What is the Cheapest Auto Insurance in San Jose, California?

Finding good, affordable auto insurance is not the easiest thing to accomplish, and deciding which insurers offer the cheapest car insurance rates in San Jose calls for even more rate comparisons.

Each auto insurer has a different formula for determining rates in each state, so let’s begin by examining the car insurance companies with the overall cheapest rates in San Jose, CA.

California auto insurance company rankings
Rank Company Cost Per Year
1 USAA $1,155
2 Century National $1,178
3 Wawanesa $1,181
4 CSAA $1,222
5 Nationwide $1,263
6 21st Century $1,366
7 Grange $1,433
8 Progressive $1,496
9 GEICO $1,529
10 Mercury $1,533
11 Allied $1,541
12 Allstate $1,559
13 The Hartford $1,623
14 MetLife $1,638
15 State Farm $1,682
16 Unitrin $1,682
17 Esurance $1,739
18 Bristol West $1,777
19 Travelers $1,860
20 Farmers $2,006
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USAA offers some of the cheapest car insurance rates in San Jose at around $1,155 per year. This is $496 less than the average policy premium paid by California drivers of $1,651. Century National, Wawanesa, CSAA, and Nationwide also qualify as some of the cheaper San Jose, CA car insurance companies.

In the above example, if you have coverage with Century National and switched to USAA, you could see annual savings of about $23. California drivers with Wawanesa might save as much as $26 a year, and CSAA policyholders might realize rate reductions of up to $67 a year.

If you want to see how much you could save, click here to start a quote or visit any of the companies below.

Understand that those premiums are averaged for all ages of drivers and types of vehicles and do not take into consideration a specific zip code in San Jose. So the insurer that can offer you the best price may not even be in the top 24 companies in the list above. That underscores the importance of why you need to quote rates from as many companies as possible using your own driver and vehicle profiles.

One of the many factors that help determine the price you pay for insurance is your address in San Jose. Areas with increased crime or more people tend to pay slightly more, whereas areas with lower crime rates and fewer weather claims have the enjoyment of a little cheaper coverage.

The next table rates the most expensive places in California to purchase auto insurance in. San Jose is ranked #19 with the yearly price of $1,381 for the average policyholder, which is around $115 each month.

Car insurance prices in San Jose
Rank City Average Per Year
1 Glendale $2,142
2 Los Angeles $2,104
3 San Francisco $1,745
4 Oakland $1,704
5 Sacramento $1,703
6 San Bernardino $1,644
7 Stockton $1,588
8 Long Beach $1,562
9 Moreno Valley $1,551
10 Fontana $1,535
11 Santa Clarita $1,533
12 Modesto $1,532
13 Garden Grove $1,508
14 Riverside $1,497
15 Anaheim $1,474
16 Fresno $1,472
17 Santa Ana $1,453
18 Huntington Beach $1,416
19 San Jose $1,381
20 San Diego $1,368
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Price information shown is estimated as specific San Jose zip code can raise or lower price quotes substantially.

What aren’t you shopping around?

San Jose, CA car insurance rates are impacted by many factors that control the cost of coverage. Turning one year older, buying a home, or having an accident can trigger price changes resulting in some rates now being cheaper than others. And not only may your rating factors change, but companies change the rates they charge in California as often as every quarter to adjust for unexpected claims or profits. An unexpected high level of claims can result in higher prices, while lower claim levels can cause lower-priced San Jose car insurance rates.

As an example, the graph below shows the company with the cheapest car insurance in San Jose, CA for a 40-year-old female driver with no violations or accidents, and a high credit rating. If we estimate rates based on her current situation, USAA may offer the best car insurance rates in San Jose at $1,174 per year. This is $477 less than the average price paid by California drivers of $1,651. Wawanesa, CSAA, Century National, and Nationwide are also on the list of the best San Jose, CA auto insurance companies.

The example below compares rates after we give the driver from the above example a chargeable claim, a little lower credit rating, and a stop sign violation. Because every insurance company has a proprietary formula for determining rates in each state, comparing prices will most likely result in a slightly different list of the cheapest companies as shown below.

Grange now has the best auto insurance rate in San Jose, CA with Progressive, Mercury, Allied, and Allstate also being competitive. This example shows why it is crucial to shop around to find the best car insurance quotes in San Jose. Auto insurance prices can be altered by many risk factors and change substantially, so the best company the last time you shopped your coverage around may now be priced much higher than other options.

The make and model of vehicle to be insured is one of the main factors that determines whether or not you find the best cheap auto insurance in San Jose. Vehicles with limited speed and performance, advanced safety features, or low incidents of liability claims will cost less to insure than fast, unsafe models. The data below features insurance premiums for a handful of the cheaper automobiles to insure.

Cheapest Vehicles to Insure in San Jose, CA
Vehicle Estimated Cost for Full Coverage
Ford Escape XLS 2WD $883
Jeep Wrangler Sport 4WD 2-Dr $912
Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon $959
Honda Accord EX 4-Dr Sedan $997
Honda CR-V LX 2WD $1,003
Ford Edge Limited 2WD $1,025
Toyota Tacoma 2WD $1,035
Ford F-150 XL Regular Cab 4WD $1,082
Toyota Camry XLE $1,103
Toyota Prius $1,105
Kia Optima LX $1,120
Nissan Rogue SL 2WD $1,129
Chevrolet Equinox LTZ AWD $1,122
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Above prices assume single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, homeowner, claim-free, and safe-driver. Price estimates do not factor in zip code location which can decrease or increase coverage rates significantly.

Looking at the rates, vehicles like the Ford Escape, Jeep Wrangler, Hyundai Elantra, Honda Accord, and Honda CR-V are a few of the most affordable vehicles to insure for drivers in San Jose.

The diagram below demonstrates how choosing different deductibles can affect annual premium costs when trying to find cheap insurance in San Jose. The rates are based on a single male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no other discounts are factored in.

In the chart above, a 40-year-old driver could reduce rates by $436 a year by changing from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $656 by choosing a $1,000 deductible. Youthful drivers, like the 20-year-old example, could roll back prices $1,432 annually just by choosing larger deductibles. If you make the decision to raise deductibles, it is necessary to have spare funds to offset the extra out-of-pocket expense that is associated with using high deductibles.

If you aren’t sure which coverage to buy and prefer to get some help when buying car insurance for drivers in San Jose, the agents below can most likely help you make a decision which auto insurance policy fits you best.

To locate a San Jose insurance agent nearest to you, click the link after the list or click here to compare prices now.

Andre Nguyen – State Farm Insurance Agent
4990 Speak Ln #220San Jose, CA 95118(408) 265-8888

Art Holland – State Farm Insurance Agent
5520 Almaden ExpySan Jose, CA 95118(408) 229-7870

Tina Choi – State Farm Insurance Agent
4300 Stevens Creek Blvd #130San Jose, CA 95129(408) 247-4713

Mission Counties Insurance Agency
1777 Hamilton AveSan Jose, CA 95125(408) 979-8160

Find a San Jose, CA insurance agent near you