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Federal minimums for interstate trucks
The federal rule depends on the cargo. A for-hire carrier moving non-hazardous property across state lines in a vehicle rated at 10,001 pounds or more must carry at least $750,000 in public liability coverage. The minimum rises to $1 million for oil and most listed hazardous materials and wastes, and to $5 million for certain bulk hazardous substances, explosives and some radioactive loads.
Not every truck falls under this rule. A truck that only operates inside one state, or a company hauling its own goods, may be covered by different rules. Which minimum applies depends on the vehicle, the cargo and the kind of operation, and a lawyer can check. The actual policy limits usually come out through the insurer or in the lawsuit.
California auto minimums
For policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, California’s minimum auto liability coverage is $30,000 for injury or death of one person, $60,000 for two or more people and $15,000 for property damage. Under current law, the minimums rise to $50,000, $100,000 and $25,000 for policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2035. These numbers matter for pickups, vans and work cars.
When a worker causes a crash in a company vehicle, the employer is generally responsible for driving within the scope of the job (respondeat superior), which can bring in the company’s policy. If the owner only lent the vehicle and was not otherwise at fault, the owner’s liability is limited to $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident and $5,000 for property (Vehicle Code 17151).
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Washington auto minimums
Washington’s minimum auto liability coverage is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for injury, plus $10,000 for property damage. Washington policies must also include underinsured motorist coverage, which also protects against uninsured and hit-and-run drivers, in the same amount as the liability coverage, unless the named insured or spouse rejects it in writing (RCW 48.22.030).
Washington insurers must also offer personal injury protection, which pays medical expenses and some lost income regardless of fault; it can be rejected only in writing (RCW 48.22.085). Federal minimums for interstate trucks apply the same way in both states. Our page on how Washington rules differ covers deadlines and other points for crashes there.
When the truck’s insurance is not enough
Serious truck injuries can cost more than a minimum policy pays. Your own policy may help. California auto policies must include uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage unless the policyholder deleted it or lowered it in a signed written agreement (Insurance Code 11580.2). See making an underinsured motorist claim for how that works when the other driver’s limits run out.
MedPay, if you bought it, pays reasonable medical expenses from a covered crash up to its limit, regardless of fault (MedPay coverage). A lawyer also looks for other policies: the motor carrier, a broker, a shipper, a trailer owner and any excess or umbrella coverage. More than one policy can apply to the same crash, and insurance shapes the value of the claim.
What to do now
Start with the basics. Get medical care and keep your records. Photograph the truck, the trailer, the company name and the USDOT number. Ask for the driver’s insurance information at the scene and write down the police report number. Find your own auto policy and look at its declarations page, which lists your coverages and limits. Keep every receipt.
Do not sign a release or give a recorded statement to the trucking company’s insurer before you talk to a lawyer. In California, an injury lawsuit generally must be filed within two years (Code of Civil Procedure 335.1); in Washington, the general limit is three years (RCW 4.16.080). Call (310) 552-6959 or use the form, and we can help find the policies that apply.
- Photograph the truck, trailer, company name and USDOT number.
- Write down the police report number and every claim number.
- Pull the declarations page of your own auto policy.
- Keep medical bills and receipts.
- Do not sign releases or give recorded statements before getting legal advice.
Common questions
How much insurance does a semi truck have to carry?
Under federal rules, a for-hire interstate carrier hauling ordinary freight in a vehicle rated at 10,001 pounds or more must carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage. Many hazardous loads require $1 million or $5 million. A company can carry more than the minimum, and its actual limits are learned from the insurer or in the case.
What is the minimum car insurance in California in 2026?
For policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, the minimum is $30,000 for injury or death of one person, $60,000 for two or more people and $15,000 for property damage. Those minimums rise again for policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2035.
What if the truck driver had no insurance?
Your own uninsured motorist coverage may apply. In California it comes with every auto policy unless it was deleted or lowered in writing. Strict deadlines apply, and our page on being hit by an uninsured driver explains them. The trucking company or another business may also have coverage.
Can I find out how much insurance a trucking company has?
Sometimes the insurer will share the limits when asked, and sometimes they come out only after a lawsuit is filed. The company name and USDOT number help identify the carrier and its insurer. A lawyer can request the policy information and look for every other policy that might apply to the crash.
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Related pages
Can I sue a truck driver for hitting me? · Who is liable in a truck accident: the driver, the trucking company or the broker? · Rear-ended by a semi truck: what to do · Hit by a semi truck on the freeway: your rights · Jackknife truck accident: who is at fault? · All car and truck accident questions
Sources
- 49 C.F.R. § 387.9, Table 1
- Cal. Veh. Code § 16056(a)(2), (d) (as amended by SB 1107, Stats. 2022, ch. 719); Cal. Ins. Code § 11580.1(b)(1)
- RCW 46.29.090(1); RCW 46.30.020(1)(a)
- CACI Nos. 3700, 3701, 3720; Cal. Civ. Code § 2338
- Cal. Veh. Code §§ 17150, 17151(a)
- RCW 48.22.030(1)-(4), (8)
- RCW 48.22.085(1)-(2), 48.22.095(1)
- Cal. Ins. Code § 11580.2(a)(1)-(3), (b)(1)-(2), (f)
- California Department of Insurance, Auto Insurance Terms glossary; policy terms
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1
- RCW 4.16.080(2)
Important: This page is general information about California and Washington law, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; talk to a lawyer about yours. Last reviewed: November 5, 2026.