# California 30/60/15 Auto Insurance Limits

Canonical: https://sanjosecacaraccidentlawyer.com/california-law/insurance-limits/

Reviewed by Andrew Ronald Gillin; reviewed 2026-11-05.

California’s ordinary minimum auto liability limits are commonly described as 30/60/15. Those figures describe coverage categories, not a promised settlement.

## California 30/60/15: three separate limits

### 30 — $30,000

Injury or death to one person under the ordinary minimum limits.

### 60 — $60,000

Injury or death to more than one person in one accident.

### 15 — $15,000

Property damage. This is a separate category from bodily injury.

These figures describe the ordinary minimum liability categories. Read the actual policy and any applicable special rules. They are not a promised payment.

## What 30/60/15 means for California auto coverage

The California DMV lists $30,000 for injury or death to one person, $60,000 for more than one person, and $15,000 for property damage. The actual policy may have different limits or special rules. Minimum financial responsibility and the amount of a person’s losses are separate questions.



Sources: [California DMV insurance requirements](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-registration/insurance-requirements/); [Insurance Code section 11580.2](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=INS&sectionNum=11580.2.)

## Minimum coverage versus the policy actually purchased

For a simple arithmetic example, compare a hypothetical $100,000 UIM limit with a $30,000 payment from the other driver. Subtraction gives $70,000. Whether that figure has any role in a real claim depends on the statute, policy, exhaustion, consent, proof of damages, and other facts.



Sources: [California DMV insurance requirements](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-registration/insurance-requirements/); [Insurance Code section 11580.2](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=INS&sectionNum=11580.2.)

## A hypothetical underinsured motorist offset example

For a useful review, keep the following information together. You do not need to enter it on this website.

- The actual policy, bill, report, or notice involved.
- Dates and facts that could change which rule applies.
- The questions you want an attorney to answer before you take a step.

Sources: [California DMV insurance requirements](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-registration/insurance-requirements/)

## Court decisions about california 30/60/15 auto insurance limits

### Hartford Fire Ins. Co. v. Macri

(1992) 4 Cal.4th 318, pp. 323–329. No insurance and too little insurance are different problems. The court held that some coverage rules differ too.

Limits: Read the current law and policy. Do not assume the same steps apply to both kinds of coverage.

[Read the opinion](https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/4th/4/318.html)

## Related resources

- [San Jose Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Claims](https://sanjosecacaraccidentlawyer.com/uninsured-underinsured-motorist/)
- [California Crash Insurance Coverage Explainer](https://sanjosecacaraccidentlawyer.com/tools/coverage-explainer/)
- [San Jose Uber and Lyft Accidents: Insurance and Legal Help](https://sanjosecacaraccidentlawyer.com/uber-lyft-rideshare/)

## Legal and agency sources

- [California DMV insurance requirements](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-registration/insurance-requirements/)
- [Insurance Code section 11580.2](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=INS&sectionNum=11580.2.)
- [Hartford Fire Ins. Co. v. Macri (1992) 4 Cal.4th 318](https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/4th/4/318.html)

General information, not legal advice. Examples are hypothetical.