Texas Minimum Car Insurance Requirements (30/60/25)
Texas requires every driver to carry at least 30/60/25 liability insurance: $30,000 in bodily injury coverage per person, $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage. Texas is an at-fault (tort) state, and these state-set minimums are the legal floor for driving legally on Texas roads.
Texas minimum car insurance: 30/60/25 explained
Texas law requires every registered driver to carry a minimum amount of liability insurance, expressed as 30/60/25. Those three numbers stand for the maximum your policy will pay in a single at-fault crash:
- $30,000 for bodily injury or death, per person injured
- $60,000 for total bodily injury or death, per accident (covering everyone hurt)
- $25,000 for damage to another person's property, per accident
According to the Texas Department of Insurance, these limits are the legal floor. Liability coverage pays to repair the other driver's vehicle and to cover the other driver's and passengers' medical bills when you cause the crash. It does not pay for your own injuries or your own vehicle. The 30/60/25 requirement has been Texas's standard for years and remains current for 2026; unlike California (which moved to 30/60/15 in January 2025) and several other states that recently raised their floors, Texas has not increased its statutory minimum.
Texas is an at-fault (tort) state
Texas follows an at-fault, or tort, system. This means the driver who is legally responsible for a crash (and that driver's insurer) pays for the injuries and property damage caused. If another driver hurts you, you can file a claim against their liability insurance, use your own optional coverages, or pursue them directly for damages that exceed their limits.
Texas is not a no-fault state, so you are not locked into recovering only from your own policy. However, because fault must be established, Texas uses a modified comparative negligence rule (sometimes called proportionate responsibility): if you are found more than 50% at fault for a crash, you generally cannot recover damages from the other party. If you are 50% or less at fault, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of blame.
Key data
| Factor | Filed value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum liability limits (BI per person / BI per accident / property damage) | $30,000 / $60,000 / $25,000 (30/60/25) | Texas Department of Insurance · Jul 2026 |
| Minimum property damage liability | $25,000 per accident | Insurance Information Institute (Automobile Financial Responsibility Laws by State) · Jul 2026 |
| SR-22 maintenance period after a qualifying violation | 2 years from the most recent conviction or judgment | Texas Department of Public Safety · Jul 2026 |
| Maximum fine for driving without insurance (first offense) | $350 | Texas Legislature (Texas Statutes) — Transportation Code § 601.191 · Jul 2026 |
PIP and medical payments coverage
Even though Texas is a tort state, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) is automatically included in every Texas auto policy. PIP pays your and your passengers' medical bills and a portion of lost wages regardless of who caused the crash. Under Texas Department of Insurance rules, if you do not want PIP you must reject it in writing — otherwise it stays on your policy. The standard baseline offering is $2,500 in PIP, and higher limits are available.
Medical payments (MedPay) coverage is a separate, optional add-on that also pays medical and funeral costs for you and your passengers after a crash, no matter who was at fault. Because Texas minimum liability does nothing for your own injuries, PIP or MedPay is often the most valuable coverage a minimum-limits buyer can keep.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage
About one in eight Texas drivers is uninsured, and many more carry only the 30/60/25 minimum. Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage protects you when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough to cover your injuries and vehicle damage.
Texas law requires insurers to offer UM/UIM coverage on every policy. Like PIP, it is included unless you decline it in writing. UM/UIM can cover your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and vehicle repairs (subject to a deductible on property damage) when the other driver cannot pay. Given how many low-limit and uninsured drivers share Texas roads, the Texas Department of Insurance encourages drivers to keep this coverage rather than reject it.
Penalties for driving without insurance in Texas
Driving without the required liability insurance is illegal in Texas and enforced through the statewide TexasSure verification system, which cross-checks vehicle registrations against active insurance policies. Penalties escalate quickly:
- First offense: a fine of roughly $175 to $350, plus court costs and fees.
- Second and subsequent offenses: fines of $350 up to $1,000, possible suspension of your driver license and vehicle registration, and vehicle impoundment.
- Additional costs: a surcharge/reinstatement obligation, a $100 reinstatement fee, and a required SR-22 filing after repeat violations.
