You’re buying a car, moving to Texas, or looking at a renewal and wondering what you can legally drop. Before you change anything, it helps to know exactly what car insurance is required in Texas, what your insurer has to offer you, and what’s only there because your lender or your own finances call for it. Mixing up those three lists is how drivers end up fined or underinsured.
Here’s the legal answer, checked against the Texas statutes and the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI). For coverage types and prices, see our complete Texas car insurance guide.
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What is the minimum car insurance Texas law requires?
The short answer: Texas requires liability coverage of at least 30/60/25 on any vehicle you drive, or one of four alternatives the statute allows, before it goes on a public road.
The rule sits in Transportation Code § 601.051: a person “may not operate a motor vehicle in this state unless financial responsibility is established” for that vehicle. Section 601.072 sets the liability floor, which TDI’s auto insurance guide (updated December 11, 2025) states as:
- $30,000 for injuries to one person,
- $60,000 in total for injuries in one crash, and
- $25,000 for damage to other people’s property.
How long has it been 30/60/25? Since January 1, 2011. A 2007 law, SB 502, raised the minimums in two steps: to 25/50/25 for policies issued or renewed on or after April 1, 2008, then to 30/60/25, according to TDI Bulletin B-0048-10. As of October 2026, TDI and § 601.072 still list these amounts.
According to TDI, liability pays to repair the other driver’s car and the other people’s medical bills when you caused the crash. Your own car and your own injuries fall under the other coverages below.
Which car coverages are required, which must be offered, and which are optional?
The short answer: Only liability is mandatory, PIP and uninsured motorist coverage are included unless you reject them in writing, and collision, comprehensive and the rest are optional under state law.
| Coverage | Texas law | If your car is financed | What it pays for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liability (30/60/25 or higher) | Required | Required | Others’ injuries and property when you’re at fault |
| Personal injury protection (PIP) | Included unless rejected in writing | Same rule | Medical bills and lost wages for you and your passengers |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) | Included unless rejected in writing | Same rule | Your injuries and car damage when the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured |
| Collision | Optional | Lender will require it | Damage to your car from a crash |
| Comprehensive | Optional | Lender will require it | Theft, hail, flood, fire and vandalism damage to your car |
| Rental reimbursement, towing, medical payments | Optional | Optional | A rental while yours is stolen or in the shop, towing, medical bills |
“Full coverage” isn’t on TDI’s coverage list; people usually mean liability plus collision and comprehensive. We still check each limit.
Do you have to keep PIP and uninsured motorist coverage in Texas?
The short answer: No, but your insurer must include both on a Texas auto liability policy unless a named insured rejects them in writing, and that rejection can carry over to later renewals.
Under Insurance Code chapter 1952 (§§ 1952.101 and 1952.152), an insurer can’t issue a Texas auto liability policy without UM/UIM or PIP unless a named insured rejects it in writing. TDI’s guide: “If you don’t want it, you must tell the company in writing.”
The renewal catch. Once you’ve rejected either one, the same or an affiliated insurer doesn’t have to add it back at renewal unless you ask in writing.
How much? The PIP the law requires insurers to provide tops out at $2,500 per person (§ 1952.153). UM/UIM must carry at least the chapter 601 limits (§ 1952.101), so it starts at 30/60/25.
That’s why we suggest keeping UM/UIM.
How do you prove you have car insurance in Texas?
The short answer: Show your insurance card, policy or binder, on paper or on your phone, and know that officers can also check TexasSure, the state’s insurance verification database.
Under § 601.053, you must show proof when a peace officer or someone in a crash with you asks. Your policy, ID card or a binder counts, on paper or on your phone, and showing your phone doesn’t consent to a search of anything else on it.
The state checks too. TexasSure, a joint project of the state’s motor vehicle, insurance, public safety and information resources departments, “quickly identifies vehicle owners without mandatory insurance coverage,” according to TxDMV. Under §§ 601.053 and 601.191, an officer who can’t see your proof must try that program before writing a no-insurance citation.
