Cheap SR-22 Car Insurance in California
- Mercury and Progressive tie for California’s cheapest SR-22 car insurance ($127 a month).
- Mercury has the cheapest SR-22 full coverage insurance ($320 a month).
- Geico has the cheapest insurance with an SR-22 liability for minor violations ($87 a month).
California’s cheapest SR-22 insurance after a DUI
At $127 a month, Mercury and Progressive have California’s cheapest SR-22 liability insurance
Meanwhile, Mercury has the cheapest full coverage
Cheap SR-22 rates after a DUI
| Company | Monthly liability | Monthly full coverage | LendingTree score |
|---|---|---|---|
 | $127 | $320 |  |
 | $127 | $358 |  |
 | $134 | $373 | |
 | $182 | $430 |  |
 | $229 | $503 |  |
 | $312 | $866 | |
 | $183 | $552 | |
What is California SR-22 insurance?
An SR-22 is a certificate that confirms you have valid California car insurance. Your insurance company files it with the DMV when you buy your policy. The price you pay for SR-22 car insurance depends on things like:
- Which violation led to your SR-22 requirement
- Where you live
- What type of vehicle you drive
Each company treats these factors differently. This makes it good to compare car insurance quotes from a few companies to find the cheapest rate.
California’s cheapest SR-22 insurance after a minor violation
For most drivers, Geico has California’s cheapest SR-22 insurance after minor violations like driving without insurance. The company charges $87 a month for liability insurance and $243 a month for full coverage.
USAA is actually cheaper than Geico in this category, but to get its insurance, you or a close family member must be current or veteran military.
Cheap SR-22 insurance for minor violations
| Company | Monthly liability | Monthly full coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Geico | $87 | $243 |
| Progressive | $93 | $247 |
| Mercury | $102 | $257 |
| State Farm | $139 | $369 |
| Farmers | $146 | $344 |
| Travelers | $167 | $355 |
| USAA* | $75 | $220 |
Best SR-22 insurance in California
Geico, Mercury and Progressive are California’s best companies for SR-22 insurance.
Geico has a better satisfaction rating from J.D. Power than Mercury and Progressive. This usually means better rates and/or customer service.
Geico also offers more discounts than the other two, including discounts for military service members, federal employees and many other groups. These car insurance discounts can make Geico your cheapest option if you qualify for enough of them.
Progressive and Mercury have more coverage options. Unlike Geico, they each offer:
-
Gap insurance
, which is helpful if you financed your car with a low down payment.Gap insurance covers the difference between your car’s value and your loan balance, if you total the vehicle.
-
Custom parts and equipment (CPE)
, which adds extra protection for customized upgrades you’ve made to your vehicle.CPE protects modifications to your vehicle, which aren’t always covered by standard car insurance.
Best SR-22 insurance companies
| Company | Satisfaction rating
Source: J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Auto Insurance Study. Higher is better, 631 is the regional average for California.
| LendingTree score |
|---|---|---|
| Geico | 644 | 3.5 |
| Progressive | 638 | 4 |
| Mercury | 594 | 3.5 |
Who needs SR-22 insurance in California?
California makes you get SR-22 car insurance to get your driver’s license back after certain violations. These include major offenses like DUI and reckless driving as well as minor ones like driving without insurance.
If you’re in an accident without insurance, your license can be suspended, regardless of fault. An SR-22 can help you get your driver’s license back after a suspension like this.
Most car insurance companies offer SR-22 certificates. You can ask them to file one for you when you buy your policy. Many companies add an SR-22 filing fee of about $25 to your rate.
When you contact companies for a quote, let them know about your SR-22 requirement right away. This helps you get accurate quotes. You should also remind your insurance agent to file your certificate when you finalize your purchase.
If you don’t own a car, you can get nonowners car insurance for an SR-22 requirement. Nonowners car insurance covers you in cars you rent or borrow.
How much is SR-22 insurance in California?
The cost of SR-22 insurance in California ranges from $111 a month to $471 a month. The price depends largely on your driving record and the amount of coverage you need.
For example, SR-22 liability insurance only costs an average of $111 a month after a minor violation. The price jumps to $286 a month for full coverage. After a DUI, rates average $175 a month for liability coverage and $471 a month for full coverage.
SR-22 rates by driving record
| Driving record | Monthly rate liability | Monthly rate full coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Clean record | $69 | $182 |
| Minor violation | $111 | $286 |
| At-fault accident | $133 | $341 |
| Reckless driving | $167 | $446 |
| DUI | $175 | $471 |
How to get cheaper SR-22 car insurance in California
Shopping around and getting discounts can help you get cheaper SR-22 insurance in California. Adjusting your coverages can also help you get a lower rate.
Why shop around?
Most companies’ rates vary by customer. In addition to your driving record, they look at your location, vehicle and other factors. Some have lower rates for certain cars than others. Some raise their rates by larger amounts after certain violations.
Getting quotes from multiple companies helps you find the one with the cheapest rate for your specific situation.
Car insurance discounts for an SR-22
Car insurance discounts can also help make your SR-22 car insurance more affordable. You usually get the biggest discounts by bundling your car insurance with a home or renters policy
If you’re a safe driver, usage-based insurance (UBI) can help you save on car insurance. Most companies have UBI programs, which often use a smartphone app to monitor your driving. You can get a discount just for signing up and additional ones for driving safely.
The way you shop can often also save you money.
- Geico, Progressive and other companies give you a discount for getting quotes online.
- Mercury and Progressive are among the ones with discounts for signing your policy documents electronically.
It’s good to ask about these and other discounts when you get your quotes.
How much car insurance do I need for an SR-22?
California law only requires you to get liability insurance for an SR-22. The required minimum limits are:
- Bodily injury liability: $30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident
- Property damage liability: $15,000
If you have a car loan, your lender will also require collision
You can save money on full coverage by raising your deductibles. If your car’s value has dropped below $4,000, the benefits of full coverage may not be worth the cost.
How we obtained SR-22 car insurance rates in California
LendingTree uses insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services using publicly sourced insurance company filings. Rates are based on an analysis of car insurance quotes from every California ZIP code. Prices are shown for comparative purposes only. Your own rates may be different.
Unless noted otherwise, quotes are for a full-coverage policy for a 30-year-old man who drives a 2018 Honda CR-V EX.
Coverage limits
Minimum-liability policies provide liability coverage with the state’s required minimum limits.
Full-coverage policies include collision, comprehensive and liability coverage:
- Bodily injury liability: $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Property damage liability: $50,000
- Uninsured / underinsured motorist bodily injury: $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident
- Collision: $500 deductible
- Comprehensive: $500 deductible
How we evaluated car insurance companies
Our team of insurance experts rated insurance companies based on several categories. These categories include average rates, discounts, coverage options, third-party customer service ratings and app/website experience. We weighted these categories based on what customers value in an insurance company.
For third-party customer service ratings, we included Complaint Index scores from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and financial strength ratings from A.M. Best. NAIC Complaint Index scores are used to determine how satisfied customers are with their claims, while financial strength ratings from A.M. Best reflect the ability to pay out claims.
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*USAA is only available to current and former members of the military as well as certain family members.