What If The Insurance Company Totals My Car
If the cost to repair your car is close to its current value, the company will probably decide to total it. This means the company will pay you to replace your car rather than fix it.
If the company totals your car, it will pay your cars value minus depreciation. Depreciation is a decrease in value because of wear and tear or age. For instance, if your car is 10 years old, the company will pay you the value of a 10-year-old used car. It wont pay to replace your car with a new car thats the same make and model as your totaled car.
Be prepared to negotiate with the company to get what you think is a fair deal. A company might raise its offer if you can show that your car would sell for a higher price. Get written price quotes for a similar car from used car dealers. You can also look in the classified section of your local newspaper for used car prices.
If you still owe money on your car, the amount the company will pay you if it totals your car might not be enough to pay off your loan. This will happen if the market value of your car is less than what you owe. Auto dealers and lenders usually offer guaranteed auto protection, or gap, insurance for this.
Learn more: My car was totaled! Now what? | Watch: What happens if your car is totaled?
Cheapest Car Insurance In Houston Texas
Houston came out of the survey as one of the most expensive cities in Texas to insure a vehicle. The survey showed, though, that you can still save significantly on the average premium of $1,206. Based on the analysis of auto insurance premiums in Houston, you could save as much as 45% on the average premium by insuring your vehicle with GEICO, Direct General, or Farmers.
Cheap Texas Car Insurance
Whether you consider land mass, population, football stadiums, or state capital sizeeverything is bigger in Texas. So, when youre shopping for your affordable, mandatory coverage for Texas auto insuranceyoull want big savings too.
At Dairyland®, we offer cheap Texas car insurance that helps keep you both safe and legal on the road. Get your car insurance quote now or continue to check out the minimum insurance requirements, our optional coverages, and discounts for big savings on auto insurance in the Lone Star State.
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Cheapest Minimum Coverage Car Insurance In Texas For 40
Drivers in Texas who want just the minimum coverage may want to check prices from these companies, which had the lowest average rates:
Geico: $377 per year, or about $31 per month.
State Farm: $443 per year, or about $37 per month.
Houston General: $459 per year, or about $38 per month.
Texas Farm Bureau: $494 per year, or about $41 per month.
Mercury: $514 per year, or about $43 per month.
The Average Cost Of Car Insurance In Texas

Have you always wondered how much is car insurance in Texas? According to our research, the average monthly cost of car insurance in Texas is $159 for a full coverage policy. Our car insurance shopping guide for Texas drivers is based on rate data analysis and professional advice from our experienced team of insurance analysts.
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What Company Offers The Cheapest Car Insurance In Texas
Farmers offers the cheapest widely-available car insurance in Texas at approximately $429 per year. Nonetheless, the most affordable company can change depending on the driver’s background. Motorists with a DUI can look at Esurance for the lowest rates, whereas State Farm offers the cheapest car insurance for students.
Additionally, coverage amounts affect car insurance prices. For instance, state minimum policies cost roughly $665 per year, while the average cost of a full coverage policy in Texas is $1,316 per year.
How To Get Cheap Auto Insurance In Texas
Try these tips to score the cheapest car insurance in Texas.
- Shop around: All insurance companies weigh the various parts of a driver’s application differently, so getting multiple car insurance quotes is key to determining which will offer the best car insurance in Texas. Start with some of the companies listed above.
- Look into discounts: Car insurance companies have their own set of discounts to help drivers save. Some insurance discounts are automatically applied when a driver signs up while others require drivers to opt in. For example, an increasing number of insurers offer discounts to drivers willing to install a monitoring device in their vehicles to demonstrate their safe driving habits.
- Raise the deductible:Car insurance deductibles are your out-of-pocket costs in the event of an accident, while premiums are the monthly costs you pay for your insurance. Raising the deductible often lowers Texas auto insurance premiums. If a driver saves for their deductible in an emergency fund, this shouldn’t affect their financial security in the event of an accident.
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Ology For Selecting The Cheapest Auto Insurance In Tx
Category | ||
16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 35, 45, 55, 65 | 45 | |
Teenage Driver Included on Policy | No, Yes | No |
Driving Record | Clean, One Speeding Ticket, One At-Fault Accident, One DUI, Suspended License, Open Container, Red Light Infraction, Reckless Driving, One Not At-Fault Accident | Clean |
7,500 Miles, 15,000 Miles, 20,000 Miles | 15,000 Miles | |
Sedan, Minivan, SUV, Coupe, Truck | Sedan |
- Minimum Coverage: Coverage requirements of $30,000 in bodily injury liability per person, $60,000 in bodily injury liability per accident, and $25,000 in property damage liability, as required by Texas’s minimum coverage requirements.
