By the Krystel Huerta Insurance team · Reviewed by Krystel Huerta, Licensed Texas Insurance Agent · TX Lic. #1922044You need to know exactly what Texas makes you carry, whether your policy meets it, and what the law quietly leaves out. This guide reads the requirement line by line, the way we read declarations pages with Texas drivers every week.
Texas requires drivers to have a way to pay for crashes they cause, and for most that means liability insurance of at least 30/60/25: $30,000 for each injured person, $60,000 for all injuries in one crash and $25,000 for property damage you cause. PIP and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage aren't required to keep, but they're included or offered on every policy unless you reject them in writing.
- The minimum pays other people when you cause a crash. It doesn't fix your car or pay your own medical bills.
- Police, courts and registration offices check your coverage through TexasSure, matched to your car's VIN.
- Driving without coverage carries a $175–$350 fine for a first conviction and $350–$1,000 after that.
- A car loan or lease can require more than the state does, usually collision and comprehensive.
Do this: Open your declarations page and check four things: liability limits, PIP, UM/UIM and any line that says “rejected.” If you're unsure what you're looking at, ask us for a free coverage review.
Maybe you just moved to Texas and your new registration asks for proof of insurance. Maybe a renewal arrived and you're wondering if you could drop to “just what's required.” Or maybe you got pulled over and realized you've never actually read what your policy says. Whatever brought you here, the question is the same: what does Texas actually make you carry?
The short version fits on one line: 30/60/25 liability. The longer version matters more: each number has limits, two other coverages come with strings attached, and your lender may have its own rules. For the broad overview of costs, full coverage and teen drivers, see our Texas car insurance guide. This page goes deep on one question: what's required, and what that requirement does and doesn't do for you.
What car insurance is required in Texas?
The short answer: Texas requires drivers to show they can pay for crashes they cause; for most, that's liability insurance of at least 30/60/25: $30,000 per injured person, $60,000 per crash for injuries and $25,000 for property damage you cause to others.
The requirement is set by Texas Transportation Code §601.072 and explained in the Texas Department of Insurance auto insurance guide (updated December 2025). As TDI's car insurance tips put it, “Texas law requires drivers to have a way to pay for accidents they cause,” and most drivers do that with liability insurance.
| Limit | What it pays | What it doesn't pay |
|---|---|---|
| $30,000 per person | Injuries to one person you hurt in a crash you cause | Anything above $30,000 for that person, even if the other two limits aren't used up |
| $60,000 per crash | All injuries to everyone you hurt in that crash, combined | Anything above $60,000 total, no matter how many people are hurt |
| $25,000 property damage | Other people's cars, fences, mailboxes and buildings | Your own car, and any repair or replacement bill above $25,000 |
Read the three numbers as separate buckets, not one pool of $115,000. Money left in one bucket can't be moved into another.
What does the 30/60/25 minimum not cover?
The short answer: Liability coverage only pays for harm you cause to other people. It won't repair your own car, pay your own medical bills or help when someone without insurance hits you.
This is the part people miss most. A policy that meets the Texas requirement is legal, but it's built to protect the other driver from you. When you're the one with the dented car or the hospital bill, the 30/60/25 limits don't apply to you.
In our experience reviewing Texas auto policies, drivers who carry only the minimum are often surprised less by the limits than by the gaps: they assumed “required coverage” meant their own car was covered too. It isn't, unless you add it.
What does “financial responsibility” mean, and how do you prove it?
The short answer: Financial responsibility means you can pay for crashes you cause; most Texans meet it with a liability policy, prove it with their insurance card and are verified electronically through TexasSure.
“Financial responsibility” is the legal phrase Texas uses for the requirement. It isn't a separate kind of coverage. It's the state's way of saying you must be able to pay for the injuries and damage you cause, and a liability policy at or above 30/60/25 is how nearly everyone does it.
Proof works two ways. First, keep the proof of insurance your insurer issues in the car, and show it when an officer or the registration counter asks. Second, Texas checks electronically. TexasSure is the state's insurance verification database, run with TDI, DPS, TxDMV and the Department of Information Resources. Insurers report the policies they write, and police, courts and county registration offices look you up in it.
Timing matters too. TDI advises not to cancel a current policy until the new one is in force and you have written proof of coverage. A gap of even a few days can mean you're driving without financial responsibility.
Are PIP and uninsured motorist coverage required in Texas?
The short answer: You aren't required to keep them, but Texas builds PIP into every auto policy and requires uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to be offered. Either one comes off only if you reject it in writing.
