Liability insurance is the insurance that you buy to protect you when you cause harm to someone else. Texas law requires that all drivers must have liability insurance.
There are generally two types of liability insurance on Texas auto policies.
BODILY INJURY LIABILITY. The first type of liability insurance is bodily injury liability. This coverage protects you when you cause a wreck (or it alleged that you caused a wreck) that injures a person.
In Texas, drivers are required to carry bodily injury liability that covers claims up to $30,000.00 for each injured person, up to a total of $60,000.00 per accident. These limits and amounts will be explained later in the series.
PROPERTY DAMAGE LIABILITY. The second type of liability insurance is property damage liability. This coverage applies when you cause damage to someone else’s car or to any other objects or buildings that your car hits.
In Texas, drivers are required to carry property damage liability insurance that covers claims up to $25,000.00.
ATTORNEYS’ FEES. Liability insurance not only pays for the damage you incur, but if you get sued because of a wreck, the insurance will pay for attorneys to represent you in that lawsuit. However, the insurance company gets to decide what attorney it hires on your behalf.
WHO IS PROTECTED BY YOUR INSURANCE. Your liability insurance policy generally provides protection to the following:
- You when you are driving your car.
- Anyone else (who isn’t specifically excluded) who is driving your car, as long as they have permission to drive your car.
- You and your family members (other than those specifically excluded) when driving someone else’s car with the owner’s permission.
Having said that, there are some terrible policies out there that have limitations on who is covered (such as only covering the person or persons who are specifically named on the policy). When purchasing your insurance, make sure you understand who is being covered.
