CALIFORNIA LOW COST AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE PROGRAM
FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS IT?
A program established by the California Legislature that provides
low-income good drivers who live in California with low cost auto insurance
coverage. This pilot program became effective on July 1, 2000, for
qualified residents of Los Angeles County and the City and County of San
Francisco.
§
On
April 1, 2006, the Program was expanded
to qualified residents of Alameda, Fresno, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and
San Diego counties.
§
On June 1, 2006, eight additional counties were added to the Program:
Contra Costa, Imperial, Kern, Sacramento, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara
and Stanislaus, for a total of sixteen eligible counties.
§
On March 30, 2007, the six additional counties of Merced, Monterey, Santa
Barbara, Sonoma, Tulare and Ventura were added for a total of 22 eligible
counties.
§
On October 1, 2007, 20 new counties were added: Amador, Butte,
Calaveras, El Dorado, Humboldt, Kings, Lake, Madera, Marin, Mendocino, Napa,
Placer, San Benito, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Solano, Sutter, Tuolumne, Yolo and Yuba
will join the current counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Imperial, Kern,
Los Angeles, Merced, Monterey, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino,
San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara,
Sonoma, Stanislaus, Tulare and Ventura.
§
On
December
10, 2007,
the final 16 counties of Alpine, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Inyo, Lassen,
Mariposa, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Plumas, San Luis Obispo, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tehama
and Trinity were added, making it a statewide Program
The California Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program (LCA) is
administered by the California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan (CAARP).
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Only low-income good drivers are eligible for this coverage.
Applicants also must reside in one of the approved counties, and the current
value of their vehicle cannot exceed $20,000. Eligibility is based on the
household’s gross annual income which must be 250% or less of the federal
poverty level. See chart below.
|
APPLICANT INCOME ELIGIBILITY CHART |
|
Number in Household * |
Poverty Income Level |
250% of Federal Poverty Level |
|
1 |
$10,400 |
$26,000 |
|
2 |
$14,000 |
$35,000 |
|
3 |
$17,600 |
$44,000 |
|
4 |
$21,200 |
$53,000 |
|
5 |
$24,800 |
$62,000 |
|
6 |
$28,400 |
$71,000 |
|
7 |
$32,000 |
$80,000 |
|
8 |
$35,600 |
$89,000 |
|
For
households with more than 8 members, add $3,600 for each additional
member to the figure shown in the Poverty Guideline. Multiply the
result by 250%.
·
A “Household” is all persons who occupy a housing unit and who
are related by blood, marriage, adoption or guardianship (i.e., members
of one family). If more than one family is living in the same housing
unit, they constitute different families for eligibility purposes even
though they reside at the same address
The Federal Poverty Guidelines are released annually by the Department
of Health and Human Services. |
WHAT IS A “GOOD DRIVER”?
§
Applicant is at least 19 years of age and has been continuously licensed to
drive for the past 3 years.*
§
Applicant has no Vehicle Code felony or misdemeanor convictions on their driving
record.
§
Applicant has not had an at fault accident involving bodily injury or death in
the past 3 years.
§
Applicant has not had more than one, or both, of the following in the past 3
years:
o
A property damage only accident in which they were principally at
fault, or
o
A point for a moving violation.
§
Applicant is not a college student claimed as dependent of for federal/state
income tax purposes.
o
Individuals who were previously licensed in another country other
than the U.S. or Canada and can demonstrate that they have been continuously
licensed for 18 months in the U.S. or Canada, are also eligible.
WHAT COVERAGES ARE AVAILABLE?
Liability limits of $10,000 bodily injury or death per person, $20,000 bodily
injury for each accident and $3,000 property damage for each accident. These
limits will satisfy the state’s current financial responsibility laws. Medical
Payments Coverage at $1,000 per person, and Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury at
limits of $10,000/$20,000, are also available at the option of the applicant.
