Reviewed and approved by Samuel Corso, licensed Texas insurance agent.

Published July 31, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026

What car insurance is required in Texas?

If you drive in Texas, it helps to know what the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) and the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) say the state requires, and which coverages TDI describes as ones you turn down in writing or choose to buy. This guide sets out what those agencies say on their own pages.

The short version. On car insurance in Texas, TDI's Auto insurance guide (last updated 12/11/2025) says Texas law requires drivers to show proof they can pay for the accidents they cause, and that most drivers do this by buying auto liability insurance. The same guide gives the minimum as at least $30,000 of coverage for injuries per person, up to a total of $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage.

Here's what we'll cover: the requirement as TDI words it, what the three numbers pay, what TDI says about the limits of a minimum policy, proof of insurance, what TDI says about PIP and uninsured motorist coverage, the other coverages a policy can include, deductibles, the fines TDI describes for driving without insurance, and where TDI points drivers who can't find a policy.

The requirement, in the state's own words

The car insurance requirement in Texas is framed by TDI as proof that you can pay for accidents you cause. TDI's Auto insurance guide (last updated 12/11/2025) states: "Texas law requires drivers to show proof they can pay for the accidents they cause. Most drivers do this by buying auto liability insurance."

TDI's tip sheet Tips to help you shop for auto insurance (last updated 4/9/2025) gives a shorter version, saying Texas law requires drivers to have a way to pay for accidents they cause and that most people do this by buying liability coverage.

Both TDI pages describe a requirement about harm done to other people. The guide explains that liability insurance pays to repair or replace the other driver's car, or other damaged property, and pays other people's medical expenses when you're at fault in an accident. Coverage for your own car is a separate part of the policy, covered further down.

What 30/60/25 means

TDI calls the minimum liability figures for Texas drivers 30/60/25 coverage. Its Auto insurance guide (last updated 12/11/2025) gives the figures: "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."

TxDMV gives the same three figures on its Register Your Vehicle page, with slightly different wording. Read as a sentence instead of a code, the three numbers are:

• $30,000. The minimum for injuries per person in TDI's guide, which TxDMV words as a minimum of $30,000 per injured person.
• $60,000. The minimum total for injuries per accident in TDI's guide, which TxDMV words as a total of $60,000 for everyone injured in an accident.
• $25,000. The minimum for property damage on both the TDI and TxDMV pages.

As for what the coverage does, the guide says liability coverage pays to repair the other driver's car if you caused the accident, and that it also pays the other driver's and their passengers' medical bills and some other expenses. The next section covers what TDI says about how far the minimum goes.

What TDI says about the limits of a minimum policy

TDI describes a ceiling on what a minimum Texas liability policy pays, and it suggests thinking about more coverage. The shopping tips page (last updated 4/9/2025) puts the ceiling this way: "The most a minimum liability policy will pay for car repairs is $25,000 ($60,000 for multiple cars) and $30,000 for medical bills."

Readers of the TDI guide are told to think about buying more liability coverage. It says the minimum limits might be too low if you cause a multi-vehicle accident or the other driver's car is totaled, and that if you don't have enough liability coverage to pay for the damages and injuries you cause, you might have to pay the rest out of your own pocket.

The same guide treats damage to your own car as a different coverage. It describes liability as paying for the other driver's car and collision as the coverage that pays to repair or replace your car after an accident. So a policy can meet the 30/60/25 minimum and still leave your own car without coverage, depending on what else you chose to buy.

Where TxDMV and TDI mention proof of insurance

Proof of car insurance in Texas comes up when you register a vehicle, and the pages cited here refer to it without listing every document that counts. TxDMV's Register Your Vehicle page says that to register in person you take your registration renewal notice and proof of current liability insurance to your county tax office or an approved substation. For someone new to Texas, the same page says you will need your insurance card and proof that you own the vehicle.

The insurance card also appears in the TDI guide, in a different setting. In its tips for after an accident, it suggests taking a picture of the other driver's insurance card, and it says your own card should have a number you can call to report claims.

None of these pages spells out which formats are accepted in which situation. It's worth confirming that the card you carry shows your current policy dates.

What TDI says about PIP and uninsured motorist coverage

Personal injury protection and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage are two parts of a Texas car insurance policy that TDI says you can turn down only in writing. Both statements below come from TDI's Auto insurance guide (last updated 12/11/2025).

Personal injury protection (PIP). In TDI's words: "All auto policies in Texas include PIP coverage. If you don’t want it, you must tell the company in writing." The guide describes PIP as similar to medical payments coverage. It says PIP pays your and your passengers' medical bills, and also pays for things like lost wages and other nonmedical costs.

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. On this coverage the guide states: "Insurance companies must offer you this coverage. If you don’t want it, you must tell the company in writing." The guide says this coverage pays if you're hit by someone who didn't have insurance or didn't have enough to pay your medical and car repair bills, and that it also pays if you're in a hit-and-run accident. Elsewhere the guide adds that uninsured motorist coverage won't pay for a hit-and-run accident if you didn't report it to police.

If you aren't sure whether either one is on your policy, check your declarations page, which the guide describes as a summary of your coverages, dollar limits, and deductibles.

Other coverages TDI describes

Beyond liability, PIP and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, a Texas car insurance policy can include several other coverages. Each one is described in the TDI guide, which cautions that coverages vary by policy and depend on the types of coverages you choose.

