# High-Risk Car Insurance in California (2026) > High-risk car insurance in California rests on your driving record, not credit or gender. See what counts, how CAARP works and how long violations follow you. Source: https://awaninsurance.com/blog/auto-insurance/high-risk-car-insurance-in-california/ Jump to: [What makes you high-risk](#what-makes-high-risk) [What can't count](#what-cant-count) [Non-standard](#standard-vs-nonstandard) [CAARP](#caarp) [Low Cost & SR-22](#low-cost-sr22) [What it costs](#cost) [How long](#how-long) [The path back](#path-back) By the **Awan Insurance Team** · Reviewed by ** Shahbaz Awan**, Licensed California Insurance Agent (CA Lic #0H95098) 11 min read Updated October 2026 California High-risk car insurance in California can feel like a label you're stuck with, but it isn't permanent. Here's what makes insurers see a driver as high-risk, what California law won't let them count, where coverage comes from when standard companies say no, and the road back to better rates. Quick Answer High-risk car insurance in California is coverage for drivers whose record — at-fault accidents, tickets and DMV points, a DUI or a suspension — or limited experience falls outside a standard company's rules. Under Proposition 103, your driving record is the top rating factor, and neither gender nor credit is a rating factor here. Options run from non-standard carriers to the California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan (CAARP), and three clean years can bring back the Good Driver Discount. Maybe your renewal jumped after an accident, a company turned you down, or a DUI has you wondering if anyone will insure you. That's stressful, and you're not alone. California has a real system for higher-risk drivers, and a record that hurts now won't follow you forever. Here's how it works. 30-second rate check See your rate Two fields to start. No obligation. A licensed California agent reviews every quote personally. Auto Home Auto + Home bundle Renters Condo Landlord Life Business SR-22 Recreational (RV, boat, motorcycle) Prefer to call? [(909) 864-3200](tel:9098643200) Please add a valid 5-digit ZIP and pick a coverage type. Almost done Where should we send it? Your quote will land in your inbox within 1 business hour. By clicking **Send Me My Free Quote**, I give Awan Insurance Agency my prior express written consent, by electronic signature, to contact me about my request, my insurance quote, and related insurance products and services by calls and text messages — including calls and texts made with automated technology or an artificial or prerecorded voice — at the number I provided, even if it is on a Do Not Call list. My information is never sold or given to lead buyers; it is shared only with the insurers and brokerage that quote my request and with service providers working for Awan. Consent is not a condition of purchase; I can call [(909) 864-3200](tel:9098643200) instead. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. I agree to the [Privacy Policy](https://awaninsurance.com/privacy) and [Terms of Use](https://awaninsurance.com/terms), including the [arbitration clause](https://awaninsurance.com/terms#arbitration) and [E-SIGN consent](https://awaninsurance.com/terms#esign). Please complete all fields with a valid phone and email. ✓ You're all set A licensed California agent will reach out within 1 business hour with your free quote review. Don't want to wait? [Call Awan Insurance · (909) 864-3200](tel:9098643200) Mon–Fri 9am–5pm PT ## What Makes a Driver High-Risk to California Insurers? A driver becomes high-risk to California insurers mainly through their driving record — at-fault accidents, tickets and DMV points, a DUI or a license suspension — with limited driving experience close behind. That order isn't a company preference. Under Proposition 103, Insurance Code section 1861.02(a) ranks three factors in decreasing order: your driving safety record, the miles you drive each year and your years of driving experience ([Source: California Insurance Code §1861.02 →](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=INS§ionNum=1861.02)). The rating regulation defines that record as your DMV traffic convictions plus accidents where you were principally at fault, and a DUI must be treated as the most serious surchargeable violation ([Source: Cal. Code Regs. tit. 10, §2632.5 →](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/10-CCR-2632.5)). 💥 ### At-fault accidents At least 51% of the legal cause, with injury or more than $1,000 in damage. 🎫 ### Tickets and points Most moving violations carry 1 DMV point, and so does an accident you caused. 🍷 ### A DUI conviction Two points, the heaviest surcharge, and usually an SR-22 to reinstate. ⚠️ ### Other 2-point violations Reckless driving, hit-and-run and evading police. 🚫 ### A suspension Visible while in effect and for three years after reinstatement. 