The savings are slightly higher—around 26.6%—if you buy a liability-only policy that meets California’s minimum requirements of $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident of bodily injury liability and $5,000 of property damage liability.

Minimum insurance costs less upfront, but it leaves you financially vulnerable

Minimum coverage doesn’t offer enough protection for most drivers. That’s especially true in California, where the liability limits are extremely low.

Why isn’t minimum insurance enough? If you cause an accident, the other party’s vehicle repairs could easily exceed $5,000, and a serious injury could quickly incur medical bills of more than $15,000—especially if the person needs ongoing care.

If your liability insurance won’t cover all of the costs for an accident that you caused, you could be sued, and damages could be awarded based on your current assets and your future potential earnings.

On top of that, liability-only insurance won’t cover any damages to your own vehicle. You’ll need full coverage for that. Full coverage costs more in the short term, but it provides valuable financial protection in the event of a car accident, theft, vandalism, weather damage, and more.

Modesto full coverage insurance costs around 22% less than the state average, so it’s an investment that’s strongly worth considering.

Learn more:

Everything you need to know about California’s car insurance requirements

Why is car insurance so cheap in Modesto?

Modesto’s fight against auto theft has likely led the charge in keeping car insurance rates low, but the average cost of claims filed may also be a factor.

Improvement in auto thefts: In 2007, Modesto topped the US as the city with the most car thefts per 100,000 people.1 Today, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), Modesta is rated #54 in the country for auto theft.2 There’s still room for improvement, but the drop could be a factor in why car insurance rates in Modesto are lower than the state average.

Per capita income: The per capita income in Modesto is $32,897.3 That’s somewhat low compared to other major California cities—nearby San Francisco’s per capita income is $86,186. 4 A lower average income could lead drivers to choose more economical vehicles, which would mean a lower average cost of claims filed and lower premiums for the area.

The best car insurance companies in Modesto

Jerry conducted a groundbreaking survey of over 18,000 drivers to find out what they do and don’t like about their current insurance companies. In Modesto, two insurance companies stood out above the rest:

Kemper—Good for high-risk drivers

Years in business: 33

Jerry user score: 4.2

AM Best rating: B-

Kemper gets high marks from policyholders for their outstanding customer service, plan flexibility, and loyalty rewards program. In addition, they often provide low rates to drivers with violations on their record.

Read our full Kemper insurance review

National General—Great discounts

Years in business: 103

Jerry user score: 3.5

AM Best rating: A-

Customers love National General’s easy payment options, which include both online and over-the-phone options. Their wide variety of discounts makes it easy to save, and they offer especially low rates to drivers with a high-risk profile.

Read our full National General insurance review

Get cheap car insurance quotes in Modesto, CA

The easiest way to find affordable car insurance in Modesto is to work with a car insurance broker like

Jerry

. Here’s how it works:

Build your profile in the Jerry app. Download the app, then answer a few questions about yourself, your vehicle, and your driving history. Insurers will use this information to estimate your quotes, so be sure everything is accurate.

Compare coverage levels and prices. In about two minutes, you’ll be sent a list of quotes that are organized into easy-to-browse levels of coverage.

Review company ratings. There’s more to a great policy than just the price. Click on any insurance provider’s logo to read real customer reviews and expert ratings to make sure you’re choosing a company that’s a good fit for your insurance needs.

Request a final price. Once you find a quote you like, click “Confirm your rate” as soon as possible—insurance rates are time-sensitive, so don’t wait, or your final price could go up.

Make your first payment to activate your policy. Enter your payment information and upload any requested information to finalize your purchase. Once your payment is processed, your policy will be active—complete with digital proof of insurance.

The Jerry app compares rates from insurance companies in the Modesto area.

You can then browse four tiers of coverage, ranging from minimum liability to full coverage.

Remember: Car insurance rates are based on your driving profile. If you drive an expensive car, have a DUI or multiple speeding tickets on your driving record, or live in a high-risk ZIP code, your premiums may be higher than average.

Jerry is a licensed insurance broker backed by a team of independent insurance agents. We work with over 55 car companies, from big names like Allstate, Nationwide, and Progressive to smaller regional insurers like MAPFRE and Anchor General. Jerry offers quick, legitimate auto coverage options through a top-rated mobile app available through the Apple App Store or Google Play store.

How to save on car insurance in Modesto

The rising cost of car insurance nationwide means it’s more important than ever to take advantage of every way to save. Use these tips to keep your Modesto car insurance costs low:

Bundle multiple insurance products:

Combining your car insurance

with your homeowners insurance, renters insurance, or life insurance can help you save on each policy.

Look into discounts: Research the savings opportunities offered by your auto insurance provider to make sure you’re enrolled in all of the

car insurance discounts

you qualify for.

Raise your deductible: Choosing a higher deductible will lower your car insurance premiums. Just be sure to choose a deductible you can pay on short notice in case you need to file a claim.

Improve your driving: Try using the Jerry app to

track your driving

—you’ll get a free driving score and personalized tips to become a safer driver.

