Cal. Insurance Code § 11580.1 : California Insurance Code — Classes Of Insurance — General Regulations — Actions On Policies Containing Liability Provisions — Required provisions for automobile liability insurance

  • Date:

Current through the 2016 Legislative Session

(a) No policy of automobile liability insurance described in Section 16054 of the Vehicle Code covering liability arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of any motor vehicle shall be issued or delivered in this state on or after the effective date of this section unless it contains the provisions set forth in subdivision (b). However, none of the requirements of subdivision (b) shall apply to the insurance afforded under the policy (1) to the extent that the insurance exceeds the limits specified in subdivision (a) of Section 16056 of the Vehicle Code, or (2) if the policy contains an underlying insurance requirement, or provides for a retained limit of self-insurance, equal to or greater than the limits specified in subdivision (a) of Section 16056 of the Vehicle Code.
(b) Every policy of automobile liability insurance to which subdivision (a) applies shall contain all of the following provisions:
(1) Coverage limits not less than the limits specified in subdivision (a) of Section 16056 of the Vehicle Code.
(2) Designation by explicit description of, or appropriate reference to, the motor vehicles or class of motor vehicles to which coverage is specifically granted.
(3) Designation by explicit description of the purposes for which coverage for those motor vehicles is specifically excluded.
(4) Provision affording insurance to the named insured with respect to any owned or leased motor vehicle covered by the policy, and to the same extent that insurance is afforded to the named insured, to any other person using the motor vehicle, provided the use is by the named insured or with his or her permission, express or implied, and within the scope of that permission, except that: (A) with regard to insurance afforded for the loading or unloading of the motor vehicle, the insurance may be limited to apply only to the named insured, a relative of the named insured who is a resident of the named insured's household, a lessee or bailee of the motor vehicle, or an employee of any of those persons; and (B) the insurance afforded to any person other than the named insured need not apply to: (i) any employee with respect to bodily injury sustained by a fellow employee injured in the scope and course of his or her employment, or (ii) any person, or to any agent or employee thereof, employed or otherwise engaged in the business of selling, repairing, servicing, delivering, testing, road-testing, parking, or storing automobiles with respect to any accident arising out of the maintenance or use of a motor vehicle in connection therewith. As used in this chapter, "owned motor vehicle" includes all motor vehicles described and rated in the policy.
(c) In addition to any exclusion provided in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b), the insurance afforded by any policy of automobile liability insurance to which subdivision (a) applies, including the insurer's obligation to defend, may, by appropriate policy provision, be made inapplicable to any or all of the following:
(1) Liability assumed by the insured under contract.
(2) Liability for bodily injury or property damage caused intentionally by or at the direction of the insured.
(3) Liability imposed upon or assumed by the insured under any workers' compensation law.
(4) Liability for bodily injury to any employee of the insured arising out of and in the course of his or her employment.
(5) Liability for bodily injury to an insured or liability for bodily injury to an insured whenever the ultimate benefits of that indemnification accrue directly or indirectly to an insured.
(6) Liability for damage to property owned, rented to, transported by, or in the charge of, an insured. A motor vehicle operated by an insured shall be considered to be property in the charge of an insured.
(7) Liability for any bodily injury or property damage with respect to which insurance is or can be afforded under a nuclear energy liability policy.
(8) Any motor vehicle or class of motor vehicles, as described or designated in the policy, with respect to which coverage is explicitly excluded, in whole or in part.

"The insured" as used in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) shall mean only that insured under the policy against whom the particular claim is made or suit brought. "An insured" as used in paragraphs (5) and (6) shall mean any insured under the policy including those persons who would have otherwise been included within the policy's definition of an insured but, by agreement, are subject to the limitations of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d).

(d) Notwithstanding paragraph (4) of subdivision (b), or Article 2 (commencing with Section 16450) of Chapter 3 of Division 7 of, or Article 2 (commencing with Section 17150) of Chapter 1 of Division 9 of, the Vehicle Code, the insurer and any named insured may, by the terms of any policy of automobile liability insurance to which subdivision (a) applies, or by a separate writing relating thereto, agree as to either or both of the following limitations, the agreement to be binding upon every insured to whom the policy applies and upon every third-party claimant:
(1) That coverage and the insurer's obligation to defend under the policy shall not apply nor accrue to the benefit of any insured or any third-party claimant while any motor vehicle is being used or operated by a natural person or persons designated by name. These limitations shall apply to any use or operation of a motor vehicle, including the negligent or alleged negligent entrustment of a motor vehicle to that designated person or persons. This agreement applies to all coverage provided by that policy and is sufficient to comply with the requirements of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 11580.2 to delete coverage when a motor vehicle is operated by a natural person or persons designated by name. The insurer shall have an obligation to defend the named insured when all of the following apply to that designated natural person:
(A) He or she is a resident of the same household as the named insured.
(B) As a result of operating the insured motor vehicle of the named insured, he or she is jointly sued with the named insured.
(C) He or she is an insured under a separate automobile liability insurance policy issued to him or her as a named insured, which policy does not provide a defense to the named insured.