The guide's table of what most policies cover includes damage to your car from fire, hail, theft, flood, flying gravel, or hitting an animal, with the condition that you have comprehensive coverage. It tells readers to read the policy or talk to an agent to be sure of their exact coverages.

A car loan can change which of these you carry. If you still owe money on your car, according to TDI's guide, your lender will require you to have collision and comprehensive coverage. That requirement comes from the lender and sits on top of the state minimum.

What a deductible changes

A deductible on a Texas car insurance policy is the part of a claim you pay yourself, and it applies to some coverages. The TDI guide defines it: "A deductible is the amount of a claim that you must pay yourself." The guide says you must pay a deductible for collision, comprehensive, and uninsured/underinsured motorist claims, and that you don't have to pay one for claims against another driver's insurance company.

On premium, two TDI pages word the effect differently. The shopping tips page (last updated 4/9/2025) says the higher your deductible, the lower your premium, while Ways to save money on car insurance (last updated 11/1/2024) says switching to a higher deductible can lower your premium. The second page adds that a higher deductible means you'll pay more out of pocket if you do have a claim, and it suggests thinking about how much you can afford to pay if your car is damaged.

The deductible is a choice about how much of a claim you would carry yourself. TDI's guide does not name liability among the coverages with a deductible. It lists liability among the coverages that pay only up to the policy's dollar limits.

What happens if you drive without it

Driving without car insurance in Texas can lead to a ticket and a fine, according to TDI. Its FAQ: Auto insurance, claims, coverage issues, and more (last updated 2/26/2026) says the police officer who pulls you over will likely give you a ticket, and continues: "Then the court could fine you up to $350. If it happens again, you could be fined up to $1,000 and have your driver’s license suspended."

Those are TDI's figures as of the date on its page, and they are upper amounts a court could set. For a specific ticket, the court handling it has the amount that applies.

Insurance also comes up at registration, where the TxDMV page lists proof of current liability insurance among the things you send or take to your county tax office to renew a registration.

If you're having trouble getting covered

Texas drivers who can't find a company to sell them a policy are pointed by TDI to the Texas Automobile Insurance Plan Association (TAIPA). If you can't find a company willing to sell you a policy, the TDI guide says you can get basic coverage through TAIPA, and it states the condition: "You can get TAIPA coverage if two insurance companies have turned you down."

The guide describes what TAIPA does and doesn't sell. It says TAIPA sells liability, personal injury protection, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages, and that it doesn't sell collision or comprehensive coverage or higher liability limits than state law requires. It also says TAIPA coverage is more expensive than coverage from other insurance companies, and that to get TAIPA coverage you talk to your agent.

The shopping tips page advises drivers to keep shopping if a company turns them down, and to contact TAIPA if they can't find an insurance company to sell them a policy. TAIPA is the place TDI names for basic coverage when that search hasn't produced a policy.

What to do with this

Checking your own Texas car insurance against the minimum starts with the declarations page, which the TDI guide describes as the first page of your policy, with a summary of your coverages, dollar limits, and deductibles. These are steps you can take with it:

• Read the liability line. If it shows 30/60/25, you are at the minimum TDI's guide gives. Decide on purpose whether that is where you want to be.
• Look for PIP and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. If you don't remember turning either one down in writing, ask your company what is on the policy.
• Confirm your proof of insurance is current. Check the policy dates on the card you carry.
• Match your deductible to what you could pay out of pocket. TDI's money-saving tips page suggests thinking about how much you can afford to pay if your car is damaged.
• Check your lender's requirements. If you still owe money on your car, TDI's guide says your lender will require collision and comprehensive coverage.

Key facts

• TDI's Auto insurance guide (last updated 12/11/2025) says Texas law requires drivers to show proof they can pay for the accidents they cause, and that most drivers do this by buying auto liability insurance.
• The minimum in the same TDI guide is at least $30,000 of coverage for injuries per person, up to a total of $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage, which it calls 30/60/25 coverage. TxDMV's Register Your Vehicle page gives the same three figures.
• According to TDI's shopping tips page (last updated 4/9/2025), the most a minimum liability policy will pay is $25,000 for car repairs ($60,000 for multiple cars) and $30,000 for medical bills.
• On PIP and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, the TDI guide says all auto policies in Texas include PIP coverage and that insurance companies must offer uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, and that for either one you must tell the company in writing if you don't want it.
• For driving without auto insurance, TDI's auto insurance FAQ (last updated 2/26/2026) says a court could fine a driver up to $350, and that if it happens again the driver could be fined up to $1,000 and have their driver's license suspended.
• A driver can get basic coverage through TAIPA, per the TDI guide, if two insurance companies have turned them down. The guide adds that TAIPA doesn't sell collision or comprehensive coverage.
• Proof of current liability insurance, per TxDMV's Register Your Vehicle page, is needed to renew a vehicle registration by mail or in person.

Sources: Texas Department of Insurance, Auto insurance guide, Tips to help you shop for auto insurance, Ways to save money on car insurance, and FAQ: Auto insurance, claims, coverage issues, and more; Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, Register Your Vehicle. This page is general information, not legal advice — for questions about your legal rights, check your policy or contact the Texas Department of Insurance.

Take the next step

Before you compare policies, know the liability limits on your declarations page, whether PIP and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage are on it, and what your deductibles are. If you want to know what to weigh besides price, how to compare auto insurance in Texas walks through the checks that put two quotes on the same footing.

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