Motorists in the Lone Star state are required to have an active automobile policy at all times while operating a motor vehicle; this is commonly referred to as Financial Responsibility and failure to comply can become a pretty expensive mistake. As with the majority of states, drivers must be able to have compensation in place to pay for injuries and property damage that they may cause with their vehicles; also known as liability coverage. The amount in each state can vary, but Texans must carry policies with liability limits of $25,000 for bodily injury to one person, $50,000 for bodily injury to two or more people and $25,000 for property damage.
It is never a good idea to drive uninsured and motorists should also always carry proof of a valid Texas auto insurance policy while behind the wheel since it may be needed to be shown under various circumstances. A motorist will need to furnish documentation showing that they are insured when asked by a law enforcement officer, when registering an automobile, following involvement in a traffic accident, when obtaining or renewing a driver’s license and at the time of a vehicle inspection. Failure to stay insured and caught can result in some pretty stiff penalties and a fine received ranging from $175 and $350 after caught and convicted for the first time and subsequent conviction can get much worse; a fine up to $1,000 can be issued, the offender can have driving privileges suspended and their vehicle impounded as well. Driving uninsured is taken very seriously in the state and is simply not worth it.
The best way to get insured in Texas is to simply shop around; the best way to get the cheapest rate is to take the time to get quotes from as many insurers as possible. Insurance providers each have a different way that they view motorists and although one carrier may be cheaper for one individual the same may not apply to another; therefore the most effective way to save is to compare as many rates as possible. When an individual shops around for coverage their rates will be heavily based on factors such as their driving record, age, gender, place of residence and automobile to be insured. Once this information is submitted to a carrier they will then calculate a premium which they will charge and these premiums can vary significantly with each company which makes comparing rates that much more important.
It may seem like it could take forever to compare quotes from a wide range of companies, but it does not necessarily have to and is absolutely worth it. The Internet can be a great tool to use in order to find the best deal on coverage and the Texas Department of Insurance agrees that an online comparison can be a big help in locating the right policy. As a matter of fact the department’s website even offers residents the ability to get quotations based on sample scenarios which consumers can use to get an idea of what they may end up paying based on the profile that matches theirs the closest. To get a more accurate idea of what one may expect to pay they can get actual quotes from various companies by visiting a company’s website or a comparison website. Thanks to the Internet individuals can obtain a rate by entering basic information in to a form which will then return the price of a premium based on the info entered and coverage desired; the nice thing about comparison websites is that the information only needs to be entered once rather than multiple times. Whatever the case may be, it is simply not worth it to drive uninsured and whether a person wishes to shop online or off it is wise to get covered before hitting the road.
Source: http://www.onlineautoinsurance.com/texas/
