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13+ years writing insurance and personal finance content
Insurance, lending, and retirement expert
Jacqueline has contributed content, and her personal finance passion, to dozens of noteworthy financial brands, including Credit Karma, Bankrate, and MagnifyMoney.
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Over 3 years of experience producing content on insurance and personal finance.
Key architect of Insurify's quality score.
Courtney's deep knowledge of personal finance goes beyond insurance and includes credit cards, consumer loans, and banking. She loves creating practical content.
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Corporate communications director for Insurance Information Institute
20+ years in insurance and communications
As Director, Corporate Communications for Triple-I, Mark serves as the non-profit’s national spokesperson, sharing information and education on a wide array of insurance issues.
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Table of contents
San Jose drivers pay an average of $197 per month for full-coverage car insurance and $90 per month for liability only, Insurify data shows. By comparison, the California statewide averages are $203 and $93, respectively.
San Jose’s near-average car insurance costs may be at least partially due to its relatively low fatality and crash rates. In 2023, about 1.7% of the city’s 2,804 accidents were fatal, according to city government data.
Here’s what you need to know about how San Jose auto insurance costs compare to other cities and how to find affordable car insurance for your unique situation.
USAA, National General, and Sun Coast offer the cheapest car insurance in San Jose.
Speeding was a factor in 26% of all accidents in San Jose in 2023, city data shows.
Auto insurers in California can’t use your credit history, gender, or ZIP code to determine your premiums.
3 of the cheapest car insurance companies in San Jose
When shopping for cheap car insurance, it’s important that you focus on finding an insurer that will work well for your individual situation and needs.
“You can shop for car insurance via online comparison sites, individual insurer’s websites, and through local insurance agents,” says Mark Friedlander, director of corporate communications at the Insurance Information Institute.
You can also start your search with the best car insurance companies in California that Insurify identified.
Insurance Company | IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | Full Coverage | Liability Only | Best For |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mile Auto | 8.8 | $108 | $63 | Teens and young drivers |
Clearcover | 7.1 | $137 | $67 | Drivers with a speeding ticket |
Sun Coast | 2.3 | $237 | $94 | Drivers with a DUI |
Our editorial team spent more than 350 hours developing the Insurify Quality (IQ) Score and scoring insurance companies. The IQ Score objectively analyzes and calculates a score for insurers using more than 15 crucial criteria. The team weighted criteria by importance to the consumer — factors such as customer reviews and affordability influence the score more than availability and third-party ratings.
We rate each company on a 1 to 10 scale based on five categories: financial ratings, customer satisfaction, affordability, customer support and transparency, and availability. Insurify updates ratings once a year or as more recent information becomes available.
- Third-party financial ratings: Insurify uses data from AM Best, S&P, Moody’s, and more to compare insurance companies’ credit and ability to pay out future claims.
- Customer satisfaction: To calculate this score, Insurify analyzed more than 55,000 customer reviews across 155 car insurance companies. We also consider third-party ratings from J.D. Power, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and Trustpilot.
- Affordability: Our data scientists analyzed more than 90 million real-time auto insurance rates from our partners across the U.S., as well as available discounts, to calculate an affordability score.
- Customer support and transparency: This measures coverage options, ease of claims filing, and the insurer's transparency surrounding discounts, coverages, and claims process.
- Availability and reach: Insurify scores availability and reach by identifying the number of states in which insurers offer coverage and company size by market share.
Best insurer for teens and young drivers: Mile Auto
User Reviews | 4.4 |
---|---|
IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | 8.8 /10 |
Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $66/mo |
Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $107/mo |
Drivers appreciate the quality service but find the rates high and claim processing slow.
Drivers appreciate the quality service but find the rates high and claim processing slow.
Teen drivers who don’t spend too much time behind the wheel can greatly benefit from Mile Auto’s car insurance. Mile Auto offers a pay-per-mile solution that’s simple and user-friendly, allowing low-mileage drivers to save 30% to 40% on their current premiums. With Mile Auto, you only pay for the miles you drive.
Savings for low-mileage drivers
Doesn’t require an in-car telematics device
No mobile app to file claims
Subpar Trustpilot ratings
Best insurer for drivers with a speeding ticket: Clearcover
User Reviews | 3.7 |
---|---|
IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | 7.1 /10 |
Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $143/mo |
Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $197/mo |
Drivers appreciate the initial low rates and friendly customer service but dislike the frequent and significant premium increases.
Drivers appreciate the initial low rates and friendly customer service but dislike the frequent and significant premium increases.
Clearcover offers some of the most affordable car insurance rates for people who have a speeding ticket on their driving record. It also makes it easy to receive a custom quote. Clearcover advertises that customers can file a claim in as little as seven minutes, on average.
Advertises a quick claims process
Can manage policy from mobile app
Only sells auto insurance
Limited discounts compared to other insurers
Best insurer for drivers with a DUI: Sun Coast
User Reviews | 4.0 |
---|---|
IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | NR |
Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $91/mo |
Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $231/mo |
Drivers appreciate the initial low prices but dislike the subsequent price increases and lack of communication for policy upgrades.
Drivers appreciate the initial low prices but dislike the subsequent price increases and lack of communication for policy upgrades.
Sun Coast doesn’t write insurance policies. Instead, it works with several small insurers to offer affordable car insurance for drivers with a DUI on their records. Working with a distribution network of 3,500 independent agents in 11 states, Sun Coast provides coverage for customers with various driving records, including clean records, accidents, tickets, suspended licenses, and foreign driver’s licenses.
Sun Coast also provides discounts for good drivers, prior insurance holders, multiple cars, and homeowners.
Low down payment options
Flexible billing plans
No mobile app to file claims
Doesn't offer home or life policies for bundling
How to get the cheapest car insurance in San Jose
Finding cheap car insurance is a matter of doing a little extra work in the shopping process to get the best prices for you. To find affordable car insurance premiums in San Jose, consider the following tips:
Practice safe driving habits. Maintain a clean driving record by obeying traffic laws and avoiding accidents and violations.
Choose a higher deductible. Higher collision and comprehensive deductibles usually mean lower premiums, as you’re agreeing to pay more up front when you file a claim. If you opt for a higher deductible to potentially lower your premium, ensure you have enough savings to cover it if needed.
Bundle policies. Inquire about multi-policy discounts for bundling your car insurance with other policies, like homeowners or renters insurance.
Don’t be shy about discounts. Ask about discounts for safety features in your vehicle, such as anti-lock brakes and passive restraint systems.
Request multiple quotes. Use an online comparison tool to shop around and compare quotes from different insurance companies to find the best price that suits your specific needs.
Cheapest liability-only car insurance in San Jose: USAA
Liability-only car insurance is a basic form of coverage that protects you financially if you cause an accident. It covers the medical expenses and property damage of the other party involved, up to your policy’s limits. Liability-only insurance is typically the California minimum requirement to legally drive a car and comes with the lowest cost.
Keep in mind that liability-only insurance doesn’t provide coverage for your own vehicle repairs or medical expenses in case of an at-fault accident. Many insurance professionals recommend full coverage to get the greatest amount of financial protection if you cause an accident.
Liability-only policies in San Jose cost an average of $90 per month. Here are the companies with the cheapest liability-only coverage quotes in San Jose.
Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote |
---|---|
USAA | $79 |
National General | $88 |
Sun Coast | $91 |
Dairyland | $93 |
Root | $99 |
Mercury | $102 |
Allstate | $109 |
Farmers | $112 |
Direct Auto | $114 |
Anchor | $114 |
GEICO | $114 |
Bristol West | $121 |
State Farm | $122 |
Travelers | $127 |
21st Century | $139 |
Nationwide | $171 |
Chubb | $216 |
Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in San Jose: USAA
Liability-only car insurance provides coverage for damages and injuries caused to others in an accident. It doesn’t cover your vehicle. Full-coverage car insurance, on the other hand, includes liability coverage and also covers damages to your vehicle through collision and comprehensive coverages.
Drivers who have a new or valuable car, live in areas prone to accidents or theft, or want additional protection for their own vehicle can benefit from buying a full-coverage auto insurance policy.
San Jose drivers pay a monthly average of $197 for full-coverage car insurance. Here are the San Jose insurance companies with the cheapest average full-coverage quotes.
Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote |
---|---|
USAA | $182 |
Root | $183 |
Anchor | $184 |
Mercury | $193 |
GEICO | $201 |
Sun Coast | $231 |
Allstate | $250 |
National General | $252 |
Farmers | $258 |
State Farm | $278 |
Bristol West | $283 |
Travelers | $293 |
Direct Auto | $303 |
21st Century | $319 |
Dairyland | $326 |
Nationwide | $393 |
Chubb | $497 |
Cheapest recent rates near San Jose, California
Drivers using Insurify have found quotes as cheap as $54/mo for liability only and $94/mo for full coverage in San Jose and other California cities.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users in and around San Jose, California within the last 10 days. Last updated on October 6, 2025. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users in and around San Jose, California within the last 10 days. Last updated on October 6, 2025. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
Car insurance requirements in California
California requires drivers to carry a minimum amount of car insurance. State lawmakers approved an increase in coverage limits, which will take effect Jan. 1, 2025.
The table below reflects this change and the types and amount of coverage all drivers need to carry:[1]
Coverage | 2024 Coverage Limits | 2025 Coverage Limits |
---|---|---|
Bodily injury liability | $15,000 per person / $30,000 per accident | $30,000 per person / $60,000 per accident |
Property damage liability | $5,000 per accident | $15,000 per accident |
But California’s current minimum insurance requirements may not be enough coverage to protect you.