San Francisco car insurance: theft, car-free homes and California rules

What California requires in San Francisco

California is an at-fault state. The driver who causes a crash is responsible for the damage, and liability insurance pays on their behalf. Every car must carry at least $30,000 for one injured person, $60,000 for all injuries in a crash and $15,000 for property damage. A state law, SB 1107, raised these limits and schedules another increase, as the key facts table shows. Our California guide covers the statewide rules in full.

Two other coverages come up often:

• Uninsured motorist coverage. Insurers must offer it, and you can reject it only by signing a waiver. With 20.4% of California drivers estimated to be uninsured in 2023, versus 15.4% nationally, it is worth a close look. Uninsured motorist property damage pays up to $3,500 when the other driver can be identified. See uninsured motorist coverage.
• Medical payments coverage. It is optional and pays medical bills for you and your passengers regardless of fault. See medical payments coverage.

How California limits the way you are priced

California's Proposition 103 rules shape every quote in San Francisco. By law, the most important rating factors are, in order, your driving safety record, annual miles driven and years of driving experience. Location is an optional factor, and each location-based factor can have no more than 20 bands, built from how often claims happen and how much they cost in an area.

Location still matters, because a San Francisco garaging address falls in a territory with its own claim history. Our guide on how ZIP codes affect car insurance explains territories, and the driving record guide shows why a clean record counts so much here.

Theft and comprehensive coverage in San Francisco

NICB counted 22,197 vehicle thefts in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area in 2025, the No. 5 total in the country. Measured per person, at 477.51 per 100,000 people, it had the highest rate among metro areas with more than 1,000 thefts. California as a whole recorded 136,988 thefts, more than any other state, even as thefts nationally fell 23.2%.

Liability coverage never pays for your own stolen or broken-into car. Comprehensive coverage does, after your deductible, and it also covers glass, vandalism and weather damage. If your car is taken, follow the steps in what to do if your car is stolen. Belongings taken from a car are a separate question; see items stolen from your car.

Commuting and car-free homes

San Francisco had 826,079 residents in 2025. Commuters who travel to work spend an average of 30.4 minutes each way, and 30.2% of households have no vehicle at all.

That mix matters for insurance. Because annual miles driven is one of California's mandatory rating factors, a car that rarely leaves the curb can be priced differently from one used for a long daily drive; see mileage and car insurance. If you have no car but borrow or rent one, non-owner car insurance adds liability coverage that goes with you.

Statewide, California recorded 3,876 crash deaths in 2024, or 9.8 per 100,000 people, and speeding was involved in 29% of them, according to IIHS.

Ways to pay less in San Francisco

1. Keep the Good Driver Discount. You generally need to have been licensed for 3 years, with no more than 1 violation point in the past 3 years.
2. Report your mileage accurately. Low annual mileage is a mandatory factor in your favor.
3. Check the low-cost program. The California Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program serves income-eligible drivers with cars worth up to $25,000; a one-person household qualifies with income up to $39,900. See low-cost state programs.
4. Compare quotes at renewal. See shopping at renewal and our list of discounts.