Auto insurance after a DUI in Texas

On top of legal penalties from a DUI, you might find that your car insurance is significantly more expensive following a Texas DUI conviction. How much does a DUI cost in Texas? On average, you will pay 49 percent more than you would for full coverage with a clean driving record. The average annual cost of car insurance in Texas for a driver with a clean record is $2,613. After a DUI, however, the average cost of full coverage increases to $3,901 per year. This is lower than the national post-DUI average, which is $4,790 per year.

DUI laws in Texas

There are multiple penalties you may experience if you receive a DUI in Texas. In addition to increased insurance rates, a first offense carries a fine of up to $3,000, the loss of your driver’s license for up to one year and the possibility of up to 180 days in jail, with a minimum of three days. There is also the possibility of having to complete an alcohol education program, be required to carry an SR-22 and have an ignition interlock device installed on your vehicle.

A second offense increases the fine to up to $4,500, with between a month and a year in jail and the loss of your driver’s license for up to two years. A third offense, meanwhile, will see you paying a fine of up to $6,000, loss of your license for up to two years and two to ten years in prison. There may be other fines that will be assessed as well.

In addition, if you have a child under the age of 15 in your car when you are driving under the influence, you could be charged with child endangerment and the penalties associated with that infraction.

How a DUI affects your car insurance in Texas

If you need car insurance with a DUI in Texas, you are almost certainly going to pay more than you would with a clean driving record. The average increase is 49 percent, which is much lower than the national average increase of 88 percent. However, some carriers may not write policies for drivers with DUIs, so you may need to search around to find a company that is willing to offer you coverage.

Why is car insurance expensive with a DUI? Insurers are in the business of risk. A driver with a DUI on their record may be more likely to drink and drive again as well as engage in other risky driving behaviors. Based on this increased risk, insurers may charge significantly higher rates for drivers with DUIs or refuse to extend them coverage altogether.

Average annual full coverage car insurance rates before and after a DUI

Finding car insurance after a DUI in Texas

As we have already noted, you may need to switch to a new insurer, possibly a high-risk insurer, after a DUI if your carrier is not willing to renew your policy. Bankrate’s insurance editorial team evaluated rate data from Quadrant Information Services to assess average rates from some of the top insurance companies following a single DUI conviction. Note that your rate may vary from these averages, and not all carriers offer policies to drivers with DUIs.

Each company has also been given a Bankrate Score. These scores are developed by analyzing average rates, coverage options, discounts and third-party rankings for customer satisfaction and financial stability. Bankrate Scores are rated 0.0 to 5.0, with higher numbers indicating a company that excels across all parameters.

Frequently asked questions

• • What is the best car insurance company?

    There is no single best car insurance company in Texas. The best company for you will vary based on your coverage needs, driving history, customer service preferences and more. It may be a good idea to compare coverage options, discounts and digital tools from several carriers. Then, you can ask for quotes to see which offers you the lowest rate for your desired coverage.

  • How will a DUI in Texas impact my criminal record?

    A Texas DUI generally stays on your record for the rest of your life. However, most insurers only look back three years for most policy surcharges in Texas, so if you drive safely after your DUI, your rates should go down eventually. However, unless your record is sealed or you are able to get the DUI expunged, anyone who runs a criminal background check — such as potential employers or landlords — will be able to see that you’ve had a DUI conviction.

  • What is the cheapest car insurance company in Texas for drivers with a DUI?

    That depends on a number of factors. Keep in mind that every driver pays a different rate for insurance, and even after a DUI. In Texas, your age, credit history, claims history and the type of car you drive will impact all the price of your policy. The best way to find the cheapest Texas car insurance company for you is likely to compare personalized quotes.

  • Did Texas change its DUI fees?

    Yes, on Sept. 1, 2019, Texas repealed its Driver Responsibility Program (DRP) — Chapter 708, Transportation Code. Most drivers who had their licenses suspended due to unpaid surcharges were granted reinstatement and the remaining balance of their fees was waived. Drivers who received DUIs after this date would see higher state fines, but these are separate from the DRP program.

• • Methodology

    Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze January 2024 rates for ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region. Quoted rates are based on a 40-year-old male and female driver with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits:

    • $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
    • $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
    • $50,000 property damage liability per accident
    • $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
    • $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
    • $500 collision deductible
    • $500 comprehensive deductible

    To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2022 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually.These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes.Incidents: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base), at-fault accident, single speeding ticket, single DUI conviction and lapse in coverage.

  • Bankrate Score

    Our 2024 Bankrate Score considers variables our insurance editorial team determined impacts policyholders’ experiences with an insurance company. These rating factors include a robust assessment of each company’s product availability, financial strength ratings, online capabilities and customer and claims support accessibility. Each factor was added to a category, and these categories were weighted in a tiered approach to analyze how companies perform in key customer-impacting categories.Each category was assigned a metric to determine performance, and the weighted sum adds up to a company’s total Bankrate Score — out of 5 points. Our scoring model provides a comprehensive view, indicating when companies excel across several key areas and highlighting where they fall short.

    • Tier 1 (Cost & ratings): To determine how well auto and home insurance companies satisfy these priorities, average quoted premiums from Quadrant Information Services (if available), as well as any of the latest third-party agency ratings from J.D. Power, AM Best, Demotech and the NAIC, were analyzed.
    • Tier 2 (Coverage & savings): We assessed companies’ coverage options and availability to help policyholders find a provider that balances cost with coverage. Additionally, we evaluated each company’s discount options listed on its website.
    • Tier 3 (Support): To encompass the many ways an auto insurance company can support policyholders, we analyzed avenues of customer accessibility along with community support. This analysis incorporated additional financial strength ratings from S&P and Moody’s and factored a company’s corporate sustainability efforts.

    Tier scores are unweighted to show the company’s true score in each category out of a possible five points.