Santa Cruz Car Insurance Resources

Santa Cruz, CA Car Insurance

Cars Insured in Santa Cruz

^ There are an estimated 38,976 vehicles currently insured in Santa Cruz. ^[1]

Car Insurance Rates in Santa Cruz

^ From 2006 to 2010, California cities had the 20th highest auto insurance rates in the nation. ^[2]

Uninsured Motorists in Santa Cruz

^ There are an estimated 5,758 uninsured motorists driving in Santa Cruz. ^[3]

Santa Cruz Car Insurance

Car Insurance Liability Requirements in Santa Cruz

Minimum Liability Limits in Santa Cruz: 15/30/5 ^[4]
- 15 Required coverage up to $15,000 for one individual injured in an accident
- 30 Required coverage up to $30,000 for all persons injured in an accident
- 5 Required coverage up to $5,000 for property damage in an accident
- Note: The amounts listed above are the minimum coverage amounts required by the law. Drivers can opt to purchase more than the mandatory minimum amounts.
- Note: CA has a California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan for low-income drivers with low-cost policy limits of $10,000/$20,000/$3,000.

Chart: Required coverage in the U.S.

Required Car Insurance Coverage in Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz Auto Insurance Coverage Requirements ^[4]
- Bodily injury liability coverage
- Property damage liability coverage

Car Insurance Verification Laws in Santa Cruz

Insurer Verification of Auto Insurance in Santa Cruz ^[4]
- Insurer must notify Department of Motor Vehicles or other state agency of cancellation or nonrenewal.
- Insurer must verify financial responsibility or insurance after an accident or arrest.
- Insurers must submit entire list of insurance in effect, which may be compared with registrations at a state agency. Also known as a computer data law.

Santa Cruz Car Insurance Facts, Estimates & Related Laws

Santa Cruz Car Insurance Stats

Number of Auto Insurance Policies in Santa Cruz
- Based on historical and current data, 38,976 cars are currently insured in Santa Cruz. ^[5]
- California cities collectively ranked 1st in the nation in auto insurance policies in 2011 with a total of 24,221,799. ^[1]
Uninsured Motorist Rate in Santa Cruz
- Based on historical and current data, Santa Cruz has an estimated 5,758 uninsured drivers. ^[6]
- California cities collectively had the 17th highest uninsured motorist rate in the nation in 2009. ^[3]
Average Car Insurance Rates in Santa Cruz
- California cities collectively had the 21st highest auto insurance rates in the nation in 2010. ^[2]

Santa Cruz Distracted Driving Laws

Hand-held phone ban? Yes

hand-held phone ban in place for all drivers. ^[7]

Texting-while-driving ban? Yes

Texting-while-driving ban in place for all drivers, although drivers older than 18 may dictate, send or listen to text-based messages if they're using voice-activated, hands-free devices. ^[7]

Young drivers cell phone ban? Yes

Ban applies to drivers younger than 18. ^[7]

Bus driver cell phone ban? Yes

Ban applies to school and transit bus drivers. ^[7]

Enforcement of laws:

Primary enforcement in effect for hand-held and texting laws. Secondary enforcement in effect for all cell phone use by drivers 17 and younger. ^[7]
With primary enforcement, a police officer can pull over a driver for that specific offense. Drivers cannot be pulled over solely for a secondary offense.

Santa Cruz Automotive Laws

Minimum Driving Age in Santa Cruz ^[9]
- Santa Cruz, CA minimum driving age: 15 years, 6 months.
Driver's License Renewal Cycle in Santa Cruz
- Renewal cycle: 5 years ^[7]
Motorcycle Helmet Laws in Santa Cruz
- Motorcycle helmets required for all riders. ^[7]
Safety Belt Laws in Santa Cruz
- Safety belt laws have been in place since 1986 and apply to drivers/passengers 16+ years in all seats. ^[7]
- Child restraint law in place for 7 years and younger who are less than 57 inches. ^[7]

California Car & Driver Facts

California Auto Registrations

Auto Registrations in CA ^[8]
- Registered Cars: 14,549,841
- Registered Trucks: 13,771,330
- Registered Motorcycles: 818,650
- Total Registrations: 29,176,697
- Rank: California ranked 1st in the United States in total auto registrations in 2011.

California Automotive Facts

Speed Limits in CA
- Rural interstates: 70 mph (Trucks: 55 mph) ^[7]
- Urban interstates: 65 mph (Trucks: 55 mph) ^[7]
- Other roads: 65 mph (Trucks: 55 mph) ^[7]
California Motor Fuel Consumption
- California cities collectively ranked 1st in the nation in total motor fuel consumption in 2011. ^[10]

California Licensed Drivers

Licensed Drivers in CA ^[11]
- Female Drivers: 11,746,427
- Male Drivers: 12,110,173
- Total Drivers: 23,856,600
- Rank: 1st highest in the U.S.

Additional information about Santa Cruz, CA

About Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz (California) is a city with a population of 59,946 ^[12] that is located in Santa Cruz County.

More about Santa Cruz auto insurance

For more information about Santa Cruz car insurance, or for additional resources regarding California car insurance overall, visit the California Department of Insurance.

Did you know?

Penalties for driving without required insurance coverage vary widely by location. Fines can reach into the thousands of dollars.

References

1. ^ Automobile Insurance Plans Service Office (AIPSO)

2. ^ National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)

3. ^ Insurance Research Council (IRC)

4. ^ Insurance Information Institute (III)

5. ^ Automobile Insurance Plans Service Office (AIPSO) & United States Census Bureau

6. ^ Insurance Research Council (IRC) and United States Census Bureau

7. ^ Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) & Highway Loss Data Institute

8. ^ Office of Highway Policy Information

9. ^ Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)

10. ^ U.S. Department of Transportation

11. ^ Federal Highway Administration

12. ^ United States Census Bureau

13. ^ National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

14. ^ National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA)