How much is car insurance for a new driver in Texas?

Teen drivers in Texas pay $215 per month for liability coverage and $443 per month for full coverage, according to Insurify data.

Do you need car insurance before registering a car in Texas?

Yes. Drivers in the Lone Star State must provide car insurance information when registering their vehicles. The insurance must meet the state’s minimum 30/60/25 requirements. If you’re caught driving without insurance coverage, you could face a fine of up to $260 for a first offense and up to $470 for subsequent offenses.

At what point in the car-buying process does a driver in Texas need to show proof of insurance?

You’ll need insurance at the time of purchase if you want to drive your new vehicle home. You have up to 30 days to register the car with the state after purchasing a vehicle.

Do you need car insurance for a teen with a learner’s permit in Texas?

No. Parents and guardians aren’t required to carry auto insurance for a driver with a learner’s permit. But you should notify your insurance company that you have a permitted driver, and you’ll be required to purchase insurance once they pass their driver’s test and get a license.

Cheapest Car Insurance for New Drivers in Texas (2024)

New drivers
Best companies
Cheapest insurers
Coverage types
New driver discounts
Get cheap insurance
FAQs

New drivers
Best companies
Cheapest insurers
Coverage types
New driver discounts
Get cheap insurance
FAQs

Insurance is essential for new drivers. But finding affordable coverage can be a challenge for younger drivers with little driving history.

While rates vary by location, teen drivers are the group that costs the most to insure. On average, teen drivers in Texas pay $215 per month for liability coverage and $443 for full coverage.

New drivers can lower their rates by comparing quotes and focusing on companies that offer discounts geared toward students and younger drivers.

Quick Facts

The state of Texas doesn’t require teen drivers with learner’s permits to have auto insurance, but they must drive with an insured adult.^[1]
At a minimum, all licensed drivers in Texas must carry 30/60/25 liability coverage.^[2]
You can’t drive a purchased vehicle home without liability insurance.

Who’s considered a new driver in Texas

The term “new driver” typically refers to teen drivers between the ages of 15 and 17 with provisional licenses. In addition, a new driver may also refer to immigrants with their first U.S. driver’s license. Many insurance companies view drivers with less than three years of experience as new drivers.

Parents or policyholders can add young drivers to their policy only after the driver obtains a driver’s license. Texas doesn’t legally require teen drivers with a permit to have an insurance policy, but it’s always a good idea to let your insurance company know when you have a young driver in your home.

Once someone obtains their driver’s license (provisional or otherwise), they should have auto insurance. New drivers only have to provide proof of insurance on vehicles they own when they receive their license.^[3]

Learn More: How to Get a Texas Driver’s License: A Step-by-Step Guide

Best car insurance for new drivers in Texas

Cost will be a significant factor when shopping for an insurance policy for new drivers because the age and experience of a driver affect the policy’s premium.

Insurance companies view new drivers as posing a high risk for accidents and incidents, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.^[4] A lack of experience on the road contributes to higher accident rates and, consequently, higher insurance rates.

When shopping around, these three companies are excellent car insurance options for new drivers in Texas.

Liberty Mutual: Best for custom auto policies

custom auto policiesLiberty Mutual

Compare personalized, real-time quotes

User Reviews	2.8
IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.	7.7/10
Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages.	$138/mo
Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible.	$254/mo

Overview

Liberty Mutual isn’t the cheapest car insurance company for teen drivers in Texas, but it offers a wide range of discounts, including good student and safe-driver discounts. In addition, the ability to customize your policy by bundling products or lowering rates when your driver heads to college makes this insurer a good option.

Pros and cons

Pros

Many available discounts
Accident forgiveness can reduce policy costs
Robust online and mobile tools for convenience

Cons

Higher rates than some other insurers
Below-average J.D. Power customer satisfaction rating in Texas
Negative customer reviews on Trustpilot

Reviews (1,510)

Ruth - October 20, 2024

Verified

Too Expensive

Extremely expensive.

Yeris - October 19, 2024

Verified

No Help in Personal Assistance

I had a terrible experience. They increased the price and the service was poor.

Silvia - October 19, 2024

Verified

Not Satisfied

It has been changing very often to be super expensive.

…

State Farm: Best for low-cost policies

low-cost policiesState Farm

Compare personalized, real-time quotes

User Reviews	3.2
IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.	9.3/10
Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages.	$55/mo
Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible.	$121/mo

Overview

State Farm offers some of the lowest rates for teen drivers in Texas and offers discounts of up to 25% when customers add a teenager to their policy. In addition, State Farm offers an array of specialty discounts for teen and student drivers that can help reduce the cost of coverage even more. State Farm operates in all 50 states.

