Most drivers in Santa Ana, California pay an average rate of $1,624/year, or $135/month for a full coverage car insurance policy. Although it’s cheaper than the national average, it’s always best to compare quotes with an insurance broker to find the best rate for you.

How much are car insurance rates in Santa Ana, CA?

Currently, the average rate of auto insurance in Santa Ana, CA is $1,624 per year for a full coverage policy and $593 per year for the state minimum auto insurance coverage.

Drivers in Santa Ana can pay 1.4% more than the state average for California when it comes to a full coverage option. However, if you opt for the minimum liability coverage of $15k/$30k/$5k in bodily injury and property damage protection, you could pay up to 6.2% more than other California drivers.

Minimum coverage may be cheaper, but it can leave you vulnerable

Although the state minimum amount of car insurance is typically cheaper on a monthly basis, it may not fully protect you.

Compared to other states, California’s minimum liability limits are relatively low—they can easily max out if you’re at fault for a serious car accident.

To better protect yourself, consider raising your liability limits. You might also consider choosing a full coverage auto insurance policy with add-on options, such as comprehensive and collision coverage.

Why is car insurance so expensive in Santa Ana?

It’s no secret that California drivers pay some of the highest auto insurance premiums—and while Santa Ana car insurance costs are relatively close to the state average, they’re still relatively high overall, in part due to increased population density and wildfire risks.

California has over 38 million residents, making it the most populated state in the US—and with the addition of a booming travel industry, more motorists are on the road than ever, leading to a rise in crash claims.¹²

From 2020 to 2021, there was a 7.6% increase in traffic fatalities, with an average of 1.38 deaths occurring every 100 million miles traveled.³

But it’s not just crashes that are increasing premium costs—although the number of wildfires have decreased from 7,003 in 2022 to 6,999 in 2023, the recent hotter weather and ongoing droughts in California have increased the risk of wildfires.⁴⁵
Many insurance providers have already left the state, and the ones that are left may be forced to raise their prices to prevent losses.⁶

Learn more: Why is my car insurance so high?

The best car insurance companies in Santa Ana, CA

When shopping for car insurance, it’s important to remember that there is no ‘best’ or ‘cheapest’ car insurance company for every driver—but you can still find savings on your premiums in Santa Ana.

Recently, Jerry conducted one of the nation’s largest consumer surveys, interviewing over 18,000 real policyholders on their experience with their current insurer. Here’s how they rated each company, along with the average cost of full and minimum coverage for that provider:

The best car insurance companies for students and teachers in Santa Ana

Balancing costs between textbooks, classroom materials, and living expenses is enough of a challenge—car insurance shouldn’t be added to the list. Both students and teachers in Santa Ana can also save on premiums through specialty discounts and programs.

Comparing quotes can help you lower your Santa Ana car insurance costs

The best way to know you’re getting the best rate on your car insurance policy is to compare prices from multiple insurers. But there are a number of providers in the Santa Ana area, and getting free quotes from all of them can become time consuming. Instead, consider using the Jerry app.

1. Create a profile: Once you download the app, start creating your driver profile. You’ll be asked questions about your location, vehicle, driving history, and any residents in your household to help you find tailored rates.
2. Compare coverage levels and prices: When you run quotes, you will be able to view insurance agency prices for four different types of plans—basic, basic with full coverage, standard, and preferred. From there, you can compare quotes to find the best rate for you.
3. Review customer ratings: Click on any insurance company’s logo to see real customer ratings and reviews. Keep in mind it’s not only price that matters—customer satisfaction and claims processing are also important factors when choosing an insurance provider.
4. Select your plan: After you’ve vetted your quotes and found one you like, click “Confirm your rates.” Remember, car insurance quotes are time-sensitive, so make sure to lock in your rate before they change.

And once your policy is finalized, remember to turn on the auto reshop feature. This way, you’re always notified of any savings opportunities either with your provider, or another insurer in your area.

Who’s Jerry?

Jerry is a licensed insurance broker backed by a team of independent insurance agents. We work with over 55 car companies, from big names like Allstate, Nationwide, and Progressive to smaller regional insurers like MAPFRE and Anchor General. Jerry offers quick, legitimate auto coverage options through a top-rated mobile app available through the Apple App Store or Google Play store.

