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In Texas, 18-year-olds pay average monthly rates of $218 for liability-only and $406 for full-coverage car insurance.
State Farm offers the lowest monthly rates for Texas 18-year-olds, averaging $89 for liability coverage and $169 for full coverage.
Most Texas 18-year-olds have a full driver’s license, but their limited driving experience means higher insurance rates than older drivers.
Texas 18-year-olds pay an average of $218 per month for liability-only insurance and $406 per month for full coverage. At-fault accidents, speeding tickets, and driving under the influence (DUI) convictions can increase teen drivers’ rates in the Lone Star State.
Getting good grades, completing a defensive driving course, and maintaining a clean driving record are some of the best ways 18-year-old Texas drivers can lower their insurance premiums.
Liability-only coverage is about half the cost of full-coverage car insurance for 18-year-olds in Texas. But liability insurance doesn’t include collision or comprehensive coverage for your vehicle. It also doesn’t help pay for your medical expenses if you get injured.
Full coverage includes liability, comprehensive, and collision coverage, which is why it’s more expensive. If you finance or lease your vehicle, your lender will likely require you to buy full-coverage car insurance. Texas insurers must include personal injury protection (PIP) and uninsured motorist coverage in every policy, but you can decline them in writing.[1]
If you have an older, paid-off vehicle and can afford the repair costs, liability-only coverage might make more sense. That said, young drivers are much more likely to cause accidents than other age groups. Texas law allows injured parties to sue the at-fault driver for damages. Higher liability limits can be worth the extra cost to protect your finances.
Check rates from Texas insurers and save money in minutes
In Texas, male drivers usually pay more for auto insurance than female drivers.[2] Men tend to drive more miles and have riskier driving habits, like speeding, which contribute to their higher accident rates.[3] Since they’re more likely to file claims, men typically pay higher car insurance rates.
The following table compares average monthly premiums for male and female 18-year-old drivers in Texas, according to Insurify data.
Gender  | Texas Average Liability-Only Cost | Texas Average Full-Coverage Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Male | $418 | $225 |
| Female | $394 | $211 |
State Farm and Progressive are the cheapest car insurance companies in Texas for 18-year-old drivers. Check out the table below for more affordable insurers for Texas 18-year-olds with their own car insurance policies.
Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote: Full Coverage | Average Monthly Quote: Liability Only |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $169 | $89 |
| Progressive | $235 | $127 |
| Allstate | $242 | $127 |
| GEICO | $276 | $132 |
| Mile Auto | $285 | $132 |
| USAA | $286 | $148 |
Your age is just one factor insurers use to determine your auto insurance rates. Your driving history is another major factor. For example, teenage drivers with a few years of driving experience and a clean record usually pay less than recent new drivers or drivers with traffic violations.
In Texas, you can get your own car insurance policy without needing your parents’ approval when you turn 18. But you’ll usually pay more for your own policy than you would if you stayed on your parents’ policy.
Insurify data shows that 18-year-olds on their own policy pay $202 per month for liability-only coverage and $409 per month for full coverage. Compared to staying on an existing policy, that’s an extra $153 per month for liability-only coverage and $311 per month for full coverage.
Texas 18-year-olds who live on their own or have a vehicle in their name must buy their own policy. But if you live at home or go to college without a car, it’s usually cheaper to stay on your family’s policy.[4] That said, if you’re on your parents’ insurance, their rates can go up when they add you, especially if you have any tickets or accidents on your record.
The table below can help you figure out which car insurance option is the cheapest and best for you.
Situation | Policy Options | Cheapest Option | Average Savings/Added Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-year-old driver who lives at home | Remain on parents’ policy or get your own | Remain on parents’ policy | -$301 |
| 18-year-old driver who lives independently | Get your own policy | N/A | +$409 |
| 18-year-old away at college | Remain on parents’ policy or get your own | Remain on parents’ policy (unless you have a vehicle in your own name) | -$301 |
Texas 18-year-olds pay higher premiums because they have a higher risk of accidents and file more claims. Despite making up only 1% of licensed drivers, teens account for 11% of crashes in Texas, according to the Federal Highway Administration.[5]
Car insurance rates generally decline as young drivers gain experience behind the wheel and practice safe driving habits. Rates typically decrease around age 21, then even more as you get older — especially if you keep your driving record clean.
