Freedom National in California
Freedom National is registered in California as Freedom General Insurance Services, license #0C73889
We work with most cars and drivers to get you the coverage you need at a price you can afford. |
Fast, easy payment options including auto-pay from a credit card and monthly payment plans. |
We offer options for drivers with perfect and not-so-perfect driving histories. |
Freedom National also specializes in providing many of the options for cheap car insurance California drivers are looking for, even for those who have less-than-perfect driving histories or previous marks on their driving records. By tailoring your policy to your unique needs and situation, we’re able to provide you with some of the most effective cheap car insurance California has to offer.
But staying protected requires you to understand what specific requirements the state of California has for insured drivers. Not all states are the same, and California has some of its own requirements and legal specifications for your amount of coverage, types of coverage, and how claims are settled.
With that in mind, we want to provide drivers in California with more than just the best cheap car insurance California has to offer— we also want to bring you the knowledge and information you need to be informed about your driving and insurance needs. In this guide, we’ll cover a range of information for California drivers and their California car insurance needs. From discovering who has the cheapest car insurance in California to finding where in California cheap car insurance for low-income people is available, Freedom National is your ally.
On this page, you’ll also find information about:
—Minimum coverage required for California car insurance
—Specifications for insurance California drivers need to know
—No-Fault vs. At-Fault Insurance in California
—Claims settlement processes for California
—Maintaining proof of insurance for California
—Where to find the car insurance quotes California drivers are looking for
—Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage
—What driving while uninsured can mean for the auto insurance California drivers hold
—Requirements surrounding SR-22 forms
—Who has the cheapest car insurance in California?
…and more!
To begin, let’s get started with filling you in on the minimum coverage you’ll need as a driver in California.
In each state, including California, there are minimum requirements set forth by the state government for how much insurance you must have in specific areas. These requirements are designed to help protect consumers, ensuring that in the event of an accident they won’t be held liable for costs that could cause significant financial burden. These limits are also designed to protect the other party— for example, let’s say that you’re in an accident where the other driver is at fault. If they’re not adequately covered and can’t personally afford to pay costs associated with the accident, you could be stuck without recourse for some time over the course of a lengthy legal process.
In California, there are four main areas where the government has set minimum limits for coverage:
If you’re involved in an accident that causes bodily injuries to other people, bodily injury liability coverage is designed to cover those costs. This can include medical expenses, lost wages resulting from injuries, as well as legal expenses or funeral costs in some cases.
Property damage liability coverage protects you from being personally liable for property damage you cause another party— for example, if you damage their car in an accident.
If another driver causes an accident that results in injuries to you or your passengers, but that person doesn’t have insurance or enough coverage to cover those costs, uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage will help protect you financially.
If another driver causes an accident that results in damage to your personal property, including your vehicle, but that person doesn’t have insurance or enough coverage to cover those costs, uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage will help cover the cost of the damage.
Now that you know about each of these coverage types, let’s take a look at California’s minimum requirements in each category:
Bodily Injury Liability Coverage Minimum
$15,000 per person/$30,000 per accident
Property Damage Liability Coverage Minimum
$5,000 per accident
Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage Minimum
$15,000 per person/$30,000 per accident
Uninsured Motorist Property Damage Coverage Minimum
$3,500, or a deductible waiver if you purchase collision coverage
Remember— just because these are the minimum requirements set by the state does not mean that you must have exactly these coverages. Many drivers opt for more coverage than this based on their individual needs and circumstances. These minimums are to help insured people to avoid financial catastrophe, but you could still very easily exceed these limits and be left paying for costs out of pocket. For safety, ensure that your coverage limits are enough to protect you from a significant financial burden in case of an unexpected accident.
| Enter your ZIP code to get a free quote! |
|
In the world of insurance, there are what are known as ‘no-fault’ and ‘at-fault’ states. The difference is the way that blame (or fault) is assessed after a car accident when determining which insurance company will pay for the medical bills.
To understand how these two systems differ, let’s look at an example. Two drivers are on the highway and try to merge into the same lane, resulting in an accident that causes minor injuries. In a no-fault state, each insurance company pays for their own insured driver's medical bills up to the amount of their personal injury protection. Then, the bodily injury limits of the at-fault party will cover the remaining costs. After that, the driver not at fault still has the right to sue the party at fault.
