Is Personal Injury Protection Required in Texas?

Key Takeaways

• Texas insurers must include PIP unless the driver declines it in writing.
• PIP pays medical bills, lost wages, and funeral costs regardless of fault.
• PIP coverage starts at $2,500 per person, with higher limits optional.
• PIP excludes vehicle damage, pain and suffering, and other driver injuries.
• Insurers must decide PIP claims within 15 business days after receiving documentation.

Most Texas drivers do not know whether their auto policy even includes personal injury protection. Is personal injury protection required in Texas? The answer is not a simple yes or no: drivers are not legally required to carry it, but every insurer must include PIP automatically unless the driver declines it in writing. Many waive it without realizing what they give up. At Monsour Law Firm, we see the consequences of that gap regularly across Longview and East Texas. Knowing what PIP covers and when it runs short can change the outcome of a car accident claim significantly.

PIP pays for medical bills, lost wages, and funeral costs regardless of who caused the accident, with coverage starting at $2,500 per person. For questions about a car accident claim, contact a personal injury lawyer in Longview, TX to review your policy and help you pursue full compensation.

Contact a Longview Personal Injury Attorney

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Understanding Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Coverage

Longview, TX residents can review your policy and help you pursue full compensation.

Under Tex. Ins. Code § 1952.152: Every auto policy sold in Texas must come with PIP already included. A driver who wants to opt out of PIP must decline it in writing, and once declined, the insurer does not have to add it back on renewal unless the driver requests it. This rule applies to every auto policy issued in the state.

Many drivers still wonder whether personal injury protection is required in Texas after signing their policy, not realizing they may have already waived it. Following an accident, PIP provides no-fault coverage through your own insurance provider, bypassing the need to wait for the other driver to admit fault. While standard limits are $2,500, policyholders can opt for higher coverage.

What Expenses Are Covered Under PIP?

Most drivers are surprised by how much PIP actually covers. The core benefits under a Texas PIP policy include:

Medical expenses: Emergency room visits, ambulance transport, surgery, diagnostic imaging such as X-rays and MRIs, physical therapy, and prescriptions all qualify. PIP pays these costs directly, without requiring proof of fault.

Lost wages: PIP reimburses a portion of lost income during the time an injury keeps someone from returning to work.

Funeral and burial costs: In fatal accidents, PIP covers funeral and burial expenses for the policyholder or covered passengers.

What PIP does not cover: vehicle damage, pain and suffering, or the injuries the other driver suffers. Recovering those losses requires a separate claim or lawsuit against the driver who caused the accident.

How to File a Personal Injury Protection Claim

The process is straightforward, but timing matters more than most people realize.

• Please reach out to your insurance company as soon as possible: Delays give insurers grounds to complicate your claim before it starts, potentially leading to denials or reduced compensation for your injuries.
• Get medical attention immediately: Every day without treatment gives an insurer room to question whether your injuries came from the crash.
• Gather your documentation: Collect medical bills, physician records, and a letter from your employer confirming lost pay.

According to the Texas Department of Insurance, an insurer must acknowledge your PIP claim within 15 days and approve or deny it within 15 business days of receiving all documentation. If the insurer misses those deadlines, Texas law may require them to pay you 18% annual interest on the claim amount plus attorney’s fees on top of your benefits.

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How can a personal injury lawyer help you?

If you have ever asked, “Is personal injury protection required in Texas?” and walked away unsure, a personal injury lawyer in Longview, TX, can review your policy, identify every layer of coverage available, and make sure nothing gets left on the table.

Where legal help matters most is when injuries exceed PIP (Personal Injury Protection) limits. The at-fault driver may owe far more: long-term medical costs, reduced ability to earn income in the future, and losses like pain, suffering, and emotional distress. Personal injury protection marks a starting point, never a ceiling on recovery.

Why Monsour Law Firm?

Monsour Law Firm has a 98% success rate in personal injury cases. Our attorneys handle every step, from securing accident scene evidence to taking a case to trial when an insurer refuses to pay fairly.

Contact our personal injury attorneys for a complimentary case review with no upfront costs and no fees unless we recover compensation for you. Call us now at (903) 999-9999.