With hot air balloons and golf balls flying across the sky, Temecula’s warm climate brings outdoor fun all year long. This area is also wine country and, unfortunately, sees hundreds of annual DUIs, which could increase insurance rates for people who live in the area.
Temecula’s average monthly cost of car insurance is $151, which is cheaper than larger cities like San Francisco, likely due to its substantially lower population and lower rate of motor vehicle theft.1
Here’s what to look for when seeking new car insurance in Temecula and how your choices can have a profound effect on the rates you pay.
Cheapest car insurance companies in Temecula
Temecula has a warm climate and miles of outdoor recreation in every direction, which means driving there can be a serene experience. However, it can also be an overly expensive one if you don’t have the proper car insurance coverage.
Finding the right car insurance company for you requires comparing quotes from several insurers to find a policy that best matches your needs at a price that works for your budget. As you begin your search, keep the following insurers in mind.
Best insurer for liability-only coverage: Clearcover
Best insurer for low-mileage drivers: Mile Auto
Best insurer for drivers with boats: Sun Coast
How to get the cheapest car insurance in Temecula
Marital status, crime rates, and your driving record are just a few of the different factors that influence your car insurance rate.1 To find the cheapest rate in Temecula, consider these tips when investigating California car insurance companies:
Reduce optional insurance on older vehicles to still maintain the minimum coverage required while not overinsuring your car’s market value.
If you’re planning on purchasing a different car, look up average auto rates for different vehicle types in Temecula before you buy.
Compare rates from multiple insurers and inquire about any discounts, incentives, or pay-per-mile programs they may have.
Ask about group insurance through your employer or an organization you belong to, like an alumni group.
See if you qualify for California’s Low Cost Auto Insurance Program.
Cheapest liability-only car insurance in Temecula: USAA
Liability car insurance meets the minimum insurance required by state law. It typically includes bodily injury liability and property damage liability coverages, which pay for the damages and injuries that the other party suffers in an accident you cause.2
The cheapest insurer for liability-only car insurance in Temecula is USAA, with an average cost of $78 per month. You can see how other insurers compare in the table below.
Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in Temecula: Anchor
Full-coverage insurance expands upon liability insurance, usually by offering collision insurance, which pays for damages caused when your car collides with an object, and comprehensive insurance, which pays for damages due to animal activity, weather, vandalism, and theft.
A full-coverage policy can be very appealing in California because it protects you from damages related to fires, floods, and earthquakes.
The average rate for full-coverage insurance in Temecula is $204, and you can see the offerings from different insurers in the table below.
Car insurance requirements in California
California is an at-fault state, which means the at-fault driver in an incident is financially responsible for the property damage and injuries they cause.
State lawmakers approved an increase in coverage limits, which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2025. The table below reflects this change and the types and amount of coverage all Temecula drivers need to carry:3
While the coverages above meet the California state minimum, you may want to increase your protection level by investing in some of the following coverage options:
California’s Low Cost Auto Insurance Program
Every licensed driver in the Golden State must maintain minimum car insurance requirements, but some drivers may have trouble affording an auto insurance policy.
Drivers who meet income requirements may qualify for reduced-rate liability insurance through California’s Low Cost Auto Insurance Program.4
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an incident
A variety of incidents can trigger premium increases as soon as your next payment, including an at-fault accident, speeding ticket, driving under the influence, or another moving violation.
In the sections that follow, you’ll see how each incident type affects your rates in different ways.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket: USAA
Riverside County, which includes Temecula, saw 84 speed-related collisions in 2020, with over half occurring at night.5
Insurers see speeding as a precursor to further risky behavior, and if you have a speeding ticket on your record, you should expect your rates to rise. The average rate for drivers with a speeding ticket in Temecula is $184, and you can see how a speeding ticket affects your quotes compared to driving with a clean record.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an at-fault accident: USAA
Virtually any at-fault auto accident reported to your insurer, including you colliding with an object like a telephone pole or pothole, can raise your rates. A claim costs your insurer money; it compensates for future claims by increasing your rate.
Drivers in Temecula pay an average of $175 when they have an accident on their record, and you can see how an accident raises your quotes in the table below.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a DUI: USAA
In 2020, alcohol was involved in 12% of all crashes in Riverside County.5 One study showed that driving with a 0.07% BAC, which is under the 0.08% BAC legal limit in California, can substantially impact a person’s driving ability, even when the driver thinks that they’re not impaired.6 Insurers raise rates dramatically for drivers with a DUI on their record, and some insurers may drop you altogether after a DUI.
As you look for insurance with a DUI on your record, you can expect to pay an average of about $243 per month.
Cheapest car insurance for seniors: USAA
Senior drivers have higher accident rates per mile driven than middle-aged adults. One California DMV study suggests that this rate increases around age 60 and substantially increases around age 75.7 That’s why drivers in their 30s may see their rates decrease and drivers in their 70s see their rates increase.
The average rate for senior drivers in Temecula is $134 per month. The table below compares policy quotes for senior drivers from multiple insurers.
Cheapest car insurance for teens: USAA
Teen drivers pay more for car insurance because their fatal crash rate is four times higher than adults’ rate. In fact, 40% of all fatal crashes with teen drivers happen at night. That’s why California doesn’t allow unsupervised teen drivers on roadways between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Young adults should be aware that staying on their parents’ insurance plan, getting a safe car, and qualifying for good student discounts could yield lower rates.
The average cost of insurance for teen drivers is $291 per month. The table below compares quotes for young drivers from multiple insurers.
Is car insurance more expensive in Temecula?
The national average cost of car insurance is $144 per month, which is higher than the average monthly rate in Temecula of $151.
Temecula’s low rate may be influenced by the city’s low population of 111,752, especially when you consider that a city like Chula Vista is more expensive and has a population of 279,170. The presence of more licensed drivers there may raise rates because of the increased potential for accidents.
More cities in California
In the following table, you can see how car insurance quotes in Temecula compare to other California cities, like Chula Vista, Glendale, Anaheim, and Modesto.