Explore rating factors and ways to save on auto insurance in San Mateo, California.
Car insurance coverage costs an average of $1,793 each year in San Mateo. That's cheaper than the statewide average in California ($1,868) and more expensive than the national average of $1,548. Keep reading to learn more about how much you can expect to pay based on your marital status, age, credit score, and other common factors in San Mateo.
| San Mateo Average (annual) | California Average | U.S. Average |
| $1,793 | $1,868 | $1,548 |
One of the most important determinants of your car insurance rates is the insurance company you work with. In San Mateo, GEICO offers the cheapest rates for the average insurance customer. See below the best companies for cheap auto insurance in San Mateo — but don't forget to get personalized car insurance quotes to match your driving profile.
Consult our expert guide to finding the best cheap car insurance.
San Mateo drivers in their 60s enjoy relatively affordable auto insurance rates, paying just $1,614 per year, on average. Those in their 50s don't pay significantly more ($1,615).
Teenage drivers pay San Mateo's most expensive car insurance rates. One of the most effective ways to lower your car insurance rates as a driver in San Mateo is to age out of your teens. The difference in rates paid by teenage drivers and drivers in their 20s in San Mateo is $4,042, the largest such difference between any two age groups.
| Age bracket | Average Annual Rate |
| Teenagers | $6,706 |
| 20s | $2,664 |
| 30s | $1,745 |
| 40s | $1,689 |
| 50s | $1,615 |
| 60s | $1,614 |
| 70s | $1,887 |
Learn more about how age influences auto insurance rates.
In some cases, a driver's marital status and gender may affect the auto insurance rates they pay. In most places, single drivers pay more than married drivers based on data that says they're more likely to file claims. Married drivers in San Mateo pay $74 less than single drivers for auto insurance. Rates for those who are widowed are also much cheaper than rates for those who are single. In San Mateo, insurance rates for those who are widowed are less expensive than rates for those who are single.
Gender is another factor that can influence auto insurance rates. In San Mateo, female drivers pay more for auto insurance than do male drivers: $3 per year, to be precise.
| Marital Status/Gender | Average Annual Rate |
| Female | $1,796 |
| Male | $1,793 |
| Single | $1,719 |
| Married | $1,719 |
| Divorced | $1,793 |
| Widowed | $1,746 |
Learn more about how gender and marital status have on auto insurance rates.
Maintaining a clean driving record is one of the best ways to keep your car insurance costs low. Speeding citations, reckless driving charges, DUIs and DWIs, and at-fault accidents all tend to bring about rate increases.
Two of the most expensive driving violations from an insurance perspective are reckless driving and DUI. In San Mateo, a reckless driving citation results in an average insurance rate increase of $3,010 per year, compared to the citywide average. For comparison's sake, a DUI offense results in a $2,898 increase, and a speeding ticket triggers a $729 rate hike.
| Violation/Incident | Average Annual Rate |
| DUI/DWI | $4,691 |
| Reckless Driving | $4,803 |
| At-fault Accident (damages < $1,000) | $1,802 |
| At-fault Accident (damages greater than $2,000) | $3,157 |
| Speeding Ticket (16-20 mph over speed limit) | $2,522 |
Learn more about how citations can raise your auto insurance rates.
A driver's credit level can be closely correlated with their auto insurance rates. Moving into the "Fair" credit tier from the "Very Poor" level is one of the most impactful steps a driver can take in pursuit of better car insurance rates.
However, California is one of a handful of states that has banned the practice of using a driver's credit score as an insurance rating factor. In San Mateo, whether you have excellent or poor credit won't move the needle on how much you pay in premium.