You’ll need proof at the counter, too. TxDMV wants “proof of current liability insurance” to renew a registration by mail or in person, and Texas DPS asks for it when you apply for a driver license. New to Texas? See our insurance checklist for people moving to Arlington.
What are the penalties for driving uninsured in Texas?
The short answer: A first conviction carries a fine of $175 to $350 and a later one $350 to $1,000, and a second conviction can bring license suspension and impoundment, on top of owing for any crash yourself.
Under § 601.191 (last amended in 2017) and TDI’s auto insurance FAQ (updated February 26, 2026):
- First conviction: a misdemeanor with a fine of $175 to $350. The court may go below $175 if it finds you can’t afford the fine.
- Later convictions: $350 to $1,000.
- License suspension: required after a second conviction unless you file and keep proof of financial responsibility for two years (§ 601.231).
- Impoundment: on a second or later conviction, the court must order the vehicle you were driving impounded if you owned it then and still own it at conviction (§ 601.261).
By clicking Get My Free Quote, I give Robinson Legacy Partners LLC, an Allstate agency, and its licensed agents my prior express written consent, by electronic signature, to contact me with calls and text messages — including marketing calls and texts made using automated technology or an artificial or prerecorded voice — and by email, at the number and email I provided, about my insurance quote and related insurance products and services, even if my number is on a Do Not Call list. My information is never sold or shared with other agencies for their own marketing. Consent is not a condition of purchase; I can call (817) 262-5300 instead. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, including the arbitration clause and E-SIGN consent.
Can you meet the Texas requirement without an insurance policy?
The short answer: Technically yes, through a surety bond, a $55,000 deposit with the state comptroller or a county judge, or self-insurance for owners of more than 25 vehicles, but none of these protects your own car or your own injuries.
Section 601.051 lists four alternatives to a liability policy:
- A surety bond (§ 601.121): backed by at least two individual sureties whose combined equity in Texas real estate is at least twice the bond amount, with a lien on that property.
- A deposit with the comptroller (§ 601.122): $55,000 in cash or qualifying securities, held to pay judgments for damage you cause.
- A deposit with the county judge (§ 601.123): $55,000 in cash or a cashier’s check, in the county where the vehicle is registered.
- Self-insurance (§ 601.124): only for a person with more than 25 vehicles registered in their name.
Who is exempt? Section 601.052 covers certain collector vehicles 25 or more years old used only for shows and parades, plus golf carts and similar vehicles used only where state law allows.
What extra coverage do car lenders and rental cars call for?
The short answer: If you still owe on your car, your lender will require collision and comprehensive, and before you rent a car, TDI says to check whether your own policy covers damage to the rental.
Financed cars. TDI’s guide says, “If you still owe money on your car, your lender will require you to have collision and comprehensive coverage.”
Rental cars. TDI’s rental car tip (updated July 30, 2026) says, “Policies differ, but some cover damage to the rental car from a wreck or theft.” If you use your policy, you pay your deductible, and credit card coverage is secondary, according to TDI.
Is the Texas minimum enough, or what should you carry instead?
The short answer: The minimum keeps you legal, but in our view it rarely protects a household with a paycheck, savings or a home, because anything a crash costs above your limits can come back to you.
That’s our opinion, not the law. Here’s the math.
- With 30/60/25 limits, the driver’s claim is capped at $30,000, the passenger’s $14,000 fits, and property damage is capped at $25,000. The policy pays up to $69,000, leaving $26,000 ($18,000 + $8,000) that could come back to you.
- With 100/300/100 limits, every amount falls inside its limit, so all $95,000 in this example is within the policy.
In a review, we look past the legal floor in four places:
Limits that fit what you own
We weigh income, savings and home equity.
Matched to your liability
We suggest UM/UIM limits equal to your liability limits.
Kept, not rejected by accident
We check for old written rejections.
Deductibles you could pay
After payoff, we weigh the car’s value against your savings.
To check your own policy against Texas law:
- Find your declarations page
It lists your drivers, cars, coverages, limits and deductibles.
