If you are registered to drive in Texas, then you are just one member of the second-largest driving population in the nation. But as a licensed Texas driver, you have an absolute obligation to follow the rules of the road. One of these rules is the requirement for you to get auto insurance, and this is not an option. It is the law, and failing to follow the law could lead to significant penalties.
Let’s take a closer look at Texas’ mandatory auto insurance, how it works, and what you can do to expand your coverage even further.
The Mandatory Insurance Requirements
By law, Texas requires all registered drivers to carry at least the following coverage:
- $30,000 bodily injury liability coverage per person
- $60,000 bodily injury liability coverage per accident
- $25,000 property damage liability insurance
Texas is an at-fault insurance state, which means that when a wreck is your fault, you have to pay for your own vehicle damage and the damage done to others. To ensure that you can meet this obligation to others, you are required to have liability insurance. It is this policy that allows you to compensate others harmed because you made a mistake behind the wheel.
How Liability Insurance Works
Each component of your auto liability coverage works differently:
- Per Person Bodily Injury Coverage: This coverage is the maximum amount of money that a plan will pay for a single third party’s injuries.
- Per Accident Bodily Injury Coverage: If there is more than one person injured in an accident, then your per accident coverage represents the maximum amount that a policy will provide for all injuries. The per person limit will still apply.
- Property Damage Liability Coverage: Accidents usually involve property damage, so you can use this coverage to pay for the damage to other people’s vehicles, buildings or other property. This is a cumulative limit, not an amount that will be paid per damaged item.
Maximizing Your Liability Coverage
It’s important to remember that the mandatory liability coverage is just what is required to enable you to drive legally. It is nowhere near the proper amount of coverage that you might need following an at-fault accident. Therefore, we always recommend that you increase your liability coverage to much higher levels, which can provide thousands of dollars in additional costs.
Plus, liability coverage alone won’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries following a wreck. To get that benefit as part of your auto policy, you should also enroll in comprehensive, collision, medical payments and other personal benefits. They will be more than effective in helping you minimize your personal losses following accidents, and your agent knows how to help you keep your plan affordable even when you add extra perks to your benefits.
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