In an at-fault state, varying levels of blame may be assessed for the accident. For example, the legal system may determine that Driver A was 60% at fault for the accident, while Driver B was 40% at fault. In this case, Driver A’s insurance would be responsible for 60% of costs and Driver B’s would be responsible for 40%.
The purpose of a no-fault system is to decrease the number of small claims court battles filed between drivers, in turn decreasing the overall cost of car insurance.
When it comes to California auto insurance, CA is an at-fault state.
Like in most states, California drivers are required to have their vehicles insured or financially covered. Not only that, but they must also have certain coverage minimums— as we discussed in the above section. California drivers must also have proof that their current policy is active and meets all limits, and should be able to produce that evidence to a law enforcement officer if asked.
While you technically can get around the requirement to have your vehicle insured by an insurance company, it’s extremely costly. If you don’t have a liability policy that meets minimum requirements, you’ll have to either have a cash deposit of $35,000 with the DMV, a self-insurance certificate from the DMV, or a surety bond worth $35,000 or more from a company that’s licensed in the state of California.
When it comes to proving that your vehicle is insured or financially covered, you’ll need one of the following pieces of evidence:
—An insurance card from your carrier showing that you meet required minimum coverage
—A letter from the DMV saying that you’ve made a cash deposit and are self-insured
—An SR-22 form proving insurance (more on this in a later section)
—Proof that the vehicle is owned or leased by a business or public entity
If you fail to present proof of insurance, you can be fined $300-$700 or more, on top of any traffic citation you might already be receiving that resulted in the traffic stop in the first place. To protect yourself against financial liability and legal issues, always ensure that you have proof of insurance of some kind on-hand and in your vehicle. Most jurisdictions will now accept proof of insurance on a phone, but your safest bet is to have printed, hard-copy proof of insurance in your vehicle at all times.
Driving while uninsured is taken very seriously in California, as it is in any state. Generally, someone who is caught driving without proper insurance or without proper minimum coverage will often be fined between $100-$200 or more for the first offense, and as much as $500 for the second offense.
Beyond the fines, you might have your vehicle towed or impounded until you obtain insurance. You’ll then have to pay for any towing and impound fees to receive access to your vehicle. The consequences can be even worse if you’re involved in an accident without insurance. Your license can be suspended, sometimes for several years, regardless of whether you’re considered to be at fault for the accident or not.
Many states have different laws about whether you are legally required to report car accidents to the authorities, and California has its own set of standards and regulations. In California, any property damage exceeding $750 means that you or your insurance company must report an accident. Also, any injury or death resulting from the accident must be reported. Californians use the Report of Traffic Accident Occurring in California form known as SR-1.
California law takes this matter very seriously, as those who fail to report an incident that falls under the guidelines listed above can be charged with a hit-and-run. In the case of property damage, it would be a misdemeanor charge, but in the case of injury or death, you could be facing a felony charge.
If you’re not sure whether an incident falls under these guidelines, stay on the safe side and report it. You won’t get in any trouble for reporting an accident you weren’t legally required to report.
If you’ve been convicted of certain traffic-related violations, including reckless driving charges, DUIs, or others that can result in your driving privileges being revoked, you might have to have your insurer file an SR-22 form proving coverage in order to reinstate your ability to legally drive.
The most common form of this is an SR-22, which consists of a form submitted to the DMV through your insurer in order to communicate that your current insurance meets California’s state requirements. Generally, the cost to file an SR-22 form is inexpensive— but your insurance rates are likely to be higher as a result of whatever conviction caused the SR-22 requirement.
How long you need to maintain SR-22 status in California will depend on a variety of factors, including the severity of your conviction. Usually, an SR-22 will be required for 3 years. Because SR-22 status can make it hard to access affordable California auto insurance, it’s recommended that you seek out a company that can provide you with cheap car insurance quotes online, like Freedom National.
So, what makes Freedom National the go-to choice for high-risk drivers and those who simply want to access the cheapest rates possible?
