The Question of Car Insurance Coverage in California

How much car insurance should I buy if I am living in California and what type of car insurance do I need? In California, the minimum coverage that an individual needs to have is bodily injury and property damage liability auto insurance in the amounts of $15,000 and $30,000 (for bodily injury) and $10,000, respectively.

  • Bodily Injury Auto Insurance – The first two figures for bodily injury will cover payment in the event of injury or death of another party if the car accident was your fault or someone files a lawsuit against you. This type of auto insurance will cover your legal defense, medical bills, and compensation for pain and suffering if the other party is unable to attend work because of the accident. The purpose of bodily injury car insurance is to protect you against lawsuits and covers these expenses without damaging or affecting your personal assets. Each car insurance company in California has different rules and regulations on bodily injury coverage and you should not skip over the fine print when choosing your car insurance plan.


  • Property Damage Liability Auto Insurance – the second figure of $10,000 refers to the amount of coverage you have against the damage of another party’s personal property, including but not limited to their vehicle. While the minimum property damage liability car insurance coverage in California is $10,000, this amount may also need to cover legal defense, damage to property including public property, buildings, and automobiles that could possibly be involved in an accident. This type of auto insurance does not cover any damage done to your car or any other property that belongs to you.

For more information on additional auto insurance coverage please visit the article Other Types of California Car Insurance Coverage