Learning Center    U.S. Car Insurance Companies

Each year new insurance companies start offering products in your state, some years insurance companies move out of the state and quit offering their products in your state. Each individual state's insurance regulator licenses auto insurance companies; there is currently no federal charter for insurance companies to file rates at a national level.

Which insurance companies are available in California?

There are so many insurance companies available in California and each one has filed different rates with California's insurance regulator. There are roughly 1,500 car insurance companies in the United States. Some companies are part of a larger insurance company group, so in reality you have about 700 different insurance company groups in the United States.

Why do some insurance companies have multiple insurance companies in California?

With separate car insurance companies, larger carrier groups have the ability to offer different products and file different rates. It also allows them to offer car insurance through distinguished distribution channels. In some cases, it is easier for an insurance company to meet different California regulatory requirements that may not be necessary in other states. Some companies decide to file under different insurance companies or different company names. There are approximately seven hundred car insurance company groups in the US. On average, there are about 120 different auto insurance companies available in each state.

This list represents a majority of the companies available in California. CarInsurance.com may remove carriers that only write a few policies in CA or carriers that no longer offer new products in California. As new companies enter or leave California we will update this listing.

Learn more about California: California Auto Insurance - CA Car Insurance Tips

Should I get a state insurance company or a national insurance company?

As you are likely aware not every company is licensed and authorized to operate in each state. While you may not need a national insurance company as your provider you should be sure you buy from a company that is licensed in your state. State insurance regulators typically require this and can help you if there is a problem as long as the insurance company is licensed in your state. To find out which companies are licensed in your state, contact the state insurance regulatory body. Read more...

Why do the rates vary so much between insurance companies in California?

Some carriers are better at setting rates for different classes of drivers. One carrier may focus their rates on inexperienced drivers, while another carrier may focus its rates on mature drivers that only have prior insurance. Because of this, insurance company rates may vary greatly from company to company. Read more...