the largest such difference between any two age brackets.
SAN DIEGO AUTO INSURANCE PREMIUMS BY DRIVER AGE
| Age | Average Yearly Rate |
| Teenagers | $6,455 |
| 20s | $2,611 |
| 30s | $1,725 |
| 40s | $1,666 |
| 50s | $1,590 |
| 60s | $1,581 |
| 70s | $1,831 |
Learn more about how age influences auto insurance rates.
San Diego car insurance rates by marital status and gender
In some cases, a driver's marital status and gender may affect their car insurance rates. Married drivers in San Diego pay $73 less than single drivers for car insurance. Married drivers pay less for car insurance than do single drivers in many locations. Rates for those who are widowed are also much cheaper than rates for those who are single. In San Diego, insurance rates for those who are widowed are less expensive than rates for those who are single.
Gender is another factor that can impact auto insurance costs. In San Diego, males pay $0 more each year for car insurance than do female drivers.
SAN DIEGO AUTO INSURANCE RATES: BY MARITAL STATUS AND GENDER
| Marital Status/Gender | Average Annual Rate |
| Female | $1,773 |
| Male | $1,773 |
| Single | $1,700 |
| Married | $1,700 |
| Divorced | $1,773 |
| Widowed | $1,724 |
Learn more about how gender and marital status have on auto insurance rates.
San Diego car insurance premiums by violation history
Maintaining a clean driving record is an effective way to minimize your auto insurance costs. Speeding tickets, reckless driving citations, DUIs and DWIs, and at-fault accidents all can trigger insurance rate hikes.
Two of the most expensive driving violations from an insurance perspective are reckless driving and DUI. In San Diego, a reckless driving citation results in an average insurance rate increase of $3,048 per year, compared to the citywide average. For comparison's sake, a DUI offense results in a $2,960 increase and a speeding ticket triggers a $716 rate hike.
AVERAGE SAN DIEGO INSURANCE RATES AFTER A VIOLATION OR ACCIDENT
| Incident/Violation | Average Annual Rate |
| DWI/DUI | $4,733 |
| Reckless Driving | $4,821 |
| At-fault Accident (damages < $1,000) | $1,780 |
| At-fault Accident (damages greater than $2,000) | $3,095 |
| Speeding Ticket (16-20 mph over speed limit) | $2,489 |
Learn more about citations' impact on your auto insurance rates.
San Diego car insurance rates by credit tier
Credit score is often closely correlated with car insurance costs. In fact, San Diego drivers who build their credit score from the "Very Poor" tier (300-579) to the "Exceptional" tier (800-850) earn a 0% decrease in car insurance rates. If you move from the "Very Poor" credit tier to the "Fair" credit tier, you could be in line for an auto insurance price adjustment. In San Diego, moving into the "Fair" credit tier corresponds to an average of $0 in savings on insurance each year.
SAN DIEGO CAR INSURANCE PREMIUMS BY CREDIT LEVEL
| Credit Tier | Average Yearly Rate |
| Very Poor | $1,773 |
| Fair | $1,773 |
| Good | $1,773 |
| Very Good | $1,773 |
| Exceptional | $1,773 |
Learn more about the relationship between poor credit and car insurance.
What drives up car insurance rates in San Diego?
Where you live in San Diego affects your car insurance rates. Besides your driving history and credit score, where you live is one of the biggest contributing factors to the car insurance rates you'll pay. The reason? Crime, theft and uninsured motorists vary by ZIP code. So if you find yourself in a neighborhood that doesn’t play well with others, car insurance companies may consider you a high risk to insure, meaning: your rates could be higher than those of a pal who lives just around the block. And, unfortunately San Diego is no exception to the rule. From ZIP code 92131 to 92136, premiums rise by 32 percent—that’s $397.
Expensive San Diego ZIP codes: 92105, 92145, 92155, 92135, 92136
Cheap San Diego ZIP codes: 92131, 92128, 92130, 92119, 92129
San Diego Driving Conditions
Inclement weather goes hand in hand with wet brakes, slick roads, and decreased visibility.
And that's not the worst of it. More than 700,000 weather-related car accidents occur each year. In San Diego, you can expect 42 rainy days with an annual rainfall of 10.3 inches. San Diego is also known to experience earthquakes and wildfires.
42
Rainy Days a Year
10"
Avg. Annual Rainfall
0"
Avg. Annual Snowfall
Be Prepared For
Driving in San Diego
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Find Local San Diego Agents
Wateridge Insurance Services
10717 Sorrento Valley Rd, San Diego, CA 92121
HUB International Insurance Services Inc.
16766 Bernardo Center Drive, Suite 115, San Diego, CA 92128
Leavitt Insurance Agency of San Diego
3636 Nobel Dr Ste 100, San Diego, CA 92122
$1,364
The average San Diegan's annual cost of coverage
40%
Our customer's average savings after comparing insurance
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About The Zebra
The Zebra is not an insurance company. We publish data-backed, expert-reviewed resources to help consumers make more informed insurance decisions.
The Zebra’s insurance content is written and reviewed for accuracy by licensed insurance agents.
The Zebra’s insurance content is not subject to review or alteration by insurance companies or partners.
The Zebra’s editorial team operates independently of the company’s partnerships and commercialization interests, publishing unbiased information for consumer benefit.
The auto insurance rates published on The Zebra’s pages are based on a comprehensive analysis of car insurance pricing data, evaluating more than 83 million insurance rates from across the United States.