Texas Auto Insurance

Texas is a large state in the southern U.S. with deserts, pine forest and the Rio Grande, a river that forms its border with Mexico. In its biggest city, Houston, the Museum of Fine Arts houses works by well-known Impressionist and Renaissance painters, while Space Center Houston offers interactive displays engineered by NASA. Austin, the capital, is known for its eclectic music scene and LBJ Presidential Library.

People who use to live in Texas will get several options when it's all about meeting the state minimal requirements for having an auto insurance policy. If you will look for the state of Texas, then you can find that drivers in this state seem to be really serious about buying auto insurance policy. These people have become enough cautious about the importance of having an auto insurance policy in the state. There are also minimum requirements that have been added for the drivers in the state so that they can get better coverage once coming across an accident. It's the state of Texas where auto insurance laws have been enforced to make the road driving safer as well as pleasant for people. However, disobeying the road safety and driving rules can even add several sorts of penalties for you. This is really mandatory in the state. All the drivers in this state needs to carry their insurance proof while driving.

Minimum requirements for Texas auto insurance

While looking for Texas auto insurance, you should offer more importance to the minimum amount of coverage that has been fixed as per the state law. Drivers in this state should have minimum liability coverage of $25,000 for bodily injury per accident that also include the following coverage such as $50,000 for death and bodily injury for more than two people in that accident. At the same time you should have a minimum coverage of $25,000 for property damage that has occurred due to the same accident. This has also been termed as the $25,000/$50,000/$25,000. There are also optional options available for people in this state to get insured. They can now post the financial bond to get self insured which is a perfect alternative. In most of the cases, several accidents, too many claims and poor driving record can really affect the chances for owning a Texas auto insurance policy. These aspects can even lessen up your chances for obtaining the auto insurance policies in this state.

Enhancement of the minimum requirements

Due to such reason, during the past few years there is a significant increase has been registered with the minimum requirements and it has really gone up to $20,000/$40,000/$15,000. Its state's new financial responsibility law that has came into act during 1st of April, 2008. Well, this state has increased the minimal requirements three years before, and now the state authorities have increased the minimum requirements again during January1, 2011 to $30,000/$60,000/$25,000. As per the laws of Texas department of insurance, it's the 80th Legislature has modified the financial responsibility law to enhance the limits. The previous limits were not enough to cover the requirements and the expenses during the accident. If you are driving vehicles in Texas, then it's always advisable for you to have more coverage. Minimum coverage will not be enough for you in case after accident the repair and medical expenses will go higher. Most of the time insurers will mention you to buy the minimum coverage or the UM/UIM coverage. However, going for more coverage can really protect you after accident while trying to meet the expenses. It has been estimated that 25% of all the drivers in this state use to do so with little or no Texas auto insurance. Well, Texas has been considered as a Tort state and as per the laws if you have been involved in an accident, someone needs to be at fault so that the required amount can be collected for the damages. But what will happen when at fault person doesn't have the Texas auto insurance? Without such policy the driver may require to pay for the damages and the injuries after the accident.

Stiff penalties

For Texas stiff penalties have been added for the drivers that use to drive in the state without having auto insurance. These penalties may not scare some of the scofflaws, but drivers in the state do have a fear for such penalties that are associated with the violation of the state's financial responsibility law. As per the first conviction the fine amount may move up to $175 to $350. Second and third offence may results into fine amount that may range from $350 to $1,000. Along with that you may opt for the suspension of the driving license and the vehicle may get impounded further. As per the state law, all the insurances will be verified by the Texas Financial Responsibility Verification Program. It's the Verification Program that allows the concerned officers to instantly verify auto insurance that the driver uses to own. In this state, the insurance companies use to analyze the risk factors so that the price of the insurance can be determined. In this regard, details like the validity of the policy, age, driving record and credit across will be taken into consideration to determine the rate of the policy. If you are having some serious conviction for your account such as hit and run from or the DUI, then the insurance company may deny offering the coverage. Under such scenario, the driver will not be allowed to drive vehicle in this state. If the driver has been caught while driving the car without an auto insurance policy, then the consequences can move really serious. Suspension of driving license or the impoundment of the vehicle may come into act.

DUI/DWI laws in Texas

First drunk driving conviction:

As per the first drunk driving conviction you may come across jail from 72 hours to 180 days. If there is a child aging below 15 in the vehicle at the time of accident, then the jail time may move from 180 days to 2 years. License may get suspended for 90 days to 365 days. The fine amount may raise up to $2, 0000 and at the same time DWI surcharge will be $1,000 per year. This surcharge will continue up to 3 years.

Second Texas DUI offense

As per the second Texas DUI offense the jail amount may go up to 30 days to one year. It's the fine amount that may rise up to $4,000 and the DWI surcharge may be applied for $1,500 per three years. The DWI surcharge may move up to $2,000 and for three years in the blood alcohol of the BAC level will be more than 0.16%. You may be asked to install the ignition interlock device with your vehicle.

Third Texas DUI offense

Under such law, the jail time may move for 2 to 10 years and the fine amount may move up to $10,000. Your license may get suspended from 180 days to 2 years and you may be asked to install the ignition interlock device for your vehicle.

Texas Car Insurance

Did you know that in Texas you could get a discount on your car insurance just for taking a drug and alcohol awareness course?

Car Insurance Requirements

Texas requires you to be able to pay for any damages and injuries from a car accident you caused. Most people buy liability car insurance to fulfill this law.

If you choose to buy liability insurance to comply with the law, your policy must have the following minimum limits:
$30,000 for each injured person.
$60,000 for injuries per incident.
$25,000 for property damage.
Other Car Insurance

Texas only requires you to have liability insurance, but there are other optional types of car insurance coverage available to help protect you financially, which include:
Collision – This coverage will help cover damages to your vehicle due to accidents with other cars.

Comprehensive – This coverage will help with damages to your car due to incidents not involving car collisions. For example, if hail dents your car, you may be covered through comprehensive coverage.

Uninsured/Underinsured drivers – The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) states that about 20% of current drivers in TX are uninsured. This coverage can help protect you from damages caused by these drivers.