WHAT DOES IT COST?
|
California Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program (LCA)
Annual Premium per Vehicle |
|
County |
Liability |
Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury * |
Medical Payments * |
Youthful Male Surcharge ^ |
|
Alameda |
$318.00 |
$33.00 |
$23.00 |
$397.50 |
|
Alpine |
$311.00 |
$41.00 |
$28.00 |
$388.75 |
|
Amador |
$280.00 |
$39.00 |
$28.00 |
$350.00 |
|
Butte |
$253.00 |
$33.00 |
$28.00 |
$316.25 |
|
Calaveras |
$275.00 |
$38.00 |
$25.00 |
$343.75 |
|
Colusa |
$284.00 |
$38.00 |
$28.00 |
$355.00 |
|
Contra Costa |
$313.00 |
$29.00 |
$22.00 |
$391.25 |
|
Del Norte |
$285.00 |
$39.00 |
$27.00 |
$356.25 |
|
El Dorado |
$285.00 |
$36.00 |
$25.00 |
$356.25 |
|
Fresno |
$295.00 |
$53.00 |
$44.00 |
$368.75 |
|
Glenn |
$288.00 |
$38.00 |
$26.00 |
$360.00 |
|
Humboldt |
$263.00 |
$35.00 |
$25.00 |
$328.75 |
|
Imperial |
$208.00 |
$33.00 |
$23.00 |
$260.00 |
|
Inyo |
$271.00 |
$38.00 |
$27.00 |
$338.75 |
|
Kern |
$236.00 |
$31.00 |
$24.00 |
$295.00 |
|
Kings |
$273.00 |
$36.00 |
$26.00 |
$341.25 |
|
Lake |
$268.00 |
$37.00 |
$27.00 |
$335.00 |
|
Lassen |
$286.00 |
$39.00 |
$26.00 |
$357.50 |
|
Los Angeles |
$350.00 |
$67.00 |
$37.00 |
$437.50 |
|
Madera |
$253.00 |
$42.00 |
$34.00 |
$316.25 |
|
Marin |
$297.00 |
$36.00 |
$26.00 |
$371.25 |
|
Mariposa |
$279.00 |
$39.00 |
$26.00 |
$348.75 |
|
Mendocino |
$260.00 |
$36.00 |
$27.00 |
$325.00 |
|
Merced |
$267.00 |
$36.00 |
$30.00 |
$333.75 |
|
Modoc |
$292.00 |
$40.00 |
$27.00 |
$365.00 |
|
Mono |
$286.00 |
$40.00 |
$27.00 |
$357.50 |
|
Napa |
$277.00 |
$35.00 |
$27.00 |
$346.25 |
|
Nevada |
$263.00 |
$36.00 |
$25.00 |
$328.75 |
|
Monterey |
$210.00 |
$32.00 |
$25.00 |
$262.50 |
|
Orange |
$308.00 |
$39.00 |
$31.00 |
$385.00 |
|
Placer |
$314.00 |
$35.00 |
$26.00 |
$392.50 |
|
Plumas |
$276.00 |
$39.00 |
$26.00 |
$345.00 |
|
Riverside |
$243.00 |
$33.00 |
$18.00 |
$303.75 |
|
Sacramento |
$378.00 |
$50.00 |
$30.00 |
$472.50 |
|
San Benito |
$274.00 |
$37.00 |
$25.00 |
$342.50 |
|
San Bernardino |
$280.00 |
$41.00 |
$23.00 |
$350.00 |
|
San Diego |
$265.00 |
$27.00 |
$19.00 |
$331.25 |
|
San Francisco |
$336.00 |
$25.00 |
$29.00 |
$420.00 |
|
San Joaquin |
$292.00 |
$36.00 |
$30.00 |
$365.00 |
|
San Luis Obispo |
$226.00 |
$33.00 |
$23.00 |
$282.50 |
|
San Mateo |
$303.00 |
$26.00 |
| |
