The best car insurance in Palmdale, CA for 2023

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Rachael BrennanSenior Editor & Licensed Auto Insurance ExpertRachael Brennan is a senior editor and a licensed auto insurance expert at Policygenius. Her work has also been featured in MoneyGeek, Clearsurance, Adweek, Boston Globe, The Ladders, and AutoInsurance.com.&Andrew HurstSenior Editor & Licensed Auto Insurance ExpertAndrew Hurst is a senior editor and a licensed auto insurance expert at Policygenius. His work has also been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, USA Today, NPR, Mic, Insurance Business Magazine, ValuePenguin, and Property Casualty 360.

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Anna SwartzAnna SwartzSenior Managing Editor & Auto Insurance ExpertAnna Swartz is a senior managing editor and auto insurance expert at Policygenius, where she oversees our car insurance coverage. Previously, she was a senior staff writer at Mic.com, as well as an associate writer at The Dodo.
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Ian Bloom, CFP®, RLP®Ian Bloom, CFP®, RLP®Certified Financial PlannerIan Bloom, CFP®, RLP®, is a certified financial planner and a member of the Financial Review Council at Policygenius. Previously, he was a financial advisor at MetLife and MassMutual.

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The average cost of full-coverage car insurance in Palmdale is $2,078 per year. That's $241 more expensive than the statewide average cost of full coverage car insurance in California. While car insurance rates in Palmdale are higher than the state average, that doesn’t mean drivers in Palmdale can’t still save money on their insurance.

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Comparing rates from multiple companies before choosing a policy is the simplest way to save money on your car insurance. Policygenius can help you compare quotes from multiple companies to find an insurance policy that meets your needs.

Key Takeaways

  • Wawanesa has the lowest average rate for full coverage in Palmdale, with an average cost of $1,119 per year

  • The cheapest ZIP code for car insurance coverage in Palmdale is 93551 at $1,979 per year

  • California’s state minimum liability requirements are $15,000 per person/$30,000 per person in bodily injury liability and $5,000 in property damage liability

Methodology & why you can trust our rates

Policygenius has analyzed car insurance rates provided by Quadrant Information Services for every ZIP code in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. For full coverage policies, the following coverage limits were used:

  • Bodily injury liability: $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident

  • Property damage liability: $50,000

  • Uninsured/underinsured motorist: $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident

  • Comprehensive: $500 deductible

  • Collision: $500 deductible

In some cases, additional coverages were added where required by state or insurer.

Rates for overall average rate, rates by ZIP code, and cheapest companies determined using averages for single drivers ages 30, 35, and 45. Our sample vehicle was a 2017 Toyota Camry LE driven 10,000 miles/year.

Rates for driving violations and “Poor” credit determined using average rates for a single male 30-year-old driver with a credit score under 578.

Some carriers may be represented by affiliates or subsidiaries. Rates provided are a sample of costs. Your actual quotes may differ.

Cheapest car insurance companies in Palmdale, CA

There are dozens of factors that influence your insurance rates, including your driving history, ZIP code, age, claims history, and the type of car you drive.

Because every company has their own process for setting insurance rates, the same coverage will have different rates with each company. Comparing quotes from multiple companies is the best way to save money on your car insurance — here are the best and cheapest car insurance companies in Palmdale:

Company

Average cost

JD Power Rating

Wawanesa

$1,119

--

GEICO

$1,649

874

USAA

$1,683

890

Mercury Insurance

$1,686

830

National General Insurance

$1,965

838

Cheapest car insurance rates by ZIP code in Palmdale, CA

One of the most substantial factors insurance companies use to set your rates is your ZIP code. Rates fluctuate from one ZIP code to another based on a number of factors, including:

  • Number of accidents reported each year

  • How many traffic tickets are issued

  • Reported car thefts

  • Secure parking options

  • Amount of available street parking

  • Population density

The number of people in an area is a big factor when setting rates by ZIP code. Because there are fewer people in Palmdale than in larger cities like Los Angeles or San Francisco, drivers are charged less for coverage.

ZIP code

Average cost

93551

$1,979

93550

$2,113

93552

$2,143

Choosing the right car insurance company in Palmdale, CA

The cheapest available car insurance policy isn’t necessarily the right one for you. The best car insurance policy is the one that meets your needs at an affordable price, which is why our experts at Policygenius help you compare quotes and coverage options from multiple companies.

Car insurance rates for drivers with driving violations in Palmdale, CA

Much like your driver’s license, your driving record contains quite a bit of your personal information, including your height, hair color, license number, etc. It also contains information about any driving violations you may have on your record, including:

  • Points

  • DUIs

  • Fines

  • Accidents

  • Tickets

  • Suspensions

  • Revocations

The most effective way to avoid paying too much for car insurance is to keep your driving record clean. Having a moving violation or a car accident on your record can raise your rates, while a serious issue like a DUI or reckless driving could potentially cost you an extra $1,000 or more per year on your insurance premiums.

