Which car insurance is required to drive in Texas?
Asked by: Dr. Danielle Glover PhD | Last update: September 9, 2025Score: 5/5 (39 votes)
Liability coverage – which is all that's legally required in Texas – pays costs such as medical bills and funeral expenses, as well as lost wages in case of a serious injury and pain and suffering compensation.
What type of insurance must you have to drive a vehicle in Texas?
State law requires people who drive in Texas to pay for accidents they cause. Most people do this with liability insurance. A liability policy pays to repair or replace the other driver's car and pays other people's medical expenses if you're at fault in an accident.
What car insurance is mandatory in Texas?
Liability. As we discussed above, liability coverage is the sole focus of mandatory insurance coverage in Texas. An at-fault driver carrying liability coverage will use it to cover the costs of medical bills, vehicle repairs, lost wages, and other damages for other people involved in the accident.
What happens if I don't add my teenager to my car insurance?
One of the biggest risks of not adding your teenager to your car insurance is what happens if they get into an accident. Even if it's a minor fender bender with no injuries or property damage, it can open up a can of worms with your insurer.
What auto insurance coverage should I have in Texas?
Texas law requires you to have at least $30,000 of coverage for injuries per person, up to a total of $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 of coverage for property damage. This is called 30/60/25 coverage. Think about buying more liability coverage.
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What happens if someone else is driving my car and gets in an accident in Texas?
In Texas, most insurance policies include permissive use clauses, meaning the vehicle is covered when driven by someone other than the owner, as long as the owner gives permission. However, if the driver was using the vehicle without permission, they could be personally responsible for all damages.
What car insurance are you required to carry in Texas?
Liability coverage is legally required in Texas and pays for bodily injuries and property damage that you cause in an at-fault accident.
Can my son drive my car if he is not insured?
Most insurers cover someone else driving the policyholder's car with their permission once in a while. But, if you're going to start driving one of your parent's cars regularly, you'll need to be added or named on their auto insurance. You can't legally drive your parents' car without any insurance at all, either.
Should I add my adult child to my car insurance?
Insurance companies generally require that any person in the household be listed on your policy regardless of driving status. The reason is that the company wants to know who they will and will not cover as a driver if there is a claim involving your vehicle.
Should I put my 18 year old's car in my name?
Register the car in your child's name.
If your son or daughter is legally an adult (18 years or older), he or she is able to register a car in his or her own name. Without you as the owner of the car, the laws imposing vicarious liability (such as New York Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 388) will not apply to you.
Who has the cheapest car insurance in Texas?
Drivers in Texas looking for the cheapest full-coverage car insurance can get it from Texas Farm Bureau at $1,036 a year, or $86 a month. State Farm is the second-cheapest choice at $112 a month. While Texas Farm Bureau has the cheapest full-coverage insurance. rates, State Farm offers many more discounts.
What insurance is required by law in Texas?
Texas law requires all drivers to have adequate car insurance. According to state law, Texas drivers need to have minimum insurance coverages of $30,000 per injured person, up to at least $60,000 per accident. Additionally, Texas drivers must have coverage for property damage of at least $25,000.
Do all household members need to be on car insurance?
Generally speaking, insurers will ask you to list all household members when applying for a car insurance policy. Young children (typically under the age of 14) should be exempt, but the other individuals in your household should be disclosed, including: Spouse. Significant other.
Do I need comprehensive and collision?
You probably don't need comprehensive and collision insurance if your car is older and not worth a lot. That's because the maximum payout you'll get in a comprehensive or collision claim will be for the current market value of your car, minus the deductible.
What is full coverage insurance in Texas?
"Full coverage" car insurance is a term often used by auto lenders as a requirement before you sign a car loan or lease. It typically refers to collision coverage and comprehensive coverage, plus any other state-mandated coverages (such as liability).
Will my insurance cover me if I drive someone else's car in Texas?
In Texas, auto insurance follows the driver, not the vehicle. This means your own personal auto policy extends liability, medical payments, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to you when driving someone else's car. However, there are some caveats: You must have the owner's permission to drive the vehicle.
What happens if you don't add a driver to your insurance?
A driver who lives in your household and isn't listed on your auto policy may be denied coverage if they borrow your vehicle and are involved in an accident. Family members who live in your household and drive your vehicle, including a teenager or your significant other, should be listed as drivers on your policy.
Do I need insurance to drive my parents' car?
That means you're still covered when you drive your parents' vehicles. However, if you move out permanently, you'll typically need your own car insurance policy. Explore Progressive Answers' auto editorial guidelines to find out why you can trust the car insurance information you find here.
When should you take your child off your car insurance?
Many parents generally opt to retain teens on the family's automobile insurance policy until they graduate from college, assuming they find employment and live away from home. At this point they should be paying for their own housing, food and credit card bills, building up a positive credit rating.
What happens if I don't list my child on car insurance?
If your child gets into an accident and isn't listed on your policy, your insurance company may not cover the damages, and there could be other consequences, like policy cancellation.
Can my wife drive my car if she's not on my insurance?
Usually, yes. Your car insurance coverage should be able to extend to anyone else driving your car. Even if someone isn't listed on the policy, they can operate your vehicle. If you explicitly name someone as an excluded driver in your policy, however, none of this applies to them.
What happens if someone borrows your car and gets in an accident?
Vehicle Owners Are Liable Under California Law
This law holds a vehicle's owner responsible for collisions caused by the driver of the vehicle – even if the driver is not the owner. Liability is determined by identifying the actual owner of the vehicle.
Will my insurance go up if someone else gets a ticket in my car?
Generally, traffic tickets are attributed to the driver, so they should not impact your auto insurance if someone else received the ticket while driving your car.
Whose insurance covers a borrowed car?
Generally, insurance coverage follows the vehicle rather than the driver. So in most instances, as long as the owner of the car has insurance, it's covered even if someone other than the owner is driving it — as long as they have the owner's permission.
Can I take insurance off my car if I'm not driving it in Texas?
You'll need to keep the legally required auto insurance coverages. But you can remove optional add-ons like roadside assistance and custom parts and equipment coverage to save money while you're not driving.