The Texas Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act provides that no person in Texas may operate a motor vehicle without establishing financial responsibility for that vehicle which is most commonly in the form of a liability insurance policy. The minimum amounts required to establish financial responsibility are $30,000 for bodily injury to or death of one person in one accident; $60,000 for bodily injury to or death of two or more person in one accident; and $25,000 for damage to or destruction of property of others in one accident.
The above referenced minimum amounts may cover the damages sustained in many cases and not all defendants carry the minimum amount of liability insurance required under Texas law. Many carry more. Unfortunately, the majority of drivers carry only the minimum amount required and some completely break the law by driving without any insurance whatsoever. It is the latter two categories that create problems for people who have been seriously injured in a car accident. Those are the situations in which uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage is appropriate.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is insurance coverage the pays for injuries sustained in an auto accident when the driver at fault does not have liability insurance or does not have enough liability insurance to cover the amount of personal injury or property damages received as a result of the accident. Therefore, you should have this coverage added to your auto insurance policy to protect the passengers in your vehicle.
