State profile · CA · CMS + NAIC
Insurance in California
How health insurers handle claims in California, and what drivers pay for auto cover — measured from CMS Transparency-in-Coverage and NAIC data.
- $1223
- Avg auto / yr
- +16%
- Auto, 5-yr
The verdict
California runs its own health-insurance marketplace, so federal claim-denial data isn't reported here — but drivers pay an average $1223 a year for auto cover, near the $1191 national average, up 16% since 2019.
- $1223
- avg auto / yr
Denial rates are aggregate marketplace figures from CMS filings; auto figures are NAIC average expenditures. State regulation, risk pool and plan design all shape these numbers.
No issuer-level claim-denial data is reported for California in the current CMS dataset.
Auto insurance in California
Auto premiums in California are climbing
Average annual auto-insurance expenditure by year (NAIC)
- 2019
2019: $1052 average expenditure
$1,052 avg expenditure
- 2020
2020: $1047 average expenditure
$1,047 avg expenditure
- 2021
2021: $1047 average expenditure
$1,047 avg expenditure
- 2022
2022: $1087 average expenditure
$1,087 avg expenditure
- 2023
2023: $1223 average expenditure
$1,223 avg expenditure
What this shows California drivers' average auto cost rose 16% between 2019 and 2023.
What the data shows for California
California operates a state-based health-insurance marketplace, so its issuers are not in the federal CMS Transparency-in-Coverage file. For health-plan denial data, residents should consult the California Department of Insurance and the state exchange directly.
On the auto side, drivers in California pay an average $1223 a year — more than the $1191 national average — split across $660 liability, $607 collision and $150 comprehensive premiums. That figure has moved up 16% since 2019, tracking the national surge in repair and medical-claim costs.
Because rate regulation, licensing and guaranty-fund coverage are set state by state, an insurer's record in California can differ from its national average — which is why the state view matters for local consumers. Source: CMS Transparency in Coverage PUF PY2025, cms.gov. Source: NAIC 2023 Auto Insurance Database; state commissioner registry, NAIC member directory.
For California residents
Use the state view before you buy or appeal a denial here.
- Check a specific carrier's full national and per-state record. Browse insurers
- Compare California's auto costs against the rest of the country. Auto rankings
- Denied a claim in this state? Walk through the appeal process. Appeal a denial
Verify coverage availability and terms directly with any insurer or a licensed agent. Informational only — not insurance advice.
Data: CMS Transparency in Coverage PUF PY2025 (per-state claim denials) · NAIC 2023 Auto Insurance Database. State commissioner links from the NAIC member directory. Not affiliated with NAIC or CMS. Read our methodology.