High Risk Auto Insurance California

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Key Takeaways

  • Speeding tickets, at-fault accidents, and reckless driving can all significantly increase your car insurance rates in California.
  • USAA tends to be the cheapest after most violations, while State Farm is generally more expensive.
  • Distracted driving citations have a smaller impact.

Auto insurance for High-Risk drivers in California

You can get high-risk car insurance if you have been in an accident, made an at-fault claim, or been ticketed for a major moving violation. High-risk drivers usually have to pay a lot more for car insurance. How much more you pay may depend on your driving record, your state, and your auto insurance company.

What impact does an At-Fault Collision have on Auto Insurance in California?

If you are found to be at fault in a car accident, your insurance rates will likely go up. The average insurance rate after an accident where someone was at blame in California is $2445; the average rate across the country is $2022. An important event, like being at blame in an accident, will stay on your insurance record for up to three years!

Location With At-Fault Accident — Annual Rate No At-Fault Accident — Annual Rate
California $2445 $1722
National Average $2022 $1410

If you were to blame for an accident in California, USAA is the best insurance company to go with. The average increase in USAA's rate after a crash is $768, which makes their premium 31% cheaper than the average of all car insurance companies. Avoid State Farm if you were found to be at blame in a California accident. They are two of the more expensive companies to deal with.

Insurance Company Annual Rate After an At-Fault Crash
USAA $1689
Mercury $1833
CSAA Insurance Group $2010
State Farm $2292

Does a Speeding Ticket increase Car Insurance rates in California?

One violation that often gets cars the "high-risk" tag is going too fast. After getting a speeding ticket in California, your rates will go up by $630 a year, for a total of $2,346 a year.

State With a Speeding Ticket — Annual Rate No Speeding Ticket — Annual Rate
California $2355 $1725
National Average $1737 $1410

If you want to get cheap insurance after getting a speeding ticket, you should look around and compare your choices. USAA has the cheapest car insurance in California for people who have been ticketed for speeding. If you get pulled over for speeding in California, CSAA Insurance Group might not be the cheapest choice.

Insurer Annual Premium With a Speeding Citation
USAA $1125
Mercury $1467
21st Century $1791
CSAA Insurance Group $2013

How does a Ticket for Distracted Driving Impact Car Insurance Premiums in California?

One result of getting a ticket for distracted driving is that your car insurance rates will go up. In California, the cost of car insurance usually goes up by $108 a year. That is 6% more than the average California annual premium and 42% less than the average cost of car insurance across the country after getting a ticket for driving while distracted.

Location With Distracted Driving — Annual Rate No Distracted Driving — Annual Rate
California $1833 $1725
National Average $1581 $1410

Comparing insurance companies is the best way to find cheap car insurance after getting a ticket for distracted driving. If you get a ticket for distracted driving in California, USAA has the cheapest car insurance. Their average rate is only $1077 per year, which is 41% less than the average rate for top insurers for distracted driving.

How does being Cited for Racing Impact Car Insurance Rates in California?

It is taken very seriously that you are racing another car. Racing tickets usually get you a lot of trouble with your insurance company. In California, your rates go up by an average of $2154 a year after a racing ticket. That's a 125% rise in the average California car insurance price per year!

Location With a Racing Citation — Annual Rate No Racing Citation — Annual Rate
California $3867 $1725
National Average $2409 $1410

If you were pulled over for speeding, do your research and look for the cheapest rates. Mercury has rates that are 51% lower than the state average after a racing violation in California. Get a price from them.

Insurer Annual Rate With Racing
Mercury $1893
USAA $2667
California Automobile $2811
21st Century $3255

Does a citation for reckless driving in California raise car insurance rates?

Reckless driving is one of the worst things you can do as a driver, and it will definitely make your car insurance cost more. After getting a ticket for risky driving, auto insurance rates go up by an average of $3165 a year. That's 184% more than the average California car insurance rate and 158% more than the average fine for a careless driving ticket across the country.