- Confirm liability reads at least 30/60/25
Anything lower doesn’t meet § 601.072.
- Look for PIP and UM/UIM, or a signed rejection
If either is missing, a written rejection is likely on file; adding it back takes a written request.
- Check your proof against the cars you drive
It should show the current policy period and every vehicle.
- Add your lender’s requirements if the car is financed
Collision and comprehensive; TDI says gap coverage matters only if you owe more than the car is worth.
- Review the limits with a licensed agent
Ask what each limit would leave to you after a serious crash.
Reviewing home policies too? Use our coverage gap checklist.
The bottom line
What car insurance is required in Texas comes down to one line of law, 30/60/25 liability, plus two coverages, PIP and UM/UIM, that stay on your policy unless you reject them in writing. Lenders add collision and comprehensive. Everything above that is your choice, and it decides whether a serious crash ends as a claim or a personal debt.
Send us your ZIP below or call (817) 262-5300. We’ll check your declarations page against the law and your lender, then quote Allstate coverage that fits what you own. Our Arlington car insurance guide and guide for Mansfield drivers add the local picture, or start on our auto insurance page. We’re open Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 5.
By clicking Get My Free Quote, I give Robinson Legacy Partners LLC, an Allstate agency, and its licensed agents my prior express written consent, by electronic signature, to contact me with calls and text messages — including marketing calls and texts made using automated technology or an artificial or prerecorded voice — and by email, at the number and email I provided, about my insurance quote and related insurance products and services, even if my number is on a Do Not Call list. My information is never sold or shared with other agencies for their own marketing. Consent is not a condition of purchase; I can call (817) 262-5300 instead. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, including the arbitration clause and E-SIGN consent.
Texas required car insurance FAQ
Is 30/60/25 liability the only way to meet Texas financial responsibility law?
No, but it’s the standard route. Transportation Code section 601.051 also accepts a surety bond, a $55,000 deposit of cash or securities with the state comptroller, a $55,000 cash or cashier’s check deposit with the county judge where the vehicle is registered, or self-insurance for someone with more than 25 vehicles registered in their name. None of these includes personal injury protection, uninsured motorist coverage or protection for your own car, which is why we steer households toward a policy.
If I rejected PIP years ago, is it still off my renewal?
It may be. Under Texas Insurance Code sections 1952.101 and 1952.152, once a named insured rejects personal injury protection or uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in writing, the insurer doesn’t have to add it back to a renewal or reinstated policy from the same or an affiliated company unless you request it in writing. Your declarations page shows whether they’re on the policy today. If they’re missing and you want them back, put the request in writing; we can help you price them first.
Can I get a no-insurance ticket in Texas if I forgot my insurance card?
Not if the officer can verify your coverage. Texas law lets you show proof on your phone, and under Transportation Code section 601.053 an officer who can’t see your proof must try the state’s insurance verification program before writing a citation, and the citation must say the officer couldn’t verify it. Keep a current card or digital ID handy anyway, and if you’re cited while insured, ask the court how to show the coverage you had.
Can Texas suspend my driver’s license for driving uninsured?
Yes, after a second conviction. Under Transportation Code section 601.231, when someone is convicted of driving without insurance and a prior conviction is already on record, the state must suspend their license unless they file and keep evidence of financial responsibility in place until the second anniversary of the later conviction. The court must also order the vehicle impounded if the driver owned it at the time of the offense and still owns it at conviction (section 601.261). Fines run $175 to $350 for a first conviction and $350 to $1,000 after that (section 601.191).
Do I need collision coverage on a financed car in Texas?
Texas law doesn’t require collision coverage, but your lender will. State law requires only liability, plus personal injury protection and uninsured motorist coverage unless you reject them in writing. The Texas Department of Insurance says that if you still owe money on your car, your lender will require you to have collision and comprehensive coverage. Once the car is paid off, collision becomes your call, and we’d weigh the car’s value against what you could pay yourself after a crash.
Last reviewed by the Robinson Legacy Partners team on .
