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

Published September 3, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026

Do you need motorcycle insurance in Texas?

This guide sets out what the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) says about insuring a motorcycle, and what the required coverage does and does not pay for.

The short version. Yes, you need motorcycle insurance in Texas, according to the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) page Do I need insurance for a motorcycle or moped?, which says the state requires all drivers, including motorcyclists, to prove financial responsibility for any accidents they may cause. The same page gives minimum liability limits of $30,000 for each injured person, $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage per accident.

Here's what we'll cover: what's required and what's exempt, what liability coverage pays for, collision and comprehensive coverage, the injury coverages, passengers and lending, gear and accessories, a motorcycle you ride only part of the year, and what affects the price.

What's required, and what isn't

Motorcycle insurance requirements in Texas match the requirements for cars, according to TDI's motorcycle tip sheet, which says motorcycles are considered the same as cars when it comes to registration, titling, and insurance requirements. TDI's answer to the question in the page's title begins with "Yes" and continues: "The state of Texas requires all drivers – including motorcyclists – to prove financial responsibility for any accidents they may cause."

On the amount, the same TDI page says: "The minimum liability limits are $30,000 for each injured person, $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage per accident." TDI calls this 30/60/25 coverage.

Smaller machines get the same figure on that page: "Even though mopeds and motor-driven cycles have smaller engines and operate at lower speeds, they still require the same amount of liability insurance as motorcycles."

The page also lists what falls outside the requirement: "All-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes, mini-bikes, and golf carts, which are not permitted to operate on public roads, are not required to have insurance."

In plain terms, the limits on TDI's page do not change with engine size, and the exemption TDI describes is for machines that are not permitted on public roads. If you ride a machine both on and off public roads, ask your agent or TDI how the requirement applies to it.

Being outside the insurance requirement does not settle whether an off-road machine is insured against theft or damage. Whether a home policy covers a dirt bike depends on that policy's own terms, and our guide on what home insurance doesn't cover in Texas looks at home policy exclusions in general.

What TDI says liability coverage pays for

Liability coverage on a Texas auto policy is described by TDI as paying the other driver's costs when you cause an accident. The agency's Auto insurance guide, which is written about cars, 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 his or her passenger's medical bills and some other expenses.

TDI's description names only the other driver's costs. Ask your agent whether a motorcycle policy with liability coverage alone would pay anything toward your own motorcycle or your own injuries after a crash, including a crash where no other vehicle is involved.

More liability coverage is something the auto guide suggests thinking about. It says the minimum liability 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. Our guide on what car insurance is required in Texas goes through the required limits in more detail.

Collision and comprehensive coverage

Collision and comprehensive are coverages that TDI's auto guide, which is written about cars, describes as paying when your own car is damaged or stolen. Confirm with your agent how each coverage is written on a motorcycle policy.

• Collision. In the auto guide, collision coverage pays to repair or replace your car after an accident.
• Comprehensive. The auto guide says: "Comprehensive (other than collision) coverage pays if your car is stolen or damaged by fire, flood, vandalism or something other than a collision."

For a rider whose main concern is theft, the auto guide describes comprehensive as paying if a car is stolen. A useful question for your agent is which events on a motorcycle policy fall under collision and which fall under comprehensive, since each may carry its own deductible.

A deductible applies to both coverages on an auto policy, according to TDI. You must pay a deductible for collision, comprehensive, and uninsured/underinsured motorist claims, the auto guide says, and it defines a deductible as the amount of a claim that you must pay yourself. The guide adds that you don't have to pay a deductible for claims against another driver's insurance company. It can help to compare each deductible with what the motorcycle is worth, because a deductible that is large next to the vehicle's value may leave a small payment on a claim.

A loan can decide the question for you. If you still owe money on your car, the auto guide says, your lender will require you to have collision and comprehensive coverage. The guide says this about car loans, so if your motorcycle is financed, check your loan documents or ask your lender what coverage the loan requires.

On how much these coverages pay on a car claim, the auto guide says insurance companies will pay for repairs or replacement of your car only up to its actual cash value, which it defines as the cost to replace your car, minus depreciation. Gap insurance, according to TDI's Auto insurance FAQ, covers the difference between what you owe on your car and what it's worth, and the FAQ says you need it only if your car is worth less than what you owe on your car loan.

PIP, medical payments, and uninsured motorist coverage

Personal injury protection (PIP), medical payments, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage are the coverages in TDI's auto guide, which is written about cars, that pay your own medical bills. They are worth reading closely on a motorcycle policy because they concern your injuries and your passenger's.

• Personal injury protection (PIP). PIP pays your and your passengers' medical bills and also pays for things like lost wages and other nonmedical costs, according to the auto guide. On whether you have it, the guide says: "All auto policies in Texas include PIP coverage. If you don’t want it, you must tell the company in writing." The guide is written about car policies, so check the declarations page of your motorcycle policy, or ask your agent, to see whether PIP is on it.
• Medical payments. Medical payments coverage pays your and your passengers' medical bills, the auto guide says, and also pays if you're hurt while riding in someone else's car or while walking or biking.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist. 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, according to the auto guide, and it also pays if you're in a hit-and-run accident. The same guide says uninsured motorist coverage won't pay for a hit-and-run accident if you didn't report it to police. On auto policies, the guide says insurance companies must offer you this coverage, and that if you don't want it, you must tell the company in writing. Ask your agent how that applies to a motorcycle policy.

TDI's tip sheet What is uninsured motorist coverage, and do I really need it?, also written about cars, lists what uninsured/underinsured coverage pays for: car repairs and replacing the property in your car, a rental car if you need it, you and your passenger's medical bills, pain and suffering costs, and diminished value if your car is worth less after the accident. On the deductible, that tip sheet says: "The deductible for uninsured/underinsured coverage is $250. The deductible if you use your collision is likely much higher."

That comparison is TDI's general statement about auto policies. The deductibles on your own policy are listed on its declarations page, which the auto guide describes as the first page of your policy. Our guide on uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in Texas covers this coverage in more depth.

Passengers, and letting someone else ride it

Carrying a passenger and lending your motorcycle raise two separate coverage questions on a Texas policy. TDI's pages address both for cars, and the wording of your own policy decides how they apply to a motorcycle.

• Carrying a passenger. PIP and medical payments coverage are described in the auto guide as paying your and your passengers' medical bills, and the uninsured motorist tip sheet lists you and your passenger's medical bills among the things uninsured/underinsured coverage pays for. Both pages are about car policies. If you carry a passenger, ask your agent which of those coverages are on your motorcycle policy and whether they apply to a passenger.
• Lending the motorcycle. For a friend who borrows your car and gets in an accident, TDI's auto FAQ answers: "Your friend will usually be covered if she has your permission, has a driver’s license, and doesn’t regularly borrow your car." The FAQ then adds that you could have an exception on your policy that says it won't cover people who are named as excluded drivers, and suggests asking your agent if you aren't sure whether your policy has a named driver exclusion endorsement.

TDI's answer on lending a car has three conditions and one exception, so there are four things to check before you hand over the keys. They are permission, a license, how regularly the person borrows the vehicle, and whether anyone is excluded by name. The FAQ refers to a driver's license and does not address motorcycle licensing, so ask your agent how your policy treats a borrower's license.

Gear, custom parts, and the accessories question

Coverage for motorcycle accessories and riding gear depends on the terms of the individual policy. Coverages vary by policy and depend on the types of coverages you choose, according to TDI's auto guide, and its table of things most policies don't cover includes equipment not permanently installed in your car.

That table is about car policies. A motorcycle may carry added parts such as luggage, a windscreen, or an aftermarket exhaust, and a rider's helmet and jacket can be damaged in the same crash as the motorcycle. Whether a motorcycle policy covers added parts or gear, and up to what amount, can differ from one policy and one company to the next.

One step you can take is to write down what is on the motorcycle and what it cost, then ask your agent in writing what the policy covers, what has to be listed separately, and what limit applies. The auto guide gives the same general direction for any auto policy, which is to read your policy or talk to your agent to be sure of your exact coverages.

The bike you only ride part of the year

Canceling a motorcycle policy for the months the motorcycle is parked is a decision to check with your agent first, because of what cancellation means. TDI's auto guide, which is written about cars, defines cancellation as either you or the insurance company stopping coverage before your policy's end date, and it describes comprehensive as the coverage that pays if your car is stolen or damaged by fire, flood, vandalism or something other than a collision. Ask your agent which coverages on your motorcycle policy would end if you canceled.

If the motorcycle is financed, ask your lender before canceling. If you still owe money on your car and you cancel or lose collision and comprehensive coverages, the auto guide says, your lender will buy single-interest coverage and add the cost to your loan payment, and this coverage is expensive and protects only the lender. TDI says this about car loans, so check your loan documents for what a motorcycle loan requires.

On refunds for auto policies, the auto guide says: "If either you or the company cancels your policy, the company must refund any unearned premium to you within 15 days after the date of the cancellation." It defines unearned premium as the amount you paid in advance that didn't go toward coverage. The guide is written about cars, so ask your company how a refund would work on your motorcycle policy.

The TDI pages cited here do not describe seasonal or storage options for motorcycles. Whether your company has a way to change coverage while the motorcycle is off the road is a question to ask your agent or company before you cancel anything.

