LowestQuotes.com’s Insurance Index reports a mean car insurance rate of $1,230 for Texas residents, 8% below the national average of $1,420. However, you could still get better-than-average insurance rates by comparing quotes online to get cheap car insurance in Texas.

Texas is known for doing things big. It is the largest state in the nation. If you talk to a Texan everything that they have is the biggest and the largest. They are proud of this fact. One thing that you would not want to be big though is your insurance premium bill or the amount it would cost to repair or replace some one’s property if you had an accident.

Neither would you want to have to pay a large bill for their medical or funeral expenses due to the same accident. That is where having insurance comes in and Texas makes sure that you have at least some coverage by requiring that you have at least $25,000 in bodily injury or death for each person in an accident and $50,000 for all persons in the same accident.

These are only the minimums that you have to have on your vehicle but consider getting more coverage if you can afford it. It doesn’t matter whether or not your car is working in Texas it has to be insured. Some states allow you to get a mechanics affidavit stating that your car is inoperable and during that time period you can have no insurance on your vehicle. Not so in Texas, at all times that you own a vehicle running or not it must be insured.

You also have to have property damage insurance on your vehicle in the amount of $25,000. This pays for up to $25,000 of damage you may have caused to either repair or replace whatever it was that you hit.

If you do not keep the proper insurance on your vehicle there are penalties. The first time that you are caught without insurance you will be fined $175. Each time after that the fine increases. The third time that you are found to not have the proper insurance coverage on your vehicle(s) you will be fined and you may also lose your driver’s license. In Texas there is a violation category termed “surchargeable violations”. This means that you can pay for penalties for many years. One offense can follow you for years to come, so it is not worth the risk of not being in compliance with the insurance regulations.

If you have financed a car, you must have what is called “full coverage” on the vehicle. This means that you have comprehensive, collision, and liability insurance on the car. This covers the car no matter what happens so that the lien holder can be fully compensated in the event that something serious happens to the car.

There are many places to drive in such a large state like Texas, which means there are many places you could end up having an accident. If you are wise you will make sure that you have enough insurance you car to cover you in the event that you are in a more serious accident. Talk to your insurance agent and find out what you need to cover your make and model of car, they will never sell you less than the requirements. The key is that you want to limit your out of pocket expenses as much as possible.