How to continue to save on Santa Ana car insurance

Even after you have a policy and begin making payments, there are always ways to continue to lower your costs even further.

• Bundle your policies: Several insurance providers allow drivers with homeowners insurance or renters insurance to bundle their policy with their car insurance to earn a discount. Keep in mind that your policies have to be with the same provider.
• Shop for discounts: Most insurers supply car insurance discounts to help drivers save on their rates. From good driver discounts to multivehicle, paid in full, and defensive driving discounts, there are savings opportunities for all kinds of profiles.
• Raise your deductible: Increasing your deductible limits to a price you can realistically afford can help lower your car insurance rates, as providers will be required to pay less in the event of an accident.
• Practice safe driving: One of the best ways to get cheap car insurance—and keep it—is to maintain a clean driving record. Drivers with DUIs and other violations can see an increase of up to 170% in their car insurance.

The top student and teacher car insurance discounts in Santa Ana, CA

If you’re a teacher or student in Santa Ana, California, you can also lower your premiums through school-oriented discounts. Here are some of the top car insurance discounts for teachers and students:

• Student away from home discount: If you’re a full-time student and live a specific number of miles away from home, you can save on your car insurance costs.
• Good student discount: Students who maintain a specific grade point average earn savings with select companies, like Progressive and State Farm.
• Driver’s education discount: Some insurance providers offer a discount for young drivers who can prove they completed a driver’s education program.
• Affinity discounts: If you’re part of an organization—such as a college or university—you can earn a discount on your car insurance.
• New teacher discounts: Some providers offer discounts for policyholders who are newly certified teachers for up to a specified number of years.

Sources

1. https://www.census.gov/popclock/ ↩︎
2. https://industry.visitcalifornia.com/research/economic-impact ↩︎
3. https://www.ots.ca.gov/ots-and-traffic-safety/score-card/ ↩︎
4. https://www.fire.ca.gov/our-impact/statistics ↩︎
5. https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/wildfires-climate-change ↩︎
6. https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/another-insurer-is-leaving-california-heres-what-the-troubling-trend-coul/ ↩︎

MEET OUR EXPERTS

Kianna Walpole

Kianna Walpole is an insurance writer and editor with a comprehensive background in consumer behavior and online publishing. With experience in car insurance, maintenance, and repair, she is dedicated to building informative content that helps customers reduce costs while achieving the best service. Prior to joining the Jerry editorial team, Kianna worked as a junior editor in the content marketing industry, using consumer data and key insights to create and edit content for an array of large-scale clients in the real estate, cybersecurity, and healthcare industries.

Amy Bobinger

Expert insurance writer and editor Amy Bobinger specializes in car repair, car maintenance, and car insurance. Amy is passionate about creating content that helps consumers navigate challenges related to car ownership and achieve financial success in areas relating to cars. Amy has over 10 years of writing and editing experience. After several years as a freelance writer, Amy spent four years as an editing fellow at WikiHow, where she co-authored over 600 articles on topics including car maintenance and home ownership. Since joining Jerry’s editorial team in 2022, Amy has edited over 2,500 articles on car insurance, state driving laws, and car repair and maintenance.

Josh Damico

As Vice President of Insurance Operations at Jerry, Josh Damico leads teams across product development, operations and carrier relations, integrating Jerry’s smart and fast car insurance customer experience with that of traditional carriers to help customers find savings and coverage. Josh’s nearly 20 years of insurance-industry experience and knowledge generate partnerships with more than 55 name-brand and specialty insurance partners that enable Jerry to serve customers with all types of vehicle and policy needs.

Previously, Josh held executive roles at Geico, where he had vast regional oversight and leadership opportunities. In his most recent role as director of sales, servicing, and underwriting, Josh developed and executed profit and growth strategy for the New England states and New Jersey.

Josh holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Medaille College.

*Illustration only. For all the pricing information presented in this article (including various tables), please note that not all customers find savings and the information is for illustrative purposes only. Savings depend on type of car, location, policy features, driving history and other factors. Drivers who switch through Jerry save over $70/month on average.