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Unmarried California drivers face higher auto insurance rates after court backs Commissioner Lara

7/18/2026

Unmarried Californians can legally be charged more for auto insurance than married drivers with the same records and the same cars.

A California Court of Appeal confirmed that on July 16, 2026, when a divided panel upheld Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara's decision to allow the practice.

"Divided" here means the judges on the panel did not reach a unanimous verdict: at least one dissented from the majority. Consumer Watchdog, the consumer advocacy organization that brought the challenge, lost the case.

Rating factors and what they mean to your premium A premium is the periodic payment a driver makes to keep an auto insurance policy active.

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