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With so many drivers, high accident and crime rates, Los Angeles drivers pay much higher car insurance rates than in many other popular California cities. It’s not the cheapest place to live, but that doesn’t mean you should settle for expensive car insurance. We have the best insurance picks that serve LA so you can confidently find a company that’s suitable for your lifestyle.
We pulled quotes from multiple insurance companies for several types of drivers to get average annual car insurance costs.
| Company | Good driver | Single driver | Teen driver | Couple |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | $3,364 | $3,693 | $7,086 | $3,755 |
| Alliance | $8,142 | $10,762 | $14,160 | $7,358 |
| Geico | $5,359 | $5,828 | $13,054 | $6,608 |
| United | $7,674 | $3,693 | $7,542 | $5,848 |
| California Capital | $3,664 | $4,712 | $3,325 | $2,719 |
| Metropolitan | $3,790 | $3,424 | $3,280 | $2,858 |
| Mercury insurance | $4,724 | $6,258 | $9,078 | $3,760 |
| Progressive | $4,902 | $8,190 | $13,488 | $6,238 |
| Metromile | $5,954 | $7,715 | $12,455 | $4,800 |
You might pay more for auto insurance in Los Angeles than in other parts of California or the US, but you can make sure you’re getting the best rate with a little research. Compare the top 10 cheapest car insurance providers in Los Angeles.
| Company | Average annual rate | Read review |
|---|---|---|
| Wawanesa | $1,251 | |
| USAA | $1,411 | Get a quote Read review |
| Alliance | $1,506 | |
| Geico | $1,586 | Get a quote Read review |
| United | $1,629 | |
| California Capital | $1,776 | |
| Metropolitan | $1,824 | |
| Mercury Insurance | $1,975 | |
| Progressive | $1,979 | Get a quote Read review |
| Metromile | $2,220 |
Whether you need personalized coverage or an affordable premium, we have the best picks for Los Angeles drivers to consider.
Metromile
Finder score
If you don't like the idea of paying a high premium for a car you barely drive, then this start-up insurance company could be for you. If you drive less than 8,000 to 12,000 miles a year, Metromile could be worth checking out.
Metromile charges you based on how many miles you drive, also called per-mile coverage, instead of basing your rates based on age, marital status, or other factors. If you need to take a road trip and drive over 250 miles, know that any miles over that mark are free.
Metromile includes free rental car reimbursement and free pet injury protection if you purchase full coverage. Claims can be filed online or over the phone, and they offer an intuitive driving app that can send you city-specific parking reminders to help you avoid tickets, which is great for drivers that frequent the city.
Metromile is an BBB accredited business with an A+ plus rating, which shows that they do their due diligence to resolve issues. They didn't earn any accolades with J.D. Power, but their Trustpilot ratings currently stand at 3.8 stars – higher than any other company on this list. For tech-savvy customers, their Apple app has 4.7 stars and a 4.1 star rating on the Google store.
| Telematics | Telematics only |
|---|---|
| Gap insurance | No |
| Telematics | Telematics only |
|---|---|
| Gap insurance | No |
Wawanesa Mutual
Finder score
In some cases, shopping with a local insurance company can yield a good deal. Wawanesa's headquarters is in San Diego, California, and they only serve a handful of states. They're known for low rates, mainly because they prefer safe drivers. To qualify for its coverage, you need a valid license for three years, no more than one minor point or at-fault accident and/or no accident-related injury claims within three years, and no DUIs.
To get their safe driver discount, you need a nearly-clean record for the past 10 years. Wawanesa has other common discounts as well, such as a military discount and a discount for bundling multiple cars and/or policies. Along with standard coverage like minimum liability and full coverage, Wawanesa has some add-ons to consider like roadside assistance and rental car coverage.
For the last two years, Wawanesa has earned Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Auto Insurers in California in the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Auto Insurance Study. They also earned the No 1 position for customer satisfaction in all five categories in California. Wawanesa has a 2.6 star rating on Trustpilot, which isn't ideal but also isn't rare. Wawanesa is an accredited business with the BBB and carries an A+ rating, showing they do take time to resolve customer complaints and issues.
| Telematics | No |
|---|---|
| Gap insurance | No |
| Telematics | No |
|---|---|
| Gap insurance | No |
Geico
Finder score
If you need basic coverage to meet California's minimum insurance requirements, then Geico may be the way to go. This popular insurer is known for low rates if you purchase basic coverage. Geico also has a cutting-edge app, a large discount menu and it offers extra perks like accident forgiveness.
California doesn't allow insurance companies to base your rates on gender, so if you're a single 35-year old man or woman, you could get rates as low as $40 a month, or $480 annually, for minimum coverage. If you're in your 40s you could see rates as low as $38 per month.
Plus, Geico offers a long list of discounts such as driver safety course discount, good student, federal employee, military, safe car, senior and much more. It also offers DriveEasy, which is Geico's telematics program, where your rates are based on your driving habits.
Geico has a 3.0 star rating on Trustpilot, which is considered average, but high compared to others on our best picks for LA drivers. The BBB gave Geico an A+ rating but isn't accredited. Considering both ratings, Gecio appears to do well in attempting to resolve customer complaints. If you want the Geico mobile app, it has a 4.8 star rating on both Apple and Google.
| Telematics | DriveEasy |
|---|---|
| Gap insurance | No |
| Telematics | DriveEasy |
|---|---|
| Gap insurance | No |
Mercury
Finder score
Mercury Insurance is a smaller insurer that serves 11 states, including California. They offer standard coverage, including collision, comprehensive, roadside assistance and more. If you're an SR-22 driver and you're struggling to find coverage, Mercury may be able to help.
