California minimum car insurance: what 30/60/15 actually means
California requires at least 30/60/15 in liability coverage: $30,000 for bodily injury to one person, $60,000 for total bodily injury per accident, and $15,000 for property damage. These limits took effect January 1, 2025 under Senate Bill 1107, replacing the previous 15/30/5 minimums.
- The current minimum is 30/60/15, effective January 1, 2025.
- The old minimum was 15/30/5 - roughly double the coverage is now required.
- Liability covers other people's injuries and property, never your own car.
- Limits rise again in 2035 to 50/100/25.
What each number means
| Limit | Amount | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury per person | $30,000 | The most paid for any one person's injuries in an accident you cause |
| Bodily injury per accident | $60,000 | The total paid for all injuries in that accident, across everyone hurt |
| Property damage | $15,000 | Damage you cause to another person's vehicle or property |
All three cover other people. None of them cover your own vehicle or your own injuries - that requires collision, comprehensive, or medical payments coverage.
What changed in 2025
California's minimums sat at 15/30/5 for decades. Senate Bill 1107, signed in 2022, raised them to 30/60/15 effective January 1, 2025 - the first significant increase in a very long time.
One practical note: policies that renewed before January 1, 2025 may have carried the old limits until their next renewal. If you have not looked at your declarations page since then, it is worth checking that you are actually at the current minimum.
The limits are scheduled to rise again on January 1, 2035, to 50/100/25.
Is the minimum enough?
Honest answer: it is the legal floor, not a recommendation. $15,000 in property damage is a real constraint when the average price of a new vehicle is well above that. If you cause an accident and the damages exceed your limits, you are personally responsible for the difference - and the other party can pursue you for it.
That said, the right answer depends on your situation. If you are choosing between minimum coverage and no coverage, minimum coverage is the correct choice every time. Being uninsured exposes you to far more than a low limit does.
What the minimum leaves out
- Your own vehicle. Collision and comprehensive are separate, and a lender will typically require them if you finance.
- Your own injuries. Medical payments coverage is separate.
- Uninsured motorists. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is offered in California and must be declined in writing - worth thinking about given how many uninsured drivers are on the road.
- A rental while your car is repaired. Rental reimbursement is separate.
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