Beaumont Car Insurance

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Car Insurance Legally Required in Beaumont and All of Texas

Each state has their own car insurance laws and Texas is no exception.

Drivers in Beaumont and the state of Texas are legally required to maintain certain types of insurance coverages: property liability and bodily injury liability.

To meet the legal requirements for car insurance in Beaumont, drivers must carry a minimum of 30/60/25 liability insurance which means:

• $30,000 for each injured person
• Up to a total of $60,000 per accident with multiple people
• $25,000 for property damage per accident

Additional Coverages to Consider

Just because you have purchased and are maintaining the legally required amounts of car insurance for Beaumont and the state of Texas does not mean that you are fully protected.

In fact, only getting the minimum required insurance coverage could be a very costly mistake.

It is important to remember that liability coverage on your auto insurance policy only covers other drivers that you are responsible for causing damages to.

It will not cover any of your injuries or your property damage.

If you drive an older car or a car that isn't worth much, this may be an okay situation for you. However, most drivers should and do add other coverage to the policy. Not doing so could leave you without a vehicle or with expensive damages to be covered out of your own pocket.

Collision Coverage

Collision coverage is important to have if you are in an accident with another car that damages your vehicle, roll your vehicle, or sustain damages from hitting other property such as a building or a guardrail.

This type of coverage is usually required if you lease or have a loan out on your car, as it protects both you and the bank or leasing company. You can check with your lender or on your leasing agreement to be sure you have the right amounts and types of coverage.

You can select your deductible amount with collision coverage. Usually, the options are between $250 and $1,000 per claim.

The higher your deductible, the lower your premium generally is. While it can be tempting to do whatever you can to lower your premium, be sure you can pay your deductible if you need to file a claim.

Comprehensive Coverage

Comprehensive coverage is similar to collision coverage in that you will choose your deductible and that it is contractually required by banks and leasing companies.

However, comprehensive insurance covers other circumstances such as:

• Theft
• Vandalism
• Fires
• Floods
• Natural disasters such as an earthquake or hurricane
• Hail, wind, and other weather damages
• Hitting an animal such as a deer or a dog
• Pothole damage

Personal Injury Protection

All car insurance carriers providing coverage in Texas are required by law to offer their customers personal injury protection coverage.

However, drivers can decline this coverage as it is not legally required.

If you choose to not have personal injury protection, also known as PIP, you will need to waive the coverage in writing.

Personal injury protection is an important coverage as it provides for medical payments, lost wages, and household help that are required due to an auto accident. Insurance companies must offer you at least $2,500 in coverage, though you can elect nearly any amount.

Your car insurance company must pay on your personal injury protection claims by Texas law regardless of who is at fault for the accident.

It also covers you no matter the ownership of the vehicle you were riding in when an accident occurred.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist

It is also important for drivers to note that the legally required amounts and types of auto insurance in Texas will not protect you from accidents with uninsured motorists. With 20 percent of Texas drivers on the road without insurance, having the protection of uninsured motorist coverage is vital.

Texas drivers should consider the protections uninsured motorist coverage offers before deciding that they don't need it.

Uninsured motorist coverage covers damages if you are the victim of a hit-and-run accident, a bicyclist or a pedestrian in an accident as well as simply being in an accident with a driver who is not legally insured.

All auto insurance carriers serving drivers in the state of Texas must offer this type of coverage. Every policy in this state will have a $250 deductible to be paid by the driver filing the claim before the insurance company covers the rest of the expenses.

Texas is an At-Fault State

Much like other states, Texas is an at-fault state when it comes to car accidents. This means that when an accident occurs, drivers are expected and legally required to pay for any damages that they cause.

It also means that if you suffer damages in an accident that you have several options including filing a “first-party” claim with your own auto insurance company and filing a “third party” claim with the other driver’s car insurance company.

Victims also have an additional option of filing a civil lawsuit to seek compensation for their losses and damages.

TexasSure

All Texas drivers are subject to insurance verification.

If you are stopped by an officer of the law, in an accident, or renewing your car registration, you will need to prove that you have the minimum required amounts of auto insurance coverage.

Officials in Texas can look up the status of your insurance using a system called TexasSure.

This system is reducing the number of people driving without insurance in this state. According to the TexasSure website, its goal is to reduce the almost $1 billion being spent on uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

TexasSure is designed to be accessed by local sheriff deputies, police officers, vehicle registration offices, and DPS.

The information provided by TexasSure is up to date and accurate. This gives officers of the law an easy way to check to see if vehicles that are registered in Texas are covered by the minimum amounts of legally required insurance.

Proof of Insurance

Drivers need to carry their auto insurance cards with them. They should also be prepared to show proof of insurance when they:

• Are asked for it by an officer of the law
• Are involved in an auto accident
• Register a car or renew its registration
• Obtain or renew their driver’s license
• Have their car inspected

The Risks of Driving without Insurance Coverage

Drivers need to understand that not obtaining at least the legally required amounts of auto insurance in the state of Texas can be very risky.

If you do not have the minimum insurance amounts and get into an accident, you could be sued in civil court if the people who have suffered damages choose to pursue such claims. This means you could potentially have your wages garnished, liens attached to your property, or your valuables seized.

If you are found to be driving without the types and amounts of auto insurance required by Texas state law, you can face several legal and financial penalties including:

• A fine of $175 to $350 for a first offense
• Subsequent offenses will have a fine of $350 to $1,000 as well as suspension of your driver’s license and the impounding of your car
• Not having insurance plus not having a valid driver’s license will lead to as much as a $2,000 fine, 180 days in jail, or both
• If you do not have car insurance and are found to be at-fault for an accident that caused serious injuries or death you could face up to a $4,000 fine, one year of jail time, or both

It may be tempting to try to get away with not having car insurance in Texas, especially if you struggle to afford your premium. However, the risks are not worth it and can lead to even more expenses.

If you have trouble affording your car insurance premiums, be sure to use an online price comparison tool. These tools are the perfect platform for quickly and easily comparing several different insurance policies to select the one that best fits all of your needs.

Use our FREE comparison tool now to find the best insurance coverage for your needs!