As Insurify’s home and pet insurance editor, Danny also specializes in auto insurance. His goal is to help consumers navigate the complex world of insurance buying.
5+ years in insurance and personal finance content
Ashley is a seasoned personal finance editor who’s produced a variety of digital content, including insurance, credit cards, mortgages, and consumer lending products.
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Liability coverage is the most basic form of car insurance. It covers other people’s bodily injury and property damage expenses if you cause an accident. California — like most states — requires all drivers to carry liability insurance at certain minimum limits before they can hit the road.
Keep reading to learn exactly how much coverage you need in the Golden State.
Quick Facts
You must meet the 30/60/15 minimum liability-coverage requirement to drive legally in California.
California uses comparative negligence, meaning both drivers can share the fault of an accident.
California offers a low-cost auto insurance program to certain low-income drivers.
Cheapest liability car insurance in California
The average cost of car insurance in California is $184 per month, according to Insurify data. Drivers pay $113 per month for liability coverage and $255 for full coverage, on average.
But your exact premiums will likely differ, as each insurer determines rates differently based on a number of factors, including your driving record, age, location, gender, and even credit history.
Take a look at the table below to get an idea of the cost of liability-only insurance from some of California’s top car insurance companies.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Saturday, February 1 at 11:00 AM PST.
Insurance Company
▲▼
Average Monthly Quote: Liability Only
▲▼
Mile Auto
$60
Root
$95
Sun Coast
$103
USAA
$107
Anchor
$108
Mercury
$111
Dairyland
$112
Direct Auto
$116
National General
$126
GEICO
$142
Allstate
$147
Farmers
$151
State Farm
$164
Travelers
$172
Bristol West
$174
21st Century
$188
Nationwide
$231
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
What does liability car insurance cover in California?
Liability insurance covers bodily injuries and property damage to other drivers and their passengers after an accident you cause. The bodily injury portion of liability insurance pays for injuries or deaths of the other driver and their passengers, up to your chosen limits.
The property damage portion pays up to your chosen limit for damage to the other driver’s car or someone else’s damaged property, such as a fence or mailbox.
But liability car insurance doesn’t cover any injuries or damage to you, your passengers, or your vehicle. To get protection for these damages, you’ll need to buy medical payments, collision, and comprehensive coverages. The combination of liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage is also called full-coverage car insurance.
For example, if you cause an accident and have only the state’s minimum liability coverage, none of your or your passengers’ injuries would be covered, nor would any damages to your car. But if you’re carrying full coverage and have medical payments coverage, it would cover all these expenses up to your chosen limits.
Pros and cons of having liability-only car insurance
Pros
More affordable than full coverage
Good choice for older, less valuable vehicles
Covers other driver’s expenses
Cons
Less protection than full coverage
Must pay out of pocket for vehicle damages
Your medical expenses aren’t covered
How much liability coverage does California require?
As of Jan. 1, 2025, California has newly increased minimum car insurance requirements.[1] But the types of coverage remain the same. You’ll need to carry the following coverages in at least the stated amounts before getting behind the wheel:
Bodily injury (BI) liability
This covers injuries and death for the other driver and their passengers. It doesn’t cover injuries or death to you or your own passengers. You’ll need medical payments coverage for that. California requires at least $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident of BI coverage.
Property damage (PD) liability
This covers damages caused to another driver’s car or someone else’s property, like a fence or mailbox. But it won’t cover any damages to your own vehicle or property. (That comes from collision and comprehensive coverage.) California requires all drivers to have at least $15,000 per accident in PD coverage.
How to find cheap liability car insurance in California
While the cost of car insurance can seem daunting, you can still find cheap liability car insurance in California in numerous ways. Consider the following tips when trying to keep your rates down:
Keep your driving record clean. Aclean driving recordis the best way to keep your rates low. If insurers have no reason to consider you a risky driver, then your premiums should remain relatively affordable.
Apply for discounts. Car insurance discountsare your best friend when it comes to getting cheap car insurance. Just about every insurance company offers multiple discounts, so apply for as many as you qualify for. For example, bundling your home and auto insurancewith the same company can save you quite a bit.
Raise your deductible. Increasing your car insurance deductible will automatically lower your monthly premium, as the two are inversely related. But you should only raise your deductible to an amount that you can afford to pay out of pocket in the event of a claim.
Compare car insurance quotes. Always compare car insurance rates from multiple insurance companies before settling on a policy. Every insurer determines rates differently, so you could find a cheaper rate for the same policy if you take the time to compare. You should compare quotes at least every six months. Insurance comparison sites are generally a good place to start.
Take advantage of California’s Low Cost Auto (CLCA) insurance program. California offers reduced rates for low-income drivers who meet certain vehicle and income requirements.[2]
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Additional car insurance coverages to consider in California
While liability insurance is enough to satisfy California’s legal requirements, most insurance professionals recommend buying additional coverage. And if you lease or finance your car, your lender will likely require you to have full coverage anyway.
These are some additional coverages to consider in California:
Collision coverage
Collision insurance pays for the cost of repairs or replacement after a collision with another car or object.
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive insurance pays for any damage from non-collision events, such as theft, hail, or vandalism.
Gap insurance pays the difference between your car’s remaining balance and its actual cash value if you total it.
Liability car insurance in California FAQs
If you’re still not sure what kind of policy is right for you, check out this additional information about liability car insurance in California.
How much does liability insurance cost in California?
Liability insurance costs an average of $113 per month in California, according to Insurify data. Mile Auto offers the cheapest rates, starting at $60 per month.
Do you need liability insurance in California?
Yes, you need liability insurance in California. Drivers must carry at least $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident in bodily injury liability coverage, along with $15,000 per accident for property damage liability insurance.
Is California a no-fault state?
No. California is an at-fault state for car insurance.[3] The state uses “comparative negligence,” meaning the fault can be shared by both drivers in an accident. Typically, the driver deemed more at fault will bear a higher percentage of the costs.
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 50+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
No additional coverage
Full-coverage premium averages correspond to the same bodily injury and property damage limits in addition to:
Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
Danny is a Brooklyn-based writer with a producer’s license for property and casualty insurance. A former editor at Insurify, he specializes in auto, home, and pet insurance. He works to translate his insurance expertise into digestible, easy-to-understand content for drivers, homeowners, and pet owners alike.
Danny has been a contributor at Insurify since March 2022.
5+ years in insurance and personal finance content
Ashley is a seasoned personal finance editor who’s produced a variety of digital content, including insurance, credit cards, mortgages, and consumer lending products.
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