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Updated
The state of Texas requires licensed teenage drivers to have auto insurance to drive legally. So if you have a teen driver in your household, you’ll likely need to add them to your policy. But you don’t need to add them if they just have a learner’s permit.[1]
Adding an inexperienced teen driver to your car insurance policy can be pricey and cause your rates to jump. But you may be able to find ways to save, like good student discounts, to help keep costs manageable. You can also see if it’s cheaper to buy them a separate policy.
Here’s a closer look at what you need to know about insuring a teen driver in Texas, comparing quotes, and how to keep rates down.
Texas doesn’t require you to add a teenager to your car insurance. But they must have car insurance to drive. It’s usually cheaper to add them to your policy rather than to buy a separate one.
If you add your teen to your auto policy, their driving record can affect your premium. Your rates may go up if they cause an accident.
Many insurers offer multi-car and good student discounts to help lower your teen driver’s premiums.
In Texas, the insurance requirements for licensed teen drivers are the same as those for adult drivers. All Texas drivers must carry the state-mandated minimum liability insurance to cover damage they might cause in an accident:[2]
$30,000 in bodily injury liability per person
$60,000 in bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 in property damage liability per accident
The state recommends letting your insurer know as soon as your teen starts to drive, turns 16, or gets their learner’s permit. If the company finds out about your teen driver, you could be on the hook for back premium payments, or your insurer could deny claims or choose not to renew your policy.
As a parent or caregiver of a teen driver, you have the choice to add them to your existing policy or buy them a separate policy. In general, it’s usually cheaper to put your teen on your plan. If you decide on a separate policy, remember teens younger than 18 can’t buy their own policy without written consent from a parent or guardian.
Like many other states, Texas has a graduated licensing process for teen drivers. Drivers younger than age 18 must:[3]
Complete a driver’s education course
Apply for a learner’s permit (if between ages 15 and 18)
Provide evidence showing they’re enrolled in school or obtained a high school diploma or its equivalent
Have the learner’s permit for at least six months or until they turn 18
Be accompanied by a licensed adult driver age 21 or older when driving
Texas teen drivers can apply for a provisional license after having their learner’s permit for at least six months. With a provisional license, Texas teens can’t:
Drive with more than one non-family passenger in the vehicle younger than 21
Drive between midnight and 5 a.m. unless it’s necessary for work, a school-related activity, or a medical emergency
Use a wireless communication device while driving, including hands-free devices
The Texas provisional license expires at age 18. After expiration, Texas teen drivers must visit a local driver’s license office to get a non-provisional license.
Liability rates for teens start as low as $88 per month
Your rates will increase when you add a teen driver to your car insurance policy. Insurify data estimates that a Texas parent in their 40s who adds a teen driver can expect car insurance premiums to increase by roughly 50%. This substantial hike is primarily due to the increased risk of accidents associated with teen drivers.
Rates for teens tend to go down as they age and gain more experience. Premiums drop substantially around age 25.
Insurance companies base their rates on risk, and the risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among drivers ages 16–19 than among any other age group. The fatal crash rate is almost three times as high for drivers in this age group as for drivers 20 and older per mile driven.[4]
The type of car your teen drives also affects their rates. For example, if you don’t specify which vehicle they’ll be driving, your insurer will base the rate on whichever vehicle has the highest premium on your plan. But when your teen is the main driver on a certain vehicle, the insurer will calculate rates for that car.
On average, adult drivers pay about $158 per month for car insurance in Texas. In contrast, the average monthly cost for Texas teens is $308.
The table below compares average rates for adults and teens in Texas.
Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote: With Teen Drivers | Average Monthly Quote: Adults Only |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $88 | $44 |
| Allstate | $124 | $61 |
| Progressive | $125 | $64 |
| GEICO | $129 | $69 |
| Mile Auto | $135 | $64 |
| USAA | $148 | $78 |
| Root | $159 | $101 |
| Mercury | $164 | $87 |
| The General | $168 | $90 |
| First Acceptance | $170 | $87 |
| Clearcover | $171 | $100 |
| GAINSCO | $173 | $95 |
| Alinsco | $177 | $91 |
| Bristol West | $183 | $100 |
| Lone Star | $183 | $94 |
| Dairyland | $186 | $103 |
| Commonwealth Casualty | $187 | $96 |
| Covercube | $195 | $100 |
| Mendota | $207 | $106 |
| Excepsure | $215 | $110 |
| Sun Coast | $215 | $110 |
| Elephant | $223 | $119 |
| AssuranceAmerica | $224 | $105 |
| Direct Auto | $227 | $113 |
| Loop | $230 | $118 |
| Safeco | $239 | $114 |
| National General | $240 | $117 |
| Trexis One | $267 | $137 |
| Chubb | $279 | $132 |
| 21st Century | $282 | $152 |
| Insurify Car | $293 | $150 |
| Hugo | $314 | $161 |
| Liberty Mutual | $335 | $185 |
Adding a teenager to your car insurance policy is typically cheaper than buying them their own policy. But like any financial decision, it’s important to consider the advantages and disadvantages.
Convenience: Managing a single car insurance policy for the entire family is easier than handling multiple individual policies.
Discounts: Some insurance companies offer multi-car or good student discounts, which can help offset higher premiums.
Comprehensive coverage: Adding a teen to your policy ensures they have adequate coverage, protecting them and others (and the vehicle) in case of an accident.
Higher premiums: Adding a teen driver will almost certainly increase your premiums because of their higher risk profile.
Claims history: Any accidents or claims resulting from your teen driver will affect your insurance history and could lead to more premium increases.
Potential loss of discounts: If your teen driver is in an accident, you might lose some existing discounts, like safe driving or accident-free discounts.
