Car insurance in San Diego

California coverage rules in San Diego

California sets the rules for every San Diego policy. Our California car insurance guide has the full detail; the essentials are:

• Liability: at least $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident for injuries, and $15,000 for property damage.
• Uninsured motorist coverage: Must be offered; can be rejected by signing a waiver.
• Fault: California is an at-fault state. The driver who caused the crash pays, through their insurer, for the other side's losses.
• Medical payments: Optional (may be offered).

Why the uninsured motorist decision matters

An estimated 20.4% of California drivers were uninsured in 2023, above the national figure of 15.4%. If one of them injures you, uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage pays your costs up to your limits. California's uninsured motorist property damage coverage pays up to $3,500 for your car, but only when the uninsured driver is identified. Before signing a waiver, read uninsured motorist coverage.

Short commutes and remote work

San Diego workers spend an average of 23.5 minutes getting to work, compared with 26.4 minutes nationally. 21.2% work from home, and 62.6% drive alone to work. Only 2.7% use public transportation, and just 6.6% of households have no vehicle.

Yearly mileage is one of the three factors California law says must weigh most in your rate, after your driving record and before years of experience. If you work from home or have a short drive, give your insurer an accurate, lower estimate. Our guide to mileage explains how it is used and checked, and telematics programs offer another way to show light driving.

Driving into Mexico

San Diego sits on the Mexican border, and a trip south raises an insurance question that has nothing to do with California law: whether your policy works outside the US at all. Coverage for driving in Mexico depends on your policy wording and on Mexican rules, not on California's minimums.

Before any trip:

1. Read the territory section of your policy, which says where coverage applies.
2. Ask your insurer in writing what, if anything, the policy covers in Mexico.
3. Learn what Mexico requires before you go; our guide to driving to Mexico or Canada covers the issues.
4. Carry proof of whatever coverage you buy.

Moving to San Diego with the military

Servicemembers and families who arrive on orders may have a car registered and insured in another state. Insurers price a policy by where the car is kept, so tell your insurer about the move even if you keep your home-state registration, and check whether your policy must change. California generally gives new residents 20 days to register a vehicle; servicemembers should confirm how that applies to them with the California DMV. Our guide to car insurance for military members covers deployment, storage and discounts.

Theft and crash data

NICB's latest report did not list the San Diego metro area among the metro areas with the most vehicle thefts, but California as a whole ranked number 1 among states with 136,988 thefts in 2025. Only comprehensive coverage pays if your car is stolen.

Crash data are statewide: IIHS counted 3,876 crash deaths in California in 2024, or 9.8 per 100,000 people, against 11.5 per 100,000 people nationally.

Your San Diego ZIP code

Insurers group addresses into rating territories with their own claim histories. California caps each location-based factor at 20 bands, and location cannot outweigh the mandatory factors, but moving from one neighborhood to another can still change your quote. See ZIP codes and car insurance. Comparing California cities? Read our pages on Los Angeles and San Jose.

Discounts and savings for San Diego drivers

• Qualify for the Good Driver Discount. Eligible drivers must get rates at least 20% below the same insurer's other rates.
• Report low mileage if you work from home.
• Check the state's low cost program if your household income is limited; see low-cost state programs.
• Compare quotes at renewal; see shopping at renewal.