If you cause a crash while uninsured, you can also be held personally liable for all injuries and property damage, and your license and registration can be suspended until you file proof of financial responsibility.
When Texas requires an SR-22
An SR-22 is not insurance — it is a certificate your insurer files with the Texas Department of Public Safety to prove you carry at least the 30/60/25 minimum. Under Transportation Code Chapter 601, an SR-22 is typically required after:
- A DWI or other alcohol- or drug-related driving conviction
- Two or more convictions for driving without liability insurance
- A serious or repeat moving-violation suspension
- An unsatisfied judgment arising from a crash
- A crash-related suspension when you had no insurance
You must keep the SR-22 active for two years from the date of your most recent conviction or judgment. If the underlying policy lapses, your insurer notifies DPS, your license is re-suspended, and you must file a new SR-22 and pay a $100 reinstatement fee to get driving privileges back.
How much car insurance do you really need in Texas?
The 30/60/25 minimum keeps you legal, but it is often not enough. A single serious injury can generate medical bills far above $30,000, and a totaled late-model vehicle can easily exceed the $25,000 property-damage limit. Once your liability limits are exhausted, you are personally responsible for the rest — including your wages, savings, and other assets.
Because the price gap between minimum limits and higher limits is often modest, many Texas drivers step up to 100/300/100 liability and add UM/UIM, PIP or MedPay, and — if their car has real value — collision and comprehensive coverage. A useful rule of thumb is to carry enough liability to protect your net worth, since that is what a lawsuit can reach after a bad crash.
How to compare Texas car insurance quotes
When you shop, compare policies at the same coverage limits so you are measuring price against price, not against thinner protection. Steps that help:
- Decide on your target limits first (for example 30/60/25 to stay legal, or 100/300/100 for real protection), then request identical quotes.
- Confirm whether PIP and UM/UIM are included or rejected — a cheaper quote may have stripped them out.
- Check deductibles on collision and comprehensive, and any usage-based or telematics discounts.
- Verify the insurer is licensed in Texas through the Texas Department of Insurance, and review complaint records before you buy.
Getting several quotes at matched limits is the single best way to lower your premium without accidentally lowering your protection.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum car insurance required in Texas?
Texas requires 30/60/25 liability coverage: $30,000 for bodily injury per person, $60,000 for bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage per accident. This is the legal minimum confirmed by the Texas Department of Insurance and Transportation Code Chapter 601.
Is Texas a no-fault state?
No. Texas is an at-fault (tort) state, meaning the driver who causes a crash is responsible for the resulting injuries and damage. Texas does automatically include Personal Injury Protection (PIP) on every policy, but that does not make it a no-fault state — you can still recover from the at-fault driver.
Is PIP required in Texas?
PIP is automatically added to every Texas auto policy, but it is not strictly mandatory. If you do not want it, you must reject it in writing. Because Texas minimum liability does not pay for your own injuries, keeping PIP (typically starting at $2,500) is often worthwhile.
When do I need an SR-22 in Texas?
Texas requires an SR-22 after certain violations such as a DWI conviction, two or more convictions for driving without insurance, an unsatisfied crash judgment, or an uninsured-accident suspension. Your insurer files it with DPS, and you must maintain it continuously for two years.
What is the penalty for driving without insurance in Texas?
A first offense carries a fine of about $175 to $350 plus court costs. Repeat offenses run $350 up to $1,000, can suspend your license and registration, and may require an SR-22 and a $100 reinstatement fee. The TexasSure system verifies insurance electronically.
Did Texas raise its minimum car insurance limits recently?
No. Texas remains at 30/60/25 as of 2026. Unlike California, which raised its minimum to 30/60/15 effective January 2025, and a few other states that recently updated their floors, Texas has kept its long-standing 30/60/25 liability requirement unchanged.
Sources cited
- Texas Department of Insurance — captured Jul 2026
- Insurance Information Institute (Automobile Financial Responsibility Laws by State) — captured Jul 2026
- Texas Department of Public Safety — captured Jul 2026
- Texas Legislature (Texas Statutes) — Transportation Code § 601.191 — captured Jul 2026
- Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TexasSure Insurance Verification) — captured Jul 2026
