The best car insurance in Sacramento, CA

Gianetta Palmer

Published November 2, 2021

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Sacramento drivers spend around $2,017 per year for full coverage car insurance. These rates are slightly higher than the California state average of $1,857 per year.

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To help lower the cost of your car insurance, we recommend getting quotes from top companies and choosing the one that best fits your needs and your budget. Policygenius makes it easy to compare quotes and shop for car insurance.

Key Takeaways

Wawanesa Insurance has the cheapest average car insurance rates in Sacramento at $1,127 per year for full coverage
Sacramento drivers insured with GEICO who run a red light could see their insurance rates increase by $1,000
The California minimum car insurance requirements are $15,000 per person/$30,000 per incident in bodily injury liability and $5,000 in property damage liability per incident

Cheapest car insurance companies in Sacramento, CA

Insurance companies all use the same information when establishing car insurance rates, but how they use your data to establish your rates will vary by company.

The easiest way to not overpay is by comparing quotes from top companies and seeing which one offers you the best coverage at the best price. Below are the cheapest car insurance rates by company in Sacramento.

Wawanesa

$1,127

GEICO

$1,484

871

USAA

$1,599

890

National General

$1,695

815

United Financial Casualty Company

$1,708

Cheapest car insurance rates by ZIP code in Sacramento, CA

If your neighborhood has a higher crime rate and car thefts are common, odds are your insurance rates will be higher. Insurance companies use ZIP codes to establish rates and how many accidents or tickets are issued in a given time frame.

The table below shows the average car insurance rates for ZIP codes in Sacramento.

95811

$2,129

95814

$2,169

95815

$2,170

95816

$1,986

95817

$2,024

95818

$1,898

95819

$1,804

95820

$2,066

Choosing the right car insurance company in Sacramento, CA

Choosing the right car insurance for your family is an important decision. You need to be sure the provider you select will be there when it matters the most. Customer service is important, so ask yourself these questions:

How does the claims system work? Is there a mobile app or a dedicated claims phone number?
What about the company’s reputation? Will it raise your rates after an accident?

Policygenius can help you get quotes from top companies and understand your options before you settle on a policy.

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

Your driving history says a lot about you, and insurance companies use this information to set car insurance rates. So the more tickets and other moving violations on your record, the more you’ll have to pay for car insurance.

Below are the average rates for drivers in Sacramento with moving violations on their driving record.

At-fault Accident

$1,755

$2,726

$2,297

$2,570

$3,661

DUI

$2,090

$3,813

$4,720

$2,379

$4,261

Driving with a suspended license

$1,662

$2,726

$3,335

$2,441

$3,893

Driving with an open container

$2,090

$3,813

$3,547

$1,823

$3,406

Driving with expired registration

$1,662

$2,461

$1,801

$1,823

$3,661

Driving without Lights

$1,662

$2,461

$1,644

$1,823

$3,661

Failure to show documents

$1,662

$2,461

$1,801

$1,823

$3,661

Failure to stop at a red light

$1,662

$2,461

$1,801

$1,823

$3,661

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

California is one of the seven states that doesn’t allow your credit score to determine car insurance rates. In other states, if you have poor credit, insurance companies will consider you to be in a high-risk category and will probably charge you more for your insurance.

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Buying car insurance in Sacramento, CA

California state law says to be legally insured in California, drivers must have the following minimum liability insurance requirements:

Bodily injury liability coverage per person: $15,000
Bodily injury liability coverage per accident: $30,000
Property damage liability coverage: $5,000

If drivers do not want to have liability insurance, there are additional options:

A cash deposit of $35,000 with the Department of Motor Vehicles
Department of Motor Vehicles issued self-insurance certificate
Surety bond for $35,000 from a company licensed to business in California

California drivers who need to drive but can’t afford to pay for car insurance may qualify for the state’s low-income car insurance program. As of 2020, a single resident must earn less than $32,200 yearly to qualify.

How to get cheap car insurance in Sacramento, CA

Finding affordable car insurance in Sacramento can be challenging, but there are ways to save. Many companies offer discounts to customers as a way to save on rates. Here are some of the most common:

Safe driver discount: For drivers who maintain a good driving record or take a defensive driving course.
Good student discount: Many companies offer young drivers a discount for maintaining a B average or better.

Multi-line discount: The combination (bundling) of home, renters, and car insurance with the same company.
Low mileage discount: For drivers who drive less than 7,500 miles a year.
Military discount: A discount for active-duty military and their family members.

Not everyone can qualify for these discounts. Ask your insurance company about other ways to lower the cost of your car insurance.

Frequently asked questions

I’m getting divorced. Would that make my insurance go up?

Many insurance companies use marital status as a factor in setting rates. Married couples are seen as less likely to file a claim, so your rates could rise after you’re no longer married.

I was caught speeding two times last month. What should I do?

A single speeding ticket can raise insurance rates by hundreds. Following the speed limit and avoiding tickets is the easiest way to avoid paying more for car insurance.

My birthday is next month, and I’m turning 25. Will my rates go down?

Some drivers see lower rates after turning 25, but that’s not always the case — your driving record and where you live impact rates too. Assuming you’ve maintained a clean driving record, though, you’ll probably see a rate increase once you reach the age of 25.

Methodology

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: 50/100
Property damage liability: $50,000
Uninsured/underinsured motorist: 50/100
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.

Gianetta Palmer

Freelance contributor

Gianetta Palmer is a freelance writer who lives in the Georgia mountains. Her writing on health and car insurance, has appeared on numerous sites.