Article 3 - Financial Responsibility

California Public Utilities Code — §§ 24350-24362

Sections (13)

Amended by Stats. 1969, Ch. 138.

A policy or bond is not effective under Article 2 unless:

(a)Issued either (1) by an insurer or surety company authorized to do business in this state, or (2) by an insurer or surety company not authorized to do business in this state but which is found by the department to afford adequate protection and which has filed or shall file with the department a power of attorney authorizing the department to accept service on his behalf of notice or process in any action upon the policy or bond arising out of such accident.

(b)If the accident results in bodily injury to or death of a person not a passenger, the policy or bond provides coverage of not less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any accident and one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident.

(c)If the accident results in damage to or destruction of property, the policy or bond provides coverage of not less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) because of damage to or destruction of property in any one accident with the exception of the following property which is exempted from the security required under this part: property owned, rented, occupied or used by, or in the care, custody or control of the owner or operator or carried in or on the aircraft.

§ 24351

Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 333, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1998.

The policy or bond need not cover:

(a)Any liability on account of bodily injury to or death of any employee of the owner or operator while the employee is engaged in the duties of the person’s employment.

(b)Any obligation for which the owner or operator or the insurer of the owner or operator may be held liable under any workers’ compensation law.

(c)A guest, or any other person, riding in or upon any aircraft without giving compensation.

(d)(1) Any liability for bodily injury or death of any occupant riding in or upon an aircraft or exiting an aircraft for purposes of skydiving or sport parachuting when that occupant’s injury or death is solely related to hazardous risks associated with skydiving or sport parachuting activities.

(2)Any person described in paragraph (1) who is not afforded the protection of liability insurance in connection with skydiving or sport parachuting activities shall be provided a notice in at least 14-point type that discloses the fact that no liability insurance is in effect that provides coverage for the skydiving or sport parachuting activities that are being undertaken.

§ 24352

Amended by Stats. 1969, Ch. 138.

Any person may at any time apply to the department for a certificate of self-insurance, whether or not there has occurred an accident as a result of which he might be affected by some other provision of this part.

§ 24353

Amended by Stats. 1969, Ch. 138.

The department may in its discretion issue a certificate of self-insurance when satisfied that the applicant is possessed and will continue to be possessed of ability to pay judgments against him within the limits provided in this part.

§ 24354

Amended by Stats. 1969, Ch. 138.

Upon not less than 10 days notification of a self-insurer the department may for reasonable cause cancel a certificate of self-insurance and shall cancel such certificate upon failure to pay any judgment within 30 days.

§ 24355

Amended by Stats. 1969, Ch. 138.

The security required under this part shall be cash or securities permissible under state law as security for deposit of state funds and in such amount as the department may require but in no case in excess of the limits specified in Section 24350 in reference to the limits of a policy or bond. If at the time of the accident there is in effect a liability policy or a bond meeting the requisites of this part other than in the amount of coverage set forth in Section 24350, the department may consider such policy or bond in fixing the amount of security. The person depositing security shall specify in writing the person or persons on whose behalf the deposit is made and, at any time while such deposit is in the custody of the state agency with which the deposit is made the person depositing it may, upon approval of the department, amend in writing the specification of the person or persons on whose behalf the deposit is made to include an additional person or persons; provided, however, that a single deposit of security shall be applicable only on behalf of persons required to furnish security because of the same accident.

§ 24356

Amended by Stats. 1969, Ch. 138.

Upon 10 days notification of the parties concerned, the department may reduce, or, within the limits specified in Section 24350, increase the amount of security ordered in any case if in its discretion the amount ordered is excessive or insufficient. In case the security originally ordered has been deposited, the excess shall be returned to the depositor notwithstanding the provisions of Section 24357. Substitution of security shall be permitted.

§ 24357

Amended by Stats. 1969, Ch. 138.

Security deposited in compliance with the requirements of this part shall be delivered to the department. The department shall deposit all cash received as security in a special account in the Special Deposit Fund provided by Article 2 (commencing with Section 16370) of Chapter 2, Part 2, Division 4, Title 2 of the Government Code, shall record the receipt of all securities received by it and deposit such securities with the State Treasurer, and shall retain in its custody all original insurance policies or copies thereof delivered to it. Security deposited with any agency other than the department shall be released only:

(a)Upon certificate of the department in the payment of a judgment rendered against the person or persons on whose behalf the deposit was made, for damages arising out of the accident in a civil action, begun not later than one year after the date of the accident or within one year after the date of deposit of any security under subdivision (c) of Section 24330 or in the payment of a settlement, agreed to by the depositor and all the claimants, of a claim or claims arising out of the accident.

