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Although Texas law requires all drivers to buy liability insurance, not every driver on the road complies. An estimated 12% of Texas drivers are uninsured, according to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.[1] That’s below the national uninsured motorist rate of 15.4%.[2]
If an uninsured driver causes a car accident and you don’t have uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, you could be responsible for paying your medical bills and repair costs out of pocket. With UM coverage, your car insurance in Texas pays for those expenses instead.
Auto insurance companies must offer UM coverage with every auto liability policy, even though Texas doesn’t require it.
UM coverage applies when the at-fault driver doesn’t have insurance, or if you’re the victim of a hit-and-run. Uninsured motorist (UIM) coverage helps pay for your losses when the at-fault driver’s coverage limits are too low.
Texas uninsured motorist coverage has two components: bodily injury and property damage.
Texas requires car insurance companies to offer uninsured motorist coverage, but you can reject it in writing.
The minimum car insurance requirements in Texas are:[3]
Bodily injury liability: $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident
Property damage liability: $25,000
Insurers refer to this as 30/60/25 coverage.
If you cause an accident, your liability insurance covers the other driver’s medical bills and those of their passengers. It also pays to repair their vehicle.
Liability insurance doesn’t cover your own medical expenses or vehicle repair costs. Personal injury protection (PIP) can help pay for your medical bills, while collision coverage can pay to fix your vehicle.
UM coverage is optional in Texas, but it can protect you from out-of-pocket costs if you’re involved in a hit-and-run accident or someone driving without insurance hits you.
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UM coverage is an add-on to your car insurance policy. It pays for your losses when an at-fault driver doesn’t have insurance or if you’re the victim of a hit-and-run accident.
In Texas, you can add UM coverage to both liability-only and full-coverage policies. Your UM limits can’t exceed your policy’s bodily injury and property damage liability limits.
UM property damage coverage in Texas has a $250 deductible.
While uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage are related, they apply in different situations. UM coverage applies when the at-fault driver is uninsured or leaves the scene.
UIM provides coverage when the at-fault driver’s policy limits aren’t high enough to pay for your damages.
Texas state law requires insurance companies to offer UM/UIM coverage together. You can’t buy one without the other.
UM coverage applies when an uninsured driver causes an accident. It also includes hit-and-run accidents where the at-fault driver flees the scene.
Texas uses a fault-based system, meaning the driver who caused an accident is responsible for damages. But UM claims are different. Rather than going through the at-fault driver’s insurance company, you file claims through your own insurance.
Uninsured motorist coverage has two parts:
Uninsured motorist bodily injury (UMBI) covers your and your passengers’ medical bills, lost wages if you can’t work after an accident, and pain and suffering.
Uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD) pays for vehicle repairs, replaces damaged property in your car, and may cover diminished value if your vehicle is worth less after the accident.[4]
Depending on your policy, UM coverage may also cover rental car costs while your vehicle is in the shop for repairs.
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Filing a UM claim in Texas is similar to filing any other car insurance claim. Here’s the step-by-step process:
Call the police. This is especially important in hit-and-run situations, as your insurance won’t apply if you don’t file a police report.
Document the scene. Take pictures of your vehicle damage, any visible injuries, and road conditions. Collect contact information from witnesses and, if possible, the other driver.
Notify your insurance company right away. Under Texas law, your insurance company must acknowledge your claim within 15 business days. It also has 15 days to accept or deny your claim after you’ve provided documentation.
Prepare for pushback. Your insurance company may dispute fault or your claim’s value. For example, it might argue there’s no proof an uninsured motorist was involved. Providing a police report, photos, videos, and witness statements can strengthen your claim. You may also want to consider consulting a personal injury attorney if you have extensive medical expenses related to the accident.
For more information about whether uninsured motorist coverage in Texas is worth the extra cost, see the answers to frequently asked questions below.
Any Texas driver can benefit from UM/UIM coverage, since nearly 12% of Texas drivers don’t have insurance. This insurance coverage is especially valuable if you have limited savings to cover medical bills or repair costs after an accident involving an uninsured or underinsured driver.
By law, Texas insurance companies have to offer uninsured motorist coverage with the same limits as your bodily injury and property damage liability coverage. But if you have only the state-minimum coverage limits of $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident, that might not be enough insurance.
The Texas Department of Insurance suggests buying at least enough property damage coverage to replace your vehicle.[5]
No. Texas insurance companies must offer UM/UIM coverage, but you can reject it in writing. If you don’t specifically reject it, your insurance company will automatically include UM/UIM coverage in your policy.
UM coverage provides financial protection if you’re involved in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver. The downside is the added monthly cost, although UM coverage is usually one of the more affordable coverage options on an auto insurance 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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8+ years writing about insurance, taxes, and personal finance
Certified public accountant
Featured in
Licensed property and casualty insurance agent
10+ years editing experience
NPN: 21630969
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