An agreement made by the insurer and any named insured more than 60 days following the inception of the policy excluding a designated person by name shall be effective from the date of the agreement and shall, with the signature of a named insured, be conclusive evidence of the validity of the agreement.

That agreement shall remain in force as long as the policy remains in force, and shall apply to any continuation, renewal, or replacement of the policy by the named insured, or reinstatement of the policy within 30 days of any lapse thereof.

(2) That with regard to a policy issued to a named insured engaged in the business of leasing vehicles for those vehicles that are leased for a term in excess of six months, or selling, repairing, servicing, delivering, testing, road-testing, parking, or storing automobiles, coverage shall not apply to any person other than the named insured or his or her agent or employee, except to the extent that the limits of liability of any other valid and collectible insurance available to that person are not equal to the limits of liability specified in subdivision (a) of Section 16056 of the Vehicle Code. If the policy is issued to a named insured engaged in the business of leasing vehicles, which business includes the lease of vehicles for a term in excess of six months, and the lessor includes in the lease automobile liability insurance, the terms and limits of which are not otherwise specified in the lease, the named insured shall incorporate a provision in each vehicle lease contract advising the lessee of the provisions of this subdivision and the fact that this limitation is applicable except as otherwise provided for by statute or federal law.
(e) Nothing in this section or in Section 16054 or 16450 of the Vehicle Code shall be construed to constitute a homeowner's policy, personal and residence liability policy, personal and farm liability policy, general liability policy, comprehensive personal liability policy, manufacturers' and contractors' policy, premises liability policy, special multiperil policy, or any policy or endorsement where automobile liability coverage is offered as incidental to some other basic coverage as an "automobile liability policy" within the meaning of Section 16054 of the Vehicle Code, or as a "motor vehicle liability policy" within the meaning of Section 16450 of the Vehicle Code, nor shall this section apply to a policy that provides insurance covering liability arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of any motor vehicle in the Republic of Mexico issued or delivered in this state by a nonadmitted Mexican insurer, notwithstanding that the policy may provide automobile or motor vehicle liability coverage on insured premises or the ways immediately adjoining.
(f)
(1) On and after January 1, 1976, no policy of automobile liability insurance described in subdivision (a) shall be issued, amended, or renewed in this state if it contains any provision that expressly or impliedly excludes from coverage under the policy the operation or use of an insured motor vehicle by the named insured in the performance of volunteer services for a nonprofit charitable organization or governmental agency by providing social service transportation. This subdivision shall not apply in any case in which the named insured receives any remuneration of any kind other than reimbursement for actual mileage driven in the performance of those services at a rate not to exceed the following:
(A) For the 1980-81 fiscal year, the maximum rate authorized by the California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board shall also be known as the "base rate."
(B) For each fiscal year thereafter, the greater of either (A) the maximum rate authorized by the Department of General Services or (B) the base rate as adjusted by the California Consumer Price Index.
(2) No policy of insurance issued under this section may be canceled by an insurer solely for the reason that the named insured is performing volunteer services for a nonprofit charitable organization or governmental agency consisting of providing social service transportation.
(3) For the purposes of this section, "social service transportation" means transportation services provided by private nonprofit organizations or individuals to either individuals who are senior citizens or individuals or groups of individuals who have special transportation needs because of physical or mental conditions and supported in whole or in part by funding from private or public agencies.
(g) Notwithstanding paragraph (4) of subdivision (b), or Article 2 (commencing with Section 16450) of Chapter 3 of Division 7 of, or Article 2 (commencing with Section 17150) of Chapter 1 of Division 9 of, the Vehicle Code, a Mexican nonadmitted insurer and any named insured may, by the terms of any policy of automobile insurance for use solely in the Republic of Mexico to which subdivision (a) applies, or by a separate writing relating thereto, agree to the limitation that coverage under that policy shall not apply to any person riding in or occupying a vehicle owned by the insured or driven by another person with the permission of the insured. The agreement shall be binding upon every insured to whom the policy applies and upon any third-party claimant.
(h) No policy of automobile insurance that provides insurance covering liability arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of any motor vehicle solely in the Republic of Mexico issued by a nonadmitted Mexican insurance company, shall be subject to, or provide coverage for, those coverages provided in Section 11580.2.
Ca. Ins. Code § 11580.1
Amended by Stats 2016 ch 31 (SB 836),s 176, eff. 6/27/2016.
Amended by Stats 2006 ch 538 (SB 1852),s 471, eff. 1/1/2007.
EFFECTIVE 1/1/2000. Amended September 2, 1999 (Bill Number: SB 1296) (Chapter 313).
SECTIONS