The first thing that any person should know about Texas Car Insurance is that it is regulated by the Texas Department of Insurance, a government body which makes the necessary laws on how much coverage TX residents must have before they are allowed to drive. This, of course, refers to the minimum liability requirement, which is basically the easiest way one a motorist can comply with financial responsibility.
Texas Auto Insurance Requirements
Texas car insuranceNow, in Texas, you always have to remember that the minimum liability requirements are:
$30,000 per person injury coverage
$60,000 per accident injury coverage
$25,000 property damage coverage per accident
And that’s not all. You also have to consider that drivers who do not have liability insurance, or who cannot provide proof that they have one, will not be able to register their car. Moreover, without proof of financial responsibility, you will not be able to have your license renewed. And most important of all, getting caught driving a car without any liability insurance or financial responsibility is a criminal offense in Texas, one which leads to a fine of $175 to $350 for first violations, as well as the possibility of vehicle getting impounded and license suspension.
Compared to most other states, these requirements are much higher. Still, you must comply with them if you intend to start driving. Moreover, like all minimum liability requirements, this amount is merely a formality. They might be able to help you cover some of the damages of the other party (if you find yourself at fault in a particular accident), but it will be in a very limited way.
Finding A Texas Car Insurance Provider That’s Right For You
Now, that we’ve discussed the car insurance requirements in Texas, let’s move on to the issue of how you can get one. First things first, you have to know how much money you’ll have to pay. In 2010, the average car insurance cost in Texas was around $1,400 per year. Compared to most other states, this figure is neither too high nor too low. Compared to the national average, this amount is only around $30 to $50 higher. So it’s not really all that expensive considering the size and population of Texas.
Next, you will need to have a good idea of what your options are with regards to Texas car insurance companies. As one of the largest and most populated states in the country, Texas has branches of most of the largest car insurance companies in the country, not to mention small and local ones. Here are a few examples of what you can expect:
Allstate
State Farm
Hartford
Geico
Progressive
Foremost
Farm Bureau
So in terms of options, you have very little to worry about.Texas DWI Laws and How They Can Affect Your Car Insurance Premiums
You should also try to learn something about Texas’ DWI laws. After all, traffic violations – particularly the ones which increase your chances of getting into an accident – are treated very seriously by car insurance companies. So whichever way you look at it, some general knowledge of how traffic laws work in Texas can go a long way in helping you understand what sort of penalties you’re likely to face.
In Texas, a DWI is permanent and will remain on your record forever. And as if that isn’t enough, the penalties are certainly something to beware of. For first time offenders, the following penalties will take effect: a $2,000 fine, several hours of community service, drug or alcohol evaluation and 72 hours worth of jail time. Subsequent offenses will, of course, have harsher penalties. However, what you really should be worried about is how a DWI or some similar traffic violation will affect your car insurance premiums.
Now, don’t jump into any conclusions just yet. As bad as a DWI may be, you also have to remember that car insurance rates are affected by several factors, and even with the effects of a DWI, your rates can still vary significantly based on other factors. So if a person is having problems with his premiums due to a recent DWI conviction, he has several options to consider.
First, he has the option of getting high risk insurance, which is the kind of insurance that’s specifically offered to people who have problematic driving records. Another option which he can try to hire a DWI attorney, so as to reduce the amount damages involved. Moreover, you should ask your car insurance company what sort of options you have with regards to minimizing the effects of a DWI on your driving record.
And finally, remember that getting higher rates is not the worst thing that can happen to your car insurance policy. Some companies will simply cancel your policy, while others do not offer SR22 insurance. So if worse comes to worst, you may be forced to do business with other Texas car insurance companies, which isn’t all that hard considering the number of Texas car insurance providers which provide high risk car insurance policies to people.
The Impact of Car Theft in Texas
Another issue that you have to understand is car theft. In Texas, as well as in all other states, cars get stolen all the time, and they are usually seen as a source of problem by many car insurance companies, particularly those which operate in areas where car and traffic related crimes are endemic.
In Texas’ case, car theft is considered to be a serious problem, particularly in large cities and metropolitan areas. It’s estimated that around 1.1 million cars are stolen each year in the US. Given the size of Texas, a significant potion of those thefts occur in this state. And car insurance companies make it a point to see which types of cars are most likely to get stolen.
In 2010, the top 10 include:
Ford F-350
Ford F-250
Ford Explorer
Honda Civic
Dodge Ram 1500
Honda Accord
Chevrolet C/K 1500
Toyota Camry
Ford F-150
Chevrolet Tahoe
So if your car belongs to these groups, you can be sure that it’s going to increase the cost of your premiums. You can rectify this problem by installing security devices on your car, such as locks and alarms for example. However, before you do, be sure to find out which Texas car insurance companies offer such discounts, as well as their exact requirements.
