Texas minimum car insurance is designed to keep drivers legal, not to cover a serious injury. When a driver carrying only 30/60/25 coverage causes a crash, the limits can run out before the first surgery bill arrives, and many injured people only learn how small those numbers are after the adjuster calls.
Knowing what the minimum covers, what it leaves out, and which optional coverages can fill the gaps helps you make better choices before a crash and smarter decisions after one.
The Calderon Law Firm helps injured drivers in Houston sort through these policies. If you were hurt by a driver with little or no insurance, a car accident lawyer can review your case for free and explain where else compensation may come from.
The Short Version
- Texas requires 30/60/25 liability coverage, which pays for injuries and damage a policyholder causes to others, not the policyholder's own losses.
- Every Texas auto policy comes with PIP and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage unless a named insured turns them down in writing.
- A single serious injury can exceed the $30,000 per-person limit quickly, so other sources of coverage often matter more than the at-fault driver's policy.
- Driving without required insurance in Texas can bring fines starting at $175 for a first offense.
- The 30/60/25 limits remain in place for 2026, although lawmakers proposed higher minimums during the 2025 session.
What Is the Minimum Car Insurance Required in Texas?
The minimum is 30/60/25 liability: up to $30,000 for each injured person, $60,000 total for injuries in a single crash, and $25,000 for property damage. Policies also include personal injury protection (PIP) and uninsured motorist coverage unless you reject them in writing.
What Does 30/60/25 Actually Cover?
Each number in 30/60/25 is a separate cap on what the at-fault driver's insurer will pay, set by Section 601.072 of the Texas Transportation Code. The coverage protects other people from the policyholder's mistakes; it does not pay the policyholder's own medical bills or repair their car.
| Part of the coverage | Minimum limit | What it pays | What it does not pay |
| Bodily injury, one person | $30,000 | Medical bills, lost wages, and pain for one injured person | Anything above $30,000 for that person |
| Bodily injury, whole crash | $60,000 | The total for everyone injured in one crash | Any amount above $60,000, no matter how many people are hurt |
| Property damage | $25,000 | Vehicles, fences, and other property the driver damages | The at-fault driver's own car |
How the Per-Person and Per-Crash Limits Work Together
The per-crash limit is shared by everyone the at-fault driver injures. If three people in your car are hurt, the $60,000 cap is split among all three claims, and no single person can receive more than $30,000 from that policy. In a crash with a full car, the money can be gone long before every family member's bills are paid.
When several people claim the same limited policy, the insurer may want all of them to agree on how to divide it before it pays anyone.
Property Damage Limits and Newer Vehicles
A $25,000 property damage limit may not cover the replacement value of a newer truck or SUV, especially when more than one vehicle is damaged. When it falls short, the difference usually comes from your own collision coverage, if you carry it, or from a separate claim against the at-fault driver personally.
Is PIP Required in Texas?
Drivers are not forced to keep personal injury protection, yet insurers have to build it into every Texas auto policy unless a named insured turns it down in writing, under Section 1952.152 of the Insurance Code. The required amount is at least $2,500 per person.
PIP pays part of your medical bills and lost income after a crash no matter who caused it. That makes it one of the fastest sources of money after an accident.
Who Does PIP Cover?
Depending on the policy terms, PIP usually covers you, relatives who live with you, and passengers riding in your car. It can also apply when you are hit as a pedestrian. Because PIP pays regardless of fault, it can help with bills while the bigger claim against the at-fault driver is still being sorted out.
PIP Versus Medical Payments Coverage
Some insurers also sell medical payments coverage, often called MedPay. It is optional and generally pays medical and funeral costs only. PIP is broader, because it can also replace part of your lost income and pay for essential services you cannot do yourself while you recover, such as help around the house.
Why Rejected PIP Can Come Back to Hurt You
Many people sign a PIP rejection form when they buy a policy to save a little on the premium, and the rejection usually carries over at renewal. If you are not sure whether you have PIP, check your declarations page or call your agent before you need it. A crash is a hard time to discover the coverage is missing.
