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Nick Versaw leads Compare.com's editorial department, where he and his team specialize in crafting helpful, easy-to-understand content about car insurance and other related topics. With nearly a decade of experience writing and editing insurance and personal finance articles, his work has helped readers discover substantial savings on necessary expenses, including insurance, transportation, health care, and more. As an award-winning writer, Nick has seen his work published in countless renowned publications, such as the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and U.S. News & World Report. He graduated with Latin honors from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Digital Journalism.
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John Leach is a licensed insurance agent who reviews and fact-checks articles for Compare.com. John has several years of experience reviewing and editing various insurance topics, and he also holds a valid personal lines producer license from the California Department of Insurance (NPN #20461358).
He’s also an alumnus of the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in linguistics.
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Drivers in Oakland, California, pay an average of $212 per month for car insurance, according to Compare.com data. Still, several companies offer rates well below this citywide average.
USAA, Root, and Sun Coast stand out as the three insurers providing the most affordable average rates — as low as $122 per month.
In this article, we’ll explore the cheapest insurers for various driver types, how to select the right company, and tips for saving on car insurance in Oakland.
USAA offers the lowest average monthly rate in Oakland, at $122.
Oakland’s average rates are $120 per month for basic liability coverage and $303 for full coverage.
California requires all drivers to have at least 30/60/15 in liability coverage.
Disclaimer: Our editorial team created this article with the help of highly trained generative AI tools. Additionally, multiple insurance experts — including at least one licensed agent — have rigorously reviewed, fact-checked, and edited every word and data point you see here.
We write, edit, and review all the content on Compare.com according to our strict editorial standards, regardless of how we created it. Learn more about our editorial process.
Despite Oakland’s higher-than-average rates, several companies offer more affordable options.
The table below showcases the cheapest insurers in Oakland, according to Compare.com data.
Company  | Average Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| USAA | $122 |
| Root | $125 |
| Sun Coast | $126 |
| Mercury | $131 |
| Anchor | $131 |
| Dairyland | $136 |
| Direct Auto | $137 |
| National General | $146 |
| GEICO | $163 |
| Allstate | $169 |
| Farmers | $173 |
| State Farm | $188 |
| Travelers | $196 |
| Bristol West | $200 |
| 21st Century | $214 |
USAA emerges as the most affordable option, with an average monthly rate of just $122. That said, USAA may not be the cheapest for you. The easiest way to find the best company for you is to compare personalized quotes from multiple companies.
In the following sections, we’ll break down the cheapest companies by various rating factors and driver types.
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While the companies mentioned above provide a solid starting point, your rates will likely vary significantly based on personal factors like your age, driving record, and address.
The table below illustrates the cheapest companies for various backgrounds and coverages, according to our data.
Driver/Coverage Type | Cheapest Insurer | Insurer’s Average Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|
| State-minimum coverage | USAA | $122 |
| Full coverage | Mercury | $226 |
| Teens | Root | $204 |
| Seniors | USAA | $94 |
| Drivers with a speeding ticket | USAA | $152 |
| Drivers with an at-fault accident | USAA | $155 |
| Drivers with a DUI | Root | $177 |
| Drivers with excellent credit | USAA | $123 |
| Drivers with poor credit | USAA | $148 |
Let’s dive deeper into each driver type in the sections below.
Policies in Oakland start as low as $122 per month.
California’s state-minimum coverage requires drivers to have at least 30/60/15 in liability insurance (more on that later). In Oakland, the average rate for this type of minimum coverage is $120 per month.
Still, most experts recommend purchasing more coverage than the state requires.[1]
But if you need only basic coverage that meets California’s minimum requirements, consider these five cheapest companies:
Most drivers should consider full-coverage car insurance for more robust protection. Full coverage typically includes collision and comprehensive coverage in addition to the state’s minimum requirements. Lenders and leasing companies also require full coverage if you finance or lease your vehicle.[2]
Our research found that the average rate for full coverage in Oakland is $303 per month.
The table below shows the five cheapest insurers for full coverage in Oakland, according to our data.
