San Jose, CA Auto Insurance | Cheap Car Insurance in San Jose, CA

Finding cheap car insurance in San Jose, California, doesn’t have to be daunting. Many factors affect San Jose, CA auto insurance rates – from your age and driving history to your neighborhood.

Is your neighborhood low in crime? Do you have the right coverage to suit your driving needs? What discounts do San Jose insurance companies offer?

The right San Jose, CA auto insurance company will be able to tailor the best coverage to fit your needs, providing for your safety while considering your wallet. USAA offers the lowest car insurance quotes in San Jose, but it has a select customer base.

If you have just 15 minutes or less, we promise that you’ll get all of the information you need from this guide in order to make a smart decision on your future auto insurance company and rates.

Do you want to start saving on your auto insurance policy right now? Compare auto insurance using our free tool by entering your ZIP code into the box above and get FREE affordable San Jose, CA auto insurance quotes.

The Cost of Auto Insurance in San Jose

We know that most people go with an auto insurance company because of its low rates. So let’s get right to it — what does it cost to buy San Jose, CA auto insurance?

There’s no simple answer. Auto insurance rates are based on many different factors. Stay tuned for a breakdown of rates in San Jose based on key factors like gender, marital status, age, and more.

Male vs. Female vs. Age

Most people know that gender and age can affect your auto insurance rates, but did you know that marital status can too?

As of August 1, 2019, the state of California passed a law that bans auto insurance companies from adjusting rates based on gender. That means you have a good chance of getting the top car insurance in California no matter your gender.

But what is the average age in San Jose, and how would this affect the average auto insurance rates there?

According to Data USA, the median age in San Jose, California, is 36.8. This means that many drivers in the city don’t need to worry about increased auto insurance rates because the median age is over 25.

You might know that drivers under the age of 25 usually pay the most for auto insurance. This fact could be attributed to younger drivers’ lack of experience.

Let’s take a closer look at how your age could affect the rates carriers assess for your policy in San Jose.

As you can see from the table above, the older you are, the cheaper your rates become. Sixty-year-olds typically pay the least for auto insurance.

This is because older drivers tend to have the most experience.

If you’re a younger driver or you have one on your policy, don’t be discouraged. The high rates you’re paying now will decrease, as long as you keep a clean driving record.

Marital status can also affect your auto insurance rates.

Auto insurance companies believe that drivers who are married are usually more responsible. They are more likely to pay their bills on time and less likely to be high-risk drivers.

Stick around as we discuss more factors that could affect your auto insurance rates.

Cheapest ZIP Codes in San Jose, CA

Did you know that your place of residence could also affect your auto insurance rates? Some areas in your city could be more prone to crime and/or natural disasters and this could result in higher rates.

Find your ZIP code and the correlating rate in the table below.

As you can see, there’s an $800 difference in rates between the most and least expensive ZIP codes listed here.

What’s the Best Auto Insurance Company in San Jose, CA?

As you’re searching for a new auto insurance company, it’s important to know that not all auto insurance companies are created equal. What do we mean by that?

While one company might think that your driving record should be the most significant factor when determining your insurance rates, another company might feel that your credit score is more important.

While the rates you’re offered are important, you should also be looking at the big picture when choosing an auto insurance company. What’s the big picture?

Well, most of the time, you get what you pay for. Some auto insurance companies have cheaper rates because they have poor coverage or a bad reputation. A more expensive auto insurance company is probably well-known and equipped to handle many claims at once.

Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates by Company

The table below shows the auto insurance companies that charge the cheapest coverage rates in San Jose.

As you can see, USAA has the cheapest average auto insurance rate in this table. However, keep in mind that USAA only services military members (both active duty and veterans) and their families. If this doesn’t apply to you, Liberty Mutual or Geico in San Jose, California will probably be your cheapest option.

Tip: When looking at the overall average rates, make sure you remember to check out the rate for your specific demographic.

Best Auto Insurance for Commute Rates

Did you know that how far you drive every day can also affect your auto insurance rates?

According to the Federal Highway Administration’s 2014 Licensed Drivers By State report, Californians drove an average of 13,414 miles in the state that year.

Auto insurance companies know that the more a person drives, the more likely they are to get into an accident.

Check out the table below for rates based on commute distances.

As you can see, if you drive more than the average person, your rates are going to increase significantly.

If you drive a lot, we would recommend going with a company like State Farm or Liberty Mutual because according to our data, they both have the smallest increase in rates if you drive more than the average person.

