Compare California car insurance using the same liability limits for every option: the current statutory floor, or any higher limits you choose. ShowMyRates helps you compare; it does not issue or bind insurance. The law card below explains California’s financial-responsibility floor and related programs. It is not a quote, a recommended limit package, or a bindable premium.
California is an at-fault state with no PIP requirement. Liability limits are the core legal mandate for most private passenger policies. Those limits reset on January 1, 2025 under SB 1107, so any quote gathered under the old 15/30/5 floor is obsolete for equal-terms shopping today.
The figures below explain the policy structure used in California. They do not predict an individual premium. For a broader view of how state rules differ, use our national car insurance directory.
California minimum car insurance requirements
Most quotes begin with liability coverage. Bodily injury liability addresses covered injury claims made by other people when you cause a crash. Property damage liability addresses covered damage to their vehicles or other property. The legal minimum keeps a policy compliant, but it does not say how much financial risk a household can comfortably retain.
- Coverage
- Bodily injury liability, one person
- Required amount or rule
- $30,000
- What it generally addresses
- Covered injuries to one other person
- Coverage
- Bodily injury liability, one accident
- Required amount or rule
- $60,000
- What it generally addresses
- Total covered injuries in one accident
- Coverage
- Property damage liability
- Required amount or rule
- $15,000
- What it generally addresses
- Covered damage you cause to other property
- Coverage
- PIP or medical coverage
- Required amount or rule
- Not required, California is at-fault with no statutory PIP mandate on private passenger policies.
- What it generally addresses
- Medical coverage rules vary by policy
- Coverage
- Additional state rule
- Required amount or rule
- SB 1107 floor 30/60/15 (eff. 2025); next statutory step 50/100/25 on 2035-01-01. Hold UM/UIM selections constant across quotes; confirm on each proposal.
- What it generally addresses
- Review the selection or rejection shown on the quote
- Coverage
- Accident framework
- Required amount or rule
- At-fault
- What it generally addresses
- The responsible driver's liability coverage is central
- Coverage
- SR-22 filing
- Required amount or rule
- Used in this state
- What it generally addresses
- Applies only when ordered after qualifying events
| Coverage | Required amount or rule | What it generally addresses |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability, one person | $30,000 | Covered injuries to one other person |
| Bodily injury liability, one accident | $60,000 | Total covered injuries in one accident |
| Property damage liability | $15,000 | Covered damage you cause to other property |
| PIP or medical coverage | Not required, California is at-fault with no statutory PIP mandate on private passenger policies. | Medical coverage rules vary by policy |
| Additional state rule | SB 1107 floor 30/60/15 (eff. 2025); next statutory step 50/100/25 on 2035-01-01. Hold UM/UIM selections constant across quotes; confirm on each proposal. | Review the selection or rejection shown on the quote |
| Accident framework | At-fault | The responsible driver's liability coverage is central |
| SR-22 filing | Used in this state | Applies only when ordered after qualifying events |
What the state minimum covers, and what it leaves with you
A minimum policy is designed to satisfy state law. It is not designed around the value of your car, the size of a possible injury claim or the amount of savings you want to protect. Those are household decisions, so they need a separate review.
A financed or leased vehicle commonly needs collision and comprehensive coverage under the contract even when state law does not require them. For plain-language definitions and buying context, visit our insurance guides before selecting limits.
Rules and risks that matter in California
State law is only the starting point. These California-specific details show what to confirm before you compare coverage or buy a policy.
SB 1107 reset the floor to 30/60/15 on January 1, 2025
$30,000 BI per person, $60,000 BI per accident, $15,000 property damage, replacing the decades-old 15/30/5 package. CDI Bulletin 2023-1 implements the private-passenger FR increase and cites Vehicle Code §16056 / Ins. Code §11580.1(b).
A second statutory step lands on January 1, 2035
SB 1107 increases the minimums by $20,000 / $40,000 / $10,000 (commonly summarized as 50/100/25). Label today’s floor with its effective date when you compare.
No PIP mandate
Unlike Texas’s default-PIP-until-written-rejection rule, California does not put PIP on every auto policy by statute. Optional MedPay or similar first-party coverages, if shown, are selections to hold constant, not a statutory PIP default.
California Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program (CLCA)
State-created liability pathway for income-eligible drivers under Cal. Ins. Code §11629.7. Official sources: CDI CLCA and mylowcostauto.com (also linked from DMV). Eligibility is set by the program, not by ShowMyRates.
SR-22 / Proof of Insurance Certificate when DMV requires it
Insurers file continuous proof meeting current FR amounts; your DMV/court notice controls whether you need it and for how long. No SR-22 premium is published here.
Equal-terms checklist for California
Confirm every quote uses 30/60/15 or the same higher BI/PD design, never mix pre-2025 15/30/5 leftovers. Do not expect a default PIP line. Match UM/UIM selections explicitly. If a notice requires SR-22 proof, compare only carriers that will file continuous proof for the period on your notice. If standard premiums are out of reach, check CLCA on the official site before abandoning coverage.
- Named insured, drivers, VIN, garaging ZIP, rating and eligibility
- Liability at 30/60/15 or one higher equal design, post-SB 1107 floor; no pre-2025 leftovers
- UM/UIM selection, separate from PIP (none required)
- Collision / comprehensive deductibles (if any), not supplied by the liability floor
- SR-22 / proof filing need (yes/no + notice dates), continuity can change which markets respond
- Term length and payment method, full-term cost, not only the first draft
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Start a California quote requestWhat affects car insurance rates in California?
Average annual expenditure for auto insurance in California was $1,087 in 2022. This is a historical statewide expenditure benchmark from NAIC 2022 Auto Insurance Database Average Premium Supplement (June 2024). It combines many types of drivers and policies, so it should be used for market context rather than as a current quote estimate.
Insurers apply their filed rating plans to the household in front of them. Two neighbors can see different prices, and the same household can receive a wide range from different companies because each insurer weighs the inputs differently.
Garaging location
Claim frequency, traffic, repair costs, theft and weather exposure vary across California ZIP codes.
Drivers and record
Age, driving experience, citations, accidents, claims and continuous insurance history can affect price and eligibility.
Vehicle and use
Repair technology, vehicle value, annual mileage, commute and business use change the potential cost of a claim.
Coverage choices
Liability limits, collision, comprehensive, optional benefits and deductibles determine what the policy is being asked to pay.
Household details
Other licensed drivers, additional vehicles and bundling opportunities can change the account-level price.
Company fit
Insurers target different customer profiles. No one company is consistently cheapest for every driver in every territory.
Before you switch
Read the declarations, not only the price.
The declarations page shows drivers, vehicles, limits, deductibles and selected benefits. Match those fields before deciding that one quote is better.
Learn how a quote becomes a policy →How to compare California car insurance quotes
Keep the drivers, vehicles, limits, deductibles, dates and payment method the same. Then compare the full-term cost and change only one choice at a time.
Compare insurance companies on price, coverage and service
A familiar name is not automatically the best fit. Compare how each insurer sells and services policies, which optional programs it offers and whether it writes your profile in California. Availability and underwriting can vary by state.
See how Progressive sells and services policies →
See how GEICO sells and services policies →
See how State Farm sells and services policies →
See how Allstate sells and services policies →Company marks link to independent editorial reviews. They do not identify quote partners or a personalized match.
Browse all company reviews →Compare car insurance by California city
State law applies across California, but the garaging address can add a more local rating layer. Use a city guide to review ZIP related factors, vehicle details and the quote worksheet, then return here for the state requirement source.
Check the facts
Rules and market data used on this California page
The minimum-coverage table is paired with a first-party state reference, and the legal authority named in the guide is SB 1107; CDI Bulletin 2023-1; Cal. Veh. Code §16056 / Ins. Code §11580.1b; DMV insurance requirements; CDI Low Cost Auto (accessed 2026-08-12). Historical premium context is labeled by year and linked to the underlying publication. These sources do not replace a policy contract or individualized legal advice; rules and forms can change, so confirm current requirements with the regulator, insurer or a licensed professional.
State requirement source
California Legislature — Insurance Code §11580.1 ↗Current California code provision defining required motor vehicle liability policy limits.
Historical market data
NAIC — 2022 Auto Insurance Database Average Premium Supplement ↗Historical statewide average-expenditure data published by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in June 2024.
Regulator directory
NAIC — State insurance department directory ↗Directory of state insurance regulators for current consumer guidance, licensing checks and complaints.
Checked by Show my rates · Last updated August 12, 2026
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