Texas injury law

Texas Minimum Auto Insurance Requirements

Texas law requires every driver to carry auto insurance, but the minimums are low — and they're often not enough to cover a serious injury. Understanding what the minimums cover, and more importantly what they don't, helps you understand why your own coverage choices matter so much when the available liability coverage may be insufficient to address the claimed damages. For city-specific resources, see our Texas accident guides.

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Prepared by Texas Settlement Calculator Editorial Team · Published 2026-08-16 · Editorial standards

The 30/60/25 minimum

Texas requires minimum auto-liability financial responsibility commonly described as 30/60/25: $30,000 bodily injury per person, $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 property damage. Actual policy limits may be higher, and practical recovery depends on the applicable policy, responsibility, damages and collectability.

Why minimums are often not enough

Documented damages may exceed an applicable liability limit. When that occurs, other potentially applicable insurance or legally responsible sources may need to be evaluated, but every policy, exclusion, limit and legal basis must be verified.

Where the rest of your compensation comes from

When the at-fault driver's limits are exhausted, your own underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage covers the gap up to your policy limits. This is why carrying high UIM limits is one of the most important financial decisions a Texas driver can make. Other sources may include a commercial policy (if a work vehicle was involved), an umbrella policy, or — in cases involving a bar that over-served a drunk driver — dram shop liability. Use the free preliminary evaluator to organize the reported claim factors and compare them with available coverage.

How coverage limits affect your settlement

A particular liability policy limit can constrain recovery from that policy, but the complete coverage and collectability analysis may involve other responsible parties, policies, UM/UIM, offsets, exclusions and other sources. Our car accident settlement calculator lets you see how different coverage levels affect your estimated range — and our free case evaluator factors coverage into your estimate.

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Related Texas guides

Texas Comparative Negligence Law Explained The Texas Dram Shop Act Explained Texas Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage Explained Texas Personal Injury Resource Center Texas accident guides Texas trucking accident statistics

Frequently asked questions

What are Texas's minimum auto insurance requirements?

Texas requires 30/60/25 coverage: $30,000 bodily injury liability per person, $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 property damage. These are the legal minimums; an individual policy may carry higher limits.

What happens if the at-fault driver's insurance isn't enough in Texas?

Your own underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage can cover the gap between the at-fault driver's limits and your injuries, up to your policy limits. Other sources may include a commercial or umbrella policy, or dram shop liability if a bar over-served a drunk driver.

How much uninsured motorist coverage should I carry in Texas?

Coverage needs vary by household, policy, risk tolerance, and budget. Review available limits, exclusions, offsets, premiums, and other policy terms, and consider discussing coverage choices with a licensed insurance professional.

This tool produces a preliminary, non-binding estimate based on the information you provide and general personal-injury valuation methods. It is not legal advice, not a guarantee of any outcome, and not a substitute for review by a licensed attorney. Actual settlements and verdicts vary widely based on evidence, jurisdiction, insurance coverage, and many other factors. Texas Settlement Calculator is not a law firm and does not practice law; use of this tool does not create an attorney-client relationship.