- Standard Coverage: Coverage levels of 50k/100k/25k of liability coverage and 50k/100k/25k of uninsured motorist coverage.
- Full Coverage: Coverage levels of 100k/300k/50k of liability coverage, 100k/300k/50k of uninsured motorist coverage, and collision and comprehensive coverage with a $500 deductible.
- Sedan: 2018 Toyota Camry.
- Minivan: 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan.
- SUV: 2018 Toyota RAV4.
- Coupe: 2018 Ford Mustang.
- Truck: 2018 Ford F-150.
Cheapest Car Insurance In Texas For Drivers With Bad Credit
Car insurance rates for Texas drivers with poor credit range from $1,297 to $4,608 annually. Insurance companies often associate lower credit scores with an increased risk of claims. Texas is among the states that allow insurers to use credit scores as one factor in setting premiums.
You may qualify for an exception to credit underwriting because of identity theft or a specific life event beyond your control, including job loss, divorce or death of an immediate family member. If your request for an exemption is approved, your insurer can only consider credit information unrelated to the adverse life event or must assign a neutral credit score.
The least expensive car insurers for a driver with poor credit and full coverage in Texas are:
- Farmers: $1,297 per year
- Nationwide: $1,824 per year
For former or current military members, USAA offers a competitive rate for Texas drivers with bad credit, averaging $1,473 per year.
CHEAPEST CAR INSURANCE RATES FOR DRIVERS WITH BAD CREDIT
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Texas allows car insurers to use credit scores for pricing. With an average credit score of 680, according to Experian, Texans rank 48th in the nation for good credit. This means that many drivers may be paying more for auto insurance.
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Practice Safe Driving Habits In Texas
The best way to keep your insurance rates low in Texas is by practicing smart and cautious driving habits. Rates are less likely to rise if you say accident and claims-free.
Making smart decisions, like choosing not to drive after having a few drinks, will help you avoid collisions and claims. Those considered good drivers see some of the cheapest auto insurance rates in Texas.
Cheapest Car Insurance For Texas Drivers
Although a full coverage policy commonly refers to auto insurance that includes comprehensive and collision coverage, a full coverage policy does not have a single meaning. A comprehensive coverage policy of Texas insurance costs an average of $1872 annually. The cheapest full coverage insurance providers are the cheapest minimum liability insurance companies: USAA, The General, and State Farm.
- State Farm: State Farm is the lowest insurance company overall, and state farm’s full coverage policy costs an average of $1098 per year.
- USAA: Full coverage policies with USAA cost $1410 per year on average. However, membership is required.
- The General: At $1455 per year, The General is still $789 less expensive than all but State Farm and USAA.
Prices for full coverage policies can vary dramatically amongst insurers. Because of the wide range of pricing, you should compare multiple firms when getting quotations for a full coverage policy.
Company |
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$2655 |
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Saving Money On Your Insurance
Discounts help lower your premium. Each company decides what discounts to offer and the amount of the discount. You might be able to get a discount if you have:
- airbags, antilock brakes, and antitheft devices in your car.
- completed a defensive driving or a driver education course.
- more than one car on a policy.
- other policies with the same insurance company.
- no claims and a good driving record.
Learn more: How you drive could save you money on car insurance | Watch: How to compare car insurance rates
Choosing The Right Car Insurance Company In Texas

Choosing the best car insurance company for you doesnt have to be an overwhelming experience. There are several factors to consider, including:
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Cost: Finding the company that has the best rates and the most available discounts can help keep your insurance costs low.
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Coverage: Having enough coverage is vital. If you dont have enough liability coverage you’ll still be held accountable for damages that go beyond your coverage levels, so having the highest levels of liability coverage you can afford is an important consideration when choosing a policy.
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Customer service: Feeling valued by your insurance company is an important part of choosing coverage. Having an insurance company that treats you with kindness and respect can be worth paying a little more for insurance.
Ready to shop car insurance?
Are you ready to start shopping for insurance? Our insurance experts at Policygenius are ready to help you find the right insurance coverage for your needs.
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What Are The Penalties For Driving Uninsured In Texas
All drivers in Texas must carry car insurance coverage, and failure to do so will result in you facing a variety of penalties. Depending on the circumstances, you could be hit with a fine of up to $4,000. The extent of your penalty can depend on the court and Texas county you live in.
You may be facing jail time , vehicle impoundment, and an SR22 insurance requirement.
SR22 insurance is not insurance in the traditional sense instead, it is meant to notify the Texas state government that drivers carry at least the required minimum amount of car insurance coverage. Filing it typically reinstates your driving privileges so long as other requirements are fulfilled.
