California Collision Guide: Insurance and the SR-1 Report

After a collision, protect people first, exchange information and check which reports are required. A police report, an insurance claim and a DMV SR-1 serve separate purposes.

Know the standard liability limits

For an ordinary private-passenger liability policy, California’s current minimums are commonly written 30/60/15:

Coverage per collision	Minimum
Injury or death of one person	$30,000
Injury or death of more than one person	$60,000 total
Property damage	$15,000

Liability insurance covers injury or property damage to others. Comprehensive or collision coverage alone does not satisfy the financial-responsibility requirement. Keep evidence of coverage available in the vehicle. DMV lists separate approved financial-responsibility alternatives and an eligibility-based low-cost program on its insurance page.

At the scene

Stop. Call 911 immediately if anyone is hurt. If no one is hurt, move your vehicle out of traffic, then call 911. Exchange your driver’s license, registration, insurance details and current address with the other driver and provide them to law enforcement and others involved.

If you hit an unattended vehicle or property, try to find the owner. If you cannot, leave a securely attached note with your name, phone number and address, and report the collision to law enforcement.

Two reporting deadlines

Trigger	Report
Anyone injured or killed	Report to law enforcement within 24 hours.
Anyone injured, however slightly, or killed; or property damage over $1,000	Submit an SR-1 to DMV within 10 days.

Each driver is responsible for the DMV report regardless of fault. The requirement also applies on private property. You, your insurance agent, broker or legal representative may submit it. Reporting to police, CHP or your insurer does not replace the SR-1.

For the official SR-1 service, gather your DL/ID, plate number or VIN, insurance information and the other party’s vehicle and insurance details when applicable. DMV also provides a printable form.

Check your understanding

• Minor injury with little vehicle damage: injury alone triggers both reporting rules.
• No injury, but more than $1,000 in property damage: file the SR-1 within 10 days.
• The other driver caused it, in a parking lot: fault and private-property location do not remove your DMV reporting duty.

For insurance documents needed at a driving test, see the road-test checklist.

Official sources

Reviewed October 29, 2026. DMV insurance requirements, handbook: insurance and collisions and SR-1 filing instructions.