Higher minimum limits, a ban on credit-based pricing, and a required good driver discount set California apart. Here’s what that means for your policy.
Quick answer: California requires every driver to carry at least 30/60/15 liability coverage: $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident for injuries, plus $15,000 for property damage. Those minimums took effect January 1, 2025, and rise again in 2035. Under Proposition 103, your driving record, annual mileage, and years of experience weigh most in your price, and qualifying good drivers get at least 20% off.
Proposition 103 makes your driving safety record, annual mileage, and years of driving experience the top three factors in your price. Insurers can’t use credit history, and gender hasn’t been a rating factor since 2019.
If you’ve been licensed at least three years with no more than one violation point and no at-fault injury accident, insurers must charge you at least 20% less than a comparable driver who doesn’t qualify.
Insurers need Department of Insurance approval before changing auto rates. Many have received increases since 2023, so comparing insurers at renewal matters more than it used to.
| Situation | Covered by a standard policy? | How it's typically addressed |
|---|---|---|
| Rideshare or delivery driving | Usually excluded while the app is on | Rideshare endorsement or a policy built for app drivers |
| Driving into Mexico | No, apart from limited exceptions | A Mexican auto policy, bought before you cross |
| Owing more than the car is worth | No | Gap coverage or loan/lease payoff coverage |
| Injuries caused by an underinsured driver | Only with UM/UIM coverage | Uninsured motorist coverage, which you must decline in writing to drop |
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30/60/15 liability: $30,000 for injury to one person, $60,000 per accident for injuries, and $15,000 for property damage. Those limits replaced the old 15/30/5 minimums on January 1, 2025, and are scheduled to rise to 50/100/25 in 2035. Minimum limits can run out quickly in a serious crash, so many drivers carry more.
Yes. We work with insurers that write drivers with tickets, at-fault accidents, a DUI, or a lapse in coverage. Prices run higher and the good driver discount drops off for a time, but they vary widely by insurer. If the DMV requires an SR-22, the insurer files it for you, usually for three years, and drivers turned down everywhere else can apply through the California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan.
Generally, you need at least three years of driving experience, no more than one violation point, and no at-fault accident causing injury or death in that time. Qualifying drivers pay at least 20% less than comparable drivers who don’t qualify.
Yes, for drivers who qualify. The California Low Cost Auto Insurance Program offers liability coverage to drivers with household income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level and a vehicle worth $25,000 or less. It doesn’t include collision or comprehensive.
Repair costs, medical costs, and claim sizes have risen, and many insurers received state approval for rate increases since 2023. A new ticket, vehicle, or driver in the household can also change your price. Comparing insurers at renewal shows whether another company prices you differently.
One of our licensed agents compares auto options using your drivers, vehicles, and driving history.
