Car Insurance Comparison: Florida vs. California

If you're moving from Florida to California, consider updating your car insurance.

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By Kristine Lee
Updated November 27, 2021

Comparing auto insurance in Florida and California

If you're planning an interstate move from Florida to California, you are probably focused on the obvious concerns and expenses: locating a reliable moving service, finding a new apartment or house in your new state, and arranging your interstate move.

With so many moving parts, it's easy to overlook some details. Auto insurance is among the many details, but it's an important one. To abide by state laws and save money, plan to update your policy — or purchase a new policy — when you make the move.

Read our guide to car insurance in Florida versus California and make your move painless. We'll cover the following topics:


  1. Insurance cost comparison
  2. Rates by coverage level
  3. Cheap companies by state
  4. Rates by city
  5. Additional resources


Florida vs. California auto insurance — average premiums

You should expect to pay less for auto insurance once you move. The typical annual auto insurance rate in California is $113 less expensive than the average cost in Florida. The precise cost will depend on your coverage, driving history, and your auto insurance company.


CAR INSURANCE RATES IN FLORIDA VS. CALIFORNIA
State Average Annual Cost
Florida $1,819
California $1,707


Car insurance premiums by coverage level

The cost of your an auto policy depends on how you use your vehicle and what level of coverage you want.

If you elect your state's minimum coverage, you will carry bodily injury, property damage liability, and medical payment coverages, in addition to underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage and personal injury protection in some states.


CAR INSURANCE RATES — BASIC LIABILITY COVERAGE IN FLORIDA vs. CALIFORNIA
Location Period Cost
Florida Annual $822
California Annual $573
Florida 6-Month $411
California 6-Month $286
Florida Monthly $68
California Monthly $48


Electing full-coverage car insurance will cost more each month, but you'll get the added benefits of collision and comprehensive coverage levels, plus rental car reimbursement and roadside assistance. The chief benefit of full coverage auto insurance is that it protects you and your car more comprehensively than does minimum liability coverage. If you want to go the extra mile to protect your vehicle, consider bumping up your policy to full coverage.


AUTO INSURANCE RATES FOR FULL COVERAGE IN FLORIDA vs. CALIFORNIA
State Duration Cost
Florida Annual $1,903
California Annual $1,626
Florida 6-Month $951
California 6-Month $813
Florida Monthly $159
California Monthly $135


Inexpensive auto insurance companies in Florida and California

A major determinant of your car insurance costs is your choice of car insurance company. Insurers set rates in a variety of ways, leading to substantial variations in pricing. Location matters, too: some regional insurance companies only sell policies in certain states, while bigger insurance companies' rates differ by state.

When moving to a new state, it's critical to find the best cheap car insurance company in your new location. Get started below by viewing the five most affordable auto insurance companies in Florida and California.


AFFORDABLE CAR INSURANCE COMPANIES IN FLORIDA
Car Insurance Company Average Annual Rate
USAA $760
Travelers $1,073
Nationwide $1,267
Atlantic States $1,305
Cal Casualty $1,319


See additional cheap auto insurance companies in Florida.


CHEAP CAR INSURANCE COMPANIES IN CALIFORNIA
Insurance Company Average Annual Rate
USAA $1,132
Wawanesa $1,169
Century National $1,202
CSAA $1,210
Nationwide $1,238


View other affordable auto insurance companies in California.


Car insurance rates by city in Florida and California

While car insurance is regulated on a state-by-state level, insurance companies price rates by ZIP code to adjust for local factors such as density and the likelihood of a crash. The location to which you relocate plays a major role in deciding how much you pay for auto insurance.

Reference the below tables to see auto insurance rates in major cities in California and Florida.


CAR INSURANCE COSTS BY CITY IN FLORIDA
City Average Annual Rate
Jacksonville $2,000
Miami $3,209
Tampa $2,584
St. Petersburg $2,241
Orlando $2,049


Check out a more comprehensive list of car insurance rates in Florida cities here.


CAR INSURANCE RATES BY CITY IN CALIFORNIA
City Average Annual Rate
Los Angeles $2,125
San Diego $1,354
San Jose $1,409
San Francisco $1,728
Fresno $1,487


Looking for rates in another city? View car insurance rates in other California cities here.


More information on moving from Florida to California

When relocating from Florida to California, you’ll encounter a new set of driving laws, potentially different SR-22 rules, and more. Make sure your interstate move is problem-free with our data on your new state:

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Kristine Lee
Kristine LeeManager, Content and Data

Kristine is a licensed insurance agent who joined The Zebra in 2019 as an in-house content researcher and writer.

She is an authority on all things insurance and covers the ins and outs of auto, home, life and renters insurance. Her specialty is in providing data-backed insights and information to help insurance shoppers make informed decisions.

Kristine's insurance expertise and research have been cited by publications such as CNBC, Car and Driver, Business Insider, Yahoo!, The Balance, Nationwide and Elephant.

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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.

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  • 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.