How to Get Car Insurance in Texas: Discounts, Coverages, and More
Written by Team Clearcover | June 10th, 2021
4 minute read
The Texan’s guide to getting excellent car insurance coverage
Here’s the truth: Getting better car insurance in Texas is easier than you think.
In fact, Texas car insurance discounts are one way to get the insurance you need at a better price, and you’ll discover how those can be automatically added to your policy (if you’re eligible).
In this guide for Lone Star State drivers, you’ll learn:
How to get car insurance in Texas
How much car insurance in Texas is per month
What is the required minimum car insurance in Texas—and what you need to know about “full coverage”
Types of car insurance coverages available in Texas
What Texas car insurance discounts are available to you
How you can get more coverage at a better price
With Clearcover Insurance Company, it’s simple to save money with digital auto insurance—all without skimping on coverage. And if you’re here for information about car insurance discounts in Texas specifically, feel free to scroll down to get the information you need ASAP.
Here’s how to get car insurance in Texas
First things first: When you’re shopping for car insurance in the Lone Star State—whether you’re a new resident or a long-time Texan—there are a few ways to go about it.
To start, you’ll need to do your research and get a few car insurance quotes to compare.
Step 1: Get a car insurance quote.
There are a couple of ways to get a car insurance quote in Texas:
Get connected with an auto insurance agent in Texas near you, or
Request an auto insurance quote directly from the Texas car insurance companies that you’re researching.
To get an accurate quote, you’ll need to provide some simple information:
Your name
Date of birth
Street address
Make, model, and year of the cars you’re looking to insure (Clearcover uses technology to pull this information automatically from public databases)
Information about your driving history
If you’re insuring multiple drivers on your policy (such as a spouse or child), you’ll need to provide the above information for them as well.
(Get a quote today with Clearcover. It’s quick and easy.)
Step 2: Compare insurance quotes
Once you’ve gotten your car insurance quotes (it’s a good rule of thumb to get at least three), compare them to determine what’s the best fit for your coverage needs and what policy offers you the most coverage for the best price.
And if you need help, Clearcover has expert insurance agents available via live chat to assist you with the online quote process.
While you’re comparing quotes, keep in mind that price is only part of the story! It’s great to find cheap car insurance in Texas, but know that the lowest price might not have all the coverage you need. In fact, cheap car insurance could actually cost you more money (as in, thousands of dollars more)!
To make sure you have the right coverage for your situation (at the price that fits best in your budget), there are ways to save money without losing important coverage that can help cover your bills if you’re in an accident.
Using Texas car insurance discounts, increasing your deductible, and working with an insurance company that saves you money through the latest technology are all powerful ways you can get more car insurance coverage at a better price.
Determine what coverage you need (and see what your premiums could be) with our Texas car insurance calculator.
How much is car insurance in Texas per month?
You’re probably wondering what other drivers in your state are paying for car insurance. According to one study that examined the costs of state-minimum coverage with nine insurance companies, Texas drivers pay $527 to $1831 on average for yearly premiums.
But keep in mind these numbers are based on the state minimum, which is the bare-minimum coverage and may not provide drivers with the full protections they need to drive safely on the road.
Ultimately, your car insurance costs will be unique to you—and your premium will depend on your specific insurance needs, age, number of vehicles, where you live, and more.
What is the minimum car insurance required in Texas?
Here’s the required car insurance coverage for drivers in the state of Texas:
Bodily Injury Liability Coverage: This coverage protects other people and their medical bills when you cause an accident. A minimum of $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident is required.
Property Damage Liability Coverage: This protects other people’s vehicles and property when you’re at fault. Texas requires a minimum of $25,000 per accident.
Personal Injury Protection Coverage: Commonly referred to as PIP, this helps pay for your medical bills and other expenses, no matter who caused the accident. A minimum of $2,500 is required unless you reject it in writing.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage and Uninsured/Underinsured Property Damage Coverage: These two separate coverages help pay for your expenses if you’re in an accident caused by a driver who does not have insurance (or enough insurance) to cover your medical and car repair bills. The majority of Texas drivers purchase this kind of coverage, as an estimated 20% of Texas drivers are uninsured. However, in the state of Texas, you can reject one or both of these coverages in writing.
Source: Texas Department of Insurance
What is full coverage car insurance in Texas?
The phrase full coverage can be confusing. There isn’t a single definition to what is considered full coverage car insurance in Texas, because “full coverage” can mean different things to different people. Make sure to get a Clearcover quote or connect with an experienced car insurance agent near you to understand what best suits your financial situation.
