California Auto Insurance Requirements (2026): The New 30/60/15 Minimum Explained
California's minimum liability requirement doubled and tripled overnight on January 1, 2025, the first change since 1967, and a lot of drivers are still carrying the wrong coverage without realizing it changed.
California auto insurance requirements
The new 30/60/15 minimum, what it actually protects, and how average rates compare
Quick answer
California requires liability coverage of at least 30/60/15: $30,000 for injury or death to one person, $60,000 total per accident, and $15,000 for property damage. This replaced the old 15/30/5 minimum that had been unchanged since 1967, under Senate Bill 1107, effective January 1, 2025. A further increase to 50/100/25 is already scheduled for January 1, 2035.1
State mandated minimums
The 30/60/15 minimum doubled the old bodily injury protection and tripled the old property damage limit. Before 2025, California ranked 46th in the country for minimum coverage adequacy, a limit that had not moved in nearly six decades while medical and repair costs climbed for all of that time.2
Insurance is not the only legal way to meet this requirement. California also accepts a $75,000 cash deposit with the DMV, a $75,000 surety bond from a licensed company, or a DMV-issued self-insurance certificate, though that last option is realistically limited to fleet operators with 25 or more vehicles.3 For drivers who cannot afford standard coverage, the California Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program offers state-minimum liability policies for an annual premium between $232 and $932, depending on income and location, through mylowcostauto.com.4
Liability coverage only pays for injuries and damage you cause to others. It does not pay for your own vehicle repairs or your own medical bills, which is what collision and comprehensive coverage are for, and neither is legally required in California unless a lender requires them as a condition of a car loan or lease.
Average rate landscape
Minimum-liability quotes in California generally start around $65 a month, though your actual rate depends heavily on driving record, ZIP code, and credit-based insurance score.5 Rates for state-minimum coverage specifically tend to cluster in the $50 to $80 a month range among the most competitively priced carriers, before any discounts.6
Treat any of these figures as a starting range rather than a personal quote. The gap between the cheapest and most expensive quote for the exact same 30/60/15 policy can be several hundred dollars a year depending on which insurer you ask, which is the single best argument for comparing more than one quote before you renew.
Carriers worth comparing for minimum coverage
GEICO consistently posts among the lowest average rates for minimum-coverage policies in California, with one industry analysis putting its average at $751 a year for state-minimum liability.7
Wawanesa is a member-owned insurer that sells only in California and a small number of other states, and it consistently prices as one of the cheapest minimum-liability options for drivers with a clean record, with quotes commonly ranging from $52 to $78 a month.6
Beyond price, check an insurer's NAIC Complaint Index and AM Best financial strength rating before committing, especially if you are choosing between two quotes that are close in price. A cheaper policy from a financially weaker insurer is a worse trade than it looks at first.
What happens if you get caught without insurance
Driving without insurance in California is an infraction that typically carries a fine in the range of $100 to $200 for a first offense, plus penalty assessments that commonly push the total well beyond the base fine. Your vehicle can also be impounded at the scene, and impound and towing fees are billed separately from the citation itself.
If you cause an accident while uninsured, the consequences escalate further. California can suspend your driver's license, and getting insured again after a lapse or an accident-related suspension often requires filing an SR-22, a certificate your insurer submits to the DMV confirming you carry at least the minimum required coverage. SR-22 filing periods in California commonly run around three years, and insurers frequently charge higher rates to drivers who need one, on top of the coverage itself.
Why uninsured motorist coverage matters more in California
California requires insurers to offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, commonly called UM and UIM, on every policy, and it is included by default unless you decline it in writing. Given that roughly 14 to 20 percent of California drivers carry no insurance at all, one of the higher uninsured rates in the country, declining this coverage to save a few dollars a month is a bet a meaningful share of drivers end up losing.8
UM/UIM breaks into three pieces: uninsured motorist bodily injury (UMBI) pays medical costs and lost wages when the at-fault driver has no insurance, underinsured motorist coverage (UIM) fills the gap when their insurance exists but is not enough, and uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD) covers your vehicle repairs, capped at $3,500 under the standard policy language published by the California Department of Insurance.9 Most agents recommend setting your UM/UIM limits to match your liability limits rather than accepting a lower default, since the whole point of the coverage is to fill in for a driver whose own insurance already fell short.
Hero and affinity discounts
California's Good Driver Discount remains available statewide, cutting premiums by roughly 20 percent for drivers with a clean record over the prior three years, and applies on top of whatever base rate an insurer quotes you.6
If you work as a teacher, nurse, firefighter, or police officer, additional profession-based discounts may stack on top of the Good Driver Discount depending on the insurer. See our Hero Auto Insurance Discounts by State guide for which companies offer these in California specifically, and ask directly whether the two discounts combine before assuming the savings add up.
Frequently asked questions
What happened to California's old 15/30/5 minimum?
It was replaced by 30/60/15 on January 1, 2025, under Senate Bill 1107, the first change to California's minimum liability requirement since 1967.
Is 30/60/15 liability coverage enough?
It satisfies the legal requirement, but a serious accident with injuries can easily exceed $60,000 in medical costs. Many drivers carry higher limits than the minimum for that reason, particularly if they own meaningful assets that could be at risk in a lawsuit.
Can I avoid buying insurance entirely in California?
Only by posting a $75,000 cash deposit or surety bond with the DMV, or holding a DMV self-insurance certificate, which in practice is limited to large commercial fleets.
What if I cannot afford standard insurance?
Check eligibility for the California Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program at mylowcostauto.com, which offers state-minimum liability coverage on an income-based sliding scale.
What actually happens if I get pulled over without insurance?
Expect a citation with a base fine typically in the $100 to $200 range plus penalty assessments, possible vehicle impoundment, and if you were at fault in an accident, a real risk of license suspension and an SR-22 filing requirement going forward.
Do I already have uninsured motorist coverage without asking for it?
Probably, unless you specifically declined it in writing. California insurers must offer UM/UIM by default, and most drivers keep it, but it is worth checking your declarations page to confirm your actual limits.
Buying a home in California too? See our guides on The California FAIR Plan and Hero Home Insurance Discounts by State. If you need to escalate a dispute with any insurer, our State Insurance Department Directory has the California Department of Insurance's direct contact information.
Sources and methodology
1. Nolo, California Car Insurance Requirements: Minimum Coverage, Penalties, and More, 2026; ValuePenguin, What Is the Minimum Insurance Requirement in California, 2026.
2. Sally Morin Law, New CA Car Insurance Liability Limits 2026 Guide, on California's pre-reform national ranking.
3. California Department of Motor Vehicles, Auto Insurance Requirements, dmv.ca.gov.
4. Insurify, Car Insurance Requirements in California, 2026, on the California Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program.
5. Insurify, Car Insurance Requirements in California, 2026, on starting liability quotes.
6. QuoteMoto, Minimum Liability Car Insurance California: 2026 Required Coverage, on Wawanesa pricing and the Good Driver Discount.
7. Insurance.com, California Car Insurance Laws and Requirements, 2026, on GEICO's average minimum-coverage rate.
8. Insurify, Uninsured Motorist Coverage in California, 2026, citing Insurance Research Council data.
9. California Department of Insurance, Automobile Insurance consumer guidance, insurance.ca.gov, on UMBI, UIM, and the UMPD coverage cap.
Coverage requirements and rate figures reflect published information as of August 2026 and are subject to change. Confirm current requirements with the California DMV and current rates with individual insurers before purchasing a policy. This is not insurance advice.
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