Auto Insurance in Texas
Getting a car insurance is no easy task. There are plenty of little things that vary from state to state, and you need to know them well before you can seal your deal with an insurance carrier. insurer. Here are a few things you should know about getting an auto insurance in the state of Texas.
Basic requirements
According to Texas law, you should be able to pay for any kind of damages you caused to your car. And the best way to comply with this law is to get a liability insurance. The minimum requirements of the liability law are:
- For every injured person, $30,000
- For every injury in an accident, $60,000
- For property damage, $25,000
Special offer in Texas
If you live in Texas, then it might be a good idea to take an awareness course approved by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The drug and alcohol awareness course will get you a 5 percent discount on your car insurance premium.
However, if you’ve ever been charged with alcohol-related cases, you will not be eligible for the discount for the next seven years.
What you don’t need
In Texas, you can get away with not having certain insurances. Though these insurance coverages are helpful to have, it’s not illegal to skip them.
- Medical Payments – This covers medical and funeral expenses in case you or your passengers are injured in an accident.
- Personal Injury Protection – This covers medical, income continuation, and related expenses in case you or your passengers are injured.
- Collision – This covers repairs to or replacement of your vehicle damaged in an accident.
- Comprehensive – This covers repairs to and replacement of damages to your vehicle due to theft or storms, or other natural causes.
Special conditions
If you have a bad driving record, you may find it difficult to get a car insurance in Texas. In that case, if you’ve been rejected by two or more insurance companies, you can get your car insurance from the Texas Automobile Insurance Plan Association (TAIPA). However, there are a few conditions to be eligible for TAIPA.
- You should have a valid driver’s license. If not, you should be applying.
- You should either live or have your car registered in Texas.
- You need to certify that two companies have denied you insurance within the last two months. You don’t need to prove it, but you will have to sign an affidavit stating that two companies have rejected your application.
Alternatives
Texas laws let you carry alternatives to liability car insurances.Some of the alternative choices are:
- You can get surety bonds for the same coverage limitations as a liability insurance, from two separate sureties with property in Texas.
- You can get a deposit of $55, 000 in cash or securities from the state comptroller.
- You can get a deposit of $55, 000 in cash or cashier’s check from the county judge of your car’s registered county.
- You can obtain a certificate of self-insurance. This is available only if you own more than 25 cars.
Violation
Texas is pretty strict when it comes to car insurance violations. For instance, if you violate the Texas auto insurance rules, you’ll be fined from $175 to $350 for your first conviction. It doesn’t stop there. For every additional conviction, you may have to pay about $350 to $1,000 in fines, in addition to the possibility of suspension of your driver’s license and impoundment of your vehicle.
Driving under influence(DUI)
It’s illegal throughout the United States of America to drive with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher. In Texas, the penalties for driving under influence according to the DUI laws are:
- Up to $2000 in fines.
- Imprisonment from 3 to 180 days.
- License suspension from 90 to 365 days.
- Surcharge of up to $1000 and DUI charges every year for three years.
Top 10 auto insurance companies in Texas
- State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
- Progressive County Mutual Insurance Company
- Farmers Texas County Mutual Insurance Company
- Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company
- Government Employees Insurance Company
- Home State County Mutual Insurance Company
- Old American County Mutual Fire Insurance Company
- United Services Automobile Association
- Colonial County Mutual Insurance Company
- Allstate Indemnity Company
Help and support
If you have any complaints or questions regarding auto insurance in Texas, laws, and eligibility criteria, you can contact the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI).