Age is just one factor insurance companies use to determine your premiums. Insurers also consider your:
Driving and claims history: Insurers will charge you more if you have recent tickets or accidents. But a clean record can decrease your rates.
Location: Rates are usually higher in cities where accidents and vehicle theft are more common. Rural areas with less traffic typically pay less for coverage.
Vehicle value: The more it costs to repair your vehicle, the more you’ll usually pay for full-coverage car insurance.
Usage: You’ll usually pay less for auto insurance if you only drive your car for pleasure and not to work or school.
Credit history: Drivers with good credit typically file fewer claims, so insurers usually charge lower premiums.
Full coverage for Texas teens starts as low as $400/mo.
In Texas, 18-year-olds can apply for a full, unrestricted license if they meet state requirements. Drivers must first complete a driver education course and skills test. Driver education course costs vary by provider.
You also need to provide proof of lawful presence or U.S. citizenship, Texas residency, identity, vehicle registration, and valid insurance to get your driver’s license.[6] Texas charges $33 for a license for all drivers ages 18 to 84. Texas licenses are valid for eight years.
Texas doesn’t require drivers with a learner’s permit to have car insurance. But insurers can deny claims and potentially cancel your policy if you didn’t list a learning driver on your policy and they cause an accident. Many insurers don’t increase rates when you add a driver with a learner’s permit, but your rates will increase once they have a full license.
Drivers of all ages must have minimum liability coverage. The table below shows Texas’s minimum coverage requirements.
Coverage | Minimum Requirement |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability (per person) | $30,000 |
| Bodily injury liability (per accident) | $60,000 |
| Property damage liability (per accident) | $15,000 |
Texas also requires insurers to include personal injury protection and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in every policy. If you don’t want those coverages, you’ll need to opt out in writing.
It can be hard to find affordable car insurance for 18-year-olds in Texas. Fortunately, you have several ways to lower insurance costs without sacrificing the coverage you need.
Ask about good student discounts. Many insurers offer discounts for full-time students with good grades. You can usually qualify with at least a “B” average.
Pass a defensive driving course. Defensive driving classes can help you build confidence and skills to avoid accidents on busy Texas roads. Some insurers offer a discount for completing an approved course.
Choose a higher deductible. Raising your deductible is one of the easiest ways to lower your annual premium. Just make sure you can comfortably afford to pay the higher amount if you file a claim.
Pick the right car. Vehicles with lower repair costs and strong safety features usually cost less to insure. Some of the safest cars for teens are Texas favorites, including the Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, and Honda Accord. Avoiding high-performance sports cars and luxury vehicles can also help keep rates affordable.
Bundle policies or join your parents’ insurance. Adding a driver to an existing family policy is typically cheaper than buying a separate policy. Most insurers also offer discounts when you bundle multiple policies, like auto and homeowners insurance.
Below, we answered some common questions about the cost of car insurance for 18-year-olds in Texas.
State Farm is the cheapest insurer for 18-year-olds in Texas, with liability-only rates averaging $89 per month. But rates vary based on factors like your driving history, vehicle type, coverage levels, and ZIP code.
Car insurance is more expensive for 18-year-olds in Texas because they have less driving experience and are more likely to get into an accident. Insurers consider 18-year-olds high-risk drivers and charge higher premiums to offset that risk.
Yes. An 18-year-old can get their own car insurance in Texas. That said, it’s usually cheaper to add an 18-year-old to an existing policy. But if they don’t live at the address listed on the policy or have a car in their name, they’ll have to buy a separate policy.
It depends. Texas 18-year-olds pay an average of $406 per month for full-coverage car insurance. But how much you pay depends on your driving record, coverage needs, vehicle type, and location. Rates in Texas are higher than the national average for teenagers.
Yes. It’s usually cheaper to stay on your parents’ car insurance policy than to buy your own. Family policies often qualify for lower rates and discounts, helping young drivers save money. But if you don’t live at home or have a car in your name, you’ll need to buy your own policy.
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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Licensed auto and home insurance agent
4+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
NPN: 20564519
Featured in
Licensed property and casualty insurance agent
10+ years editing experience
NPN: 21630969
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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