Personal injury protection (PIP) in Texas, explained

In Texas, PIP is available on every auto policy and carriers are required to offer at least $2,500 in coverage. You can reject it in writing, but most drivers should not. At A-MAX, we walk through PIP coverage with every customer so you know what it does before you decide to keep or reject it.

None of the three states A-MAX writes in is a no-fault state, so the rules are these:

If your policy is written in one of those three states, the part of this page that matters most to you is the difference between PIP and MedPay, further down.

A no-fault state is one whose law requires drivers to carry PIP so that they and their passengers have a way to pay medical bills after a crash, regardless of who caused it. The point is to get money moving quickly instead of waiting on a liability determination.

Which states work that way, and at what limits, changes over time. If you move, or you buy a policy outside Texas, California or Arizona, confirm that state's rule rather than assuming.

PIP is designed to get money to injured people quickly, without waiting for an at-fault determination. After an accident, you file the claim with your own insurance carrier, and they pay the covered expenses up to your policy limit. The carrier then sorts out who was at fault separately. You get paid; the legal mess happens behind the scenes.

The exact list varies by state. PIP applies to you, anyone in your vehicle at the time of the accident, and in many states pedestrians injured by your vehicle. It applies regardless of who caused the accident.

PIP is available in Texas. Carriers must offer at least $2,500 in PIP coverage on every auto policy Texas Department of Insurance, auto coverage guide .

Drivers can reject PIP in writing. If you do not actively reject, the coverage is automatically included. Higher limits ($5,000 or $10,000) are available at modest additional premium.

California and Arizona do not have PIP coverage California DMV ADOT . Drivers in those states use Medical Payments coverage (MedPay) for similar protection. MedPay covers medical bills only, not lost wages, but it works on the same no-fault basis. See our medical payment coverage guide for the details.

In Texas specifically, PIP stacks on top of other coverage you have. If your medical insurance pays some of the bills, PIP can pay your copays, deductibles, and uncovered expenses. PIP coverage is in addition to your liability coverage, not a substitute.

These get confused constantly and they point in opposite directions. PIP covers you and the people riding in your vehicle. Bodily injury liability covers the people you injure outside your car when the accident is your fault. They are two separate coverages and you need both: PIP does nothing for the other driver, and liability does nothing for you or your passengers.

A-MAX walks through PIP coverage with every Texas customer at quote time. We do not just ship a state-minimum policy with PIP rejected to make the headline rate look lower. We explain what PIP covers, what it costs, and let you make the decision with the full picture. Most drivers who understand what PIP actually does choose to keep it.

If you are in California or Arizona, PIP does not apply, but MedPay does. We walk through that the same way. The goal is coverage you understand and that fits your situation, not the lowest quote possible if it leaves you exposed.

PIP is one of the lowest-cost, fastest-paying coverages available on a Texas auto policy. The cost is small; the protection at a moment when you are dealing with a hospital bill is real. If you are in Texas, do not reject PIP without understanding what you are giving up. If you are in California or Arizona, ask about MedPay instead.

A-MAX Insurance has helped Texas drivers find affordable auto coverage for more than 20 years , with offices across Texas and licensed bilingual staff at every location.

We specialize in non-standard auto coverage: drivers with tickets, at-fault accidents, SR-22 requirements, lapses in coverage, no current license, or a record that doesn’t fit the standard market. over 3 million drivers have used A-MAX to find coverage. Hablamos español.

This article reflects general guidance based on Texas, California, and Arizona insurance regulations and A-MAX’s internal experience writing Texas auto coverage between 2024 and early 2026 . Coverage rules vary by state and individual situation. For advice specific to your policy, contact your local A-MAX office, by phone, or online.

PIP covers:

• medical bills
• 80 percent of lost wages
• replacement services (like child care if you cannot care for kids while injured)
• funeral expenses in fatal accidents

It pays regardless of who caused the accident and applies to you, your passengers, and in many states pedestrians involved in an accident with your vehicle.

PIP is not legally required in Texas, but carriers must offer at least $2,500 in coverage on every auto policy per the Texas Department of Insurance. Drivers can reject PIP in writing. If you do not actively reject it, the coverage is automatically included on your policy.

No. California and Arizona do not have PIP coverage. Drivers in those states use Medical Payments coverage (MedPay) for similar but more limited protection. MedPay covers medical bills only, not lost wages.

PIP usually pays first, before your health insurance. After an accident, PIP covers the initial medical bills up to your policy limit. If costs exceed PIP limits, health insurance picks up the rest, subject to its own rules. PIP can also pay your health insurance copays and deductibles.

Very little. $2,500 in PIP typically adds $3 to $10 per month. Higher limits ($5,000 to $10,000) add modest additional premium. A-MAX will quote you the exact cost of PIP at your selected limit so you can compare.