Teen drivers face some of the highest insurance rates due to their lack of driving experience and higher likelihood of accidents. In fact, teens are nearly three times as likely to be involved in a fatal crash than drivers over 20, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).[3]
We found that nationwide, the average teen pays almost double the rate of someone 20 or older. In Oakland, the average rate for teens is $230 per month. Still, it’s possible to find affordable coverage.
The chart below showcases the five cheapest insurers for teen drivers in Oakland, according to our data.
Seniors typically enjoy the most affordable car insurance rates of any age group. This is largely due to their decades of driving experience and tendency to drive less frequently, especially at night, which reduces their chances of getting into an accident, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).[4]
In Oakland, the average car insurance rate for seniors is $94 per month, but you can find even cheaper coverage with the right insurer.
With that in mind, here are the five cheapest insurers for senior drivers in Oakland, according to Compare.com data:
Getting a ticket can cause your rates to increase the next time your policy renews. That’s because tickets and other moving violations indicate a higher likelihood of future claims.[5]
Our research shows that even a single speeding ticket causes average rates to increase by 28% nationwide. In Oakland, the average rate for people with a recent ticket is $154 per month, according to Compare.com data.
Still, several insurers offer lower rates, including the ones in the chart below.
Causing an accident can lead to a substantial rate increase because it suggests to insurers that you’re more likely to file a claim in the future. Our research indicates that a single at-fault accident causes average rates to increase by 33% nationwide.
In Oakland, the average rate for people with a recent accident is $153 per month, according to our data. But you can often find better deals with one of these five insurers:
A DUI conviction results in the sharpest increase in car insurance rates of any incident. Our research shows that average rates increase by a staggering 59% nationwide after a DUI conviction. Not only that, but a DUI can also make it challenging to find coverage at all.[6]
But if you have a DUI, all is not lost. Some insurers specialize in high-risk drivers, including people with DUIs.
In Oakland, the average rate for people with a DUI conviction is $177 per month, but several insurers offer much more affordable coverage.
The chart below shows the five cheapest insurers for Oakland drivers with a DUI, according to Compare.com data.
Compare personalized quotes from Oakland’s top insurers.
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California, like most states, requires all drivers to have car insurance. You’ll need at least the following liability limits to legally drive in the state:[7]
Bodily injury liability: $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident
Property damage liability: $15,000 per accident
You can find more information about these requirements on the California Department of Insurance website.
Most experts recommend purchasing coverage above the state’s minimum limits. For example, imagine you cause an accident resulting in $50,000 in property damage (the average new car costs just over $47,000, according to Kelley Blue Book[8]). With only $15,000 in coverage, you’d be personally responsible for the remaining $35,000 in damages.
And as we mentioned before, lenders also require comprehensive and collision coverage if you finance or lease your car.
Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about car insurance in Oakland:
USAA offers the lowest average rate in Oakland, according to our research — just $122 per month.
The average car insurance rate in Oakland is $212 per month, according to our data. That breaks down to $120 per month for liability insurance and $303 if you want full coverage.
Yes, Oakland’s rates are higher than the national average, according to our research. This is largely due to local factors, such as population density, traffic congestion, and crime rates.[9]
The top-rated auto insurers in California include AAA, CONNECT by American Family, and State Farm, according to J.D. Power’s 2024 Auto Insurance Study.[10]
California requires drivers to have at least 30/60/15 in liability coverage. That means $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident for injuries and $15,000 for property damage.
Data scientists at Compare.com analyzed more than 50 million real-time auto insurance quotes from more than 75 partner insurers in order to compile the rates and statistics seen in this article. Compare.com’s auto insurance data includes coverage analysis and details on drivers’ vehicles, driving records, insurance histories, and demographic information.
All the rates listed in this article have been collected from a combination of real Compare.com quotes and external insurance rate data gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. Compare.com uses these observations to provide readers with insights into how auto insurance companies determine their premiums.
Compare.com's #1 goal is to save you money. We publish resources that are based on hard-hitting data and years of industry experience to help you make more informed decisions with your wallet.
Learn more about us, our team, and what makes us tick.
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AAA auto insurance policies often have higher average rates than many competitors, but it does have solid discounts and membership benefits.
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