When Did Car Insurance Become Mandatory? 
In California we have a financial responsibility law . It requires that a driver be able to cover all the costs which result from an accident . While it doesnt require insurance , that is the most economical manner to handle it . Many drivers look at insurance as a tax . It is certainly far from that . It is in the public interest that drivers be financial capable to repair any damage that they create . In California the state has made a certain set of limits as the mandatory minimums . These limits would not adequately protect a driver if they were involved in a serious accident . 