What About Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage?
Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage pays you when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough of it. Section 1952.101 of the Insurance Code makes it a standard part of every Texas auto policy, unless a named insured rejects it in writing.
José Calderón does not soften his advice on this one: "Everyone should get uninsured motorist coverage. No matter who you are, you need to add that coverage." When the other driver carries only the minimum, your own UIM coverage is often what makes a serious injury claim whole.
A UM/UIM claim is made against your own insurance company, which then stands in the at-fault driver's shoes and can argue about fault and damages much like the other side would. Our page on uninsured motorist claims explains how those claims work in Houston. If the driver who hit you had no policy at all, our guide to uninsured at-fault drivers walks through the next steps.
What If It Was a Hit-and-Run?
UM coverage may apply after a hit-and-run. When the owner or operator of the other vehicle is unknown, Texas law requires actual physical contact between that vehicle and the insured person or the insured person's property. Coverage also depends on the policy and the facts, so preserve photographs, available video, and the police report.
Why the Minimum Often Falls Short After a Serious Crash
The minimum often falls short because medical costs after a serious crash can pass $30,000 in a matter of days. An ambulance ride, an emergency room visit, imaging, and one surgery can use up the entire per-person limit before therapy or lost wages are counted.
Consider a driver who suffers a broken leg and misses three months of work. If the hospital, surgeon, and therapy bills total $55,000 and lost wages add $12,000, the at-fault driver's minimum policy pays no more than $30,000, leaving $37,000 plus pain and suffering unpaid.
When the at-fault driver's policy runs out, other sources may be available:
- Your own underinsured motorist coverage, if you did not reject it
- Your PIP or medical payments coverage for early medical bills
- The at-fault driver's employer, if they were driving for work
- Another driver or company that shared the blame
- An umbrella policy the at-fault driver carried
- The at-fault driver's personal assets, although many have little to collect
Finding every one of those sources early is one of the most valuable things a lawyer can do in a minimum-policy case.
Why a Minimum Policy Can Leave You Exposed, Too
The same math works against you if you cause a crash. If your policy pays only $30,000 and the other driver's damages are $90,000, the injured person can pursue the remaining balance from you personally. Higher liability limits increase the amount your insurer can pay for a covered claim and may reduce your personal financial exposure, although they do not mean every loss will be covered.
Which Optional Coverages Fill the Gaps?
The coverages that fill the gaps are the ones that pay you, not the other driver. Texas does not require them, but each one answers a problem the minimum leaves open:
- Collision coverage pays to repair your car after a crash, regardless of fault.
- Comprehensive coverage pays for theft, hail, flooding, and other damage that does not involve a collision, which matters in a flood-prone city like Houston.
- Higher UM/UIM limits raise the amount available when the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured.
- Rental reimbursement helps cover a rental car while yours is in the shop.
- Higher liability limits protect your own assets if you cause a serious crash.
An agent can price each option, and it is worth reviewing your policy at every renewal, especially after a new job, a new car, or a teenage driver joins the household.
Proof of Insurance and Penalties for Driving Without It
Texas drivers must be able to show proof of financial responsibility, and the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles requires proof of liability insurance to register or renew a vehicle. Police and registration offices can confirm coverage through the state's TexasSure database. The Texas Department of Insurance explains on its auto insurance page that state law requires drivers to pay for the accidents they cause.
What Happens If You Drive Without Insurance?
Driving without required insurance is a misdemeanor in Texas. Under Section 601.191 of the Transportation Code, a first offense carries a fine of $175 to $350, and later offenses can bring fines of $350 to $1,000.
Penalties Beyond the Fine
A second conviction for driving without insurance can lead to a driver's license suspension unless the driver files proof of financial responsibility with the Department of Public Safety and keeps it on file for two years, under Section 601.231 of the Transportation Code.
