California Vehicle Code

§ 11515.3

VEH § 11515.3 Effective Jan 1, 2025Div. 5 · Ch. 3

Statute text

(a)If an insurance company requests a salvage pool authorized by the insurance company or an occupational licensee of the department authorized by the insurance company to take possession of a vehicle that is the subject of a total loss claim, and, subsequently, the insurance company does not take ownership of the vehicle, the insurance company may direct the salvage pool or occupational licensee of the department to release the vehicle to the registered and legal owner or lienholder of the vehicle. The insurance company shall provide the salvage pool or occupational licensee of the department with notice authorizing the release of the vehicle to the vehicle’s registered and legal owner or lienholder. This notice may be sent by mail, electronic mail, or a proprietary electronic system accessed by both the insurance company and the salvage pool or occupational licensee of the department.

(b)Upon receiving notice from an insurance company pursuant to subdivision (a), the salvage pool or occupational licensee of the department shall send two notices to the registered and legal owner and any lienholder of the vehicle informing the registered and legal owner and lienholder that the vehicle is available to pick up and will be sold or otherwise disposed of if no response is received. The notice shall inform the owner and any lienholder that the registered and legal owner and lienholder has 30 days from the date of mailing of the first notice and 14 days from the date of mailing of the second notice to pick up the vehicle from the salvage pool or occupational licensee of the department before the vehicle is deemed abandoned. The notice shall also inform the registered and legal owner and any lienholder of their right to contact the salvage pool or occupational licensee of the department regarding their intent to pick up the vehicle in order to receive an additional 30 days from the date of contact to pick up the vehicle before the vehicle is deemed abandoned. Notice under this subdivision shall be sent by certified mail or by another commercially available delivery service providing proof of delivery to the address on record with the department and any other known address, or for vehicles last registered in another jurisdiction, to the address on record with that jurisdiction and any other known address.

(c)If the registered and legal owner or any lienholder contacts the salvage pool or occupational licensee of the department regarding their intent to pick up the vehicle within the time periods described in subdivision (b), the salvage pool or occupational licensee shall give the registered and legal owner or any lienholder an additional 30 days from the date of contact to pick up the vehicle before the vehicle is deemed abandoned.

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Legislative history

Added by Stats. 2024, Ch. 364, Sec. 1. (AB 1901) Effective January 1, 2025.