Article 3. Accident Liability Protection of California Public Utilities Code >> Division 2. >> Chapter 7. >> Article 3.

(a) The commission, in granting permits pursuant to this chapter, shall require the household goods carrier to procure, and continue in effect during the life of the permit, adequate protection against liability imposed by law upon carriers for the payment of damages for personal bodily injuries, including death resulting therefrom, and property damage in the following amounts:
  (1) Not less than two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) on account of bodily injuries to or death of one person.
  (2) Not less than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) on account of bodily injuries to or death of more than one person as a result of any one accident. The recovery of each person is subject to the limitation contained in subdivision (a).
  (3) Not less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for one accident resulting in damage to or destruction of property, other than property being transported by the carrier for any shipper or consignee, whether it is the property of one or more than one claimant.
  (4) Not less than six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000) on account of bodily injuries to, or death of, one or more persons and damage to or destruction of property, other than property being transported by the carrier for any shipper or consignee, whether it is the property of one or more than one claimant, in any one accident.
  (b) The commission may increase the minimum level of public liability and property damage protection required by this section if necessary to provide adequate protection.
  (c) The commission shall require all household goods carriers to procure and continue in effect during the life of the permit cargo insurance in the amount of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000). However, upon a showing before the commission by a household goods carrier that a lesser amount of cargo insurance adequately protects the public, and a finding by the commission to that effect, the commission may authorize the carrier to procure and continue in effect during the life of the permit the lesser amount of insurance.

The protection required under this article shall be evidenced by the deposit of any of the following with the commission covering each vehicle used or to be used under the permit applied for:
  (a) A policy of insurance, issued by a company licensed to write such insurance in this state, or by nonadmitted insurers subject to Section 1763 of the Insurance Code, if the policies meet the rules promulgated therefor by the commission.
  (b) A bond of a surety company licensed to write surety bonds in the state.
  (c) Such evidence of the qualification of the household goods carrier as a self-insurer as may be authorized by the commission.

With the consent of the commission a copy of an insurance policy, certified by the company issuing it to be a true copy of the original policy, or a photostatic copy thereof, or an abstract of the provisions of the policy, or a certificate of insurance issued by the company issuing the policy, may be filed with the commission in lieu of the original or a duplicate or counterpart of the policy.

The protection against liability shall be continued in effect during the active life of the permit. The policy of insurance or surety bond shall not be cancelable on less than 30 days' written notice to the commission.

The commission may establish such rules as are necessary to enforce this article.