Most drivers are able to access a policy through Freedom National, and we’ll work closely with you to understand your needs and budget to create a policy that you can afford while also covering all the areas you need most.
Staying on top of your auto insurance payments shouldn’t be difficult, which is why we offer fast and easy payment options, including the ability to auto-pay directly from a linked bank account or credit/debit card.
Once a driving infraction or conviction gets you labeled as a ‘high-risk’ driver, it can be tough to access insurance at all—let alone low-cost insurance. At Freedom National, we’re experienced at working with drivers with a wide range of driving histories to access the insurance they need at prices they can afford.
If you’re looking for cheap car insurance in California without cutting corners, there’s no better than Freedom National. We recognize that nobody’s perfect when it comes to driving record, which is why we offer plenty of options for those with less-than-stellar driving records or previous infractions and convictions. That includes SR-22 form filing for most eligible drivers. If you have traffic tickets, lapses in coverage, or single-event DUIs or accidents, we may still be able to offer coverage. Just speak to one of our insurance experts to explain your situation and find out how we can best serve you.
| Enter your ZIP code to get a free quote! |
|
When it comes to the car insurance quotes California drivers are looking for, do you know what exactly can influence those figures? There is an extremely wide range of factors that go into how an insurance company assesses your risk as an insured driver. After all, this is how insurance works. An insurer determines the level of financial risk associated with insuring you as a driver, then sets your premiums based on that risk. The lower risk you’re determined to be, the less you’re likely to pay in insurance premiums.
That said, many elements of your assessed risk aren’t directly within your control— and most aren’t a direct result of your driving record. They have to do with other factors that help your insurer determine what your driving patterns are likely to be. Here are some of the most common:
That’s right— elements as basic as your age, and your marital status can affect your insurance premiums. Statistical analysis has determined that certain groups are more or less likely to have driving incidents of different types, so insurers factor those things into your rate.
It should come as no surprise that your driving history can affect your insurance premiums. Accidents, infractions, or other issues with your driving history can lead to a significant rise in premiums. Fortunately, certain insurers (such as Freedom National) are focused on providing those with less-than-perfect driving records with the cheap car insurance they need.
If you’ve submitted insurance claims in the past for claims where you were at-fault, your insurance premiums are likely to be higher.
Certain locations in California and the U.S. experience higher rates of vehicle accidents, crime, and other insured incidents than others. If you live in one of these areas, your insurance premium will likely be higher.
If you’re driving a greater distance to and from work each day, you’re spending more time on the road— which means more opportunities for accidents. If you have a longer commute, you may expect your premium to be higher as well.
Many insurance companies reward policyholders for ‘bundling.’ This basically means that when you have one type of insurance with a company (home, boat, etc.) and then add auto insurance, they’ll reward your loyalty by reducing your overall premium.
The more coverage you have, and the lower the deductible, the higher your premiums will be. This comes down to the basic economics of insurance— the more you pay monthly, the less you’ll have to pay in the event of a covered incident.
The type and age of your vehicle can affect your premiums— older vehicles can be more expensive to insure, as can high-performance vehicles like racing cars.
The best car insurance California drivers can get is the kind that will leave them fully covered in the event of an accident without costing them too much money in monthly or annual premiums. At Freedom National, that’s exactly what we offer.
Wondering whether Freedom National covers your city or region? Don’t worry, we cover the entire state of California. If you want to learn more about coverage and regulations in your specific city, you can check out our specific city pages for these major California locations:
Chula Vista
Santa Clarita
Getting properly insured in California doesn't have to be confusing or expensive. With Freedom National, you can get the coverage you need with the service you want most. Want to learn more about Freedom National’s approach to cheap car insurance? Request a Quote today!
© 2025 Freedom National Insurance Services, Inc. Freedom National is registered in California as Freedom General Insurance Services, license #0C73889.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
Refund and Cancellation Policy
Site by Red Olive
CONTACT
Freedom Insurance
PO Box 7820 Newport Beach, CA 92658
PHONE
Customer Service: 888.542.4222
Customer Service: service@FreedomCustomer.com
Producer Service: service@FreedomProducer.com
Tech Support: info@FreedomNational.com
