Texas car insurance

Car insurance laws in Texas

As a resident of the Lone Star state, you are required to carry car insurance and purchase coverage before you register your vehicle. Insurance may also vary from city to city.

Texas teen driving laws

Young drivers are eager to get out on the road and experience that kind of freedom for the first time in their lives. To ensure safety on the road for everyone, it’s important to become familiar with the laws for new drivers in Texas.

New drivers can apply for their learn license once they turn 15, followed by a provisional license at 16 after they have completed drivers education, passed the Texas Teen Driver course, obtained a passing score on their driving test, and have held their learner license for at least six months. Once a driver turns 18, all restrictions are lifted. You can learn more about being a young Texas driver here.

Minimum insurance requirements for Texas

When you buy Texas car insurance coverage, you’ll need at least the required state minimum amount: $25,000/$50,000/$25,000. So in the event of an accident, you’ll get $25,000 coverage for bodily injury to one person per accident, $50,000 coverage for bodily injury to two or more people per accident, and $25,000 in property damage coverage per accident.

Liability coverage

As a resident of Texas, there are two types of liability coverage your insurance policy must include: property damage and bodily injury.

• Property damage safeguards your assets if you are found legally responsible for a covered accident. It covers certain damage you may cause to the property or vehicle of another party.
• Bodily injury safeguards your assets if you’re found legally responsible for a covered accident, including certain expenses associated with bodily harm sustained by the other parties.

Liability coverage also provides for your legal defense expenses if you are sued as a result of a covered accident.

Optional Texas insurance coverages

It’s often a good idea to add the following coverages to your policy so you can enjoy the security of being protected on the road:

Comprehensive

This type of Texas auto insurance coverage is used to repair your vehicle when physical damage occurs from non-collision related incidents (subject to deductible). Such incidents include theft, fire, vandalism, glass breakage, and contact with animals.

Collision

Collision coverage is used to repair your vehicle when physical damage occurs from collision with another vehicle or object (subject to deductible).

Uninsured/underinsured motorist

Protects you in the event of an accident where the other party is at fault and either doesn’t carry insurance or whose insurance limits are not enough to reimburse you for damages they caused.

• Property damage may protect you if you’re involved in an accident where the other party is at-fault and uninsured/underinsured for damages sustained to your vehicle and other covered property (subject to deductible).
• Bodily injury may protect you if you’re involved in an accident and the other party is at-fault and either is uninsured or doesn’t carry enough insurance to cover costs related to your bodily injury damages.

Medical benefits

May pay for necessary medical expenses or funeral costs for you or others covered under the policy, no matter who is at fault.

Personal injury protection (PIP)

May reimburse a portion of wage loss, medical expenses and essential services incurred as a result of an accident to eligible injured parties (i.e. passengers or pedestrians). May not be selected if choosing medical benefits.

Tailor your policy with these options

Accident Forgiveness

With this optional coverage, Nationwide will not raise your auto insurance rates following your first at-fault automobile accident. Learn more about Accident Forgiveness.

Roadside Assistance

Nationwide Roadside Assistance coverage is available in two different levels, Basic and Plus, so you can choose the one that works best with your budget. Get covered for fuel delivery, lockout service, jump-starts and more.

Loss of use

If you can’t drive your car due to a covered loss, this coverage helps pay for a rental car or other transportation expenses so you can get back on the road.