State Insurance Info

Request Higher Deductibles The deductible is the amount of money a driver will need to pay on a claim before the insurance company begins paying the rest. If you are in a good situation financially, asking your insurance company to raise your deductible can lower your monthly payments and lead to cheap auto insurance rates. Depending on how high you are willing to raise your deductible, your insurance premiums could be lowered by 15-40 percent. It is recommended that a driver set aside money to pay a higher deductible in case they need to file a claim.

General Texas Insurance Guidelines

The State of Texas currently requires that all drivers be covered under liability insurance. Proof of insurance must always be accessible in the vehicle. Texas drivers are required to show their insurance info when requested by an officer, involved in an accident, registering a vehicle or renewing a registration, obtaining or renewing a drivers license, or getting a car inspected.

Minimum Liability Coverage in Texas

The State of Texas minimum liability amounts are as follows:

$30,000 bodily injury per person.
$60,000 total bodily injury per accident.
$25,000 total property damage per accident.
These are only the minimum requirements set by the state. Experts advise protecting your assets by getting more coverage than the state-mandated minimums as these limits tend not to keep pace with the ever increasing costs of car repairs and medical bills. Most drivers also add collision and comprehensive coverage to their policies to cover possible damage to their own cars as well.

Penalties for Driving without Insurance

The penalties for driving without insurance in Texas are:

First conviction: fine of $175 - $350
More convictions: fines of $350 - $1,000, license suspension, and vehicle impoundment
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage


Some states require drivers to carry UM/UIM, or uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. This coverage protects a driver if they get in an accident where the other party does not have auto insurance. Texas does not require UM/UIM coverage.

No-Fault Insurance

Some states have “No-Fault” laws where a policy holder will be reimbursed by their insurance company without proof of fault, and restricted in the right to seek reimbursement through the court system for losses caused by other parties. Texas is not a “No-Fault” state.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Some states have Personal Injury Protection or “PIP” regulations requiring drivers to carry PIP insurance. This is an extension of auto insurance that covers medical expenses, lost wages and/or other damages. Texas does not require drivers to purchase PIP insurance.

SR-22 Requirements for Texas

An SR-22 form is a vehicle liability insurance document to be filed with a state’s DMV as proof that a driver has the minimum required liability insurance coverage for that state. SR-22 filings are usually only required to reinstate driving privileges after an offense such as a DUI conviction, uninsured auto accident or driving without insurance. Texas requires an SR-22 filing for driver’s license reinstatement.

Texas DUI Laws

It is illegal to operate a motor vehicle in the United States with a BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) level of 0.08% or higher. All states have driver licensing laws that state that a licensed driver has given implied consent to a field sobriety test and/or method of determining BAC. This means that a driver is required to take such tests if a law enforcement officer has reasonable grounds for administering one, with automatic penalties for refusing to comply. If BAC is determined to be above the legal level a driver will be penalized in various ways. The first DUI offense penalties for Texas are:

72 hours to 180 days imprisonment
180 days to 2 years imprisonemt if minor under 15 in vehicle
90 days to 1 year license suspension
Up to $2,000 fine
Up to $10,000 fine if minor under 15 in vehicle
$1,000 DUI surcharge per year for 3 years
$2,000 DUI surcharge per year for 3 years if BAC is 0.16% +
Additional Information on Insurance for Texas


For more information, please contact Texas Department of Insurance: 1-800-252-3439 or visit their website at www.tdi.state.tx.us.