Location With Reckless Driving — Annual Rate No Reckless Driving — Annual Rate
California $4878 $1725
National Average $2406 $1410

You should look around for the best rate on car insurance after getting a ticket for careless driving. Mercury is the cheapest car insurance company in California if you have a ticket for risky driving.

Company Annual Rate With Reckless Driving
Mercury $1893
USAA $2143
California Automobile $2802
Progressive $3327

California Driving Laws

If you are a high-risk driver looking for car insurance, the best thing to do is shop around and find the right package for you.

Speeding in California

California has a set of traffic rules that are meant to keep everyone on the road as safe as possible. Fines and penalties that last a long time can be given for not following speed limits, driving recklessly or while distracted, or racing. People who are at fault in California may also face heavy punishments, especially if they don't have insurance.

There is a "basic speed law" in California that says drivers can't go faster than the conditions allow, even if the speed limit is posted.

What drivers need to pay attention to are:

  • How many cars are on the road
  • How fast other cars are going on the road
  • State of the road
  • People walking and riding bikes
  • State of Weather

When it comes to California roads, the fastest speed limit is 65 miles per hour unless signs say 70 miles per hour.

California has other speed rules as well:

  • 55 miles per hour on two-lane roads that are not split up.
  • 55 miles per hour for cars pulling trailers
  • Between 500 and 1,000 feet of a school, you can't go faster than 25 miles per hour (sometimes 15 miles per hour).
  • 25 miles per hour in private or business areas
  • 15 miles per hour as they get close to a blind crossing
  • 15 mph in alleys
  • 15 miles per hour within 100 feet of a highway or rail crossing that is not controlled by gates, a warning signal, or a flagman
  • 10 miles per hour when going by buses, streetcars, or trams

Speeds can be changed in some situations or places. In California, you should pay attention to the written speed limits, which may be different from these.

Penalties for Speeding in California

California has harsh penalties for speeding. A lot of fees and extra assessments are often put on top of the fines listed below:

If you speed in California at 100 miles per hour or more, you will have to pay base fees of -

  • $35 for going one to fifteen miles per hour over the speed limit.
  • $70 for going 16 to 25 miles per hour over the speed limit.
  • $100 for going over the speed limit by 26 miles per hour or more.

People who break the law by driving more than 100 miles per hour face harsher punishments.

For the first infraction, people who break the law will face:

$500 in fines and 30 days without a license

If you are caught speeding again within three years of being convicted of speeding more than 100 miles per hour in California, you will be:

  • fined $750
  • Six months of License Suspension

If someone breaks the law a third time within five years of being convicted of going over 100 miles per hour in California, they are subject to:

  • A base charge of $1,000; No license for one year
  • Also, every time someone speeds, their license gets at least one point taken off.

California's Reckless Driving

What does it mean to drive recklessly in California?

California law says you are guilty of reckless Driving if you drive "in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property." If you choose not to follow the rules of the road or to drive in a risky way, you are driving recklessly.

California's Penalties for Reckless Driving

When a driver is caught doing a common type of careless Driving, they will be charged with it. This kind of violation is a crime and could lead to:

  • Five to ninety days in jail
  • Fines of $145 to $1,000

When someone is driving recklessly for a business reason, like filming or shooting for a movie or ad, the penalties are harsher.

If you break this law, you could face up to:

  • Six months in jail and $2,500 in fines

When someone gets hurt because of careless Driving, it's a crime and leads to:

  • Between 30 days and six months in jail
  • Fines of $200 to $1,000

One type of driving offense that stands out is reckless Driving, which can cause injuries like concussions, loss of awareness, paralysis, brain injuries, and broken bones. Depending on how badly someone was hurt, these kinds of crimes can be either misdemeanors or felonies.

If someone is found guilty of reckless Driving as a felony, they could spend 16 months to three years in jail.

At least two points will be taken off of a driver's license for every reckless driving infraction.

Distracted Driving in California

What does "distracted driving" mean in California?

