Here are the best car insurance options in San Jose, Calif.: Geico, USAA, AAA, Progressive and Mercury. Each of these companies has below-average rates compared to the average for both minimum and full coverage in the city. They’re also known to offer exceptional coverage and have strong reputations for customer service.

Keep reading: Cheap car insurance

Unless stated otherwise, the following cost tables show average rates for the driving profile of a 35-year-old married driver with a clean driving history.

Our data shows that the average cost of car insurance for minimum coverage in San Jose is $48 per month or $579 per year. This is about 7% less than the national average of $52 per month or $627 per year. On the other hand, full-coverage insurance costs $189 per month or $2,270 per year on average, which is 13% more expensive than the national average of $167 per month or $2,008 per year for full coverage.

Cheapest Liability Car Insurance in San Jose

Geico offers the cheapest liability insurance with average rates of $27 per month or $319 per year. USAA is the second-cheapest option in San Jose with average rates of $38 per month or $460 per year.

Liability coverage is the minimum coverage required by the state of California. According to California law, all drivers must meet or exceed the following minimum insurance requirements:

• $15,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $5,000 property damage liability per accident

While additional coverage types such as uninsured motorist insurance and roadside assistance can be purchased, they’re not required and will make it harder to find the cheapest rates.

Cheapest Full-Coverage Car Insurance in San Jose

A full-coverage car insurance policy can be pricey in San Jose. Full coverage includes liability plus comprehensive coverage and collision coverage, which protect against damage to your vehicle in a variety of situations. Geico is the cheapest full-coverage option with average rates of $147 per month or $1,766 per year.

There are plenty of reasons why car insurance prices may go up or down, and the company with the cheapest coverage for one person might not be right for someone else. In this part, we’ll see how much car insurance costs in San Jose based on how old the driver is and on the strength of their driving record.

Note that while most states let car insurers determine rates based on credit scores, California doesn’t allow this practice.

Ways to save on car insurance in San Jose include reducing the insurance services and limits on your policy and by increasing your deductible. It may also be a good idea to bundle your auto coverage with renters insurance, life insurance or home insurance if you’re a homeowner.

San Jose Car Insurance Cost by Age

Teenagers normally pay the highest prices for car insurance because they’re more likely to have accidents or break the rules of the road. Our data shows that 16-year-olds pay about $150 per month or $1,800 per year for car insurance in San Jose.

As people in their 20s keep driving, the cost of car insurance starts to go down. Here are some examples of the average minimum cost of car insurance for different age groups in San Jose.

Cheapest Car Insurance in San Jose: Teen Drivers

Car insurance for teens is expensive, but some insurance providers tend to be more affordable than others. Our data shows that Geico is the cheapest car insurance company for teen drivers with minimum-coverage rates as low as $92 per month or $1,099 per year. USAA, State Farm and Progressive also offer affordable premiums for San Jose teens.

San Jose Car Insurance Cost by Driving Record

If you have speeding tickets, recent accidents or DUIs on your driving record, you should anticipate higher car insurance rates. On average, speeding can increase your rates by 42%, an at-fault accident by 76% and a DUI by 165% from the prices if you had a clean driving record.

Though each company has different average price increases, you’ll want to consider Geico if you have driving record violations in San Jose. The table below shows average rates by company for policyholders who have either a speeding ticket, accident or DUI on their record.

Keep reading: Insurance premiums for high-risk drivers

Cheapest Car Insurance in San Jose: Speeding Ticket

Let’s dig a little deeper into data on high-risk drivers. According to our research, Geico offers the cheapest auto insurance rates to those with a speeding ticket on their records at $43 per month or $512 per year. USAA follows close behind with an average monthly rate of $47, while AAA, Mercury and Kemper round out the top five options for cheap speeding ticket car insurance in San Jose.

Cheapest Car Insurance in San Jose: At-Fault Accident

If you’re responsible for a car accident while driving, insurance rates could go up more than if you were given a ticket for speeding. AAA and USAA are the cheapest options here with average rates of about $57 per month and $62 per month, respectively. You’ll see that some auto insurers charge significantly more for this amount of coverage after an accident.

Cheapest Car Insurance in San Jose: DUI

Getting a DUI is a major offense that could make your car insurance rates spike by hundreds of dollars each year in San Jose. Geico is cheap compared to other companies, offering average rates of $68 per month or $820 per year for drivers with a DUI. Mercury, Progressive and Kemper are also good options with rates under $111 per month on average.

San Jose Car Insurance Cost by ZIP Code

Rates of insurance claims differ widely across different areas of the city, which consequently impacts the amount you’ll pay for insurance. Below, you’ll see that certain ZIP codes in San Jose can be up to 7% cheaper or 5% more expensive than the city average.

Car insurance in San Jose is right at the California state average but 7% below the national average, meaning that there are plenty of affordable options. You can find the lowest rates for minimum coverage in the city with Geico for around $27 per month. Geico also has affordable full-coverage rates for San Jose drivers, with policies starting at $147 per month.

Compare free quotes to find the company that meets your California car insurance needs at the best rate. You can compare insurance products and get quotes online or from insurance agents.

Here are some frequently asked questions about the cheapest auto insurance in San Jose:

*Cost data comes from Quadrant Information Services and is accurate at time of publication.