If you’re looking for car insurance in California, you’ll want to know the minimum coverage you have to buy, the types of coverage available, and how California’s insurance laws will affect you.

Learn more: How does car insurance work? The basics explained.

Basic liability car insurance policies only meet minimum coverage limits required by California law. Basic liability covers you in case you injure another person or damage their vehicle or property.

Learn more: What is bodily injury liability coverage, and how much do you need?

The minimum amount of car insurance you must buy if you own a vehicle in California is 30/60/15:

• $30,000 for injuries per person

• $60,000 for injuries in one accident

• $15,000 for property damage in one accident

While a young adult just starting out with no assets may only need the minimum limits of liability coverage, the minimum likely isn’t enough for those who are more established, said Stephen Young, senior vice president and general counsel at the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of California.

“If you own a home or other assets that could be taken from you if you lose the lawsuit, you really need [higher] liability protection and maybe an umbrella policy to supplement the auto coverage as well,” Young said.

In many cases, you’ll want to buy California car insurance that goes above the state minimum required amounts.

Consider buying additional liability insurance over the minimum liability limits in case you total another person’s car, cause severe injuries or death, or cause an accident involving multiple vehicles. Property damage and injuries can add up fast, so you’ll want ample insurance in case you cause a large accident.

Learn more: What is property damage liability insurance, and how does it work?

Medical payments coverage, known as MedPay, pays for the cost of medical care for you or your passengers if you are injured in an accident, no matter who is at fault. While the minimum limit is $1,000, you can opt for higher limits.

If you damage your own vehicle after hitting another car or object, collision insurance will pay the repair or replacement costs, minus your collision deductible.

Any damage to your vehicle that is not covered by collision is generally covered by comprehensive car insurance, including damage from flooding, fire, vandalism, falling or flying objects, and collisions with animals. Comprehensive insurance also pays out if your car is stolen.

If you're in an accident caused by another driver who is uninsured, underinsured, or a hit-and-run motorist, uninsured motorist (UM) coverage will pay the medical costs if you're injured.

In California, you can also buy uninsured motorist property damage coverage (called UMPD) for repairs to your vehicle, up to $3,500, but only if you do not have collision coverage, and only if the uninsured driver’s identity is known. If you do have collision coverage, you can choose instead to buy a California collision deductible waiver (called a CDW), which will pay for your collision deductible if your car is hit by an uninsured driver. In California, you must buy either UMPD or a CDW.

You can purchase additional car insurance in California, including:

• Custom parts and equipment insurance

• Towing and road service

• Car rental coverage

• Rideshare insurance

“It's really important to make sure when you're shopping for insurance that you compare the coverages as well as the price,” said Janet Ruiz, spokesperson for the Insurance Information Institute’s West Coast office in San Diego. “If you don't have comprehensive coverage, then in situations like theft of your auto or damage from wildfires, you would not be covered.”

Gap insurance for drivers with car loans and leases

If you have taken out a loan to purchase your vehicle, then your bank or finance company that is holding your title will typically require you to buy gap insurance, an insurance policy that contains liability, comprehensive, and collision coverage. After you have repaid your loan and the vehicle’s title is mailed to you, you could then choose to drop collision and comprehensive insurance.

In 1988, California voters passed Proposition 103, which prohibits unfair or deceptive pricing on insurance policies, effectively banning accident forgiveness coverage. Why is that so? Insurance companies don’t mention in their advertisements that accident forgiveness coverage actually costs an additional 5 to 15 percent more than a policy without it. As such, it’s seen as penalizing drivers who buy it but go years without causing an accident.

Moreover, if you don’t buy accident forgiveness insurance, the surcharge you’ll pay if you cause an accident could very well be less than the additional premium you would have paid to buy it.

In California, your insurer must offer a discount for being a “good driver,” defined as someone who has had a driver’s license for at least three straight years and has only one point or less on their driving record. The premium for good driver coverage must be at least 20% lower than the premium on a comparable policy from the same insurer without this discount.

Under California car insurance laws, you must provide proof of liability insurance when you register your vehicle with the California Department of Motor Vehicles, or when you have been stopped by a police officer. Failure to provide proof of insurance may result in fines, suspension of driver’s license, and your vehicle could be impounded.

