Palo Alto Car Insurance Resources

Palo Alto, CA Car Insurance

Cars Insured in Palo Alto

^ There are an estimated 41,874 vehicles currently insured in Palo Alto. ^[1]

Car Insurance Rates in Palo Alto

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

Uninsured Motorists in Palo Alto

^ There are an estimated 6,186 uninsured motorists driving in Palo Alto. ^[3]

Palo Alto Car Insurance

Car Insurance Liability Requirements in Palo Alto

Minimum Liability Limits in Palo Alto: 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 Palo Alto

Palo Alto Auto Insurance Coverage Requirements ^[4]
- Bodily injury liability coverage
- Property damage liability coverage

Car Insurance Verification Laws in Palo Alto

Insurer Verification of Auto Insurance in Palo Alto ^[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.

Palo Alto Car Insurance Facts, Estimates & Related Laws

Palo Alto Car Insurance Stats

Number of Auto Insurance Policies in Palo Alto
- Based on historical and current data, 41,874 cars are currently insured in Palo Alto. ^[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 Palo Alto
- Based on historical and current data, Palo Alto has an estimated 6,186 uninsured drivers. ^[6]
- California cities collectively had the 17th highest uninsured motorist rate in the nation in 2009. ^[3]
Average Car Insurance Rates in Palo Alto
- California cities collectively had the 21st highest auto insurance rates in the nation in 2010. ^[2]

Palo Alto 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.

Palo Alto Automotive Laws

Minimum Driving Age in Palo Alto ^[9]
- Palo Alto, CA minimum driving age: 15 years, 6 months.
Driver's License Renewal Cycle in Palo Alto
- Renewal cycle: 5 years ^[7]
Motorcycle Helmet Laws in Palo Alto
- Motorcycle helmets required for all riders. ^[7]
Safety Belt Laws in Palo Alto
- 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 Palo Alto, CA

About Palo Alto

Palo Alto (California) is a city with a population of 64,403 ^[12] that is located in Santa Clara County.

More about Palo Alto auto insurance

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

Did you know?

As of July 2013, 26 U.S. states had laws that allow drivers to show proof of insurance electronically on smartphones.

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)