Auto Insurance Death & Funeral Benefits in California
Losing a loved one in a car accident is a horrific experience. It's important to know your rights in such a situation. California has special auto insurance laws covering death and funeral benefits.
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Types of Coverage
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There are two types of insurance coverage related to injury or death: fault and no-fault. Types and prices of no-fault car insurance plans vary by state. No-fault policies are limited by the type of injury or the cost of repair that triggers the need for legal action. A fault-based policy covers your family regardless of who caused the accident. Usually, these benefits will be provided by the insurance of the other driver if that driver was at fault, but you might want to consider carrying uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in the case of being injured or killed by someone without proper car insurance.
California-Specific Laws
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California's financial responsibility law requires every driver to be financially responsible. The minimum limits of liability insurance in California are $15,000 for death or injury of any one person in an accident and $30,000 for all persons in the accident. In addition, the property damage minimum limit is $5,000. Depending on the specific coverage you select, benefits can cover you and your family for medical expenses, death and funeral costs.
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Funeral and Burial Expenses
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Funeral and burial benefits are generally included in a no-fault insurance policy. In some states, reasonable funeral expenses must be paid even when the insurance policy's other benefits have been paid to the policy limits.
Buying Insurance in California
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Since 2005, California law requires car insurance companies to be accountable to consumers by, among other things, being part of a registry of insurers and by being upfront with consumers about the lowest-cost insurance plans available to them (see Resources).
California Low-cost Automobile Insurance Program
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California offers low-cost insurance to those who cannot afford the premiums for the minimum coverage required by the state (see Resources).
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