By Rose Granados · Licensed Insurance Agent · Granados Insurance Agency
Your existing policies don't follow you across the state line, and Texas does several things differently enough to catch new residents out. Here's what changes, what the deadlines are, and the order to handle it.
Your auto policy must be rewritten for Texas — coverage is state-specific, so a policy issued elsewhere doesn't simply transfer, and new residents generally have 90 days to obtain a Texas driver license and 30 days to register a vehicle after establishing residency. Three things surprise people arriving from other states. Texas auto minimums are 30/60/25, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage must be offered but can be rejected in writing — keep it. Texas homeowners policies apply a percentage wind/hail deductible against your dwelling limit rather than a flat dollar amount. And flood is excluded from every standard policy in the state, which matters far more here than in most places. Coastal areas add a separate windstorm structure through TWIA. Start the auto policy before you drive here and the home policy before closing.
Here's a question that decides real money: a hailstorm totals your parked car — which coverage pays? If you answered "collision, because the hail collided with my car," you've just discovered why this article exists. (It's comprehensive. The hail isn't a collision; it's a thing that happened to your car.) The two halves of "full coverage" split the world by cause, and in a state where the sky itself is a leading cause of vehicle damage, knowing where that line runs is worth actual dollars.
We're a licensed Texas insurance agency, and we walk drivers through this distinction every week — usually right after a storm, which is the expensive time to learn it. This guide covers what each coverage pays for, how the deductibles work, why Texas tilts the math, when you need both, and how to decide — honestly — when an older car no longer does.
People move to Texas for a lot of reasons and almost none of them involve reading about percentage deductibles. But insurance is one of the few things that genuinely works differently here, and the differences show up at inconvenient moments — at a county tax office that won't register your car, or in the week after a hailstorm when you discover your deductible is a percentage.
Here's the checklist: the deadlines, what changes on auto, what changes on home, and the order to do it in.
What Are the Deadlines After You Arrive?
The short answer: generally 30 days to register a vehicle, 90 days for a Texas license — and insurance has to come first.
- Vehicle registration: generally within 30 days of establishing residency. Requires a passing Texas vehicle inspection and proof of Texas liability insurance.
- Driver license: generally within 90 days of establishing residency.
- Insurance: before either. You can't complete registration without Texas-compliant coverage, which makes this the first domino rather than an afterthought.
Two practical notes. Verification systems can lag a few days behind a newly issued policy, so don't bind coverage the morning you plan to visit the tax office. And requirements do change — confirm current details with the Texas DMV and the Department of Public Safety rather than relying on any article, including this one.
Start with your ZIP
What Changes About Your Car Insurance?
The short answer: the policy is rewritten, the minimums are 30/60/25, and two coverages can be declined that you shouldn't decline.
Auto policies are state-specific, so yours doesn't transfer — it gets rewritten for Texas. If your current insurer writes here, they can usually move you onto a Texas policy, which preserves your continuous coverage history and often your tenure benefits. If they don't write in Texas, you need a new carrier, and the change has to happen without a gap in coverage.
- Minimums are 30/60/25 — and they're a legal floor, not adequate protection. Texas is an at-fault state, so a judgment above your limits reaches your assets.
- UM/UIM must be offered and can only be rejected in writing. Keep it — a meaningful share of drivers here carry nothing.
- PIP is likewise offered and declinable in writing. If you came from a no-fault state, this is the coverage closest to what you're used to.
- Comprehensive matters more here. It's the only coverage that pays for hail, flood, and theft damage to a vehicle, and Texas generates all three at scale.
- Credit-based insurance scores are permitted in Texas rating, which some states restrict.
What Changes About Your Home Insurance?
The short answer: three structural differences that don't exist in most states.
- Wind/hail runs on a percentage deductible. Not a flat dollar amount — a percentage of your dwelling limit, applied per storm event. On $400,000 of dwelling coverage, 1% is $4,000 and 2% is $8,000. Convert it to dollars before choosing.
- Roof settlement terms vary and matter enormously. Some policies pay full replacement cost on a roof; others settle older roofs at depreciated value. Get the answer in writing, along with the age at which it changes.
- Flood is excluded — everywhere, always. No standard Texas policy covers rising water, and a separate flood policy is the only fix. This catches out arrivals from states where flooding is rare.
If you're moving to the coast, there's a fourth: in designated coastal areas windstorm may come from TWIA alongside a policy that excludes wind — two policies covering one house, and the seam between them matters.
Start with your ZIP
What Order Should You Do This In?
The short answer: insurance, then inspection, then registration, then license.
- 1. Before you drive here: tell your current insurer your moving date and Texas address. Either they rewrite you onto a Texas policy or you arrange a new carrier — with no gap between the old policy ending and the new one starting.
- 2. Before closing (if buying): get the home quoted early. Our homebuyer guide covers what to check during the option period. If renting, price renters coverage — most Texas leases require it.
- 3. Vehicle inspection at a licensed Texas station.
- 4. Registration at your county tax office, with proof of insurance and the inspection.
- 5. Driver license at DPS.
- 6. Then compare. Once you have a Texas address, quote at least three carriers at identical coverage. Whatever you bound in a hurry to make the deadline deserves a proper comparison.
Will It Cost More Than Where You Came From?
The short answer: possibly, and for structural reasons rather than anything about you.
