Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones delivered a simple message at San Diego City College today: cash-strapped students may be able to turn to the California Department of Insurance for financial help with obeying the law.

    Jones appeared on campus as part of the school’s Cinco de Mayo festivities to introduce students to the California Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program (CLCA), which offers very affordable auto insurance rates for those who qualify.

    “In this economy, many Californians, especially students, are looking for ways to get more for their money,” Jones said. “This program meets California’s insurance requirements and is perfectly suited for many college students.”

    The CLCA program provides affordable liability-only auto insurance that satisfies the state’s financial responsibility laws for less than $400 a year. It is particularly appealing to students faced with rising costs, but all Californians can apply – and it’s easy to do, Jones said.

    Because so many students already shop for bargains online, the California Department of Insurance and ASUS Computer International have been 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 determining whether interested Californians meet the eligibility requirements for the program.

    The event at San Diego City College was the third in the Insurance Department’s series of successful college events, with more expected in the fall.

    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.

    “Besides being affordable, this program helps Californians drive legally,” said Jones. “Driving without insurance is against the law. I encourage all drivers 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 in1999 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.