SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Representatives from the Department of Insurance appeared today at American River College in Sacramento to introduce students to the California Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program (CLCA), which offers very affordable rates for those who qualify.  

In today's economy, all Californians – especially students – are looking to save money. The CLCA program provides affordable liability-only auto insurance that meets the state's financial responsibility laws for less than $400 a year.

"The CLCA is a great resource for many Californians, but it can be especially helpful for college students," said Deputy Commissioner Chris Shultz. "For as little as $26 a month, students can get liability insurance through the CLCA program – satisfying California's insurance requirements."

Like millions of Californians, college students are faced with rising costs; from tuition, campus fees and books to living expenses. Many students are always on the lookout for ways to stretch their dollars farther.  

Students shop for many of these bargains online, which is one of the reasons the CLCA program and ASUS Computer International are working together to introduce this program to college campuses across the state. During today's event, Insurance Department representatives used ASUS products to demonstrate the ease of applying to the program online.

With California's current budget crisis, public-private partnerships are essential to help inform consumers about this valuable state program. The American River College event is the second in the Insurance Department's series of successful college events, with a third to follow next month at a community college in San Diego.

The eligibility requirements for the program include:

• An applicant must be a "good driver" – no more than one at-fault, property damage-only accident or one point for a moving violation in the past three years;
• No at-fault accident involving bodily injury or death in the past three years and no felony or misdemeanor conviction for a violation of the Vehicle Code;
• Family meets income eligibility limits of $27,225 for a single person, $36,775 for two persons and $55, 875 for a family of four;
• The value of an insured vehicle must not exceed $20,000.

"Every day, more than a million uninsured drivers hit the roads in California," said Shultz. "The bottom line is that driving without insurance is illegal. The California Department of Insurance encourages all Californians to find out if they qualify."

To learn more about California's Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program and eligibility requirements, visit www.mylowcostauto.com, or call (866) 60-AUTO-1 (866-602-8861).

The California Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program was established in 1999 as a pilot program in Los Angeles and San Francisco. SB 20, passed in 2005, authorized the Commissioner to launch the program throughout the state upon his determination of need in each county. Beginning in April 2006, the department began expanding the program statewide, and in December, 2007 made the program available in every county of the state.

ASUS, one of the world's top consumer notebook vendors and the maker of the world's best-selling and most award-winning motherboards, is a leading enterprise in the new digital era. ASUS designs and manufactures products that meet the needs of today's digital home, office and person, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, displays, desktop PCs, notebooks, netbooks, servers, multimedia, wireless solutions, networking devices and mobile phones. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 3,398 awards in 2010, and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with the Eee PC™. With a global staff of more than 10,000 people and a world-class R&D team of 3,000 engineers, the company's revenue for 2010 was around US $10 billion.

Please visit the Department of Insurance Web site at www.insurance.ca.gov. Non-media inquiries should be directed to the Consumer Hotline at 800.927.HELP. Out-of-state callers, please dial 213.897.8921. Telecommunications Devices for the Deaf (TDD), please dial 800.482.4833.

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SOURCE California Department of Insurance