Violation

Wawanesa

GEICO

USAA

Mercury Insurance

National General Insurance

At-fault accident

$1,738

$3,044

$2,416

$2,945

$2,986

DUI

$2,039

$4,272

$4,974

$2,799

$2,759

Suspended license

$1,632

$3,056

$3,513

$2,799

$2,834

Open container

$2,039

$4,272

$3,735

$2,799

$2,114

Expired registration

$1,632

$2,754

$1,894

$2,240

$2,114

Driving without lights

$1,632

$2,754

$1,728

$2,240

$2,114

Running a red light

$1,632

$2,754

$1,894

$2,240

$2,114

Following too closely

$1,632

$2,754

$1,894

$2,240

$2,114

Hit and run

$2,039

$3,056

$3,979

$2,799

$2,834

Not-at-fault accident

$1,153

$1,680

$1,728

$1,700

$2,017

Passing a school bus

$1,632

$2,754

$2,549

$2,240

$2,114

Reckless driving

$2,039

$3,056

$2,988

$2,799

$2,834

Speeding

$1,632

$2,632

$1,894

$2,240

$2,114

Collapse table

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with bad credit in Palmdale, CA

California is one of only a small handful of states that don’t use your credit score when setting your insurance rates, including Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan and Washington. This means that California residents with a low credit score won’t see an increase in their rates, but it also means that people with a high score won’t receive a discount on their insurance.

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Buying car insurance in Palmdale, CA

California law requires all drivers to carry some form of liability insurance, including:

  • Cash deposit of $35,000 with DMV

  • DMV-issued self-insurance certificate

  • Surety bond for $35,000 from a company licensed to do business in California

  • Motor vehicle liability insurance policy

The vast majority of drivers in California choose to carry at least the state minimum levels of liability insurance, which are:

  • $15,000 per person/$30,000 per accident for bodily injury liability

  • $5,000 for property damage liability

The state minimum levels of liability insurance are enough to fulfill your legal obligations, but those limits often aren’t enough to cover the amount of damage caused in an at-fault accident. To make sure you are financially protected in an accident, it is important to carry the highest levels of liability coverage that you can afford. 

In addition to high levels of liability, drivers who can’t afford to repair or replace their car after an accident should also purchase comprehensive and collision coverage. These coverages protect you financially if you are at fault in an accident, but they can also step in to pay for damage to your vehicle if you are hit by an uninsured motorist or your car is damaged or stolen.

How to get cheap car insurance in Palmdale, CA

Most insurance companies offer a wide variety of discounts, including:

  • Safe driver discount

  • Accident free discount

  • Low mileage discount

  • Military discount

  • Good student discount

  • Bundling discount

  • Group/employer/professional discount

If the cost of car insurance would be a financial hardship, you may be eligible to apply for California’s Low Cost Auto Insurance program.

Frequently asked questions

Who has the cheapest car insurance in Palmdale, California?

Our research shows that Wawanesa has the lowest rates in Palmdale, but insurance rates are based on a number of factors that are unique to you. The best way to find out who has the lowest insurance rates in the state is to compare quotes between multiple companies.

How much is car insurance each month in Palmdale?

The average cost of car insurance in Palmdale is $173 per month, or $2,078 per year. Compared to the average cost in California, insurance in Palmdale is slightly more expensive.

Why is car insurance so expensive in Palmdale?

Rates in Palmdale are higher than some of the other cities in California. Rates in any given area are based on a number of factors, including the number of accidents and moving violations, car theft, and population density.

What happens if you drive without insurance in Palmdale?

If you're caught driving without car insurance in Palmdale, you can be fined, have your license suspended, and your car might be impounded. You'd also have to pay a fee to reinstate your license and retrieve your car. Finally, your insurance would get more expensive in the future.

Authors

Rachael Brennan is a senior editor and a licensed auto insurance expert at Policygenius. Her work has also been featured in MoneyGeek, Clearsurance, Adweek, Boston Globe, The Ladders, and AutoInsurance.com.

Andrew Hurst is a senior editor and a licensed auto insurance expert at Policygenius. His work has also been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, USA Today, NPR, Mic, Insurance Business Magazine, ValuePenguin, and Property Casualty 360.

Editor

Anna Swartz is a senior managing editor and auto insurance expert at Policygenius, where she oversees our car insurance coverage. Previously, she was a senior staff writer at Mic.com, as well as an associate writer at The Dodo.

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