🔰 ### Little experience The third required rating factor, so new drivers start behind. Point values come from Vehicle Code section 12810 ([Source: California Vehicle Code §12810 →](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH§ionNum=12810)) and the at-fault test from 10 CCR §2632.13 ([Source: Cal. Code Regs. tit. 10, §2632.13 →](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/10-CCR-2632.13)). Adding a newly licensed teen? See our guide to [adding a teen driver in California](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/auto-insurance/adding-a-teen-driver-to-your-california-auto-policy/). ## What Can't a California Insurer Hold Against You? A California insurer can't rate you on your gender, can't use a factor the Commissioner hasn't approved, such as a credit score, and can't use a past gap in coverage, by itself, against you. This is where California differs from most states. The Department of Insurance issued regulations prohibiting gender as a rating factor in private passenger auto insurance, effective January 1, 2019 ([Source: California Department of Insurance →](https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0400-news/0100-press-releases/2019/release003-19.cfm)). Section 1861.02(a) says using a criterion the Commissioner hasn't adopted counts as unfair discrimination, and credit history isn't on the regulation's list of approved optional factors ([Source: Cal. Code Regs. tit. 10, §2632.5 →](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/10-CCR-2632.5)). | Item | Can a California insurer rate you on it? | | --- | --- | | **Tickets and at-fault accidents** | Yes Your driving record is the first required factor (§1861.02(a)) | | **A DUI conviction** | Yes Treated as the highest surchargeable violation (10 CCR §2632.5) | | **Years of driving experience** | Yes The third required factor | | **Your gender** | No Prohibited since January 1, 2019 | | **Your credit score** | No Not an approved rating factor | | **A gap in coverage, by itself** | No Barred by §1861.02(c) | | **An accident where you were rear-ended** | No Presumed not at fault unless you were convicted of a related moving violation (10 CCR §2632.13) | The coverage-gap rule has limits. If you drove during the gap and picked up a ticket, that ticket still counts. Our guide to [getting car insurance after a coverage lapse](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/auto-insurance/california-car-insurance-after-a-coverage-lapse/) walks through it. ## What's the Difference Between Standard and Non-Standard Car Insurance? Standard car insurance is written for drivers who fit a company's usual underwriting rules, while non-standard insurance is written by carriers that specialize in drivers with tickets, accidents, a DUI, a suspension or little history. The Department of Insurance says it plainly: "If you have had several accidents or speeding tickets, you may not be able to find a standard company that will insure you." Its advice in that spot is to shop around and "compare costs and coverage carefully" ([Source: California Department of Insurance auto guide →](https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/95-guides/01-auto/upload/IG-Auto-Insurance-Updated-020525.pdf)). A no from one standard company isn't a no from the market. Non-standard carriers expect higher-risk records and price for them. The trade-off is usually a higher premium, so compare the full policy, not just the price. Our team starts with Farmers and the Farmers family, which includes Bristol West, a non-standard auto carrier. Through our Kraft Lake brokerage access we can also check other California carriers that write higher-risk drivers. Each company applies its own rules, so we can't promise a placement, but we can tell you quickly which markets are realistic. See how that works on our [California auto insurance page](https://awaninsurance.com/auto-insurance). Disclose everything up front Tell us about every ticket, accident and DMV action before we quote. Insurers pull your DMV record anyway, and a quote built on an incomplete story changes the moment they see it. 30-second rate check See your rate Two fields to start. No obligation. A licensed California agent reviews every quote personally. Auto Home Auto + Home bundle Renters Condo Landlord Life Business SR-22 Recreational (RV, boat, motorcycle) Prefer to call? [(909) 864-3200](tel:9098643200) Please add a valid 5-digit ZIP and pick a coverage type. Almost done Where should we send it? Your quote will land in your inbox within 1 business hour. By clicking **Send Me My Free Quote**, I give Awan Insurance Agency my prior express written consent, by electronic signature, to contact me about my request, my insurance quote, and related insurance products and services by calls and text messages — including calls and texts made with automated technology or an artificial or prerecorded voice — at the number I provided, even if it is on a Do Not Call list. My information is never sold or given to lead buyers; it is shared only with the insurers and brokerage that quote my request and with service providers working for Awan. Consent is not a condition of purchase; I can call [(909) 864-3200](tel:9098643200) instead. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. I agree to the [Privacy Policy](https://awaninsurance.com/privacy) and [Terms of Use](https://awaninsurance.com/terms), including the [arbitration clause](https://awaninsurance.com/terms#arbitration) and [E-SIGN consent](https://awaninsurance.com/terms#esign). Please complete all fields with a valid phone and email. ✓ You're all set A licensed California agent will reach out within 1 business hour with your free quote review. Don't want to wait? [Call Awan Insurance · (909) 864-3200](tel:9098643200) Mon–Fri 9am–5pm PT ## How Does the California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan Work? The California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan (CAARP) is the state's last-resort route to liability coverage: if no company will insure you through ordinary channels, a certified agent applies for you and the plan assigns you to an insurer. Insurance Code section 11620 directs the Commissioner to run a plan for drivers who "are in good faith entitled to but are unable to procure" liability insurance through ordinary methods, and every admitted auto liability insurer must take part ([Source: California Insurance Code §11620 →](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=INS§ionNum=11620)). The Department of Insurance describes it as a way to get liability insurance and says the program assigns you to an insurance company ([Source: California Department of Insurance auto guide →](https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/95-guides/01-auto/upload/IG-Auto-Insurance-Updated-020525.pdf)). What CAARP looks like in practice, according to the Department of Insurance guide: * **Same price at every company.** "All the companies in the CAARP program must charge the same premiums." * **Installments.** "You can pay in installments." * **No broker's fee.** "There is no broker's fee if you buy a CAARP policy." * **A way back out.** "After a certain number of years, your traffic violation or accident may be removed from your record," and you may be able to buy a standard policy again. Plan rates are recommended by CAARP's advisory committee and approved by the Department of Insurance ([Source: California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan (AIPSO) →](https://www.aipso.com/Plan-Sites/California-ARP)). By law they must be actuarially sound, with no subsidy. The plan may also set eligibility standards that consider convictions, license suspensions and accident records ([Source: California Insurance Code §11624 →](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=INS§ionNum=11624)). To apply, you go through an agent: only CAARP-certified producers can submit applications. The plan's site has a Find-a-Producer tool, and its phone line is (800) 622-0954. CAARP is designed as a last resort, so the regular and non-standard markets come first; if no market fits, CAARP's Find-a-Producer tool lists certified producers who can submit an application. ## Where Do the Low Cost Auto Program and SR-22 Fit In? California's Low Cost Auto program is a separate, income-based option for good drivers and new drivers, and an SR-22 is a DMV filing attached to a policy, not a kind of insurance or a market of its own. The Low Cost Auto program requires a valid California license, income within the program's guidelines, a car valued at $25,000 or less, age 16 or older and "a good driving record or be a new driver" ([Source: California Low Cost Auto Insurance Program →](https://www.mylowcostauto.com/get-started/qualifications)). With a recent DUI or a string of tickets, check its eligibility questionnaire before counting on it. Our [California Low Cost Auto program guide](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/auto-insurance/california-low-cost-auto-insurance-program-guide/) explains the income limits and what the policy covers. An SR-22 often travels with a high-risk record, since the DMV requires one after most DUI suspensions and an uninsured accident. The policy behind it can come from any of the markets above. Who needs a filing, how long it lasts and what happens if it lapses are all in our guide to [SR-22 insurance in California](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/auto-insurance/sr-22-insurance-in-california-who-needs-it-and-for-how-long/). ## How Much More Does High-Risk Car Insurance Cost in California? Published 2026 figures for California drivers with a DUI run from about $278 a month (Insurify) to $9,979 a year (CarInsurance.com), with The Zebra at about $4,690 a year — a spread that reflects different sample drivers, not different markets. The named figures, as each source published them: $278/moInsurify, median full-coverage quote after a DUI, versus $203 a month with a clean record and $261 after an at-fault accident; page updated October 19, 2026. [Source: Insurify →](https://insurify.com/car-insurance/california/high-risk-drivers/) $4,690/yrThe Zebra, average annual premium with a DUI; its at-fault accident averages run $2,575 to $2,677. Updated March 19, 2026. [Source: The Zebra →](https://thezebra.com/auto-insurance/california-car-insurance/ca-average-cost-of-auto-insurance/) $9,979/yrCarInsurance.com, full coverage after a first-offense DUI, versus $3,444 with a clean record. Updated May 11, 2026. [Source: CarInsurance.com →](https://www.carinsurance.com/high-risk-drivers/california/) Why are they so far apart? Each source prices a different driver. Insurify reports medians of real quotes for drivers aged 20 to 70, with liability limits from the state minimum up to 50/100 and $1,000 deductibles. CarInsurance.com prices 40-year-old drivers with 100/300/100 limits and $500 deductibles, using Quadrant Information Services data. The Zebra doesn't describe a sample profile for its violation table. None of these is a quote, and none tells you what you'll pay. What they share: a DUI moves the price more than a single accident. For how published averages are