California Auto Insurance: Our pick is Mercury at $143/mo
Updated May 21, 2026 — PolicyChat refreshes this page when new state DOI filings post.
The pick: Mercury at $143/mo for California auto (filed 2026-01-15). Across 5 recent carrier filings, this is the lowest baseline. For most California drivers this is the right starting point; your specific quote depends on your ZIP, age, vehicle, and record.
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Why this pick
California’s auto rates ($1,816/yr NAIC 2023) are middle-of-pack despite urban density and litigation costs, because Prop 103 caps how fast carriers can re-rate. Home insurance is the opposite story: the carrier exodus that started after the 2017 wildfire season has reshaped which carriers will write in which ZIPs.
Recent California auto filings
| Carrier | Filed Rate | Effective | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | $143/mo | 2026-01-15 | State DOI |
| Geico | $157/mo | 2025-11-01 | State DOI |
| Progressive | $172/mo | 2025-12-01 | State DOI |
| State Farm | $190/mo | 2026-01-01 | State DOI |
| Allstate | $202/mo | 2025-12-15 | State DOI |
How PolicyChat sources this data
Public DOI filings + NAIC published averages + licensed partner feeds. Per-record provenance. Methodology: /methodology/rate-authority/
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