If you drive in California and your auto policy still shows 15/30/5 on the dec page, your coverage is about to be illegal. The state minimums double on May 1. Most carriers will update at renewal. Some will not.
Open your insurer’s app this week and check.
What changed and when
California’s minimum auto liability limits were set at 15/30/5 for decades. $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident, and $5,000 for property damage. Those numbers were set in 1967 and never adjusted for inflation or the dramatically higher cost of modern vehicles and medical care.
Assembly Bill 2880 raised those minimums to 30/60/15 effective May 1, 2026:
- $30,000 per injured person (up from $15,000)
- $60,000 total per accident (up from $30,000)
- $15,000 property damage (up from $5,000)
The property damage jump is the most consequential change. A $5,000 limit will not cover replacing even a moderately damaged fender on many current vehicles. At $15,000, the limit at least covers minor collisions. Serious accidents involving newer vehicles can still blow past it fast.
What drivers need to do this week
The action depends on where your policy stands today.
Step 1: Check your current declaration page. Log into your carrier’s app or pull your paper dec page. Look at the liability section. If you see 15/30/5, you are below the new requirements.
Step 2: Contact your insurer. Call or chat with your carrier and ask two questions: (1) When does my policy renew? (2) Will you automatically update my liability limits to 30/60/15 at renewal, or do I need to request the change?
Step 3: Request the update if needed. Most insurers will not charge a policy processing fee to increase limits mid-term. The cost difference is in the premium, not a separate fee.
Step 4: Consider going above the minimum anyway. The new 30/60/15 is still the legal floor, not real protection. A serious accident with injuries to multiple people can generate medical and liability claims well above $60,000. Higher liability limits like 100/300/100, or an umbrella policy, give meaningful protection for most drivers.
What the rate impact actually looks like
Adding the higher minimums is not as expensive as most drivers fear. California is a heavily regulated insurance market, and the Department of Insurance has been watching carrier rate filings closely.
For a driver with a clean record, the typical premium bump from upgrading 15/30/5 to 30/60/15 runs $80 to $180 a year, depending on the carrier, ZIP code, vehicle, and driver profile. Younger drivers and those in urban markets tend toward the high end.
Compared to the exposure of being underinsured in a serious accident, that cost is trivial. Real money on the other side.
Is it worth adding uninsured motorist coverage now?
California has one of the highest rates of uninsured drivers in the country. Estimates range from 16% to 20% of drivers on the road. Uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage pays out when you are hit by someone with no insurance or whose coverage is not enough to cover your injuries.
The new minimums do not fix the uninsured driver problem. A driver carrying 30/60/15 can still hit you, be legally compliant, and leave you with significant uncompensated losses if your injuries exceed $30,000.
UM/UIM coverage typically costs $60 to $130 a year for 100/300 limits. For most California drivers, it is one of the best values in the policy. If you do not have it or only carry the minimum amount, add it this week while you are already in the policy.
Carriers that have been slow to update
Not every carrier is handling the transition cleanly. Smaller regional carriers and some online-only insurers have been slower to update their systems to reflect the new minimums. If you are with a smaller carrier and cannot get a clear answer about your updated coverage, request a written confirmation of your current liability limits.
If your insurer cannot confirm compliance by May 1, shop your policy. Switching carriers at renewal is straightforward and you can often get comparable coverage at a similar or lower price after comparing quotes.
The broader picture
The 30/60/15 update is overdue. Modern medical and vehicle costs have made the 1967 minimums dangerously thin, and California is now closer to most other large states. The new minimums are still a floor, not a goal. Drivers with any significant assets to protect should be carrying at least 100/300/100 in liability coverage. Not optional if you own a house.