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California · Rules

California insurance and crash rules

What you do in the first minutes after a crash is set by law: stop, help, swap information, report. Knowing the steps ahead of time keeps a bad day from getting worse.

Checked Oct 11, 2026 · official sources linked

14 rules · 13 written-test points

Key points, in our words

All the rules, in our words

Tags show the kind of rule and whether it’s a written-test point or matters on the drive test (our tagging). Each rule links to its official source.

  1. Carry proof of insurance (financial responsibility) whenever you drive and at your drive test, and show it to the other drivers after a collision.

    Law Written test California Driver Handbook: Insurance Requirements and Collisions

  2. Minimum liability insurance: $30,000 for one person’s injury or death, $60,000 for injury or death of more than one person, and $15,000 for property damage.

    New York differs: Minimum liability insurance: $25,000 for injuring one person and $50,000 for two or more, $50,000 for one death and $100,000 for two or more, and $10,000 for property damage. New York rule

    Law Written test California Driver Handbook: Insurance Requirements and Collisions

  3. Parents or guardians take financial responsibility for drivers under 18 and pay for their crash damages; at 18 you become responsible yourself.

    Law California Driver Handbook: Insurance Requirements and Collisions

  4. Crash without proper insurance and your driving privilege is suspended for up to four years, whoever was at fault; it can be restored in the final three by keeping an SR 22/SR 1P on file.

    New York differs: Driving an uninsured vehicle, letting someone else drive yours, or being in a crash without insurance revokes your license for at least one year, and getting it back costs a $750 civil penalty. New York rule

    Law Written test California Driver Handbook: Insurance Requirements and Collisions

  5. If you’re involved in a collision you must stop. Leaving the scene is hit-and-run, which carries severe penalties.

    Law Written test California Driver Handbook: Insurance Requirements and Collisions

  6. If anyone is hurt, call 911 immediately; if no one is, first move your car out of traffic, then call.

    Safety advice Written test California Driver Handbook: Insurance Requirements and Collisions

  7. After a crash, give the other driver, any officer, and anyone else involved your license, registration card, insurance details, and current address.

    Law Written test California Driver Handbook: Insurance Requirements and Collisions

  8. If anyone is injured or killed, report the collision to police within 24 hours; your insurance agent, broker, or lawyer may file it for you.

    Law Written test California Driver Handbook: Insurance Requirements and Collisions

  9. If you hit a parked car or other property and can’t locate the owner, securely attach a note giving your name, phone, and address, then notify police.

    Law Written test California Driver Handbook: Insurance Requirements and Collisions

  10. Report a collision to DMV on form SR 1 within 10 days if property damage tops $1,000 or anyone is injured, however slightly, or killed.

    Law Written test California Driver Handbook: Insurance Requirements and Collisions

  11. Every driver involved must file the SR 1, regardless of fault and even on private property; police won’t do it for you, and skipping it means suspension.

    Law Written test California Driver Handbook: Insurance Requirements and Collisions

  12. The most common crash causes, in the handbook’s list: driver distraction, unsafe speed, improper turns, ignoring right-of-way rules or stop signals and signs, wrong-side driving, and moving faster or slower than surrounding traffic.

    Safety advice Written test California Driver Handbook: Insurance Requirements and Collisions

  13. Emergency flashers ahead may mean a crash or other emergency: slow down and pass with care. Stay away from crash scenes when you can, so help reaches anyone injured sooner.

    Safety advice Written test California Driver Handbook: Insurance Requirements and Collisions

  14. Hit and hurt or kill an animal? Contact the closest humane society or the police, and leave an injured animal where it is.

    Safety advice Written test California Driver Handbook: Insurance Requirements and Collisions

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Sample questions

3 of our 26 practice questions for this chapter, with explanations. The rest are in the app.

Sample question 1/3

You’re buying car insurance. What minimum liability coverage does California require (death or injury of one person / more than one person / property damage)?

  1. $15,000 / $30,000 / $5,000
  2. $30,000 / $60,000 / $15,000
  3. $25,000 / $50,000 / $25,000
  4. $50,000 / $100,000 / $50,000
Show answer

Answer: B. $30,000 / $60,000 / $15,000

California’s minimums are $30,000 for injury or death of one person and $60,000 for injury or death of more than one person. The minimum for property damage is $15,000. The minimums exist so there’s money to pay for the harm a collision causes.

California Driver Handbook: Insurance Requirements and Collisions

Sample question 2/3 Common mistake

After a collision, in which situation should you move your car out of traffic before calling 911?

  1. No one is hurt and both cars can still be driven
  2. Someone in the other car says their neck hurts
  3. Always, whether or not anyone is hurt
  4. Never; the cars must stay put until police arrive
Show answer

Answer: A. No one is hurt and both cars can still be driven

If no one is hurt, first move your car out of traffic, then call 911. That way the lanes stay open and no one runs into the stopped cars. If anyone is hurt, call 911 right away.

California Driver Handbook: Insurance Requirements and Collisions

Sample question 3/3

In a shopping-center parking lot, another driver backs into your car and causes about $1,800 in damage. No one is hurt, and a police officer comes to the scene. Do you need to file an SR 1 report with DMV?

  1. No, because collisions on private property don’t need a report
  2. No, because the other driver caused it
  3. No, because the officer’s report covers it
  4. Yes, within 10 days, because the damage is over $1,000
Show answer

Answer: D. Yes, within 10 days, because the damage is over $1,000

Every driver involved must file an SR 1 with DMV within 10 days when property damage tops $1,000 or anyone is hurt or killed. Fault and private property don’t matter, and the police won’t file it for you.

California Driver Handbook: Insurance Requirements and Collisions

23 more practice questions for this chapterKeep practicing in Roadfeel

Sources

Restated in our own words from the California Driver Handbook (DL 600, rev. 6/2025) and dmv.ca.gov. The handbook is licensed CC BY-NC 4.0, which bars commercial reuse, so we don’t reproduce it; we quote short phrases and link to it.

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