built, see [what car insurance costs in California](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/auto-insurance/how-much-is-car-insurance-in-california/). ## How Long Does a Violation Follow You in California? Most tickets and at-fault accidents stay on the record the DMV discloses for three years, two-point violations for seven, and DUI convictions for ten, counted from the date of the violation or accident. Vehicle Code section 1808 sets how long the DMV discloses each item ([Source: California Vehicle Code §1808 →](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH§ionNum=1808)). Insurers check your record at application, when a driver is added and at least every 36 months; a renewal can't be based on a DMV report older than that ([Source: Cal. Code Regs. tit. 10, §2632.5 →](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/10-CCR-2632.5)). | On your DMV record | How long the DMV discloses it | | --- | --- | | **At-fault accidents and most tickets** | 3 years | | **Two-point violations** (reckless driving, hit-and-run) | 7 years | | **DUI convictions** | 10 years | | **Suspensions and revocations** | While in effect, plus 3 years after reinstatement | Disclosure and pricing aren't the same thing: each company's filed rating plan decides how long a violation affects its price. If a ticket is your main issue, our guide to [car insurance after a speeding ticket](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/auto-insurance/california-car-insurance-after-a-speeding-ticket/) goes deeper on points and timing. ## How Do You Get Back to Standard Rates in California? The path back to standard rates is a clean record over time: keep coverage continuous, use traffic school when you're eligible, and aim for the Good Driver Discount after three years without a disqualifying point, accident or DUI. The Good Driver test in Insurance Code section 1861.025 requires three years licensed, no more than one violation point in that time, no principally-at-fault accident causing injury or death, and no DUI conviction in the past 10 years ([Source: California Insurance Code §1861.025 →](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=INS§ionNum=1861.025)). If you qualify, section 1861.02(b) says any insurer you choose must offer you a Good Driver Discount policy at least 20% below the rate you'd otherwise be charged for the same coverage. * **Use traffic school when it's offered.** For your first eligible conviction in 18 months, completing traffic violator school keeps it confidential and adds no point. It doesn't apply to violations worth more than one point or to commercial drivers ([Source: California Vehicle Code §1808.7 →](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH§ionNum=1808.7)). * **Keep the policy in force.** A lapse brings DMV trouble, and any ticket picked up while uninsured still counts. * **Ask about course credits.** California lets insurers use completion of driver training or defensive driving courses as an optional rating factor. * **Re-shop as items age off.** Each anniversary of a violation is a reason to compare again. See [how often to re-shop insurance in California](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/insurance-discounts/how-often-should-california-families-re-shop-insurance/). Mark your calendar Write down the date of every ticket and accident. When the three-year mark passes, call us to re-quote rather than waiting for renewal. For the bigger picture on limits and discounts, our [California auto insurance guide](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/auto-insurance/california-auto-insurance-guide-coverage-costs-companies-and-savings/) pulls it together. ## The Bottom Line In California, "high-risk" mostly means your driving record, plus limited experience. Gender and credit aren't rating factors, and a coverage gap can't count against you by itself. When standard companies say no, non-standard carriers and CAARP are there. Most items leave the DMV's disclosed record in 3 to 10 years, and three clean years can bring back the Good Driver Discount. If your record has you worried, call the Awan Insurance team at (909) 864-3200 or [start a quote online](https://awaninsurance.com/quote). We'll look at your record honestly, check the markets we can reach across our 7 carriers and brokerage, and tell you what's realistic. Our [auto insurance page](https://awaninsurance.com/auto-insurance) explains how we work, and our [SR-22 filing page](https://awaninsurance.com/sr22) covers the filing if you need one. 30-second rate check See your rate Two fields to start. No obligation. A licensed California agent reviews every quote personally. Auto Home Auto + Home bundle Renters Condo Landlord Life Business SR-22 Recreational (RV, boat, motorcycle) Prefer to call? [(909) 864-3200](tel:9098643200) Please add a valid 5-digit ZIP and pick a coverage type. Almost done Where should we send it? Your quote will land in your inbox within 1 business hour. By clicking **Send Me My Free Quote**, I give Awan Insurance Agency my prior express written consent, by electronic signature, to contact me about my request, my insurance quote, and related insurance products and services by calls and text messages — including calls and texts made with automated technology or an artificial or prerecorded voice — at the number I provided, even if it is on a Do Not Call list. My information is never sold or given to lead buyers; it is shared only with the insurers and brokerage that quote my request and with service providers working for Awan. Consent is not a condition of purchase; I can call [(909) 864-3200](tel:9098643200) instead. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. I agree to the [Privacy Policy](https://awaninsurance.com/privacy) and [Terms of Use](https://awaninsurance.com/terms), including the [arbitration clause](https://awaninsurance.com/terms#arbitration) and [E-SIGN consent](https://awaninsurance.com/terms#esign). Please complete all fields with a valid phone and email. ✓ You're all set A licensed California agent will reach out within 1 business hour with your free quote review. Don't want to wait? [Call Awan Insurance · (909) 864-3200](tel:9098643200) Mon–Fri 9am–5pm PT ## Related Questions ### Can an insurance company turn me down because of my driving record in California? A company can decline you if your record falls outside its underwriting rules. There is a floor, though. If you meet the Good Driver criteria, Insurance Code section 1861.02(b) says the insurer you choose can't refuse to sell you a Good Driver Discount policy. And if no company will take you, CAARP exists to assign you to one. ### How long does a DUI affect car insurance in California? Longer than any other violation. The DMV discloses a DUI conviction for 10 years under Vehicle Code section 1808, and the Good Driver Discount test in Insurance Code section 1861.025 looks back 10 years for a DUI. Insurers must also treat a DUI as the most serious surchargeable violation they use. How long it affects your price depends on each company's filed rating plan. ### Do CAARP policies cost the same at every insurance company? Yes. The Department of Insurance guide says all companies in the CAARP program must charge the same premiums, and plan rates are approved by the Department. By law they must be actuarially sound with no subsidy, so CAARP isn't a discount program. You can pay in installments, and there's no broker's fee on a CAARP policy. ### Does a suspended license make me a high-risk driver to insurers? Usually, yes. Vehicle Code section 1808 says the DMV discloses a suspension or revocation while it's in effect and for three years after reinstatement, and insurers pull that record. The violation behind the suspension, such as a DUI, also counts against you, and most reinstatements require an SR-22 filing. Coverage is still available, often through non-standard carriers. ### Can a new driver with a clean record be considered high-risk in California? To a degree. Years of driving experience is the third factor Proposition 103 requires insurers to use, so a new driver usually pays more than an experienced one with the same clean record. You also need three years licensed for the Good Driver Discount. A newly licensed, income-eligible driver may still qualify for California's Low Cost Auto program. Last reviewed October 2026 by Shahbaz Awan, Licensed California Insurance Agent (CA Lic #0H95098). Statutory points cited from California Insurance Code sections 1861.02, 1861.025, 11620 and 11624, Vehicle Code sections 1808, 1808.7 and 12810, and California Code of Regulations title 10 sections 2632.5 and 2632.13, plus the California Department of Insurance auto insurance guide and 2019 gender-rating notice, the CAARP plan site (AIPSO) and the Low Cost Auto program site; premium figures are published third-party averages (Insurify, The Zebra, CarInsurance.com) current as of publication, not quotes — confirm your own record with the DMV before deciding. #### Free Coverage Review Tickets, an accident or a DUI on your record? Our licensed California team will check which markets are realistic for you, from Farmers and Bristol West to our brokerage carriers. [Get My Free Quote →](https://awaninsurance.com/quote) Or call us direct[(909) 864-3200](tel:9098643200) #### High-Risk Driving at a Glance Most tickets and accidents on DMV record3 years Two-point violations on record7 years DUI convictions on record10 years Clean years for Good Driver3 years CAARP phone line(800) 622-0954 #### Related Guides * [SR-22 Insurance in California](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/auto-insurance/sr-22-insurance-in-california-who-needs-it-and-for-how-long/) * [Car Insurance After a Speeding Ticket](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/auto-insurance/california-car-insurance-after-a-speeding-ticket/) * [Car Insurance After a Coverage Lapse](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/auto-insurance/california-car-insurance-after-a-coverage-lapse/) * [California Low Cost Auto Program](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/auto-insurance/california-low-cost-auto-insurance-program-guide/) * [California Auto Insurance Guide](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/auto-insurance/california-auto-insurance-guide-coverage-costs-companies-and-savings/) #### Visit Our Office 27255 Messina St Highland, CA 92346 Mon–Fri 9am–5pm PT CA Lic #0H95098 --- **Awan Insurance Agency** · 27255 Messina St, Highland, CA 92346 · (909) 864-3200 · Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–5:00 PM Pacific Request a quote: https://awaninsurance.com/quote-request (plain HTML form) or https://awaninsurance.com/quote (guided).