In my years as an insurance agent, I've seen the same mistakes come up again and again. They're all understandable — insurance is confusing by design — but they're also preventable.
Here are the five I see most often with Texas drivers.
Mistake 1: Carrying State Minimum Liability Limits
Texas requires 30/60/25: $30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident, $25,000 for property damage. On paper, that sounds like real coverage. In practice, a single serious accident can easily exceed those limits — and anything over the limit comes out of your pocket.
I recommend reviewing your liability limits against your actual assets and income. The difference in premium between minimum limits and adequate limits is often less than people expect.
Mistake 2: Skipping Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Texas has one of the highest rates of uninsured drivers in the country — estimates run around 1 in 6 drivers. Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) protects you when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough insurance. Without it, you could be responsible for your own medical bills and vehicle repairs after an accident you didn't cause.
This coverage is not expensive. Skip something else first.
Mistake 3: Not Understanding the Deductible
Your deductible is what you pay before insurance covers a claim. A $2,000 deductible lowers your premium — but if you couldn't write a $2,000 check tomorrow without serious hardship, it's the wrong deductible for you.
Choose the highest deductible you could actually pay. Not the highest deductible that sounds reasonable.
Mistake 4: Buying Insurance Once and Never Reviewing It
Life changes. Your policy shouldn't stay frozen from the day you bought it. New car. Different commute. Added a teen driver. Bought a home. Got married. Any of these changes your risk profile and could mean you're under or over covered.
I recommend a review at every major life change and at least once a year at renewal.
Mistake 5: Not Bundling Home and Auto
If you have both a home and a car, and they're not with the same carrier, it's worth checking what you could save. Bundling may help you qualify for a multi-policy discount — savings vary and aren't guaranteed. I'll run the numbers for you — if it doesn't make sense, I'll tell you.