In all states in the United States, drivers are required by law to pass certain requirements before they are legally entitled to drive. All states, aside from requiring drivers to pass a test of driving competence, also have certain liability requirements that must be met as well. California car insurance laws are somewhat different to those in many other states.

Most, if not all states require drivers to be responsible for their actions while on the road. This extends to their responsibility to be financially responsible for any accidents in which they are at fault. If you are licensed to drive in California, you are responsible for injury or death and also property damage. The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has determined that an at-fault driver must be able to prove that they can pay up to $15000 compensation for injury or death to a single individual and $5000 in property damage.

The proof of a driver’s ability to pay must come in the form of vehicle liability insurance, the deposit of $35,000 to the DMV or a $35,000 surety bond issued by a licensed insurance company in California. Without one of these, the owner or driver of a single vehicle cannot legally drive on California roads.

If you are the owner of a fleet of twenty-five or more vehicles, you must get certificates of self insurance from the drivers of your vehicles. In other words, even if you rent a car, you are responsible for your actions on the road.

Because responsibility for your actions is a legal responsibility, the penalties for neglecting these laws can be very severe. Most drivers understand and accept their responsibilities and take out the minimum insurance required by the law. They do this by purchasing vehicle liability insurance, since very few drivers have an extra $35,000 they can put on deposit with the DMV or in the form of a bond.

Most responsible drivers also understand the importance of having more than the basic automobile insurance that they need in order to comply with the law. If you cause an accident, you car will be damaged as well and everyone knows how expensive car repairs are these days. When you weigh the cost of repairing your car against the cost of yearly insurance premiums, it is simply not worth the risk of being under insured.

The best way to find affordable California car insurance is to look for comparative quotes online. Instead of just renewing your policy every year, find a good insurance website that can find comparative quotes from a number of insurance companies for you. That way you will be able to save money and perhaps even get more insurance for less than you are currently paying.

Need to do a CA agent look-up? Check out our super California car insurance cover guide now for loads more info.