Published: July 22, 2024 | Updated: April 28, 2025
Car insurance is meant to be a safety net, but across Texas and the nation, more drivers are dropping coverage because they simply can’t afford the soaring premiums. If you’ve noticed your own car insurance bill climbing, you’re not alone. And many people are making the risky choice to drive without insurance.
This trend has serious implications, especially in Texas. In this updated look at the issue, we’ll explore how many uninsured drivers there are in Texas, the percentage of uninsured drivers in Texas today, and the nationwide spike in uninsured motorists.
We’ll also discuss why this is happening (hint: rising car insurance rates are a big factor), what it means if you’re in an accident, and how a car accident lawyer can help if you’re hit by an uninsured driver.
The Number of Uninsured Drivers Has Increased Nationwide
Let’s start with the big picture.
In recent years, the increase in uninsured drivers has been stark. In 2019, about 11% of American drivers lacked auto insurance – a number that had been on a slight decline.
But by 2020, that figure jumped to roughly 14%. The pandemic and economic pressures played a major role in this sudden surge. By 2022, the national uninsured rate hovered around 14% of drivers.
To put that in perspective, that’s about 35 to 36 million people driving without insurance in the U.S.
The spike even hit a record high in 2021 (about 14.2%, the highest since 2008) before stabilizing slightly. In short, roughly one in seven drivers nationwide now has no car insurance – a dangerous trend for everyone on the road.
How Many People Don’t Have Car Insurance?
According to the latest studies, approximately 35.7 million drivers in America are uninsured. That means all these people are on the road without the financial protection insurance provides.
This number rose sharply over the past few years. For context, the uninsured rate was about 11% in 2019 but jumped to 14% in 2020 and has remained around that level through 2022.
In other words, millions more drivers went uninsured when the pandemic hit and insurance costs started climbing.
How Many Uninsured Drivers Are There in Texas?
Texas mirrors the national problem and given our large population, it’s a huge concern. So, how many uninsured drivers are there in Texas now?
Recent data indicate that about 13.8% of Texas drivers don’t have insurance. In other words, roughly one out of every seven drivers in Texas are on the road without the required coverage.
With millions of licensed drivers in the Lone Star State, that percentage translates to a staggering number of uninsured vehicles (likely well over a million Texas drivers without insurance at any given time).
That percentage of uninsured drivers in Texas is nearly on par with the national average (around 14%). It’s higher than some states but not as extreme as the worst offenders.
For example, Mississippi has about 22% of drivers uninsured and New Mexico nearly 25%. Still, the percentage of uninsured drivers in Texas has grown in recent years, following the national upward trend.
Before the pandemic, Texas saw lower uninsured rates, but economic strains have pushed more Texans to drop their insurance. The result is thousands of additional uninsured cars on Texas roads, increasing risks for everyone.
Rising Insurance Costs Are Fueling the Trend
Why are so many drivers in Texas and across the U.S. going uninsured?
A big reason is skyrocketing car insurance rates. Auto insurance premiums have been rising at historic levels recently, largely due to factors like inflation, higher repair costs, and more accidents. From mid-2022 to mid-2024 alone, the average annual cost of a full coverage car insurance policy jumped by about 20%.
If your insurance bill feels higher than it used to, that’s because it is – and for many families, these price hikes are hitting hard.
Studies show that cost is the number one reason people forgo insurance. In fact, about 82% of uninsured drivers say they simply cannot afford car insurance (or they have a vehicle that isn’t in use). When forced to choose between paying rising premiums or covering other essentials, some drivers take the gamble of dropping their coverage.
Unfortunately, this creates a domino effect: uninsured drivers still cause accidents, but now insurance companies have fewer paying customers to absorb the costs. That can drive premiums even higher for everyone else. As the Insurance Research Council president put it, the pandemic caused a jump in uninsured drivers, “adding to the insurance costs for everyone else”.
In short, rising car insurance rates are fueling this increase in uninsured drivers. It’s a vicious cycle. Higher costs lead to more uninsured motorists, which can then lead to even higher costs for those who remain insured.
The Consequences of Driving Uninsured
Choosing to drive without insurance might save money upfront, but it comes with serious risks and consequences.
First off, driving without at least the state-minimum liability coverage is against the law in Texas. If you’re caught with no insurance (for example, after a traffic stop or an accident), you can face hefty fines, license suspension, and even vehicle impoundment.
Texas penalties for a first-time offense can run into several hundred dollars, and repeat offenders see increasing fines and potential driver’s license suspension. The law takes uninsured driving seriously because of how much financial harm it can cause.
More importantly, if you cause an accident while uninsured, you’re personally on the hook for all damages. There’s no insurance company to step in and pay the injured party on your behalf. That means you could be sued for the other driver’s medical bills, vehicle repairs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
Even if you’re a safe driver, accidents can happen to anyone. Without insurance, one mistake on the road can put your personal assets and financial future at serious risk.
For other drivers on the road, the high number of uninsured motorists is alarming. If a driver with no insurance hits you, recovering the compensation you deserve can become much more complicated. That’s why many responsible drivers carry uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) on their own policies. It’s an extra layer of protection in case you’re hit by someone who isn’t insured.
But even with that protection, dealing with the aftermath of an uninsured accident is no picnic.
Hit by an Uninsured Driver? How a Lawyer Can Help
Being in a crash is stressful enough and it’s even worse if the at-fault driver turns out to be uninsured. You might be left wondering how you’ll get your medical bills paid or your car repaired. This is where an experienced car accident lawyer can step in to help.
If you’re hit by an uninsured driver in Texas, a lawyer can help you explore all possible avenues for compensation. This can include making a claim under your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage (if you have it), which is designed for exactly this situation. Your attorney can communicate with your insurance company to make sure they honor your UM claim and pay what you’re owed.
Insurance companies don’t always make the process easy. Even your own insurer might dispute or try to minimize your payout, but a lawyer will fight those tactics and advocate for you.
If you don’t have UM coverage, or if your damages exceed what your policy covers, a lawyer can investigate other options. Sometimes, the uninsured driver might have assets or alternative coverage (for instance, perhaps they were driving a company vehicle or someone else’s car with permission). An attorney can look into whether any third party might bear some responsibility for the crash.
They can also file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver on your behalf. While an uninsured driver often doesn’t have much money (hence no insurance), a judgment could allow you to garnish wages or place liens on their property if they refuse to pay for the harm they caused.
Beyond seeking compensation, having a lawyer by your side means you don’t have to bear the brunt of your case alone. They’ll help gather evidence, document your injuries and expenses, and deal with insurance adjusters and legal paperwork.
This support is crucial when you’re trying to recover from an accident and get your life back on track.
The Buck Stops Here for Car Accidents
The bottom line is that rising car insurance rates have led to more uninsured drivers on the road in Texas and across the country. This trend puts everyone at risk.
If you’re a driver, the best thing you can do is keep your insurance coverage current and consider adding uninsured motorist coverage to protect yourself. Driving uninsured is simply not worth the risk, legally or financially.
But carrying uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is not a fail-safe solution to the problem of more drivers going without insurance. Under Texas insurance law, you might have to sue your own insurance company before you can obtain UM/UIM benefits.
If you were hurt in a crash with a driver who can’t pay you what you’re owed, our uninsured motorist accident lawyers can help. We handle these cases on a contingency-fee basis and offer FREE consultations.
In a time when more drivers are going uninsured, protecting yourself and having an advocate on your side is more important than ever.