Reshop before your policy renews: Turn on the reshopping feature in the Jerry app, and we’ll automatically notify you before your policy renews if another insurance company can offer you a lower rate.

FAQs

How much does car insurance cost in Modesto?

The average cost of car insurance coverage in Modesto is about $151 a month—around $66 for minimum liability insurance and about $201 for full coverage.

Who has the cheapest car insurance in Modesto, California?

There’s no single car insurance company that can provide the lowest prices to all Modesto drivers. That said, when shopping for liability-only policies, the companies with the lowest average rates in Modesto include Berkshire Hathaway, Travelers, Allstate, and Anchor General.

What is the average cost of car insurance in California?

The average cost of car insurance in California is around $180 a month—about $90 a month for minimum liability insurance and around $260 a month for full coverage.

Why is car insurance so expensive in Modesto?

While car insurance prices are going up nationwide, auto insurance rates in Modesto are actually about 16.5% cheaper than the California state average and around 25.5% cheaper than the national average.

Why is it hard to get car insurance in California?

State regulations have led a number of auto insurance providers to stop writing policies in California, making it difficult for drivers to purchase new policies.

What factors affect car insurance rates in Modesto, California?

Car insurance rates in Modesto are impacted by factors like traffic congestion, the rate of accidents and claims filed, population density, crime rates, average income, and more.

What are the best-rated car insurance companies in Modesto, California?

Jerry drivers in Modesto gave Kemper and National General the highest customer satisfaction ratings.

What is the best type of car insurance coverage to have in Modesto?

To fully protect yourself, choose a high-liability plan (experts recommend $100k/$300k/$100k liability coverage) with physical damage protection and add-ons like roadside assistance.

How can I save on my car insurance in Modesto?

To save on your car insurance policy, shop for free quotes from at least 3–5 auto insurance companies, look into discounts, and consider bundling your home insurance with your auto policy.

Methodology

All premium data in this article comes from real car insurance quotes obtained through the Jerry app and analyzed by our editorial team. Jerry’s data scientists analyzed over 25 million real quotes issued to users in Jerry’s proprietary database. Jerry is partnered with 55+ insurance companies in 48 states.

Unless otherwise stated, all data represents the average of all quotes at time of writing (12/16/2023) for a currently insured single driver 35+ with a single vehicle.

Minimum coverage refers to policies with the following coverage limits: $15,000 per person/$30,000 per accident in bodily injury liability coverage and $5,000 per accident in property damage coverage

Full coverage refers to policies that contain at least the minimum liability required by law in California along with comprehensive and collision insurance with deductibles of either $500 or $1,000.

Screenshots are based on the following profile:

35-year old unmarried male

Homeowner

College graduate

Drives 2015 Honda CR-V EXL

No violations or claims in last 5 years

Credit 660-750

Meet our experts

R.E. Fulton

Licensed Insurance Agent —Senior Content Writer

R.E. Fulton is an expert insurance writer specializing in car ownership topics from car shopping and loan advice to insurance and repair guides. R.E.’s mission is to create unique and accessible content that helps readers to become more successful and independent car owners. R.E. has written and edited over 900 high-performing articles for Jerry, with an average of 1 million+ views.

As a senior writer on Jerry’s editorial team, R.E. draws on over 10 years of experience as a professional writer and digital publishing specialist. Prior to joining Jerry’s editorial team in 2021, R.E. worked as a writing coach at Columbia University, the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and the University of Rochester. They serve as a managing editor for peer-reviewed history publication Nursing Clio, where their work has appeared regularly since 2015.

Lina Zhang

Licensed Insurance Agent

Licensed in 50 states and Washington DC

Lina Zhang is Vice President of Operations at Jerry. She helped to found Jerry in order to take the confusion and mystery expenses out of car ownership and help drivers achieve financial success. Leading a global team responsible for operations, talent acquisition, legal, and content, Lina has been a key contributor to the AllCar™ app’s 10x growth in its first year of operation. Prior to Jerry, Lina and her Jerry co-founders, Art Agrawal and Musawir Shah, created YourMechanic, the largest on-demand car repair services provider. In one year, Lina built and scaled YourMechanic operations from just five markets to more than 50. The trio left YourMechanic to incubate Jerry at Y Combinator in 2017. Lina’s previous roles include intellectual property attorney at Morrison & Foerster LLP and a biomedical researcher at Stanford University.

Josh Damico

Head Of Insurance Operations

18+ Years Experience in Insurance

Josh Damico is Jerry’s vice president of insurance operations and a licensed insurance professional with nearly two decades of experience in the industry. Previously, Josh held executive roles at Geico, where he had vast regional oversight and leadership opportunities. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Medaille College, and has appeared on news channels including FOX and CBS to offer insurance expertise and tips to drivers across the country. His work has appeared in Business Insider, Kelley Blue Book, and Digital Insurance and been quoted in The Balance, GOBankingRates, and Inspiring Workplaces.

*Illustration only. For all the pricing information presented in this article (including various tables), please note that not all customers find savings and the information is for illustrative purposes only. Savings depend on type of car, location, policy features, driving history and other factors. Drivers who switch through Jerry save over $70/month on average.