Texas Auto Insurance Requirements

The minimum requirements for car insurance in Texas are 25/50/25. That's 25,000 Per accident for bodily injury per person, 50,000 per accident aggregate for bodily injury, 25,000 Property damage liability per covered accident. This provides a total of up to 75,000 for each covered accident.

In order to meet Texas state financial responsibility requirements your policy must have at least these limits. The policy must be issued by an insurer authorized to do business within the state. Although 75,000 is the state's minimum coverage requirements, higher limits are available from most insurers if desired.

Failure to Maintain

Currently, Failure to maintain Financial Responsibility carries a hefty fine and several other penalties including Suspension of your Drivers License. An SR22 Filing Requirement is usually imposed before you can get the suspension lifted. The state has recently instituted an annual fine that persists for 2 to 3 years after the date of suspension which must be paid in order to maintain your driving privileges.

As a result it now typically costs an individual up to 900 dollars or more in fines and filing fees after an infraction for driving in the state without adequate Financial Responsibility or Insurance.

Important Notices

As of April, 2008, The state has instituted by enacted legislation a requirement that auto insurers doing business within the state must report all insured's Effective policy dates, Expirations and Cancellations to a statewide database for use by law enforcement. This will enable law enforcement to verify coverage validity at the scene or even before pulling a driver over. This will also enable law enforcement officers to quickly ascertain if the driver has presented them with an Expired or canceled or otherwise invalid insurance card.

If the scenario follows the usage rules currently followed by many other states. Drivers may in the near future find that their drivers license and car or vehicle registration has been automatically suspended due to a loss of, or a lapse in coverage even though no traffic violation has occurred. Many states have already implemented this method of use.

State Reciprocal Agreements

The days of jumping state lines to a neighboring state in order to obtain a drivers license are over. In the past many people after having their drivers license suspended in one state, would simply cross into another state and obtain a New Drivers License. With the age of information technology this is no longer a viable option. The various 50 states have all entered into reciprocal agreements wherein an Applicant will be denied a drivers license in that state until such time as they have resolved any suspension issues, outstanding tickets and or fines in their previous state of issue.

License Address Update

It is important that your Drivers License address information be correct and up to date with your State Licensing Authority. You will usually receive any notice from them regarding the status of your driving privileges at the home address listed on your license

Many people have found only after months or sometimes years later that they have been driving on a Suspended License. This is usually the result of outdated address information on file with the State of issue.