Pros and cons

Pros

Wide range of discounts for new drivers
A++ (Superior) financial strength rating from AM Best
Robust safe-driving program

Cons

Negative customer reviews on Trustpilot
No gap coverage
Fewer discounts than some competitors

Reviews (4,698)

Progressive: Best for unique discounts

unique discountsProgressive

Compare personalized, real-time quotes

JD Power J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.	819
IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.	8.4/10
Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages.	$79/mo
Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible.	$138/mo

Overview

Progressive offers fairly competitive rates for teen drivers in Texas but provides unique discount options that could help lower your rates even more. In addition to good student discounts and multi-car discounts, you could qualify for discounts for signing your auto policy documents online, enrolling in a safe-driver program, securing your policy through an online quote, and renewing your policy.

Pros and cons

Pros

Offers several discounts
A+ (Superior) financial strength rating from AM Best
Accident forgiveness coverage available

Cons

Below-average J.D. Power customer satisfaction rating in Texas
Rates may be higher for teen drivers than with some other companies
Progressive’s Snapshot program could lead to higher rates for high-risk driving behaviors

Reviews (5,544)

Cheapest car insurance for new Texas drivers

When you purchase a car insurance policy for new drivers, especially teenage drivers, you may notice that the rates are much higher. On average, teen drivers between 16 and 19 are involved in more accidents than any other age group, and auto accidents are the No. 1 cause of death for U.S. teenagers.^[5] Lack of driving experience is a major contributing factor to an auto accident.

Experts typically recommend purchasing a full-coverage policy when you have a teenage driver. Full-coverage policies can help protect you against damage to your car and damage to other vehicles, property, and people.

You might consider liability-only coverage if the vehicle’s value is extremely low and you need the cheapest auto insurance. To save money, consider adding your teen driver to an existing policy instead of getting them their own policy.

The table below outlines some of the cheapest car insurance rates available for teen drivers in Texas.

The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Sunday, September 1 at 12:00 PM PDT.

Insurance Company ▲▼	Liability Only ▲▼	Full Coverage ▲▼	IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. ▲▼
State Farm	$37	$67	9.3
GEICO	$40	$73	9.0
Allstate	$52	$94	8.9
Mile Auto	$55	$115	7.5
USAA	$66	$119	9.4
Nationwide	$83	$165	8.7
Mercury	$86	$146	8.0
Safeco	$95	$179	8.3
Progressive	$99	$174	8.4
Dairyland	$105	$274	7.0
Chubb	$112	$203	6.5
Clearcover	$113	$158	6.8
National General	$121	$254	6.8
21st Century	$129	$234	5.9
Direct Auto	$132	$258	7.3
The General	$133	$293	7.3
Commonwealth Casualty	$136	$372	5.5
Elephant	$137	$232	8.3
Bristol West	$140	$301	5.2
GAINSCO	$163	$351	7.3
Liberty Mutual	$167	$309	7.7
AssuranceAmerica	$170	$229	5.3
State Auto	$196	$350	8.5
Foremost	$224	$473	7.4

Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

Find Insurance for New Drivers in Texas

Liability rates for teen drivers start at $64 per month

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What type of car insurance should new drivers in Texas buy?

Texas law requires drivers to carry liability auto insurance to operate a motor vehicle. Liability insurance covers damages and bodily injuries to the other party in an accident when you’re at fault. It doesn’t cover your injuries or damages to your vehicle.

Texas requires drivers to have the following minimum coverages:

$30,000 in bodily injury liability per person
$60,000 in bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 in property damage liability

In addition to liability coverage, you may opt to purchase additional coverages, including:^[6]

Collision coverage
Collision insurance pays for damages to your vehicle in an accident when you’re at fault.
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive insurance covers you if you’re involved in a non-collision incident, such as fire, flood, hail, or vandalism.
Medical payments coverage
Medical payments coverage pays for the medical expenses for you or your passengers.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage protects you if you’re hit by a driver without insurance or who doesn’t have policy limits high enough to cover all your damages.
Roadside assistance coverage
With roadside assistance coverage, you can get help if your car breaks down or you lock your keys in your vehicle.

Car insurance discounts for new drivers in Texas

When you add a new driver to your policy, your insurance bill will likely increase. Fortunately, you can take advantage of some discounts for new drivers that could help reduce your rates:

Good student discount: Drivers may qualify for a good student discount if they maintain at least a B average in their classes. You may need to provide report cards to prove your student’s good grades.
Defensive driving course discount: Many companies offer discounts to drivers who participate in a defensive driving course. These classes teach skills to help avoid accidents and increase awareness on the road.
Student away at school discount: If your student driver will be away at college and won’t be driving while at school, you could qualify for discounted rates while they’re away and are driving less frequently.