Personal injury protection (PIP) pays medical bills and lost income for you, your household and your passengers, no matter who caused the crash. Under Texas Insurance Code ch. 1952, the minimum PIP amount is $2,500 per person, and higher amounts are often available. According to TDI, PIP is included in every Texas auto policy unless you reject it in writing.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage pays when the driver who hits you has no insurance, too little insurance or leaves the scene. Insurers must offer it, and it stays off your policy only if you reject it in writing. TDI notes that a hit-and-run UM claim needs a police report, and that deductibles apply to UM/UIM property damage claims as well as collision and comprehensive.
| Coverage | Risk if you skip it | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| 30/60/25 liability | Required | Driving without it is illegal and leaves you personally responsible for every crash you cause. |
| UM/UIM (offered, rejectable in writing) | High risk | If an uninsured or hit-and-run driver injures you, your own policy won't pay under UM/UIM. |
| PIP (included, rejectable in writing) | Medium risk | Your medical bills and lost wages wait on a fault decision or your health plan instead of being paid quickly. |
| Collision and comprehensive | Depends | Not required by Texas law, but usually required by a loan or lease. Without them, your own car's damage is yours to pay. |
Can a car loan or lease require more than Texas does?
The short answer: Yes. The state sets the legal floor, but your loan or lease contract can require more, and it usually requires collision and comprehensive until the car is paid off.
Texas law only requires liability coverage. A lender or leasing company, though, has its own money tied up in your car, so the loan or lease contract usually requires collision and comprehensive coverage to protect it. That requirement comes from the contract, not state law, so check your paperwork for the details, such as a maximum deductible.
Financing or leasing? Start a free review or call (512) 691-6400 and we'll check your coverage against what your contract asks for.
What happens if you drive without the required insurance in Texas?
The short answer: A first conviction for driving without financial responsibility carries a $175–$350 fine, later convictions $350–$1,000, and a second or later conviction is one of the triggers for an SR-22 requirement.
| Conviction | Fine range |
|---|---|
| First | $175 to $350 |
| Second or later | $350 to $1,000 |
Those ranges come from Texas Transportation Code §601.191. Fines are only part of the cost. According to Texas DPS, a second or later conviction for driving without insurance is one of the events that can require an SR-22, a certificate your insurer files to prove you carry the required liability coverage. DPS requires it to be kept for two years.
Why does TDI say the Texas minimum might be too low?
The short answer: Because 30/60/25 is a legal floor, not a recommendation. TDI's own guide says the limits “might be too low.” A multi-vehicle crash or a totaled newer car can easily run past them, and anything over your limits can come back to you.
This isn't sales talk. The Texas Department of Insurance says the minimum limits “might be too low” for a serious crash. When a claim is bigger than your limits, the difference doesn't vanish. The injured person can pursue you for the rest.
Higher liability limits, and coverage for your own car, are what close that gap. If cost is the reason you're tempted to stay at the minimum, our guide to lowering your Texas car insurance premium without dropping coverage walks through the levers that don't leave you exposed.
How can you check that your policy meets Texas requirements?
The short answer: Pull up your declarations page, confirm liability is at least 30/60/25, look for PIP and UM/UIM, make sure the VIN matches your registration, and check your loan or lease terms.
- Find your declarations pageIt's the summary page of your policy, usually in your insurer's app, your email or your renewal packet. It lists every coverage and limit.
- Check your liability limitsLook for bodily injury and property damage liability. They should read at least $30,000 / $60,000 / $25,000. Anything lower doesn't meet Texas law.
- Look for PIP and UM/UIMIf either is missing or marked “rejected,” a written rejection is likely on file. Decide whether that's still what you want.
- Match the VINCompare the VIN on your policy with the VIN on your registration. A mismatch can keep your coverage from showing in TexasSure.
- Read your loan or lease termsIf you finance or lease, check what the contract requires beyond the state minimum, usually collision and comprehensive, sometimes a maximum deductible.
- Ask for a free coverage reviewOur licensed Texas team will read your declarations page with you and explain what you're carrying. Use the form on this page, our guided quote, or call (512) 691-6400.
The Bottom Line
The short answer: Texas requires drivers to have a way to pay for crashes they cause, and for most that means liability insurance of at least 30/60/25: $30,000 for each injured person, $60,000 for all injuries in one crash and $25,000 for property damage you cause. PIP and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage aren't required to keep, but they're included or offered on every policy unless you reject them in writing.
Texas requires 30/60/25 liability, includes PIP and offers UM/UIM unless you reject them in writing, and checks your coverage through TexasSure. But the minimum protects other people from you, and leaves your own car, your own injuries and any claim above the limits to you.
In our experience, most drivers who ask “what's required?” really want to know “am I covered?” Those are different questions. Our licensed Texas team will review your policy with you for free, in English or Spanish, by phone, text or email. Start with your ZIP below or see our auto insurance page.
Frequently asked questions
Is 30/60/25 enough car insurance in Texas?
Do I have to carry PIP in Texas?
What counts as proof of insurance in Texas?
Does the Texas minimum car insurance cover my own car?
What is the fine for driving without insurance in Texas?
Sources
- Texas Department of Insurance — Auto insurance guide (cb020) (updated December 2025)
- Texas Department of Insurance — Car insurance tips (updated April 2025)
- Texas Transportation Code §601.072 — minimum coverage amounts
- Texas Transportation Code §601.191 — penalties for no financial responsibility
- Texas Insurance Code ch. 1952, Subchapter D — personal injury protection
- Texas DPS — Financial Responsibility Insurance Certificate (SR-22)
- Texas DPS — TexasSure vehicle insurance verification
- Insurance Information Institute — Facts + Statistics: Uninsured motorists