What moves the price

The price of an auto policy in Texas depends on factors that TDI's auto guide lists for car insurance. The guide says most companies consider your driving record and claims history, where you keep your car, the kind of car you have, and how you use your car, and that some companies use your credit score.

On discounts, companies often offer discounts for completing a defensive driving or driver education course, according to TDI's auto FAQ, which adds that each company sets its own discount terms. The TDI pages cited here do not mention motorcycle rider courses, so whether one counts toward a discount is a question for each company.

These factors come from TDI's guide to car insurance, and a motorcycle policy may be priced differently from a car policy. When you ask for a motorcycle quote, it can help to ask which of these factors the company uses for motorcycles. If you are buying for the first time, how to get car insurance in Texas walks through the buying steps for an auto policy. Our guide on how to compare auto insurance in Texas covers how to line up two quotes on the same coverages and limits, and why car insurance is so expensive in Texas looks at the factors behind auto rates.

What to do with this

These are steps you can take to check motorcycle coverage in Texas against the TDI pages cited in this guide. The steps are Credify's suggestions, and the facts inside them come from the linked TDI pages.

• Check your liability limits. TDI's motorcycle tip sheet gives minimum liability limits of $30,000 for each injured person, $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage per accident, and the auto guide says the minimum limits might be too low if you cause a multi-vehicle accident or the other driver's car is totaled.
• Look for collision and comprehensive on your declarations page. In the auto guide, which is written about cars, collision pays to repair or replace your car after an accident, and comprehensive pays if your car is stolen or damaged by fire, flood, vandalism or something other than a collision.
• Compare each deductible with the motorcycle's value. On an auto policy, you must pay a deductible for collision, comprehensive, and uninsured/underinsured motorist claims, according to the auto guide.
• Find out whether PIP is on the policy. All auto policies in Texas include PIP coverage, the auto guide says, and if you don't want it, you must tell the company in writing. Confirm how that applies to your motorcycle policy.
• Read your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. On auto policies, the auto guide says, insurance companies must offer you this coverage, and if you don't want it, you must tell the company in writing. Confirm how that applies to your motorcycle policy.
• Ask about excluded drivers before you lend the motorcycle. TDI's auto FAQ suggests asking your agent if you aren't sure whether your policy has a named driver exclusion endorsement.
• Get accessory and gear coverage confirmed in writing. Coverages vary by policy, according to the auto guide.
• Ask what ends if you cancel for the off-season. The auto guide defines cancellation as either you or the insurance company stopping coverage before your policy's end date.

Key facts

• TDI's motorcycle tip sheet says the state of Texas requires all drivers, including motorcyclists, to prove financial responsibility for any accidents they may cause.
• The same TDI page gives minimum liability limits of $30,000 for each injured person, $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage per accident, and says motorcycles are considered the same as cars when it comes to registration, titling, and insurance requirements.
• That TDI page says mopeds and motor-driven cycles require the same amount of liability insurance as motorcycles, and that all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes, mini-bikes, and golf carts, which are not permitted to operate on public roads, are not required to have insurance.
• TDI's auto guide, which is written about cars, says liability coverage pays to repair the other driver's car if you caused the accident, collision coverage pays to repair or replace your car after an accident, and comprehensive coverage pays if your car is stolen or damaged by fire, flood, vandalism or something other than a collision.
• On auto policies, in a guide written about cars, TDI's auto 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, if you don't want it, you must tell the company in writing.
• On auto policies, in a page written about cars, TDI's uninsured motorist tip sheet says the deductible for uninsured/underinsured coverage is $250 and that the deductible if you use your collision coverage is likely much higher.
• For a car, TDI's auto FAQ says a friend who borrows it will usually be covered if she has your permission, has a driver's license, and doesn't regularly borrow your car, but that your policy could have an exception for people named as excluded drivers.
• On auto policies, in a guide written about cars, TDI's auto guide says that if either you or the company cancels your policy, the company must refund any unearned premium to you within 15 days after the date of the cancellation.

Sources: Texas Department of Insurance, Do I need insurance for a motorcycle or moped?, Auto insurance guide, Auto insurance FAQ, and What is uninsured motorist coverage, and do I really need it?. This page is general information, not legal advice — for questions about your own situation, check your policy or contact the Texas Department of Insurance.

Take the next step

Texas requires motorcyclists to prove financial responsibility, according to TDI's motorcycle tip sheet, and the auto guide describes liability coverage as paying for the other driver's repairs and medical bills. The declarations page of a motorcycle policy is where to look for comprehensive, collision, PIP, and uninsured/underinsured motorist by name.

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