One concern about being seriously injured in a car crash is whether the at-fault driver has enough insurance. Does the negligent driver have policy limits to fully compensate out-of-pocket expenses and the pain and suffering you’ve endured? It’s not unusual for the at-fault driver to not have enough insurance.
When this happens, injured people aren’t able to recover the full and fair amount of compensation. Thus, the question becomes, What is the minimum car insurance requirement in California?
But you don’t have to go through this alone. You can easily get answers to your questions. The best decision to make is to call a law firm that focuses its practice on helping seriously injured Californians.
The car and truck accident lawyers at Wells Call Injury Lawyers are only a quick phone call away. You can easily get the help you need, and it won’t cost you anything—the initial consultation is free.
Why It’s Important to Know the At-Fault Driver’s Policy Limits
If you’ve been injured in a crash that was caused by a careless driver, they are responsible for your injuries. If found liable for the accident and your injuries, they have to pay you whatever is agreed upon in a settlement or whatever a jury awards you.
Most of the time, the at-fault driver’s California car insurance company covers all of the damages. But the insurance company will cover only up to the amount of the liability policy limits.
This means that the injured person has to get money from the driver personally if the damages exceed policy limits. But most people don’t have thousands of dollars laying around.
That’s why people who cause an accident are often called “judgment proof.” This is why knowing the minimum liability insurance in California is very important—because, realistically speaking, if you’re going to get compensation, it will come from the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
What Are the Minimum Insurance Requirements in California?
Most states have a minimum amount of insurance everyone has to have on their vehicles, and California is no different. In California, the minimum liability insurance that vehicle owners must have on their cars and trucks is:
- For bodily injury you need to have coverage of $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident minimum liability;
- $5,000 for property damage liability; and
The first coverage for bodily injury is when you are at fault and have caused an accident where someone is injured. You must have a policy limit of at least $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident. Similarly, you must carry $5,000 in property damage coverage to pay for someone’s damaged vehicle when you were the at-fault driver.
Last, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage protects you in the situation where someone else caused the crash but they did not have insurance or do not have enough insurance. So, instead of going after the policy limit of the at-fault driver, you would seek damages against your own uninsured coverage.
Your insurance company must offer you this coverage; if you choose not to buy it, you must sign a form (known as a waiver) that says you were offered uninsured coverage and turned it down.
Did you know that over 15% of all drivers in California do not even have car insurance? Many more only have the State minimum of $15,000 for bodily injury.
The best way to protect yourself from these drivers without adequate insurance is to protect yourself with a large uninsured motorist policy. That way if an uninsured or underinsured driver harms you, your own insurance will be able to step in and compensate you for all your harm.
Seeking Justice after a Car Accident? Our California Car Accident Lawyers Are Here to Help
Wells Call Injury Lawyers focus their practice on helping people who have been seriously injured in car and truck accidents in California, as well as other types of personal injuries.
We know what it takes to successfully fight for full and fair compensation for our clients. So far, we have won over $500 million for our clients. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation with one of our California car accident lawyers.