Best cheap car insurance in San Francisco for 2024

The best car insurance companies in San Francisco

Having a car in San Francisco can be a great way to get around the city, but owning a vehicle is not without risks. San Francisco is notorious for its car break-ins; the San Francisco Chronicle even created a real-time tracker to keep tabs on the issue. And, in 2023, there were a reported 7,135 vehicle thefts. Car insurance may be required by law in California, but in San Francisco especially, it’s important to choose a company that will be there when you need it most.

Bankrate’s insurance editorial team, which includes licensed insurance agents, is here to help you find the best car insurance in San Francisco. Based on our research, Progressive, Geico, State Farm, Mercury and Nationwide may be some of the best car insurance companies for city residents.

The cheapest car insurance in San Francisco 

California has the highest cost of living in the continental U.S., and San Francisco is consistently ranked in lists of the most expensive cities in the country. What’s considered a cheap car insurance in San Francisco may be wildly expensive compared to another city, but could help get more money back in your pocket. Based on our research, Geico, Mercury and Progressive offer the cheapest rates on average for minimum coverage.

How much is car insurance in San Francisco, California?

Car insurance, like mostly everything in San Francisco, is expensive compared to the national average. The average cost of car insurance in San Francisco is $3,016 per year for full coverage and $692 for minimum coverage. This is well above the national average cost of car insurance, which is $2,278 for full coverage and $621 for minimum coverage per year. San Francisco car insurance costs are also higher than the California statewide average, which is $2,667 for full coverage and $651 for minimum.

San Francisco’s elevated car insurance costs could be due to how densely populated the city is and the high levels of vehicle break-ins. San Francisco is one of the top 10 most densely populated cities in the country, with around 16,600 people per square mile. San Francisco locals and natives know to leave nothing — not even a couple of quarters in the cupholder — to avoid being the victim of a vehicle break-in, dubbed a smash-and-grab. From September to late November 2023, San Francisco car owners reported nearly 3,400 smash-and-grabs. Combined, both of these factors make vehicles and drivers in the city a higher risk to insure, which drivers see reflected in their higher-than-usual rates.

San Francisco rates for teens

Teen drivers generally pay more for car insurance than older drivers. Their lack of experience behind the wheel and proclivity for speeding make teenagers a higher risk for an insurance company. And with car insurance, higher risk typically means higher rates. If you’re a teen driver who lives at home with your parents, you are likely better off staying on your parents’ insurance policy for as long as you can, as that might help you get a cheaper premium.

San Francisco rates for young drivers

San Francisco car insurance rates tend to trend downward once a driver reaches their early 20s. This is especially true for young adult drivers who maintain a clean driving record. Keep in mind that the rates below represent drivers on their own car insurance policies. But, if you’re part of the 8 percent of San Francisco adults who live at home with their parents, you may want to consider staying on their policy. Our research shows that a 20-year-old driver on their parents policy pays an average of 15 percent less than a 20-year-old driver with their own car insurance policy.

San Francisco rates for adults

Drivers in the 30s, 40s and 50s generally enjoy some of the lowest car insurance rates. These age groups are generally deemed lower-risk by most insurance companies, and in turn, they tend to get more affordable rates.

San Francisco rates for seniors

Once a driver ages into their 60s and 70s, it’s possible for rates to begin to climb once again. Aging-related factors like decreased eyesight and slower reaction times may raise the risk of an accident, which in turn could raise rates. But, if your car insurance company offers a senior or retirement discount, that could be a good way to balance out any premium surcharges.

The cheapest car insurance company in San Francisco by driving record

Your Motor Vehicle Report (MVR) is used by your insurance company to help set your rate. The MVR comes from your state’s Department or Bureau of Insurance and details your driving history. By looking at your MVR, a potential insurance company will know if you’ve ever gotten a speeding ticket, been in an accident, had a DUI or been dinged with another kind of driving infraction. Expectedly, a driver with a checkered Motor Vehicle Report will likely pay more for their insurance policy than someone with a clean record. But, not all driving infractions are equal in the eyes of an insurance company: if you find a company that’s more generous about speeding tickets, for instance, you could wind up paying closer to the average cost of insurance.

Car insurance with a speeding ticket in San Francisco

In April 2024, the San Francisco Police Department issued a grand total of 199 speeding tickets. If you were one of the nearly 200 folks to get a speeding ticket that month, you can generally expect your insurance premium to increase upon renewal. Our analysis of rate data from Quadrant Information Services shows that drivers with a speeding ticket pay 36 percent more on average compared to drivers with a clean record for minimum coverage. Bankrate’s insurance editorial team compiled average rates for the five cheapest car insurance companies in San Francisco for drivers with a speeding ticket in the table below.

Car insurance after an accident in San Francisco

If you were found at-fault for an accident, your insurance costs will likely increase more than they would for something smaller, like a speeding ticket. Based on our average rate data, drivers with an at-fault accident on their records pay 64 percent more than drivers in San Francisco with a clean record for full coverage. But, if you do have an at fault accident on your record, our team has found a couple of affordable options.

Car insurance after a DUI in San Francisco

A DUI is one of the most serious driving infractions you can have on your motor vehicle record. Some insurers, like State Farm, have blanket policies about not writing insurance for drivers with a DUI. Depending on your situation, you may also need your insurance company to file an SR-22 on your behalf. Expectedly, car insurance with a DUI will cost you more; our research shows that a full coverage car insurance policy in San Francisco costs 141 percent more on average than it would for a driver with a clean record.

Frequently asked questions

Methodology

Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze July 2024 rates for all ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region. Quoted rates are based on a single, 40-year-old male and female driver with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits:

• $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $50,000 property damage liability per accident
• $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
• $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
• $500 collision deductible
• $500 comprehensive deductible

To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2022 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually.

These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes.

Incidents: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base), at-fault accident, single speeding ticket and single DUI conviction.

Age: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the ages 20-70 (base: 40 years) applied. Depending on age, drivers may be a renter or homeowner. Age is not a contributing rating factor in Hawaii and Massachusetts due to state regulations.

Teens: Rates were determined by adding a 16- or 18-year-old teen to their 40-year-old married parents' policy. The rates displayed reflect the total cost of a driver this age added to their parents’ policy.

Bankrate Scores

Our 2024 Bankrate Score considers variables our insurance editorial team determined impacts policyholders’ experiences with an insurance company. These rating factors include a robust assessment of each company’s product availability, financial strength ratings, online capabilities and customer and claims support accessibility. Each factor was added to a category, and these categories were weighted in a tiered approach to analyze how companies perform in key customer-impacting categories.

Each category was assigned a metric to determine performance, and the weighted sum adds up to a company’s total Bankrate Score — out of 5 points. Our scoring model provides a comprehensive view, indicating when companies excel across several key areas and highlighting where they fall short.

• Tier 1 (Cost & ratings): To determine how well auto and home insurance companies satisfy these priorities, average quoted premiums from Quadrant Information Services (if available), as well as any of the latest third-party agency ratings from J.D. Power, AM Best, Demotech and the NAIC, were analyzed.
• Tier 2 (Coverage & savings): We assessed companies’ coverage options and availability to help policyholders find a provider that balances cost with coverage. Additionally, we evaluated each company’s discount options listed on its website.
• Tier 3 (Support): To encompass the many ways an auto insurance company can support policyholders, we analyzed avenues of customer accessibility along with community support. This analysis incorporated additional financial strength ratings from S&P and Moody’s and factored a company’s corporate sustainability efforts.