To avoid potential extra costs or more serious consequences with your insurer, it’s important not to let your teenager drive until they have coverage. You may also have to insure them even if they’re away at school in another city or state, depending on your policy.
Adding a teen driver to your car insurance is usually a straightforward process. While it might vary from company to company, you’ll typically follow these steps:
Notify your insurance company. Call your insurance agent or the insurance company’s customer service line to inform them you need to add a teen driver to your policy. You should do this as soon as your teen gets their learner’s permit or license.
Provide necessary information. Be prepared to provide details about your teen, including their full name, date of birth, and driver’s license number. Your insurance company may also need to know which vehicle they’ll drive. You’ll also need to let the insurer know if your teen is away at school or not living with you.
Review your coverage options. Discuss whether you need to change the coverages on your policy. Make sure your liability limits are high enough to protect you financially if your teen is involved in an at-fault accident. Consider comprehensive and collision insurance to cover damage to your vehicle.
Look into discounts. Ask about any discounts your teen might qualify for, like savings for maintaining good grades, having an anti-theft or telematics device installed in the car, or taking a defensive driving course.
Compare rates. Before finalizing your coverage, take some time to compare rates from different insurance companies. Rates vary widely from company to company, so this step can save you a lot of money.
Check quotes from 120+ top insurance companies
In Texas, parents and caregivers don‘t legally have to add a teen with a learner’s permit to their insurance. But it might be a good idea anyway. Most insurers require you to list every licensed driver in your household on your policy, even if they drive infrequently.
If your teen is in an accident while learning to drive in your vehicle and isn’t listed as a driver, your insurance company might deny your claim or cancel your policy, according to the Texas Department of Insurance.
Once your teen has a provisional license, you need to insure them.
Adding your teen driver to your existing policy is the easiest option, but you have a couple of other ways to insure your child.
Buy a separate policy. You can buy a separate insurance policy for your teen. But this is usually more expensive than adding them to the family policy because your teen won’t be able to benefit from multi-car, good credit, or bundling discounts.
Purchase non-owner car insurance. Non-owner car insurance provides liability-only coverage for drivers who don’t own a car but occasionally drive cars that belong to someone else. This typically isn’t an option if you own a car — your insurance company may require you to list your teen as a driver on your policy. But it might be an option if you don’t own a vehicle and your teen might drive a car that someone else owns, like your ex-spouse or another family member or friend.
List your teen as an excluded driver. If you don’t want to add your teen to your policy, you can list them as an excluded driver. This can save you money on your premiums, but they won’t be able to drive your car. Excluding them from your policy means your insurance won’t cover them while driving your vehicle.
Adding a teen driver to your insurance policy can be expensive. Consider these strategies to help find cheap car insurance.
Discuss the importance of safe driving habits with your teenager. Explain how driving habits affect insurance rates (and discounts), and emphasize the need to drive safely to help avoid accidents or other traffic violations.
Insurance companies offer various discounts that can help you lower the cost of insuring a teen driver. Ask your insurance agent if your family qualifies for a good student discount, a multi-vehicle discount, or a discount for taking a defensive driving course. If your teen attends college away from home and won’t drive your vehicle regularly, you may qualify for a student away at school discount.
Assigning your teen driver an older, safer car can be more affordable. Consider purchasing a used vehicle that has a good safety rating. Selecting liability-only coverage on this vehicle can also reduce your expenses.
Increasing your deductible can lower your premium. While you’ll pay more out of pocket when you have a claim, you can reduce your monthly costs.
Many insurers offer telematics programs that track driving habits and reward safe driving with lower rates. If your teen doesn’t drive often, you may benefit from a usage-based program that charges you only for the miles they drive.
Check out the additional information below about adding a teenager to your car insurance in Texas.
Technically, yes, but it’s not a good idea.
In most states, car insurance policies have permissive use provisions that extend coverage to anyone who uses the car with the owner’s permission. But if you’re in an accident while driving your parents’ vehicle and your insurance company discovers you aren’t listed as a driver on their policy, your insurer could deny the claim or cancel your coverage.
A child can stay on their parent or caregiver’s insurance if they live in the same household (or are a dependent away at college) and drive one of the family vehicles. While no official age cutoff exists, drivers need to get their own auto insurance policy once they move out or buy a car in their own name.
On average, car insurance premiums in Texas increase by 50% after adding a teen driver to the policy. But your rates will vary depending on your insurance company, your and your teen’s driving record, and other factors.
Yes. Teen drivers can get their own car insurance in Texas. But it’s usually more expensive than adding them to the family policy.
In Texas, you don’t have to add a teenage driver to your insurance if they only have a learner’s permit. But once they get a driver’s license, they must be insured if they ever get behind the wheel.
If you don’t add your teen to your car insurance in Texas, you could face fines and penalties from the state, and your insurer may drop your coverage. Texas requires licensed teen drivers to have car insurance to drive. Most insurers require you to add all licensed drivers in a household to your policy.
Yes. The main driver and the policyholder on a car insurance policy aren’t always the same person. The car insurance policyholder is the person financially responsible for the coverage. The main driver is the primary person who drives the vehicle.
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 190 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 500+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
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8+ years writing about insurance, taxes, and personal finance
Certified public accountant
Featured in
Licensed auto and home insurance agent
4+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
NPN: 20564519
Featured in
25 years teaching risk management and insurance course
Former commercial lines underwriter
At Insurify, our goal is to help customers compare insurance products and find the best policy for them. We strive to provide open, honest, and unbiased information about the insurance products and services we review. Our hard-working team of data analysts, insurance experts, insurance agents, editors and writers, has put in thousands of hours of research to create the content found on our site.
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