Purchasing auto insurance is an important part of being a responsible citizen in Texas. Liability insurance can help pay for covered injuries and property damage, up to the policy’s limits, if you cause a motor vehicle accident. Operating a motor vehicle, including a motorcycle, without the required insurance or proof of financial responsibility is against the law. Learn how Texas’ insurance laws work as a motorcyclist.
Who Needs Insurance in Texas?
Texas generally requires financial responsibility to operate an on-road motorcycle. Most riders meet this requirement through liability insurance, but qualifying alternatives are permitted.
What Insurance Is Required by Motorcyclists in Texas?
Texas generally requires financial responsibility for motor vehicle operators, including motorcycle riders. Liability insurance is the usual way to meet this requirement. It can pay covered medical bills and property damage for which you are liable, subject to policy terms and limits. If you use a liability policy, the minimum amounts required by a motorcyclist in Texas are:
- Bodily injury liability insurance per person: $30,000
- Bodily injury liability insurance per accident: $60,000
- Property damage liability insurance: $25,000
Riders can buy coverage beyond the required liability limits. Collision coverage can help pay to repair or replace your motorcycle after a crash, subject to policy terms and a deductible. Comprehensive coverage addresses theft and covered damage from causes other than a collision, such as fire or flooding. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage may help when an at-fault driver has no insurance or too little to cover your losses, subject to the policy’s terms.
Are There Alternatives to Standard Motorcycle Insurance in Texas?
Texas permits qualifying alternatives to a liability policy: a $55,000 deposit with the state comptroller or appropriate county judge, a surety bond filed with and approved by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), or a DPS certificate of self-insurance. Self-insurance requires more than 25 vehicles registered in the applicant’s name and demonstrated ability to pay judgments. Each alternative has additional statutory requirements.
What Happens if You Get Pulled Over While Uninsured in Texas?
If you ride without meeting Texas’ financial-responsibility requirements, you may receive a citation and face fines. A second or subsequent conviction can lead to DPS license suspension unless the required evidence is filed and maintained, and to court-ordered impoundment when statutory ownership conditions apply. DPS may also require an insurer-issued SR-22 certificate after certain convictions, suspensions or judgments. The certificate verifies liability coverage and generally must be maintained for two years.
Whose Insurance Pays for a Motorcycle Crash in Texas?
Texas is a fault-based car insurance state when it comes to assigning financial responsibility for a traffic accident. If you cause a crash as a motorcyclist in Texas, applicable motorcycle liability coverage may pay the other party’s covered property damage and medical bills, subject to policy terms and limits. If another driver is at fault, you may pursue a claim against that driver and any applicable liability coverage. In a no-fault state, eligibility and claim rules depend on that state’s law; motorcycle operators and passengers may be excluded from no-fault benefits.
What Happens if You Get Into an Accident While Uninsured?
If you are involved in a motorcycle collision in Dallas while you are uninsured or underinsured, this can cause issues during the processing of your claim. If you caused or even slightly contributed to the collision, you may be responsible for paying for part of the damage. If you don't have insurance to cover these costs, you may have to pay out of pocket.
If you did not cause the motorcycle wreck, you can file a claim with the insurance company of the other driver. Payment depends on liability, covered losses and policy limits. If the other driver lacks enough coverage, your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage may help if your policy includes it and the claim meets its terms. Carrying liability insurance alone does not automatically cover your own injuries or motorcycle damage.
Related resources: Explore the Texas Motorcycle Accident Knowledge Hub and Texas Motorcycle Accident Claims and Litigation.
For additional information about insurance coverage after a motorcycle accident in Texas, consult with an attorney in Dallas.
ABOUT THE ATTORNEY
Aaron A. Herbert
Founding Attorney
Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law
Aaron founded The Law Firm of Aaron A. Herbert in 2010 to focus on developing each client's case and seeking its maximum value. For over a decade, he has represented people seriously injured in major accidents and industrial catastrophes, pursuing trial verdicts and settlements while working to reduce the stress of litigation.
Education
- Texas A&M University · B.S., Criminal Justice, 1999
- University of Oklahoma College of Law · J.D., 2002; graduated in the top of his class
Trial experience & approach
Aaron earned numerous jury verdicts at boutique personal injury litigation firms. According to his biography, he spent a year as the top-earning litigation attorney at a firm that frequently appeared in verdict searches as having one of the highest numbers of trial wins in Texas. At another Dallas personal injury firm, he moved from managing pre-litigation attorney to managing litigation attorney over seven years as the firm grew into one of Dallas's largest personal injury firms.
His biography describes a reputation as one of America's most aggressive trial lawyers, with noteworthy recoveries from judges and juries and substantial pretrial settlements. Most of those settlements included confidentiality agreements requested by the defense. Aaron has said the recoveries were justified by the injuries and losses involved, which no amount of money could make someone choose to experience.
His approach combines passion, preparation, persistence and courtroom imagination. He believes a well-supported, engaged and motivated team working cooperatively helps deliver strong representation, with the goal of achieving the best possible result for every client.
Dallas roots, military service & publication
Born and raised in Dallas, Aaron enlisted in the United States Marine Corps after high school and later received an Honorable Discharge. He completed his university and law degrees after his military service and became a lifelong Sooners football fan in law school.
Publication: “Litigating Dog Bite Cases,” Texas Dog Law Seminar, Dallas, 2009.
Professional affiliations & recognition
Professional affiliations and recognition listed in Aaron’s biography:
- State Bar of Texas
- American Bar Association
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America (now American Association for Justice)
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas Bar Association
- Tarrant County Bar Association
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- The National Trial Lawyers – Top 100 Trial Lawyers
Trial experience & approach
Aaron earned numerous jury verdicts at boutique personal injury litigation firms. According to his biography, he spent a year as the top-earning litigation attorney at a firm that frequently appeared in verdict searches as having one of the highest numbers of trial wins in Texas. At another Dallas personal injury firm, he moved from managing pre-litigation attorney to managing litigation attorney over seven years as the firm grew into one of Dallas's largest personal injury firms.
His biography describes a reputation as one of America's most aggressive trial lawyers, with noteworthy recoveries from judges and juries and substantial pretrial settlements. Most of those settlements included confidentiality agreements requested by the defense. Aaron has said the recoveries were justified by the injuries and losses involved, which no amount of money could make someone choose to experience.
His approach combines passion, preparation, persistence and courtroom imagination. He believes a well-supported, engaged and motivated team working cooperatively helps deliver strong representation, with the goal of achieving the best possible result for every client.
Dallas roots, military service & publication
Born and raised in Dallas, Aaron enlisted in the United States Marine Corps after high school and later received an Honorable Discharge. He completed his university and law degrees after his military service and became a lifelong Sooners football fan in law school.
Publication: “Litigating Dog Bite Cases,” Texas Dog Law Seminar, Dallas, 2009.
Professional affiliations & recognition
Professional affiliations and recognition listed in Aaron’s biography:
- State Bar of Texas
- American Bar Association
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America (now American Association for Justice)
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas Bar Association
- Tarrant County Bar Association
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- The National Trial Lawyers – Top 100 Trial Lawyers