John Roach, Esq. | April 17, 2026 | California Law \ Car Accidents
California’s New Minimum Car Insurance Requirements in 2025 — What SF Drivers Need to Know
For the first time since 1967 — nearly 60 years — California has updated its minimum car insurance requirements. Under Senate Bill 1107, known as the Protect California Drivers Act, the new minimums took effect January 1, 2025. If you drive in California or were injured in a car accident by an underinsured driver, this change affects you directly.
I’m John J. Roach, a San Francisco personal injury attorney with extensive trial experience fighting insurance companies on behalf of injured clients. I’ve seen firsthand how inadequate insurance limits devastate injury victims — and I want to make sure you understand what changed, why the new minimums are still often insufficient for serious injuries, and what options are available when the at-fault driver’s coverage runs out.
What Changed: California’s New Minimum Insurance Limits Under SB 1107
California’s previous minimum auto liability requirements had been in place since 1967 — $15,000 per person for bodily injury, $30,000 per accident, and $5,000 for property damage. Under Senate Bill 1107, those minimums doubled effective January 1, 2025. The new requirements are $30,000 per person for bodily injury, $60,000 per accident, and $15,000 for property damage. These limits are scheduled to remain in effect until 2035, when they are set to increase again to $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage.
One important practical note: the new minimums apply at policy renewal, not automatically on January 1, 2025. If your policy renewed before that date, you may still be operating under the old 15/30/5 limits until your next renewal date, at which point your insurer is required to update your coverage to the new minimums.
Why California Waited Nearly 60 Years to Update These Limits
The previous limits were set in 1967, when a hospital emergency room visit cost a fraction of what it does today. A single night in a San Francisco hospital can now exceed $10,000. Serious injuries like traumatic brain injuries or spinal cord injuries can result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical costs, lost wages, and long-term care needs. The old $15,000 per-person limit was dangerously inadequate — a victim with a moderate whiplash injury could exhaust the entire policy limit before accounting for lost wages or pain and suffering. The 2025 increase was overdue by decades.
Why Even the New Limits Are Often Insufficient for Serious Injuries
The increase is meaningful, but the new minimums are still far from sufficient for serious injury cases in San Francisco. A single emergency room visit averages $3,000 to $10,000. Spinal surgery runs $50,000 to $150,000 or more. TBI rehabilitation can exceed $1 million over a lifetime. Lost wages for a tech professional or skilled worker can quickly surpass the entire $60,000 per-accident limit on their own. If you are seriously injured by a driver carrying only the minimum $30,000 policy, that money may run out before your medical bills are paid — let alone lost income, pain and suffering, or future care needs.
This is why I investigate every available source of recovery from the first day I’m retained. Beyond the at-fault driver’s liability policy, that includes your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, which steps in when the at-fault driver’s policy is exhausted; MedPay coverage, which pays medical bills regardless of fault; and third-party liability against a vehicle manufacturer, employer, or government entity if a defect, road hazard, or other party contributed to the crash.
What to Do If You Were Hit by an Underinsured Driver in San Francisco
If you were injured in a San Francisco car accident and the at-fault driver carries only the minimum policy, your own UM/UIM coverage is often the most important source of additional recovery. California Insurance Code Section 11580.2 governs underinsured motorist claims and allows your own insurer to step in once the at-fault driver’s limits are exhausted. This is one of the most misunderstood and underutilized tools in California personal injury law — and insurance companies count on victims not knowing about it.
In one recent case, I obtained a $750,000 arbitration award in an underinsured motorist case — far exceeding what the at-fault driver’s policy alone could have covered. The key was identifying the UIM claim early, preserving the right to bring it, and building the damages case to its full value rather than accepting the at-fault driver’s policy limits as the ceiling.
If you were injured in a car accident in San Francisco or the Bay Area, call me at (415) 851-4557 for a free consultation. I handle cases on a contingency fee basis — you pay nothing unless I recover money for you. I personally handle every case from start to finish. I am bilingual in English and Spanish.
Frequently Asked Questions: California’s New Minimum Car Insurance Requirements
As of January 1, 2025, California requires drivers to carry minimum liability insurance of $30,000 per person for bodily injury, $60,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $15,000 for property damage — doubled from the previous $15,000/$30,000/$5,000 minimums that had been in place since 1967 under Senate Bill 1107, the Protect California Drivers Act.
The new minimums took effect January 1, 2025, but apply at policy renewal rather than automatically on that date. If your policy renewed before January 1, 2025, the old 15/30/5 limits may still apply until your next renewal date, at which point your insurer is required to update your coverage to the new minimums.
If the at-fault driver’s $30,000 per-person limit is insufficient to cover your injuries — which is common in serious accident cases involving surgery, hospitalization, or long-term care — you may be entitled to recover additional compensation through your own underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage under California Insurance Code Section 11580.2. UIM coverage allows your own insurer to step in once the at-fault driver’s limits are exhausted. This is one of the most underutilized tools in California personal injury law. I investigate every available source of recovery from day one to ensure you are not limited to the at-fault driver’s policy ceiling.
In most serious injury cases, no. A single San Francisco emergency room visit averages $3,000 to $10,000. Spinal surgery runs $50,000 to $150,000 or more. TBI rehabilitation can exceed $1 million over a lifetime. Lost wages for a professional can quickly surpass the $60,000 per-accident limit on their own. The 2025 increase is meaningful but the new minimums are still far from sufficient for catastrophic injury cases, which is why identifying every available source of recovery — including UM/UIM coverage and third-party liability — is critical from the start.
If your accident occurred before January 1, 2025, the at-fault driver’s policy limits in effect at the time of the accident apply — not the new minimums. The new limits apply to accidents occurring on or after January 1, 2025, for policies that have renewed under the new requirements. Contact an attorney to evaluate the specific coverage applicable to your situation.
Yes. Under SB 1107, California’s minimum limits are scheduled to increase again in 2035 to $50,000 per person for bodily injury, $100,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage.
Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage applies when you are hit by a driver who has no insurance. Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage applies when you are hit by a driver whose insurance is insufficient to cover your losses — which is common even under the new 2025 minimums in serious injury cases. California does not require UM/UIM coverage, but insurers must offer it and you must affirmatively decline it in writing to waive it. Given that minimum-coverage drivers remain common in the Bay Area, carrying UM/UIM coverage in an amount that reflects your actual injury exposure is one of the most important financial protections available to California drivers.
Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney for advice specific to your situation.