How Do Rates Compare Across Major Cities In Texas
Houston, Dallas, and Austin are heavily populated cities located in Texas, the second-largest state in the U.S. behind California for population. Insurance companies take into account how many accidents and claims come from a certain area when assigning their car insurance costs. The fact that a driver lives in Houston may mean that their insurance is higher through no fault of their own.
Listed below is a snapshot of the average monthly car insurance premium cost for these major locations, as well as other metropolitan areas in Texas.
City |
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Cheapest Insurance Rates By Category
Texas Farm Bureau: $40 per month |
Geico: $46 per month |
Mercury: $47 per month |
Germania: $51 per month |
Texas Farm Bureau: $127 per month |
Geico: $151 per month |
Germania: $154 per month |
Nationwide: $165 per month |
Texas Farm Bureau: $40 per month |
Germania: $51 per month |
National General: $59 per month |
State Farm: $42 per month |
Geico: $63 per month |
Texas Farm Bureau: $68 per month |
Germania: $72 per month |
Chubb: $82 per month |
Defensive Driving Course Discounts:
Drivers in Texas can save more than 5 percent on their Insurance premium with this discount. Drivers who have completed the defensive driving course as a principal driver along with the driving safety course are eligible. The driving safety course has to be approved by any of the Texas Education Agency. After completion of the course, the driver has to submit the proof to the company to get the discount.
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The Average Cost Of Auto Insurance In Texas
The average cost of full coverage car insurance in Texas is $1,749 per year, or about $146 per month, according to NerdWallets analysis. Minimum coverage in Texas is $611 per year on average, but we found you can likely get a cheaper policy than that. For example, Geico offers the cheapest rates in Texas at $377 per year, on average, for minimum liability coverage car insurance for a 35-year-old driver with a clean driving record.
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Texas Car Insurance Discounts
Itâs vital that you ask your insurance agent about any discounts you qualify for. Insurance providers offer numerous discounts to help get you the cheapest annual premiums.
For those with clean driving records, good drivers discount can be very helpful. Some providers also offer breaks if you are a homeowner. Bundling policies is a great way to save on auto insurance rates as well.
Pretty much no matter what your driving record looks like, there are at least one or two discounts available for you to get the cheapest premiums possible.
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Cheapest For Senior Drivers
Senior drivers pay about $2,110 for Texas auto insurance on average. But drivers who choose Texas Farm Bureau Insurance could pay roughly half that. Its average annual premium for a 65-year-old driver is $1,184.
Other Texas auto insurance companies that stood out for senior drivers include:
- State Farm, which charges senior drivers about $1,302 per year on average
- Germania Fire & Casualty, which has an average annual premium of $1,471 for senior drivers
Is It Illegal To Not Have Car Insurance In Texas

Under Texas law, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle without the minimum required insurance or certified self-coverage. Texas issues fines to drivers caught behind the wheel without the proper coverage.
On your first offense, you could be fined up to $350. If you are caught a second time, you could be fined up to $1,000 and your license may be suspended.
These may not be the only consequences of driving without insurance. You may also be required to carry SR-22 insurance and youll likely see your insurance rates go up.
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What Is The Best Car Insurance In Texas
Liberty Mutual understands that everyone has individual needs when it comes to their Texas auto insurance. Some might want the cheapest Texas car insurance, while others want more coverage and an auto insurance company they know they can trust. Let us help you customize your Texas car insurance, so you only pay for what you need.
Texas Sees The Most Hail Claims Of Any State In The Us
There were nearly 193,000 Texas auto insurance claims filed in 2019 due to hail, according to the Insurance Information Institute. That’s far and away the most in the country. Drivers may be able to avoid this issue by parking their vehicles in a garage or under a carport. But this isn’t always possible.
It’s wise to invest in comprehensive coverage as well. This pays for weather-related damages to your vehicle as well as animal-vehicle crashes and more. Lenders may require drivers with a lease or loan on their vehicle to purchase this coverage.
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Do I Need More Than The Minimum Required State Coverage In Texas
Texas insurance law mandates that you carry at least $30000 in bodily injury coverage per person, up to a total of $60000 per accident, and $25000 in property damage coverage. These Texas insurance requirements are known as the 30/60/25 coverage ratio. Consider increasing your liability insurance in Texas.
You should choose car insurance in Texas that provides more coverage than the basic requirement. Many consumers who get only the minimum Texas auto insurance rapidly discover that these coverage limitations are insufficient in the event of an accident. What happens if the bare minimum of insurance coverage is insufficient to pay the costs of an auto accident? You could lose your home, cash, investments, and other assets if you don’t pay for the damages.
Purchasing appropriate insurance to cover you in an accident, especially uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, is a safer alternative, even if it costs more than the state minimum coverage. The company financing the car for you will want collision and comprehensive coverage if you own a newer or more expensive car.
See what you could save on auto insurance