Compare Texas Car Insurance Quotes

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Based on 3,806+ reviews

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How to get cheap car insurance as a new driver in Texas

Finding affordable insurance coverage can be tricky if you have a first-time driver, a spotty driving history, or an expensive car. In addition to a driver’s age, insurance companies look at a person’s driving history, ZIP code, marital status, and other factors when setting rates.

Texas drivers of all ages can do several things to help them find the best rate possible:

Compare rates from multiple companies. The best way to save money on your auto insurance is to compare insurance coverage and rates from at least three companies to ensure you get the best coverage for the best price.
Bundle policies. Bundling multiple insurance products — like home, auto, and life insurance — can often qualify you for lower rates and simplify premium payments.
Choose a vehicle with good safety features. Most insurance companies offer lower rates for cars with high safety ratings and safety features, like backup cameras and anti-lock brakes.
Improve your credit. In Texas, insurers can consider your credit history when setting car insurance rates. They view drivers with poor credit as more likely to file a claim, so they raise rates to account for the added risk. Improving your credit can help you get lower car insurance rates over time.
Drive safely. People with a good driving record typically pay the lowest rates for coverage. Practicing safe driving habits can help keep your premiums low.

Car insurance for new drivers in Texas FAQs

If you’re almost ready to start your search for insurance as a new driver in Texas but have a few more questions, check out the additional information below.

How much is car insurance for a new driver in Texas?
Teen drivers in Texas pay $215 per month for liability coverage and $443 per month for full coverage, according to Insurify data.
Do you need car insurance before registering a car in Texas?
Yes. Drivers in the Lone Star State must provide car insurance information when registering their vehicles. The insurance must meet the state’s minimum 30/60/25 requirements. If you’re caught driving without insurance coverage, you could face a fine of up to $260 for a first offense and up to $470 for subsequent offenses.
At what point in the car-buying process does a driver in Texas need to show proof of insurance?
You’ll need insurance at the time of purchase if you want to drive your new vehicle home. You have up to 30 days to register the car with the state after purchasing a vehicle.^[7]
Do you need car insurance for a teen with a learner’s permit in Texas?
No. Parents and guardians aren’t required to carry auto insurance for a driver with a learner’s permit. But you should notify your insurance company that you have a permitted driver, and you’ll be required to purchase insurance once they pass their driver’s test and get a license.

Methodology

Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 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 50+ 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:

Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
No additional coverage

Full-coverage premium averages correspond to the same bodily injury and property damage limits in addition to:

Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible

Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.

Sources

Texas Department of Insurance. "Adding a teen driver to your insurance policy?."
Texas Department of Insurance. "Auto insurance guide."
Texas Department of Public Safety. "What to bring with you when applying for a Texas Driver License or Identification Card."
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "Teenagers."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Risk Factors for Teen Drivers."
Insurance Information Institute. "Auto insurance basics—understanding your coverage."
Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. "Vehicle Title and Registration Information for New Texans."

Angela Brown

Angela Brown is a freelance writer with 17 years of professional writing and editing experience.
She specializes in finance, real estate, and insurance content. Angela uses her experience to
create easy-to-understand content that helps consumers understand tough topics better. When
she’s not working, she enjoys spending time with her family and planning vacations.

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Edited byAshley CoxSenior Managing Editor

Ashley CoxSenior Managing Editor

7+ years in content creation and management
5+ years in insurance and personal finance content

Ashley is a seasoned personal finance editor who’s produced a variety of digital content, including insurance, credit cards, mortgages, and consumer lending products.

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Table of contents

Table of contentsCompare quotes

Who’s considered a new driver in Texas

Learn More: How to Get a Texas Driver’s License: A Step-by-Step Guide

Best car insurance for new drivers in Texas

Liberty Mutual: Best for custom auto policies

custom auto policiesLiberty Mutual

State Farm: Best for low-cost policies

low-cost policiesState Farm

Progressive: Best for unique discounts

unique discountsProgressive

Cheapest car insurance for new Texas drivers

Find Insurance for New Drivers in Texas

What type of car insurance should new drivers in Texas buy?

Collision coverage

Comprehensive coverage

Medical payments coverage

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage

Roadside assistance coverage

Car insurance discounts for new drivers in Texas

Compare Texas Car Insurance Quotes

How to get cheap car insurance as a new driver in Texas

Car insurance for new drivers in Texas FAQs

Methodology

Sources

Compare Car Insurance Quotes Instantly

Table of contents