Updated June 2026
What Is Non-Standard Auto Insurance?
Non-standard auto insurance is coverage sold by carriers specializing in high-risk drivers who don't qualify for standard market rates. Texas assigns drivers to the non-standard market after DUI convictions, license suspensions, at-fault accidents without insurance, or lapses in coverage exceeding 30 days. The policy provides the same liability protections as standard auto insurance — bodily injury and property damage coverage — but at significantly higher premiums reflecting the carrier's increased risk exposure. Most non-standard policies in Texas include SR-22 filing as part of the policy, which the carrier submits electronically to the Texas Department of Public Safety to satisfy reinstatement requirements.
- You receive a DUI conviction in Texas and DPS suspends your license for 90 days. To reinstate, you need SR-22 insurance filed for three years. You don't own a car. A non-standard carrier issues a non-owner liability policy with 30/60/25 limits and files the SR-22 electronically with DPS the same day. Your premium is $95/month for liability-only coverage. After three years with no additional violations, you can move back to the standard market and your rate drops to approximately $65/month for the same coverage.
- Your insurance lapses for 45 days and DPS suspends your license under the TexasSure program. You own a 2018 sedan. To reinstate, you need continuous coverage and an SR-22 filing. A non-standard carrier issues a liability-only policy with SR-22 for $110/month. You need the SR-22 maintained for two years. If you let this policy lapse even one day, DPS extends your SR-22 requirement and may suspend your license again. Staying continuously insured for the full two-year period allows you to shop standard carriers afterward.
- You have three speeding tickets and one at-fault accident in 18 months. Your standard carrier non-renews your policy. DPS doesn't require SR-22, but no standard carrier will quote you. A non-standard carrier offers liability coverage at $125/month with no SR-22 filing. After 36 months with no new violations, you become eligible for standard market rates again. Non-standard coverage here is a pricing penalty, not a legal requirement — you could drive uninsured legally, but reinstatement after any future suspension will cost significantly more.
Who Needs Non-Standard Auto Insurance?
You need non-standard auto insurance if your license is suspended and DPS requires SR-22 filing to reinstate, if your previous carrier non-renewed you after violations and no standard carrier will quote you, or if you've had a lapse in coverage exceeding 30 days and need to satisfy TexasSure reinstatement conditions. It's also necessary if you need to maintain insurance during your suspension period to avoid extending your SR-22 requirement, even if you're not legally allowed to drive yet.
Check your DPS reinstatement letter first — it states explicitly whether SR-22 is required and for how long. If SR-22 is required, you need non-standard insurance unless a standard carrier will write a policy with SR-22 filing, which is rare but possible for minor violations. If SR-22 isn't required but you need insurance to drive legally, get quotes from both standard and non-standard carriers — you may still qualify for standard rates if your violations are older than 36 months or your license suspension was administrative rather than conviction-based.
How Much Does Non-Standard Auto Insurance Cost?
Non-standard auto insurance in Texas typically costs $85–$150/month for minimum liability coverage with SR-22 filing, or $1,020–$1,800/year, compared to $55–$85/month for standard market drivers with clean records.
- SR-22 filing requirement — carriers charge $15–$25/month more when filing SR-22 with DPS compared to non-SR-22 non-standard policies.
- Conviction type — DUI convictions produce premiums 60–80% higher than suspended license for unpaid tickets or lapsed coverage.
- Time since violation — premiums decrease 10–15% each year you maintain continuous coverage without new violations, even within the non-standard market.
- Non-owner vs owner policy — non-owner SR-22 policies cost 20–30% less than policies covering a specific vehicle because the carrier's property damage exposure is lower.
- County of residence — Harris, Dallas, and Bexar county drivers pay 15–25% more than rural Texas counties due to higher accident and theft rates.
- Coverage limits above minimum — increasing from 30/60/25 to 50/100/50 adds $20–$35/month to non-standard premiums, compared to $10–$15/month in the standard market.