You are sitting on the shoulder of the highway watching steam rise from your hood, and the first thought that crosses your mind is whether the other driver even has insurance. Under Texas law, drivers must carry a minimum amount of liability coverage, but that minimum may leave gaps that catch drivers off guard after a collision.
Dale Rose and our team help North Texas drivers know what their policy actually covers and what to do when someone else’s coverage falls short.
What Does Texas Law Require Drivers to Carry?
Texas follows what’s known as a 30/60/25 rule for minimum liability insurance. This means every driver on the road is required to carry at least $30,000 in bodily injury coverage per person, up to $60,000 total per collision, and $25,000 for property damage. Drivers must also carry proof of coverage and show it to a police officer upon request.
According to the Texas Department of Insurance, this coverage pays for the other driver’s medical bills and vehicle repairs when you cause a collision, but it does not pay for your own injuries or your own car.
These numbers may sound like a lot until you consider the real cost of a serious wreck. A single trip to the emergency room, a few nights in the hospital, or a totaled vehicle may quickly use up the entire policy limit.
When that happens, the driver who caused the collision may still owe the difference personally, and the injured party may be left searching for other ways to recover what they need.
Why the State Minimum May Not Be Enough
Liability insurance only protects other people, not you or your passengers. If you are hurt in a car wreck and the other driver carries only the state minimum, their policy may run out before your medical bills are covered. This is common in wrecks involving multiple vehicles or serious injuries, where $30,000 or even $60,000 does not go far.
There are additional coverages that may help fill these gaps. Consider the following types of protection when reviewing your auto insurance policy:
- Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage: Pays for your injuries when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough to cover your losses.
- Personal injury protection: Covers medical expenses and lost wages regardless of who caused the wreck. Texas insurers include it in auto policies unless you decline it in writing.
- Collision coverage: Pays to repair or replace your own vehicle after a wreck, even if you were at fault.
- Comprehensive coverage: Covers damage from events other than a collision, such as theft, weather, or vandalism.
Reviewing these options with your insurance agent before a wreck happens is one of the most useful steps you may be able to take to protect yourself financially. Because every policy is different, it helps to ask which limits you carry now and whether your policy includes uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.
What Happens When the Other Driver Is Underinsured?
Under Texas law, an underinsured driver is someone whose policy limits fall short of the actual damages caused by a collision. If you carry uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, your own policy may step in to cover the difference between what the at-fault driver’s insurance pays and what you actually need.
Without this coverage, you may have to pursue the other driver directly for the remaining amount, which may be a slow and complicated process. Because medical and vehicle repair costs are high, the state minimum may not cover everything you are owed.
This is one reason many North Texas drivers choose coverage beyond the state minimum, particularly on busy roads throughout Allen, Frisco, and Plano. A wreck on a crowded highway may involve multiple vehicles, and when that happens, the at-fault driver’s minimum coverage is often stretched between several injured people. In those situations, each person’s share of the available coverage may be smaller than expected.
How Dale Rose May Help After a Wreck With Insurance Issues
When insurance companies are involved, they may look for reasons to limit what they pay, even when the coverage exists to pay it. Dale Rose, an attorney with 32 years of experience and over 165 first-chair jury trials, has represented injured people throughout North Texas. We know how insurance companies evaluate these cases because Dale has seen both sides of a case.
If you were hurt in a wreck and are unsure whether the at-fault driver’s coverage is enough, we may be able to help you review your options and pursue the compensation you need. Contact us through our contact form to schedule a free consultation with our team at Rose Knows Law and talk through your situation.