(b)Upon certificate of the department issued after 10 days notification of all claimants upon evidence satisfactory to the department that all claims arising from such accident have been satisfied by either (1) a release from liability, or (2) a judgment of nonliability, or (3) a written agreement in accordance with subdivision (h) of Section 24327, or whenever, after the expiration of one year from the time of the accident or from the date of deposit of any security under subdivision (c) of Section 24330 the department is given evidence satisfactory that there is no such action pending and that no judgment rendered in any such action is unpaid.

(c)Upon the certificate of the department that other security complying with Section 24355 and satisfactory in form, character and amount, has been deposited with it in lieu of the original security deposited hereunder.

(d)Upon the death of the person on whose behalf such proof was filed.

(e)In the event of the permanent incapacity of such person to operate an aircraft if the department is furnished proof of such incapacity.

The department shall not release such proof:

(1)if any action for damages upon a liability referred to in this part is then pending, or (2) if any judgment upon any such liability is outstanding and unsatisfied.

An affidavit of the applicant of the nonexistence of such facts shall be prima facie evidence thereof.

Any security deposited with the department shall be released by it for any reason authorizing it to issue a certificate pursuant to subdivision (a), (b) or (c) when security is in the custody of another state agency.

§ 24358

Amended by Stats. 1969, Ch. 138.

Such security shall be available for the following purposes:

(a)Payment of a final judgment or judgments in any amount for bodily injury or in excess of four hundred dollars ($400) for property damage, rendered against the owner or operator on whose behalf the deposit was made, for damages arising out of the accident in an action at law, begun not later than one year after the date of such accident.

(b)Payment of any settlement agreement covering any claim arising out of the accident.

(c)Payment of any final judgment rendered as a result of default under any duly acknowledged settlement agreement.

Every distribution of funds from the security deposit shall be subject to the limits of the department’s evaluation on behalf of a claimant but not in excess of the maximum amounts provided in this part for bodily injury and for property damage.

§ 24359

Added by Stats. 1968, Ch. 1452.

Every judgment shall for the purposes of this part be deemed satisfied:

(a)When fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) has been credited, upon any judgment in excess of that amount, or upon all judgments, collectively, which together total in excess of that amount, for personal injury to or death of one person as a result of any one accident.

(b)When, subject to the limit of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) as to one person, the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) has been credited upon any judgment in excess of that amount, or upon all judgments, collectively, which together total in excess of that amount, for personal injury to or death of more than one person as a result of any one accident.

(c)When fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) has been credited upon any judgment in excess of that amount, or upon all judgments, collectively, each of which is in excess of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), and which together total in excess of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), for damage to property of others as a result of any one accident.

§ 24360

Amended by Stats. 1969, Ch. 138.

Whenever any evidence of proof of ability to respond in damages filed by any person under the provisions of this part no longer fulfills the purpose for which required the department shall, for the purpose of this part, require other evidence of ability to respond in damages as required by this part.

§ 24361

Amended by Stats. 1969, Ch. 138.

No insurance policy meeting the requirements of Section 24350 shall be canceled unless 30 days’ prior notice is given to the department by either the insured or the insurance company.

§ 24362

Added by Stats. 1973, Ch. 1164.

Every person permitting another person to operate an aircraft under the terms of any rental agreement or lease which provides for any remuneration for the use of such aircraft shall deliver either of the following to the person renting the aircraft:

(a)A written certification that an aircraft liability policy of insurance exists for the operator thereof, specifying the name of the insurance company providing such coverage, the policy number, the expiration date of such policy, the nature and extent of coverage, and a statement that such coverage complies with the financial responsibility laws of California applicable to the operation of an aircraft. Such certification shall be furnished and signed, by facsimile or otherwise, by a California licensed insurance agent, broker, or insurance carrier. The person delivering the written authorization provided for herein shall certify as to the accuracy thereof as of the date of delivery.

(b)A written statement that no insurance coverage exists for the operator of the aircraft. Such statement shall be delivered to the person renting the aircraft prior to entering into any binding rental agreement and shall substantially conform to the following text:

“NOTICE TO AIRCRAFT OPERATOR

“You are hereby notified that no insurance coverage is being provided to cover your liability for bodily injury and property damage you may cause as an operator of any aircraft covered by our rental agreement.

“You are further notified that the Uniform Aircraft Financial Responsibility Act (Part 5 (commencing with Section 24230) of Division 9 of the Public Utilities Code) requires that you be able to post security in an amount up to $50,000 because of bodily injury or death to one person in any one accident, up to $100,000 because of bodily injury or death to two or more persons in any one accident, and up to $50,000 in the event of damage to or destruction of property.

“Failure to furnish sufficient security or failure to furnish evidence of proof of ability to respond in damages as required under Section 24325 and Section 24360 of the Public Utilities Code is a misdemeanor.”

(c)No insurance agent, broker, or insurance carrier shall have any liability as a result of the failure to deliver the certificate specified in paragraph (a).