However, rates for Mercury Insurance aren't the lowest we've seen. If you're a single 35-year old male with a clean driving record, you may have to pay around $768/mo. Mercury has some discounts to look into if you want a lower premium, including good driver, good student, telematics (RealDrive program) and bundling discounts.
Mercury has an A- rating (the third-highest rating) with the BBB and isn't accredited with them, which frankly isn't ideal since the BBB rates how well a business resolves complaints. Its app has a 4.4 rating on the Apple Store, and 4.2 stars on the Google app store. Mercury's customer ratings on Trustpilot are at 3.0 stars, which is higher than we typically see among insurance companies. If no other insurance is willing to work with you because of a risky driving record, Mercury may be worth looking into.
| Telematics | Yes |
|---|---|
| Gap insurance | No |
| Telematics | Yes |
|---|---|
| Gap insurance | No |
State Farm
Finder score
Los Angeles has a large population of luxury and expensive car owners. If you have a pricey car or just need extra, personalized coverage, State Farm is worth looking into. With over 90 years in the business, State Farm is a safe bet for all types of drivers.
State Farm offers traditional and well-rounded coverage, and is one of the highest-rated companies in the country. Add-ons include rideshare coverage, car rental coverage, travel coverage and roadside assistance. State Farm has a large network, a highly-rated app and you can get free quotes online. Their discount list includes: away at school, good student, telematics, safe car and more. With State Farm's telematics program – Safe Drive and Save – you could save up to 30% on your monthly premiums.
State Farm's Trustpilot rating stands at 1.8 stars, which is low compared to other companies on our list. A low Trustpilot rating is usually the result of multiple customer complaints, which is common in the insurance industry. However, State Farm has the highest rating from AM Best, an A++, showing that it has funds to back your claims. They aren't rated or accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), however.
| Telematics | Drive Safe and Save |
|---|---|
| Gap insurance | No |
| Telematics | Drive Safe and Save |
|---|---|
| Gap insurance | No |
We compared customer reviews, BBB ratings, discounts offered, telematic programs, mobile app ratings, known rates and coverage offered.
In LA, California, drivers are required to carry 15/30/5 in minimum liability car insurance. Broken down, this means you must have:
If you have a car loan, then you’re required to carry full coverage by your lender, which includes collision and comprehensive coverage. If you aren’t financing, then California’s minimum requirements have to be met even if you own your vehicle outright.
Frequent drivers may want to consider full coverage. Los Angeles has a high theft rate, experiences severe weather such as wildfires, earthquakes and accident rates are high. To protect you, your vehicle, and your wallet, having collision and comprehensive coverage offers peace of mind.
For many states, it’s recommended that you raise your credit score to lower your insurance rates. However, California is one of the few states that doesn’t allow your credit to influence your insurance costs. This can be both good and bad, depending on your credit situation, but there are many other tips you can try to save money on car insurance in LA.
Saving money on car insurance starts with knowing what your insurance company considers a risk, and then minimizing those risks. This can mean taking a defensive driving course (which you may be able to do online) or having anti-theft features on your vehicle. You can also adjust your coverage to fit your needs, and opt-out of coverage that doesn’t fit your lifestyle.
Consider these tips:
A few factors contribute to LA’s sky-high car insurance rates.
If your area has a high theft rate, it can raise your insurance rates – significantly, in some cases. Theft represents a risk for you and your insurance company. The city of Los Angeles has a high theft rate, as reported by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).
| 2018 LA theft rate | 2019 LA theft rate | 2020 LA theft rate |
|---|---|---|
| 405.74 rate (53,929.00 thefts) | 374.13 rate (49,441.00 thefts) | 482.35 rate (63,235 thefts) |
Car thefts dipped down a little bit from 2019 to 2018, but in 2020, rose back up to double the national average theft rate, which is 246, according to Statista. California as a whole ranked fourth for theft in 2020.
Similar to theft rates, the rate of accidents (fatal and injury) impacts your insurance rates. If your zip code has many accidents each year, then an insurance company may raise your rates compared to a “safer” area.
The NICB reported in 2017 that the county of Los Angeles had over 60,000 fatal and injury accidents combined. Compared to other counties in California, these numbers are astronomical.
| County | # of fatal and injury car accidents |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 63,289 |
| Orange | 15,370 |
| Riverside | 10,794 |
| Alameda | 8,398 |
| Fresno | 2,647 |
If you’re a driver with a few violations on record and don’t qualify for traditional insurance, you could look into the California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan. The state will place you with an insurance company willing to offer you a policy. Consider looking into this plan only after exhausting your resources with traditional car insurance companies since this plan may not offer the best coverage or rates.
Los Angeles driving means significantly more traffic to navigate than in rural parts of California. When driving through the city, keep these tips in mind.
Los Angeles drivers pay an average of $2,238 annually for car insurance, or $186.50 monthly. At $540 above California’s average annual premium, LA city sees some of the highest car insurance rates in the state. Filter car insurance companies by roadside assistance, discounts and more to get a quote.
Los Angeles is a hub for culture, technology and entertainment. However, while glamorous, auto insurance is a necessity. The state of California requires 15/30/5 of minimum liability insurance to drive, but if you live in LA, you may want more coverage than that. Given the high rate of vehicle accidents and high theft rate, comprehensive and collision coverage could be money well spent.
If you’re in need of auto coverage in Los Angeles, compare more car insurance and look for an insurer that suits your needs.
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