In addition to the state-required minimum coverages, the following additional coverages are available in Texas with Clearcover:
Collision Coverage: This coverage can help you if your car needs to be replaced or repaired when it’s damaged in an accident with another vehicle (or with another object, such as a fence or tree).
Comprehensive Coverage: This type of coverage can help pay for vehicle repairs or replacement in covered incidents that are not collision-related, such as vandalism, weather damages, and more.
Personal Injury Protection: If you’re in an accident, this coverage (commonly known as PIP) can help pay medical bills, cover wages if you’re out of work, and even cover funeral costs if needed.
Medical Payments (MedPay): MedPay can help pay for medical care costs due to injuries from a covered incident, even if you’re at fault in the accident. It also covers funeral or medical expenses if you’re hit by a car while walking or biking.
Roadside Assistance Coverage: This add-on helps pay for the cost of towing or roadside service due to battery failure, getting locked out, running out of gas, and more.
Alternative Transportation Coverage: This add-on is there to help you get around if your vehicle is unusable due to a covered incident. We’ll provide the funds for carpooling, using ridesharing services, taking public transportation, or renting a car from a company of your choice (and it’s completely your choice).
Texas car insurance discounts: A simple way to lower your premiums
Car insurance discounts are an easy way to save money on your premiums. Some auto insurance discounts are state-specific and others are available to car insurance customers no matter what state you live in.
And if you’re insured with Clearcover, you don’t have to call and ask us for discounts—we give them to you automatically if you qualify. (That’s the power of digital insurance at work!)
Here’s a complete list of discounts available to our Texas Clearcover family:
Important note: Specific rules are used to determine your discount eligibility, and eligibility cannot be determined based on the descriptions of the discounts below alone.
Car Insurance Discounts Available for Studious Drivers:
Good Student Discount: Are you a great student (or have a teen driver who’s in school) between 16 and 24? You could be eligible if you or your student meet certain academic standards.
Student Away at School Discount: You could be eligible for this discount if a student on your policy temporarily lives at school and meets certain requirements.
Defensive Driver Discount: For drivers in Texas ages 50 and up who complete qualifying driving safety courses. Knowledge is power!
Clearcover Discounts Available to Responsible Drivers:
Good Driver Discount: If you’re a great driver and meet certain age and driving history requirements, you could qualify for this additional discount.
Financial Responsibility Discount: Multiple factors are considered in determining eligibility for this discount, including your financial responsibility score.
Driving Experience Discount: Eligibility is based on drivers who have been licensed for at least 1 year.
Continuous Insurance Discount: This discount could apply to you if you’ve been continuously insured during your driving history, whether that’s through Clearcover or a previous insurer.
Safety Feature Discounts:
Seat Belt Discount: This discount is all about safety first. You could be eligible for a discount on car insurance premiums if you’re committed to seat-belt wearing at all times.
Anti-Lock Brake Discount: Have an automobile that’s equipped with a factory-installed Anti-Lock Braking System? This could be an easily-earned discount.
Anti-Theft Discount: Does your vehicle have anti-theft devices? If so, you may qualify.
Restraint Discount: If your vehicle has a passive restraint system, such as airbags that activate upon collision or seat belts that tighten if you stop suddenly, you may qualify.
New Vehicle Discount: For cars that are 3 years old (or less!)
Our “We Love Our Customers” Discounts:
Deployed Driver Discount: This discount is available to certain drivers deployed overseas due to military service or other occupational requirements.
Multi-Vehicle Discount: Insuring multiple vehicles and drivers with us? You could qualify.
Military Discount: This one’s to honor those who are on active duty, serving in the Guard/Reserves, a junior or senior cadet of a military academy, or a retired member of the Armed Forces of the United States.
Multi-Line Discount: Love to bundle? While we’re specifically car insurance experts, you could be eligible for a discount if you have other qualifying insurance policies with Clearcover.
Clearcover provides a better, smarter car insurance experience
Getting car insurance in Texas is easy—and so is saving money—when you work with Clearcover.
Clearcover uses the power of artificial intelligence to help drivers like you in the Lone Star State get more insurance for a better price.
With Clearcover, you’re in complete control. You can file claims, make payments, call for roadside assistance, and more— all in a few easy taps in our award-winning smartphone app.
Clearcover is transforming the auto insurance industry in Texas—and saving you money while we do it.