Texas Cities:
Houston Car Insurance
Austin Car Insurance
Dallas Car Insurance
San Antonio Car Insurance
Texas Auto Insurance Requirements
Texas car insuranceNow, in Texas, you always have to remember that the minimum liability requirements are:
$30,000 per person injury coverage
$60,000 per accident injury coverage
$25,000 property damage coverage per accident
And that’s not all. You also have to consider that drivers who do not have liability insurance, or who cannot provide proof that they have one, will not be able to register their car. Moreover, without proof of financial responsibility, you will not be able to have your license renewed. And most important of all, getting caught driving a car without any liability insurance or financial responsibility is a criminal offense in Texas, one which leads to a fine of $175 to $350 for first violations, as well as the possibility of vehicle getting impounded and license suspension.
Compared to most other states, these requirements are much higher. Still, you must comply with them if you intend to start driving. Moreover, like all minimum liability requirements, this amount is merely a formality. They might be able to help you cover some of the damages of the other party (if you find yourself at fault in a particular accident), but it will be in a very limited way.
Finding A Texas Car Insurance Provider That’s Right For You
Now, that we’ve discussed the car insurance requirements in Texas, let’s move on to the issue of how you can get one. First things first, you have to know how much money you’ll have to pay. In 2010, the average car insurance cost in Texas was around $1,400 per year. Compared to most other states, this figure is neither too high nor too low. Compared to the national average, this amount is only around $30 to $50 higher. So it’s not really all that expensive considering the size and population of Texas.
Next, you will need to have a good idea of what your options are with regards to Texas car insurance companies. As one of the largest and most populated states in the country, Texas has branches of most of the largest car insurance companies in the country, not to mention small and local ones. Here are a few examples of what you can expect:
Allstate
State Farm
Hartford
Geico
Progressive
Foremost
Farm Bureau
So in terms of options, you have very little to worry about.Texas DWI Laws and How They Can Affect Your Car Insurance Premiums
You should also try to learn something about Texas’ DWI laws. After all, traffic violations – particularly the ones which increase your chances of getting into an accident – are treated very seriously by car insurance companies. So whichever way you look at it, some general knowledge of how traffic laws work in Texas can go a long way in helping you understand what sort of penalties you’re likely to face.
In Texas, a DWI is permanent and will remain on your record forever. And as if that isn’t enough, the penalties are certainly something to beware of. For first time offenders, the following penalties will take effect: a $2,000 fine, several hours of community service, drug or alcohol evaluation and 72 hours worth of jail time. Subsequent offenses will, of course, have harsher penalties. However, what you really should be worried about is how a DWI or some similar traffic violation will affect your car insurance premiums.
Now, don’t jump into any conclusions just yet. As bad as a DWI may be, you also have to remember that car insurance rates are affected by several factors, and even with the effects of a DWI, your rates can still vary significantly based on other factors. So if a person is having problems with his premiums due to a recent DWI conviction, he has several options to consider.
First, he has the option of getting high risk insurance, which is the kind of insurance that’s specifically offered to people who have problematic driving records. Another option which he can try to hire a DWI attorney, so as to reduce the amount damages involved. Moreover, you should ask your car insurance company what sort of options you have with regards to minimizing the effects of a DWI on your driving record.
And finally, remember that getting higher rates is not the worst thing that can happen to your car insurance policy. Some companies will simply cancel your policy, while others do not offer SR22 insurance. So if worse comes to worst, you may be forced to do business with other Texas car insurance companies, which isn’t all that hard considering the number of Texas car insurance providers which provide high risk car insurance policies to people.
The Impact of Car Theft in Texas
Another issue that you have to understand is car theft. In Texas, as well as in all other states, cars get stolen all the time, and they are usually seen as a source of problem by many car insurance companies, particularly those which operate in areas where car and traffic related crimes are endemic.
In Texas’ case, car theft is considered to be a serious problem, particularly in large cities and metropolitan areas. It’s estimated that around 1.1 million cars are stolen each year in the US. Given the size of Texas, a significant potion of those thefts occur in this state. And car insurance companies make it a point to see which types of cars are most likely to get stolen.
In 2010, the top 10 include:
Ford F-350
Ford F-250
Ford Explorer
Honda Civic
Dodge Ram 1500
Honda Accord
Chevrolet C/K 1500
Toyota Camry
Ford F-150
Chevrolet Tahoe
So if your car belongs to these groups, you can be sure that it’s going to increase the cost of your premiums. You can rectify this problem by installing security devices on your car, such as locks and alarms for example. However, before you do, be sure to find out which Texas car insurance companies offer such discounts, as well as their exact requirements.
Texas Cities:
Houston Car Insurance
Austin Car Insurance
Dallas Car Insurance
San Antonio Car Insurance
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