Best Auto Insurance for Coverage Level Rates

Did you know that the coverage levels you pick for your insurance policy in San Jose, California could dramatically increase or decrease your annual premium?

Check out the table below to see what we’re talking about.

If you have more California auto insurance coverage than required, your auto insurance company might cut you a break on your rate.

For instance, for just $380 more per year (or $31 more per month), you can go from having low coverage to high coverage with Allstate in San Jose, CA.

The difference between having low and high coverage might mean that you go from having just minimum liability insurance to a comprehensive policy. That’s huge. For just $31 more per month, comprehensive coverage might be worth it to you.

If you can afford the few extra hundred dollars upfront, having a comprehensive policy could save you literally thousands of dollars in vehicle repairs and/or medical bills in the long run.

Best Auto Insurance for Credit History Rates

Another major factor that can influence your rates is your credit score, but not in California, Hawaii, or Massachusetts.

According to Consumer Reports, these are the only states in the country that prohibit insurers from using credit scores to set prices. In these states, insurers base premiums largely on a customer’s driving record, the number of miles driven per year, and other factors.

Best Auto Insurance for Driving Record Rates

As mentioned above, the biggest factor affecting your auto insurance rates is most likely going to be your driving record. The table below shows exactly how much your rates could change based on your driving record alone.

If you’re convicted of just one DUI, your rates can increase by thousands of dollars. Did you break the law and get a speeding ticket? You’ll be lucky if your rates only increase by a few hundred dollars per year.

Getting into a car accident can also increase your rates. It seems silly, considering that’s the whole reason you carry insurance in the first place.

However, if you’ve been in an accident, or if you’ve gotten a speeding ticket for one reason or another, you might want to check rates at Liberty Mutual or State Farm.

Auto Insurance Factors in San Jose, CA

Before you go ahead and make a few phone calls to switch your insurance provider, you might want to keep reading. We’ve only scratched the surface of factors that can influence your auto insurance rates.

Road Conditions

What are the road conditions like in San Jose?

According to the table above, the road conditions in San Jose cost the average driver almost $1,000 per year.

This video talks about one attempt to improve these roads.

For more traffic alerts and road construction updates in San Jose, visit San Jose Downtown Association’s webpage.

Vehicle Theft in San Jose, CA

How safe is your vehicle from theft in San Jose, California? According to the FBI, there were 7,704 reported motor vehicle thefts in the city in 2018.

This is a pretty high number of thefts, so you should seriously consider investing in comprehensive coverage, which protects you in case your vehicle is stolen.

Traffic Congestion in California

Check out the next video to see what traffic looks like in San Jose.

Getting stuck in traffic isn’t fun. But there’s good news for San Jose drivers. The city wasn’t on Inrix’s list of the U.S. locations with the heaviest traffic.

However, TomTom ranks San Jose as the 80th worst city in the world for traffic.

While you probably won’t spend hours sitting in traffic in San Jose, be prepared to spend a few extra minutes on your daily commute.

Allstate America’s Best Drivers Report

Have you ever wondered how drivers in your city measure up to drivers across the country?

According to Allstate’s Best Drivers in America Report, San Jose, California is the 170th safest city in the country for driving as of 2019.

In San Jose, California the likelihood of a claim being made compared to the national average is 45.6 percent. Residents of San Jose typically have an average of 7.3 years between claims.

Seven years is a long time to go without getting into an accident or filing a claim, so that average is good news for San Jose drivers.

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Frequently Asked Questions: San Jose, CA Auto Insurance

Keep reading as we go over some basic information San Jose driver should know.

#1 – What are the state minimums for auto insurance in California?

The bare minimum auto insurance coverage that you must carry to comply with the law in the Golden State is as follows:

• $15,000 – Bodily injury liability per person
• $30,000 – Total bodily injury liability per accident
• $5,000 – Property damage liability

#3 – What do I do if I get into an accident in San Jose, CA?

According to California Vehicle Code section 20008, the driver of any vehicle (or a representative of that driver) involved in a car accident must, within 24 hours, make a written report of the crash to the California Highway Patrol or to the police department of the city where the accident occurred, if the crash resulted in injuries or death of any person. 

If the agency that receives the report is not responsible for investigating the accident, that agency will forward the matter to the proper investigating authority.

#4 – What are the school districts in San Jose, CA?

The school districts are Milpitas, Morgan Hill, San Jose, Santa Clara.

Make sure you have the best car insurance in San Jose, CA. To begin, use our FREE comparison tool by entering your ZIP code in the box below.

Happy shopping.