Texas premiums run above the national average on both auto and home. On auto the drivers are a vast high-speed road network producing severe crashes, uninsured drivers, weather-driven comprehensive claims, and rising repair costs. On home, it's hail above all, plus hurricane exposure on the coast, and rebuild costs that keep climbing.
Within the state, ZIP code does a lot of work — the major metros generally price above rural areas, and coastal counties carry their own structure. What you control is the same everywhere: bundle home and auto, capture every discount in writing, choose deductibles deliberately, and compare at identical coverage.
What Do New Texans Get Wrong?
The short answer: five things, all avoidable.
- Letting coverage lapse during the move. The single most expensive mistake — a gap raises your rate for years and blocks registration.
- Assuming the old policy covers them here. It doesn't; coverage is state-specific.
- Buying the state minimum because it's the legal requirement. It's a floor, in an at-fault state.
- Rejecting UM/UIM to lower the quote, usually without realizing it happened.
- Skipping flood because they've never needed it before. Texas has more flood-prone land than any other state.
The Bottom Line for New Texans
Your policies don't cross the state line with you. Auto coverage is state-specific and has to be rewritten for Texas, and it has to be in place before you can register a vehicle — generally within 30 days of establishing residency, with 90 days for a Texas license. Start with your existing insurer: if they write in Texas, transferring preserves your continuous coverage history and often your tenure benefits, which is worth more than it sounds.
Then learn the three things Texas does differently. Auto minimums are 30/60/25 in an at-fault state, and both UM/UIM and PIP can be quietly rejected in writing — keep them. Homeowners policies apply a percentage wind/hail deductible against your dwelling limit rather than a flat amount, so convert it to dollars before you choose. And flood is excluded from every standard policy here, which matters in the state with more flood-prone land than any other. Once you're settled and have a Texas address, compare three carriers at identical coverage — whatever you bound to make a deadline deserves a real look. Our licensed Texas team is glad to walk a new arrival through all of it, with no obligation.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Auto policies are written to a specific state's requirements and rating, so a policy issued elsewhere does not simply follow you — it has to be rewritten for Texas. If your current insurer writes in Texas they can usually transfer you to a Texas policy, which preserves your continuous coverage history and often your tenure benefits; if they do not, you will need a new carrier. Either way the change must happen when you establish residency. Tell your insurer your moving date in advance so the Texas policy takes effect without a gap, since even a brief lapse affects future pricing and can complicate registration.
New Texas residents generally have 30 days after establishing residency to register a vehicle and 90 days to obtain a Texas driver license. Registration requires a passing Texas vehicle inspection and proof of Texas liability insurance meeting state minimums, which is why the insurance step has to come first — you cannot complete registration without it. Because verification systems can lag behind a newly issued policy, allow a few days between binding coverage and visiting the county tax office, and carry your declarations page. Confirm current details with the Texas DMV and DPS.
Texas requires liability coverage of 30/60/25 — $30,000 for bodily injury per person, $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage. Those are legal minimums rather than adequate protection: Texas is an at-fault state, so anything a judgment exceeds your limits by can be pursued from your assets and future wages. New residents should also know that Texas insurers must offer uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage and personal injury protection, both of which can only be removed by rejecting them in writing. Keep both. If you arrived from a no-fault state, the claims process here works differently.
Three things surprise people arriving from other states. Wind and hail damage carries a separate deductible calculated as a percentage of your dwelling limit rather than a flat dollar amount, applied per storm event — on a $400,000 dwelling limit, 2 percent is $8,000 out of pocket. Roof settlement terms vary: some policies pay full replacement cost while others settle older roofs at depreciated value. And flood is excluded from every standard homeowners policy in Texas, requiring a separate NFIP or private policy. Coastal areas add a further layer through the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association.
It depends entirely on where you moved from and to. Texas auto premiums run above the national average for structural reasons — a large high-speed road network producing severe crashes, a meaningful share of uninsured drivers, hail and flood events that generate comprehensive claims at scale, and rising vehicle repair costs. Within Texas, ZIP code matters enormously: the major metros generally price above rural areas. Texas also permits insurers to use credit-based insurance scores in rating, which some states restrict. Compare at least three carriers at identical coverage once you have your Texas address.
New to Texas? Start Here
We'll get Texas-compliant auto coverage in place before your registration deadline, price home or renters alongside it, and explain what's different here. Free, no obligation.
✓ Last reviewed by the Granados Insurance Agency team on . We refresh our guides quarterly — Texas coverage practices and figures change.
This guide is general information, not insurance or legal advice, and is not a quote. Coverage terms, deductible options, glass treatment, and total-loss valuation depend on your specific policy and insurer and can vary — the coverage descriptions here reflect standard practice, and your policy language controls. Deductible examples are illustrative math. Nothing here promises any rate, coverage outcome, or claim result. Always confirm requirements with the Texas Department of Insurance (tdi.texas.gov) and your actual coverage with a licensed agent or insurer.
Written and reviewed by the Granados Insurance Agency team — licensed Texas insurance professionals based at 9639 Scarsdale Blvd, Ste 101, Pearland, TX, serving Pearland, Brazoria County, and the Houston Bay Area. Coverage descriptions here follow the consumer guidance of the Texas Department of Insurance and the Insurance Information Institute, and are reviewed quarterly. Your policy language controls your actual coverage. TX license #[insert].