All California drivers must carry a legal minimum insurance coverage of $15,000 per person for bodily injury up to $30,000 and $5,000 for property damage liability. Proof of insurance must be carried in the vehicle. People with out-of-state cars may be able to keep their out-of-state insurance. All drivers need additional insurance coverage when in Mexico.
Be aware that the minimum coverage requirements are actually very low (but are, of course, the cheapest!), so you may want to consider having more coverage, especially if you have any assets to protect. You can find more basic information about California insurance requirements as well as compare quotes at the following website: http://www.autoinsuranceindepth.com/auto-insurance-California.html.
When shopping for auto insurance, be sure to let them know that you're a scientist and/or advanced degree candidate. Most insurance companies offer discounts for people in this line of work! You may also receive discounts depending on your gender (unfair as it may seem), age, years of driving experience and driving record. If you're an experienced driver preparing to move to California, keep in mind that you should be careful not to let your insurance coverage lapse as some companies note "years of consecutive coverage" rather than "years of driving experience."
You have to be member of AAA to get their insurance. AAA offers insurance at competitive rates and they have special discounts for scientists. For students coming from another country, most other insurance companies have a hefty rate during the first 3 years, but AAA recognizes international driving experience. AAA also insures new drivers.
This is an auto insurance broker, which means that they will find the best deal for you within their list of insurance companies (AAA is not on their list). They don't charge a brokerage fee for first-time customers. They are friendly and prompt in answering questions. They also have several companies that will insure new drivers.
California Casualty
(800) 800-9410They have a special rate for Caltech employees and graduate students.
Mercury is one of the companies that is frequently among the lowest insurance premiums. Make sure to give one of these brokers a call.
Provides great rates for drivers with no accidents.
On the Internet
By doing a search for "cheap auto insurance" on the Internet, sometimes you can find really good deals. Just be aware that some of these companies can be phony. It is highly recommended that you do a background check on a company before purchasing insurance from them.
In order to get a feel for general rate comparisons, we aquired quotes from some major insurance companies for two types of drivers. (*Note that this study was done in 2001! Adjust for inflation, and remember that rates from place to place, person to person, and car to car vary dramatically.) All rates are monthly.
| Company | Married Couple | Single Male |
| Progressive | $76.65 | $135.15 |
| Mercury | $66.00 | $96.50 |
| AAA | $90.58 | $92.92 |
| 21st Century | $108.50 | $87.33 |
Clearly, there's no trend at all as to what company is the "cheapest" - Mercury or 21st century are frequently touted as the cheapest, but this is not always the case. Different companies focus on different driver and auto history information, and you will qualify for different discounts at different companies. Make sure to ask about all possible discounts - if you're a TA you could qualify as a "teacher," students often get discounts, and so do scientists. You are likely to get all three if you ask.
Be careful of the companies who advertise solely on daytime TV. These are usually "state-minimum" insurance companies who are geared mainly toward people who have horrible traffic records. These companies often provide very bad service should you ever have the misfortune to be in an accident.