Most people assume insurance works the same way everywhere, and that a policy is a policy. Then they move from Denton to the Atlanta suburbs, or buy a second home in north Georgia, and discover that the rules changed at the state line. We’re licensed in both states, and these are the differences we walk clients through most often.

Auto: the state minimums are different, and both are too low

Texas requires liability limits of 30/60/25. Georgia requires 25/50/25. In both states, those numbers keep you legal and do very little to protect you. One serious accident can exceed them many times over. If you read our post on the three numbers on your auto policy that matter more than your premium, the same logic applies in Georgia.

Medical coverage works differently

In Texas, Personal Injury Protection is included on your auto policy unless you reject it in writing. Georgia doesn’t have Personal Injury Protection. Instead, you can add Medical Payments coverage, which is optional. If you’re moving from Texas and have relied on Personal Injury Protection, make sure something replaces it.

Uninsured motorist coverage: a choice Georgia drivers should understand

Georgia offers two forms of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, commonly called “add-on” and “reduced-by.” Add-on coverage stacks on top of whatever the at-fault driver’s policy pays. Reduced-by coverage is offset by it. The premium difference is usually modest, and the difference at claim time can be tens of thousands of dollars. It’s one of the first things we check on a Georgia auto policy.

Diminished value

Georgia is known for recognizing diminished value claims, which cover the loss in your vehicle’s market value after an accident even once it’s been properly repaired. Texas handles this differently. It’s worth knowing about if you drive a newer vehicle in Georgia.

Home: different weather, same fine print

North Texas homeowners worry about hail. Georgia homeowners deal with tornadoes, falling trees, and tropical systems that reach much farther inland than people expect. Hurricane Helene in 2024 caused severe damage in Georgia communities hours from the coast. Depending on the carrier and location, Georgia policies may carry a separate wind/hail or named-storm deductible, often written as a percentage of your dwelling coverage, just as in Texas. And in both states, flood damage is excluded from standard home policies and requires separate coverage.

If you’re making the move

• Tell us your move date early. Your Texas auto policy needs to be rewritten in Georgia once you establish residency, and a coverage gap can cost you later.
• Don’t assume your current carrier is the best fit in your new state. Pricing and appetite vary a great deal by state.
• Review your umbrella policy. It needs to sit properly over your new underlying policies, and as we explain in why umbrella coverage isn’t just for the wealthy, it matters for more households than most people think.
• Keeping the Texas house as a rental? That requires a different type of policy than a homeowners form.

Because we’re an independent agency, we shop multiple carriers in both Texas and Georgia, and you keep the same agent on both sides of the move. Learn more on our Georgia home and auto insurance page, call us at 940-387-8281, or send us a message. We’ll make the transition a simple one.