A court must also order the vehicle impounded after a second conviction when the driver owned it at the time of the offense and still owns it. The old Driver Responsibility Program surcharges, however, were repealed in 2019.
Are There Alternatives to an Insurance Policy?
A small number of drivers meet the requirement another way, such as by depositing $55,000 in cash or approved securities with the state comptroller under Section 601.122 of the Transportation Code. These options are rare, and they offer no PIP or uninsured motorist protection.
Are the Texas Minimums Going Up?
The 30/60/25 minimums remain in effect for 2026. During the 2025 legislative session, bills were filed to raise them to $50,000, $100,000, and $40,000, but those proposals did not become law.
Why the Minimums Matter More Over Time
The current limits have been in place since 2011. Since then, hospital bills, surgery costs, and vehicle prices have all gone up, while the minimum coverage has stayed the same. That gap is one reason so many injury claims now involve more than one insurance policy.
The next regular session of the Texas Legislature begins in January 2027, and higher minimums could come up again. Currently, 30/60/25 remains Texas's minimum liability coverage for a standard personal auto policy. A policy may provide higher limits, and some commercial vehicles are subject to different requirements.
What to Do When the Other Driver Has Only Minimum Coverage
If the driver who hit you carries only the minimum, protect your claim from the start. A few early steps make a real difference:
- Get the other driver's policy information at the scene or from the crash report.
- Check your own declarations page for PIP and UIM coverage before talking to any adjuster.
- Notify your own insurer promptly, because UIM policies often have notice and consent rules.
- Avoid accepting a policy-limits check until you know whether your own coverage needs to approve the settlement.
- Keep every bill and pay stub, since your damages decide whether the minimum is enough.
In practice, lawyers who handle car accident claims request the at-fault driver's policy limits early, open the UIM claim, and look for any other party who shares responsibility.
Texas Minimum Car Insurance FAQs From Our Houston Car Accident Attorneys
Injured drivers usually ask some version of these questions once they see the other driver's policy.
Is Texas a no-fault car insurance state?
Texas is an at-fault state, which means the driver who causes a crash, and that driver's insurer, are responsible for the harm. PIP adds a limited no-fault benefit on top, but it does not stop you from bringing a claim against the driver who caused the crash.
Will the at-fault driver's insurer pay for a rental car?
The at-fault driver's property damage coverage generally also pays for a reasonable rental car, or the loss of use of your vehicle, while yours is being repaired, as long as the total stays within the $25,000 limit. Keep the rental receipts and ask the adjuster early how many days the insurer will approve.
Do rideshare drivers in Texas carry more than the minimum?
Texas requires higher coverage for rideshare driving, which can be provided by the driver, the rideshare company, or both. Under Chapter 1954 of the Insurance Code, the minimum is $50,000 per person, $100,000 per crash, and $25,000 for property damage while the driver is logged in and waiting, and $1 million once a ride is accepted.
Does car insurance follow the car or the driver in Texas?
Car insurance in Texas generally follows the car, so the owner's policy is usually the first to pay when someone else drives the vehicle with permission. The driver's own policy may then add coverage on top, depending on its terms.
How do I find out how much insurance the other driver has?
The crash report may identify the other driver's insurer and policy number, but it does not establish the policy limits. Your lawyer can request the applicable policy information and, if a lawsuit is filed, seek insurance information through discovery, although the insurer may decline to share it voluntarily. Confirm the limits from the policy documents before assuming the driver carries only minimum coverage.
Talk to a Houston Car Accident Lawyer About Your Coverage
A minimum policy on the other side does not mean your options end there. The coverage on your own policy, the other people involved, and the timing of each step can change the outcome. If you can, have your declarations page and the crash report handy when you call, so we can start looking at the numbers right away.
At The Calderon Law Firm, there is no charge to have us look over a minimum-coverage claim, and we can talk it through in English or Spanish. Call +1 (346) 999-5673 or send a message through our contact page, and we will help you sort out which policies apply to your crash.