In California, drivers must maintain auto insurance coverage. After a car accident, insurance companies play a large role in how injured individuals obtain compensation. However, not everyone recognizes the laws concerning auto insurance in California, including minimum coverages and liability after a collision.
Here are some of the things you should know about California auto insurance:
- California has minimum coverage limits.
- California follows at-fault laws.
- California gives you time limits to report an accident.
- California has pure comparative negligence rules.
If you need legal protection following an accident, call us at (805) 628-4967 today.
California Has Minimum Coverage Limits
In California, there are specific limits that all drivers should carry. The minimum coverage pertains to an injury, property damage, and uninsured motorist. All drivers must carry this coverage in case an accident occurs and puts the injured party at risk of financial hardship. Here are how the minimum coverages look:
- All drivers should carry liability coverage that would provide an injured party compensation when they are at fault in an accident. The coverage limits include:
- $15,000 per person to cover bodily injury
- $30,000 minimum per accident for bodily injury
- $5,000 for property damage
- All drivers should also carry uninsured motorist coverage. This comes into play when the other driver hits and runs or doesn’t have insurance. It would allow someone to file a claim with their own insurance for damages they sustain. The limits include:
- $15,000 per person for bodily injury
- $30,000 per accident minimum for bodily injury
- $3,500 for property damage
Your insurance requirements can vary, so make sure you do your due diligence.
California Follows At-Fault Laws
In California, you can file a claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance provider. This is why it’s so crucial to collect evidence after an accident. The other driver’s insurance company might not put your best interests first, so they often deny or minimize claims that threaten their profits.
If an insurance company wrongfully denies your claim, discuss your options with a lawyer who can help you.
California Gives You Time Limits to Report an Accident
If the accident involved serious or fatal injuries, it must be reported to law enforcement or California Highway Patrol within 24 hours of the accident occurring. Similarly, in more severe accidents with injury, death, or extensive property damage, you must report your accident to the DMV within 10 days of the accident occurring.
Be wary when reporting an accident to your insurance provider. It helps to have a lawyer on your side who can guide you through the process and focus on handling insurance companies who might try to deny your claim.
California Has Pure Comparative Negligence Rules
California law permits people to recover compensation even if they were a significant percentage at fault for an accident. So, if someone is 70% at fault for the accident, they can still recover 30% of the compensation owed to them.
It’s crucial to have a legal professional on your side who can help you understand comparative negligence and the most effective ways to pursue the compensation you may recover.
California insurance can be complicated if you’re not sure what to expect. The most effective way to safeguard your rights? Hire legal counsel to stand in your corner.
At Crane Flores, LLP, we work to help you through the entire process. Our car accident attorneys serve clients throughout Oxnard and all of Ventura County and Santa Barbara County. We know that when you suffer an injury, you deserve to have someone on your side to pursue compensation. We want to be your trusted advocates, going above and beyond to be there for you.
Call our firm today at (805) 628-4967 and learn more about how we might be able to help you.