Obtaining Texas family car insurance before you can register a car provides the proof required by the state for this protection. You must maintain a Texas auto insurance policy for each vehicle that you own, even if it is not drivable. Family car insurance in TX may seem like a challenge if you have teenagers to insure. Understanding your family’s needs for car insurance, and the requirements of Texas for family car insurance is a great place to start.
Texas Family Car Insurance Minimums
Minimum required car insurance in the state of Texas is:
- $20,000 for bodily injury or death to one person per accident
- $40,000 for injury or death to two or more persons per accident
- $15,000 in liability for damage or destruction to the other vehicle.
As of April 1, 2008 these rates are going to change. Minimum coverage will be raised to:
- $25,000 per injured person
- $50,000 for everyone else injured
- $25,000 for vehicle damage
It is important to note that this may not provide adequate coverage if you are in an accident and at fault. These are just state minimums by law.
While there is technically no such thing as a family car insurance policy in the state of Texas you can have add each driving member of your family to your policy to cover everyone making it a “family” policy.
Texas Car Insurance For Young Drivers
Parents can add their children to their Texas car insurance policy. This will up the premium, but it will be cheaper in the long run than getting a teenager their own policy since they are also required to comply with the state’s financial responsibility laws.
Some insurance companies require all drives to be named individually on the policy for coverage to apply. This makes it important to list all family members on the policy as soon as they are driving age. Fines for driving while uninsured in Texas start between $175 and $350 for first time offenders and a third offense can result in suspension of your drivers license and your vehicle being impounded.
Double check your policy and ask your agent if your insurance company requires each driver to be listed individually. It’s a small enough detail that can easily be overlooked that could turn costly.
Texas Family Car Insurance Required Information
Texas car insurance companies need to know if you have an insured child on your policy that is attending school away from home because the premium is based on where the car is located and the premium may need to be adjusted. If the school is in another state, make sure you have checked the insurance laws in that state because each state has their own insurance laws and your Texas car insurance may not be adequate coverage.
If your teenager is the principal driver of a specific family car, the company will base the rates on that car. If the teenager isn’t the principal driver of any car the company will usually assign the teenager to the most expensive car in your household that produces that highest rate.
Once your child has moved away from home you will want to remove him or her from the policy to lower your rates. The insurance company will need to see proof that the child has moved, usually a:
- Drivers license
- Lease agreement
- Utility receipt
Depending on your insurance company you may be able to get a discount on coverage for your teenager if he or she has completed a Texas state Department of Public Safety approved driver education course. Some companies even offer discounts to young drivers who maintain a certain GPA or belong to select youth groups.
Factors That Affect Your TX Family Car Insurance Rates
- Your age and marital status: Male drivers under 25 and unmarried women under 21 have the highest rates.
- Driving record: A good driving record will save you money. Accidents and tickets will increase your premium.
- Claims history: The more claims you have filed, the higher risk you are considered and this will be reflected in your premium.
- Where your car is located: Drivers in urban areas have move accidents and auto thefts their rates tend to be higher than those in rural areas.
- Type of car you drive: Rates tend to be higher for cars that damage easily or cost more to repair as well as luxury, high-performance and sports cars.
- Primary use: Rates are higher for cars driven to and from work or used for business than for cars driven solely for pleasure.
7 Ways You Can Impact The Cost Of Texas Family Auto Insurance
- Change your credit score. The lower your credit score, the higher premium. You can not be denied insurance based on your credit history, you can be charged a higher premium.
- Tell then you’re uninsured. Car insurance companies will charge you a higher premium if you have drove more than 30 days in a given year uninsured.
- Deductibles. If you opt for a higher deductible your premium will be lower. Don’t make your deductible so high that you won’t be able to cover it in case of an accident.
- Ask about discounts! Some insurance companies will offer discounts if you have more than one policy with them. Consider getting your home owners insurance from the same company if they offer it.
- Anti-theft devices can help lower your premium depending on your car insurance company.
- Completing a driver education course, even for adults, can help lower your premium.
- Comparison Shop. Compare quotes from at least 5 different insurers to find the best deal in TX family auto insurance.
Texas Family Auto Insurance: Self Bonding
Self-bonding is not always going to save you money if you feel you are uninsurable. It will require a large lump sum up front and may not cover you completely in the event of an accident if someone decides to sue for an excessive amount of medical bills or damage. By shopping around you will probably be able to find a company that will insure you. Your premiums will probably go down after you have gone so long without traffic violations or accidents.
Companies Offering Texas Family Car Insurance Policies
- Fred Loya Insurance
- GEICO
- Progressive
- AGI
- Esurance
- All State
- Unitrin Direct
- Texas Farm Bureau
- State Farm
- Farmers Insurance
- AIG
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