Yes and, unfortunately, car insurance companies in your state do not have to reveal to you how they are going about setting your rate. Here are a few things you can do to keep your rate down.
It is always best to ask your selected car insurance company about good-driver and other discounts to obtain cheap auto insurance in Texas! Possible discounts include:
- Driver education
- Good student
- Multi-car
- Homeowner's
- Defensive driver
- Safety device
- Students with good grades
- Anti-theft
For more ways to obtain cheap car insurance in Texas, visit the Texas Department of Insurance website.
Yes! Getting pulled over in Texas is slightly less panicky since you don't have to locate the hard copy of your insurance card for the officer. BUT, be mindful of unlocking your phone to access your digital insurance card before the officer has determined whether you were cell-phoning and driving!
Uninsured motorist coverage protects you from damage caused by other drivers without insurance and hit-and-runs. It is an optional coverage in Texas!
Since liability insurance is a minimum requirement in your state (and most others), there are penalties for being caught driving without it. The fines are as high as $350 and you may be deemed high risk (SR-22) when you go to purchase car insurance after, making your premiums more expensive. Don't take the chance!
It is illegal for an individual to operate a motor vehicle in Texas with the following BAC percentages:
- .08%+ @ 21 years old or older
- .04%+ for commercial vehicle drivers
- .01%+ @ < 21 years old
According to Texas' implied consent civil penalty, all drivers are required to take a breath or blood test upon being asked. If you refuse the test, you will face a license suspension called Administrative License Revocation (ALR). The refusal penalties (driver's license suspension) are the same for minors and adults:
- First Offense: Suspended license for 180 days
- Second Offense: Suspended license for 2 years
If convicted of a DWI/DUI, say goodbye to being financially savvy, and quite possibly, to your freedom. If arrested, you'll face varying degrees of jail time, fines, driver's license suspensions, community service, DWI school, and reinstatement requirements. The financial obligations extend beyond the DWI ticket to court costs, attorney fees, higher insurance rates, SR-22 filing, and the installation of an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) to serve as a breathalyzer test each time you start your vehicle. The penalties worsen with each offense.
The three-strikes law provides for harsher sentencing after committing three crimes. In Texas, there are cases with mandatory life sentences for three strikes. None of the three felony convictions are required to be violent, so even misdemeanors count.
Now included in the three strikes law in Texas: marijuana convictions. The mandatory prison sentence is 60 months.
We know you'll concur, there is no text message, sandwich, or other distraction worth the life of another person, and your own freedom.
Uninsured motorist coverage protects you from damage caused by other drivers without insurance and hit-and-runs. It is optional coverage!