Carrier Non-Renewal After 4 Points in Texas: The 12-Month Rule

Texas carriers evaluate point accumulation on a 12-month rolling basis for underwriting decisions, separate from the state's 3-year DMV point record used for license suspension. Cross 4 points within any consecutive 12-month period and you trigger a mandatory underwriting review at your next renewal, even if your total DMV point count spans multiple years and your license remains valid. The Texas Department of Public Safety maintains points on your record for 3 years from the conviction date. A speeding ticket 15 mph over adds 2 points. An at-fault accident adds 2 points. Two speeding tickets within 12 months put you at 4 points in the carrier's rolling window, triggering non-renewal consideration regardless of whether your older violations still contribute to your total DMV count. Carriers use the shorter window because actuarial loss data shows clustering matters more than total count. Four points accumulated over 36 months signals different risk than 4 points in 12 months. The rolling window resets monthly — if your earliest violation in the 4-point cluster reaches 12 months old, you drop back below the threshold even though the DMV record still reflects all violations for the full 3-year period.

Your carrier receives conviction notices from the Texas Department of Public Safety within 30 to 45 days of your court date or deferred adjudication completion. The underwriting system flags your policy immediately when the new violation pushes your 12-month total to 4 or more points, but most carriers cannot cancel mid-term for point accumulation alone under current state DOI rules. You will receive a non-renewal notice 30 days before your renewal date if underwriting declines to offer a new term. The notice does not always specify point count as the reason — carriers often cite "underwriting guidelines" or "loss history" without detailing the threshold you crossed. If you request clarification in writing, the carrier must provide the specific underwriting criteria that triggered the decision. Some preferred carriers offer a step-down to their standard or non-standard subsidiary instead of outright non-renewal. State Farm may move you to State Farm Fire and Casualty. Progressive may shift you to a higher-tier product with the same parent company. These internal transfers avoid a coverage gap but typically carry rate increases of 40 to 70 percent compared to your previous preferred-tier premium.

The 12-month rolling window resets monthly as your oldest violation ages out of the calculation period. If you accumulated 4 points between March 2023 and February 2024, your count drops back to 2 points on the date your March 2023 violation reaches 12 months old — while the DMV record still shows all violations for the full 3-year lookback. Most drivers shop only after receiving a non-renewal notice, when they are already locked into the current policy term and competing carriers see the full 4-point count in your active window. If you track your own rolling count and request quotes 60 to 90 days before your renewal date, you can shop during the narrow window after your earliest violation has aged past 12 months but before your current carrier has issued renewal terms. Carriers do not automatically re-rate your policy when your rolling count drops below 4 points. You must request a formal underwriting review or shop competing quotes to capture the lower-tier placement. Preferred carriers that declined you at 4 points will quote you again once your rolling count drops to 2 points, often at rates 25 to 40 percent lower than non-standard market quotes written during your 4-point window.

Preferred carriers including State Farm, GEICO, and USAA typically decline new business at 4 points within 12 months but may retain existing policyholders by moving them to standard-tier products. Progressive and Nationwide write 4-point drivers through higher-rate tiers with surcharges of $60 to $110 per month above base rates for equivalent coverage. Non-standard carriers including Acceptance, Dairyland, and The General specialize in 4-point and higher-risk profiles. Monthly premiums for state minimum liability coverage in Texas typically range from $95 to $160 per month for a 4-point driver with no additional major violations. Full coverage with $500 comprehensive and collision deductibles runs $180 to $280 per month depending on vehicle value and county. Estimates based on available industry data; individual rates vary by driving history, vehicle, coverage selections, and location. Standard-tier products from preferred carriers often price competitively with non-standard market leaders once your rolling count drops below 4 points, making the re-shop timing decision worth $600 to $1,200 annually for most drivers.

Texas allows one defensive driving course dismissal every 12 months for eligible moving violations under Transportation Code 45.0511. Completing an approved course before your court date and submitting proof to the county clerk removes the conviction from your DMV record, preventing the associated points from ever appearing on your driving history. If you have already been convicted and points have posted to your record, defensive driving cannot remove them retroactively. The DMV does not offer point reduction programs for violations already adjudicated. Your only path to removing posted points is waiting for the 3-year expiry window measured from the original conviction date. Carriers do not automatically re-rate your policy when you complete defensive driving after conviction. The course dismissal prevents future points but does not trigger a mid-term rate review. You must request a formal re-underwriting review at your next renewal and provide documentation showing the dismissed conviction no longer appears on your MVR. Most carriers require 30 to 45 days notice before renewal to process the review and issue updated terms.

The Texas DPS maintains point violations on your MVR for 3 years from the conviction date. A speeding ticket convicted on March 15, 2023 remains visible to carriers until March 15, 2026, regardless of whether the points still count toward your suspension threshold or rolling underwriting window. Carriers apply surcharges on independent schedules that do not align with DMV point expiry. Most Texas carriers surcharge moving violations for 3 years from the conviction date, matching the DMV lookback period. Some non-standard carriers extend surcharges to 5 years for at-fault accidents or multiple violations, even after the DMV record has cleared. Your rate does not automatically drop when a violation reaches 3 years old. Carriers re-rate at renewal based on your MVR at the time renewal terms are calculated, typically 30 to 45 days before your policy expiration date. If your violation ages off the MVR between that calculation date and your actual renewal date, you must request a manual re-rate or wait until the following renewal cycle to capture the clean-record pricing.

Accumulating 4 points on your Texas driving record does not trigger an SR-22 filing requirement. Texas requires SR-22 only for specific violations including DUI, driving without insurance, failure to show proof of financial responsibility, or reinstatement after certain suspensions. If you accumulate 6 points within 3 years, the Texas DPS suspends your license and you must complete the reinstatement process before resuming legal driving. Reinstatement after a points-based suspension does not require SR-22 filing under current state rules unless your suspension also involved a lapse in insurance coverage or a separate violation that independently triggered the filing requirement. SR-22 filing adds $15 to $25 annually in carrier processing fees and typically increases your premium by 20 to 40 percent compared to equivalent non-SR-22 coverage, but the filing itself is not the primary cost driver — the underlying violation history that triggered the filing requirement determines your rate tier. Most 4-point drivers in Texas never interact with the SR-22 system and should not conflate point surcharges with SR-22 surcharges when evaluating quotes.