In California, driving while distracted is a big problem that makes driving less safe. In order to drive while distracted, a person must pay attention to something other than driving.

There are three types of distracted driving in California:

  • Visual
  • Cognitive
  • Guide

In California, driving while distracted can happen in a number of ways, such as:

  • Use of handheld devices
  • Having food
  • Not paying attention to the street

California law says that a driver is sidetracked if they are holding a cell phone or other wireless device(s) while driving. That being said, they can use the hands-free features or place the device.

For the same reason, drivers can only swipe or tap the screen once to turn a feature on or off. They can't write, scroll, or tap the device more than once, however.

California law says that drivers younger than 18 can't use a wireless gadget at all while driving.

California has penalties for driving while busy. In California, driving while distracted can get you fined money, but it doesn't take away points from your license.

Each fine for driving while distracted is a base fee. Due to any extra fees, a real ticket will cost more than the amounts listed below.

If you talk on your cell phone, you will get a $50 fine for the first offense.

Suppose you text or use a wireless device in any other way while driving in California. In that case, you will be fined $20 for the first offense and $50 for each subsequent violation.

In California, teens and young adults are both punished the same way for driving while distracted.

Racing in California

What does running mean in California?

In California, racing is also known as speed races. In speed contests, two cars run against each other using a clock or some other kind of timing device.

You can think of street races, speed races, and drag races as all "speed contests" in California.

In California, it is also against the law to take part in a speed show. In California, it is considered a display of speed to speed up or drive at a dangerous or unsafe rate of speed to impress at least one person.

California has laws against racing. If you break these rules for the first time while racing in California:

  • One to ninety days in jail and $355 to $1,000 in fines
  • License could be taken away for up to six months or 90 days.
  • 40 hours of work for the neighborhood
  • The car is held for one to thirty days.

If you get a second conviction in California within five years of your first speeding ticket conviction, you will:

  • From four days to six months in jail
  • Fines of $500 to $1,000
  • Six months of not being able to drive

If someone other than the speeder gets hurt in a speed race, the charge is raised to a felony, and the penalties are much harsher.

If you are found guilty of speeding in California, you will:

  • No jail time for up to 90 days
  • Fines of up to $500
  • Up to 50 hours of volunteer work
  • Up to six months without a license
  • The car could be held for up to 30 days.

People who watch, help, or take part in a speed race are also breaking the law and could get a ticket.

At-fault Accident in California

How do you know who was at fault in a California accident?

People think of California as a fault-based state. After an accident, one or more drivers are blamed so that they are responsible and can get paid.

In an accident, though, it is possible for everyone to be partly to blame. If a driver is found to be partly to blame for an accident, their pay may be lowered by that amount.

Most places in California require that your car insurance cover at least the following:

  • $15,000 for a single accident or death
  • $30,000 if more than one person dies or gets hurt.
  • $5,000 if a property is damaged

In California, you have 24 hours after an accident to make a written report with the California Highway Patrol or your local police department if the following apply:

  • Injured or killed someone
  • More than $750 worth of damage was done.

A police officer will usually make the report for you at the scene of the crime.

Penalties for at-fault accidents in California

If you drive without insurance in California, you will be fined $100 to $200 for the first time, even if you don't cause an accident. Getting caught a second time will cost you between $200 and $500. Like other California traffic violations, these fines will come with extra charges.

Your license could also be taken away for up to four years, and your car could be towed away.

If you are found to be at blame for an accident in California, you will also lose one point on your driver's license.

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Auto Insurance Data Methodology

The auto insurance rates published in this guide are based on the results of research completed by Way.com’s data team. Using a mix of public and internal data, we analyzed millions of rate averages across U.S. ZIP codes.

Quotes are typically based on a full coverage policy average unless otherwise noted within the content.

These rates were publicly sourced from insurer filings and should be used for comparative purposes only — your own quotes will differ. Given this, it’s important to go through our insurance steps form to find how much you can save with way.com

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