Car Accident Case Evaluation
If the driver who caused your California car accident carries only minimum liability insurance, the available policy may not cover the full value of a serious injury claim. For standard policies, California’s current minimum liability limits are generally $30,000 for bodily injury or death to one person, $60,000 for bodily injury or death to multiple people in one accident, and $15,000 for property damage.
That does not automatically mean your recovery ends at the at-fault driver’s limit. A complete claim should examine your own underinsured motorist coverage, other potentially liable parties, additional policies, the at-fault driver’s assets, and the terms of any proposed release before money is accepted.
For a broader explanation of how liability, insurance, evidence, and damages interact after a collision, our guide to a California car accident lawyer explains these issues in more detail.
California’s Minimum Liability Limits Can Run Out Quickly
California Vehicle Code § 16056 increased the standard minimum limits for policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025. The limits are commonly written as 30/60/15: $30,000 per injured person, $60,000 total bodily injury coverage per accident, and $15,000 for property damage.
The $60,000 figure is the total bodily injury limit for the accident, subject to the $30,000 per-person cap. Therefore, several injured people may compete for a limited pool of insurance.
Some qualifying low-cost policies use separate limits. Therefore, review the actual declarations page rather than assuming every driver has the same coverage. The California Department of Insurance’s explanation of 2025 auto insurance changes provides additional information about standard minimum limits and California’s Low Cost Auto Insurance Program.
A Minimum-Limit Policy Is Only the First Layer of the Coverage Analysis
The declarations page shows important information, but it does not always answer every coverage question. A full review may also require the policy form, endorsements, exclusions, and coverage correspondence.
This matters when the vehicle was borrowed, used for work, connected to a rideshare or delivery platform, or covered by more than one policy.
Underinsured Motorist Coverage Depends on Your Own Limits
Underinsured motorist coverage, or UIM, can become important when the at-fault driver’s liability coverage is lower than the injured person’s applicable UM/UIM limits. California Insurance Code § 11580.2 defines an underinsured motor vehicle by comparing the other vehicle’s liability coverage with the injured person’s uninsured motorist limits.
That distinction matters. UIM is not triggered simply because your damages exceed the at-fault driver’s policy.
For a deeper explanation of when this protection may apply and how these claims differ from ordinary liability claims, review our guide to uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
A Simple UIM Example
Assume the at-fault driver has $30,000 in bodily injury coverage. You have $100,000 in applicable UIM coverage, and your proven damages exceed $100,000. After the liability carrier exhausts its $30,000 limit by payment, your UIM carrier may provide up to another $70,000, subject to the policy, offsets, coverage, liability, causation, and damages. California law provides that the UIM carrier’s maximum obligation is reduced by qualifying amounts already paid by legally responsible parties.
However, if your own applicable UM/UIM limit is also $30,000, the other vehicle generally is not “underinsured” under the statutory definition merely because your damages exceed $30,000.
Additional Defendants Can Change the Recovery Picture
When one driver’s policy is too small, the liability investigation becomes just as important as the insurance investigation. Another person or business may share legal responsibility for the crash.
Examples may include an employer whose employee was driving within the scope of work, another negligent driver in a multi-vehicle collision, a rideshare or delivery company where separate coverage applies, or another entity whose conduct contributed to the collision.
A claim against the driver personally may also remain possible, although collectability depends on the driver’s assets and other facts.
Insurance limits can become especially important when a motorcycle collision causes severe injuries. For related information about liability, insurance, and motorcycle injury claims, readers may also review our Santa Monica motorcycle accident lawyer resource.
Build the Damages Before Deciding a Policy-Limits Offer
A fast policy-limits offer can look attractive, but the decision should be made only after the injuries and available coverage are understood. Once a release is signed, it may limit further claims against the released parties.
Documentation may include medical records, diagnostic imaging, future-care opinions, wage-loss records, photographs, vehicle damage, witness statements, and collision evidence.
Insurers may also argue that symptoms came from a prior injury or condition rather than the crash. A prior condition does not automatically defeat a claim, but medical records and a clear timeline become especially important.
Catastrophic injuries can require particularly detailed evidence concerning future treatment, functional limitations, and long-term losses. Our related guide explains how to file a lawsuit for an amputation injury and the issues that may arise in a severe injury claim.
For more information about documenting the full financial and non-financial impact of a collision, see our discussion of maximum compensation for a California car accident claim.
Releases and Coverage Deadlines Need Careful Handling
Before accepting the at-fault carrier’s limits, confirm whether your own insurer must receive notice, proof of payment, or consent under the policy and California law. Underinsured motorist coverage generally requires exhaustion of applicable bodily injury liability limits by payment before UIM benefits apply.
California’s general deadline for an injury action based on another person’s wrongful act or negligence is usually two years under California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. Insurance-policy procedures can create separate requirements, so the two-year rule should not be treated as the only deadline in every coverage dispute.
Evidence can disappear long before a filing deadline. Prompt documentation can therefore help protect a claim while the available insurance and responsible parties are being investigated.
The Sterling Firm’s Role in a Low-Limit Claim
A low policy limit changes the strategy. The Sterling Firm can investigate liability, review insurance information, analyze UM/UIM coverage, document damages, identify additional defendants, and evaluate settlement, arbitration, or litigation.
If the at-fault driver has minimum insurance and your injuries may exceed the available coverage, call or text The Sterling Firm at (310) 498-2750 for a free personal injury case evaluation. Personal injury matters are handled on a contingency-fee basis. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Recover More Than $30,000 for My Injuries?
Potentially. The at-fault driver’s $30,000 per-person liability limit may be only one source. UIM coverage, other liable parties, commercial or rideshare insurance, excess coverage, or the defendant’s assets may affect the total recovery.
Does UIM Automatically Pay When My Damages Exceed $30,000?
No. California’s statutory definition compares the at-fault vehicle’s liability coverage with your applicable UM/UIM limits. Your own coverage, policy terms, exhaustion requirements, offsets, liability, and damages all matter.
Can Several Injured People Share the $60,000 Per-Accident Limit?
Yes. Under a standard 30/60 bodily injury policy, the $60,000 limit is the total available for bodily injury claims arising from the accident, while the $30,000 per-person limit still applies.
Should I Accept a Policy-Limits Offer Right Away?
Not necessarily. Before signing a release, confirm the scope of the release, the extent of your injuries, other available policies, potential defendants, and any requirements tied to your own UIM coverage.
Can I Sue the At-Fault Driver Personally?
Yes. A lawsuit may seek damages beyond insurance limits. However, whether an excess judgment can actually be collected depends on the defendant’s assets, exemptions, bankruptcy issues, and other circumstances.
How Long Do I Have to Act?
California generally allows two years for a personal injury action based on negligence, but insurance claims and UM/UIM procedures can involve separate timing rules. Prompt review is important when coverage is limited or disputed.
