Bryan Car Insurance
If you are a resident of the City of Bryan, Texas law states that you must carry auto insurance on any vehicle that you own or that is registered in your name. All states have their own auto insurance laws and requirements, and Texas state officials have set compulsory insurance laws in an effort to protect drivers when they are victims of an accident.
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To live the good life in Bryan, you must purchase a minimum amount of Bryan car insurance from a provider that is licensed by the Texas Department of Insurance. Read this guide to Texas auto insurance, and learn about requirements, penalties for driving uninsured, and how to select the best insurance company.
Why is car insurance required in Bryan, TX?
If you reside in Texas or you are the registered owner of a vehicle licensed in the state, you must have car insurance so that you can prove that you are financially responsible for any damages that you cause while you are behind the wheel. Texas is like most of the states in the union and it operates under tort law.
This means that anyone who uses their driving privilege and causes a crash must pay for the damages and the medical expenses that their victim sustains.
Because a majority of people do not have thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay for these damages, liability auto insurance is a requirement.
What type of car insurance is required in TX?
Insurance laws are in place so that a victim in an accident can recover from a loss when they suffer injuries or damages. These laws are not in place to pay for your injuries, but they do help to protect your finances when you experience a loss that you could not have predicted. This is why state law only says that you must carry liability insurance.
All other types of insurance that are offered by insurers are available to you are optional, but some must be rejected in writing. Here is a breakdown of the requirements that you should familiarize yourself with:
- Bodily injury liability to pay for medical expenses
Bodily Injury is a third-party liability coverage that will pay for the medical expenses of the victims who are injured when you are at-fault for the accident. In addition to paying for the medical expenses, this coverage will pay for damages like lost wages and pain and suffering. If you are fighting the fault, the insurer will pay for your legal defense. This cost does not come out of your limits of liability. In Bryan, all drivers must have:
Bodily Injury: $30,000 per person, up to $60,000 per accident (written 30/60)
- Property Damage Liability to Pay for Repairs
Property Damage is another type of third-party liability that will pay to repair the property that you damage or replace it when it is totaled. This coverage will only pay for the property that is not owned by you. If you would like your vehicle to be repaired, you must carry additional coverage and pay an additional premium. Property Damage limits are paid on a per accident basis no matter how much property is damaged. This is why it is so important to select sufficient limits. You must carry at least:
Property Damage: $25,000 per accident
- Uninsured Motorist Coverage/ Uninsured Motorist Property Damage
Did you know that about 1 in 7 drivers in the state of Texas are not insured? With about 13.3 percent of drivers in the state choosing to ignore the law and drive without insurance, you are at-risk of being a victim in an accident where the other party cannot pay for your damages. In the City of Bryan alone, 10,460 drivers are on public roadways uninsured at any given time.
In order to get protection, you should consider purchasing Uninsured Motorist Protection which pays for your medical bills and possibly your vehicle repairs.
Uninsured Motorist must be offered by all insurers in the limits that you carry for Bodily Injury. While it must be offered, you have the right to reject it if you sign a waiver or put the statement in writing. You may also purchase Uninsured Motorist Property Damage coverage, which waives your deductible when you have collision or pays up to $3500 for repairs when you do not have collision. Be sure to seriously consider this coverage for peace of mind.
You may also purchase Uninsured Motorist Property Damage coverage, which waives your deductible when you have collision or pays up to $3500 for repairs when you do not have collision. Be sure to seriously consider this coverage for peace of mind.
What Are the Penalties for Driving Without Insurance in Bryan?
You cannot legally drive without insurance in Bryan or any surrounding cities. Just because you are a law abiding citizen does not mean that all drivers in the state comply with these laws. If you do not comply, you are breaking the law and you will be penalized in one of several different ways. Some of the
Some of the penalties for driving without coverage are monetary and others are not. Here are the penalties that you should know about just in case you are tempted to stop paying your insurance bills:
- Fines of $350 for first offense
- Fines of between $350 and $1000 for second offense
- Court costs
- A driver license suspension of up to 2 years
- Between 180 days and 1 year in jail when you cause injuries
- Vehicle impoundment
- Suspension of driver license and/or plates
- Reinstatement fees
- SR-22 filing requirement for up to 3 years
Insurance Verification Systems in Texas
Did you know that Bryan police do not have to pull you over just for you to be convicted of driving without insurance. While this is the only way that you will have to appear in court, you can be penalized if your insurer reports that you do not have coverage through the electronic insurance verification system. This intelligent system allows insurers to communicate directly with the Department of Motor Vehicles when the insurance on a specific vehicle is no longer active.
Now, there is no avoiding the law that mandates that you must have coverage, and the verification system has actually reduced the number of uninsured drivers from 20% to 13%.
This intelligent system allows insurers to communicate directly with the Department of Motor Vehicles when the insurance on a specific vehicle is no longer active. Now, there is no avoiding the law that mandates that you must have coverage. The verification system has actually reduced the number of uninsured drivers from 20% to 13%.
How to Select a Quality Bryan Car Insurance Company
You may know that you are required to buy insurance from a licensed provider, but did you know that not all licensed providers are created equal? You must consider more than just the rates that the company charges when you are shopping for coverage. You will need to research each insurer that you are seriously considering, and then you can begin to compare premiums. Here are some factors to consider when you are qualifying auto insurers:
You will need to research each insurer that you are seriously considering, and then you can begin to compare premiums. Here are some factors to consider when you are qualifying auto insurers:
- Check the Complaint Index of the Insurer
The Texas Department of Insurance regulates the insurance industry and oversees insurers to ensure that consumers are protected. As an auto insurance consumer, you have the right to file a complaint with the TDI if you have a valid reason to file the complaint. Some of the complaints the department will investigate include: benefit disputes, false advertising, material misrepresentation, and insurance fraud.
It is extremely important to review the complaint index of all insurers. You can review the complaint history, which is public record, and avoid specific agents and insurers that have a history of upsetting their customers. You can check the Internet Complaint Information System through the Department to review summaries of the complaints filed, or the NAIC Consumer Information Source to review complaint filing trends. Cross any company that has a long list of complaints off of your list.
- The Financial Stability of the Insurer
Purchasing insurance from an insurer that is not financially stable is a risk in itself. If you buy insurance from a company that does not have the finances to pay for claims, you may not get the money that you need to recover when you file your claim.
You should never compare premiums before you have checked the financial rating of the companies that you are comparing.
One easy way to check the financial rankings without reviewing financial records yourself is to visit the website of a consumer rating agency. You can visit the AM Best or the Moody's website and enter the company information.
You can also find the financial strength ratings and the complaint index by entering the company's name in the National Association of Insurance Commissioners company search tool. This is the most effective way to get an idea of which companies in Bryan offer good products and good service.
Once you have qualified the companies, the next step will be to compare pricing and then adjust your coverage options when necessary. You should always compare pricing with at least 3 insurers.
If you want to make the process as quick and easy as possible, use an online rate comparison tool that will give you the rates with several companies after your provide your information a single time. Decide which limits are appropriate and then select a comprehensive insurance policy.
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