The number one fear we hear in our offices: "If I buy auto insurance, will they report me to immigration?" The answer is NO. Here is exactly why, with the laws that protect you.
We understand the fear. In a political climate of raids, deportations, and ICE operations, it is natural to wonder whether handing your personal information to an insurance company puts you at risk. But you need to know the truth: auto insurance carriers in California do NOT report your information to ICE.
They do not do it. They have no reason to do it. And California law makes it essentially impossible.
There are four concrete reasons insurance companies do not report your information to immigration authorities:
Progressive, Dairyland, Bristol West, Kemper — all private companies. They do not work for the government. They have no legal obligation to share information with ICE. Their business is selling you a policy and collecting the premium. Your immigration status does not concern them — what concerns them is whether you pay your policy on time.
In 2017, California enacted SB 54, known as the California Values Act. This law limits cooperation between California state and local agencies and federal immigration authorities. While the law applies primarily to government agencies (such as local police and sheriffs), it sets a clear principle that California does not facilitate ICE's work.
Insurance companies operate under California state regulation. The message is clear: California wants all of its residents to have access to basic services — including auto insurance — without fear.
California Insurance Code section 11580.1b specifically states that insurance carriers cannot deny, cancel, or discriminate in policy pricing based on the applicant's immigration status.
Think about what this means: if the law prohibits the carrier from asking about your immigration status to decide whether to insure you, it would be absurd for them to use that information to report you. The law does not work that way.
This is the practical side: if a carrier started reporting its customers to ICE, the news would spread in hours. Within days they would lose thousands of policies. Within weeks they would lose millions of dollars. No carrier is going to destroy its business to do ICE's job.
Insurers need customers. Every insured driver is money in their pocket. Reporting their own customers would be like a restaurant calling the health inspector every time a customer walks in.
Your information is safe with us. At Via Rapida Services we have helped thousands of Latino families insure their cars. We have never shared information with ICE and we never will. Your policy is private.
Call 209-670-1556 Get a Quote OnlineAnother common question: "If I have an accident and the insurance has to pay, will they investigate my status?" The answer is no.
When you have an accident and file a claim:
At no point in the claims process does the carrier ask about your immigration status. Your policy is a legal contract — the carrier is required to honor it, regardless of your nationality.
If the police pull you over and ask for proof of insurance:
Local police in California, under SB 54, have limitations on asking about your immigration status during routine traffic stops. Having current auto insurance protects you from additional fines and impound.
In fact, NOT having insurance puts you at more risk: if you are pulled over without insurance, you can be fined $100 to $200 the first time, and have your vehicle impounded in repeat cases. Having insurance is what protects you.
Many people drive without insurance out of fear of sharing personal data. But driving without insurance is far more dangerous than having a policy:
Insurance does not put you in danger — it protects you. And California law ensures your information stays private.
Major insurance carriers have been clear about their positions:
These carriers want your business. California has approximately 4 million undocumented residents. Insurers are not going to ignore that market — they want to insure you, not report you.
If you are afraid to share your information, here is what we recommend:
You have rights. Regardless of your immigration status, in California you have the right to:
Do not let fear keep you uninsured. Driving without insurance is far more dangerous than having a policy. Call 209-670-1556 or visit us in Stockton, San Jose, or San Rafael. We speak Spanish. Your information stays with us.