You are allowed to download your insurance card from your insurer’s mobile app onto your phone or tablet and show that as proof of insurance in California. However, it’s still a good idea to carry a paper copy, as some rental car companies and auto repair shops may ask for it.

Failure to provide proof of insurance may result in fines, suspension of your driver’s license, and vehicle impoundment.

Under California’s Vehicle Code section 16029, you will be fined at least $100 but not more than $200 for your first conviction of driving without proof of insurance. For any subsequent convictions within three years, you will be fined at least $200 but not more than $500.

As an alternative to buying liability car insurance in California, you can demonstrate financial responsibility by depositing $35,000 in cash to the DMV or buying a surety bond for $35,000 from a company licensed to do business in the state.

If a person has been found to have been driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs, or has other types of moving violations on their record, they no longer qualify as a “good driver” in California, Young says. Car insurance companies in California can sell the driver a policy, but they are not required to do so. They are also not required to offer the driver the lowest rate, nor are they required to continue renewing the policy.

Learn more: What's the difference between DUI and DWI?

A DUI conviction will remain on your driving record for 10 years in California. During that time, California auto insurance companies are likely to raise rates due to the DUI.

Learn more: Here’s how a DUI impacts your car insurance

However, the conviction will remain on your criminal history permanently — unless you have it expunged. You can petition for an expungement if you have paid all fines and completed your probation and other terms of your sentence. If you’re successful, your criminal record will state that the plea or verdict has been set aside and the case has been dismissed.

Learn more about California’s DUI statutes at the National College for DUI Defense

If you have moving violations or multiple accidents on your record, and you are unable to get standard California car insurance, you can get liability insurance through the California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan (CAARP), which assigns you to a particular insurance company. Under California car insurance laws, all licensed insurance companies in the state must offer CAARP, and they must all charge the same premiums. There is no broker’s fee if you buy a CAARP policy, and you can pay in installments if it’s easier for you.

After a certain number of years, your traffic violation or accident may be removed from your record. At that time, you may be able to buy a standard policy.

Any accident or other type of collision you cause will stay on your driving record for three years in California, as well as any traffic violations. And violations resulting in two points will remain on your driving record for 10 years.

California, like all other states, has graduated driver licensing laws that phase in driving privileges. In California, this includes:

• Learner’s stage. Drivers ages 15 and a half or older can get a learner’s permit, allowing them to drive while supervised by an adult. After six months and 50 hours of supervised driving (including 10 hours of supervised night driving), they can take a driving test to advance to the next stage.

• Intermediate stage. Drivers ages 16 or older can drive unsupervised by an adult, unless there is a second passenger under age 20. They are not allowed to drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.

• Full privilege stage. Drivers ages 17 or older can then obtain a standard driver's license.

Learn more: How to get the most affordable car insurance for your teen

California car insurance law says that insurers can cancel a policy for these reasons:

• If you’ve fraudulently or materially misrepresented information, including who may be regularly driving the car

• If there is a substantial increase in the risk of you driving the car (i.e., multiple accidents or DUIs

• If you don’t pay your premium. Insurers must inform you at least 10 days before they cancel your policy.

Note: If you plan on not driving your registered car for any length of time, you can cancel your insurance policy by signing an Affidavit of Non-Use (REG 5090). At the time of renewal, you must also put your vehicle on “planned non-operation” status. If you choose to start driving again, you must first submit proof to the DMV that you’ve purchased liability insurance or have some other verifiable proof of financial responsibility.

Learn more: How to cancel your car insurance in 3 easy steps

If you believe a California car insurance company unlawfully cancelled your policy or charged you higher than typical premiums for your particular driving record or risk, or discriminated against you for your gender, ethnicity, or other unlawful reasons, you can file a complaint with the California Department of Insurance.

To register a car in California, you must either demonstrate proof of liability insurance or financial responsibility by depositing $35,000 in cash to the DMV or buying a surety bond for $35,000 from a company licensed to do business in the state.

After you purchase a vehicle, you have 30 days to demonstrate proof of insurance to the California DMV after registering your car, or 45 days if you’re adding the car to an existing insurance policy. However, any time you actually drive the car after purchasing it, you must have already obtained an insurance policy, and you must demonstrate proof of insurance if you are pulled over by a police officer.

This article was edited by Amy Danise and Tim Manni.