Internal prototype — noindexed, not linked from public navigation yet.

Tex. Insurance Code § 542.204

This is the official text of Tex. Insurance Code § 542.204, part of Texas’s Insurance Code — regulates insurance companies and the policies they sell.

Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.

§ 542.204. ACTION TO RECOVER DEDUCTIBLE.

Official statutory text

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code and except as provided by Subsection (b), if an insurer is liable to an insured for a claim that is subject to a deductible payable by the insured and a third party may be liable to the insurer or the insured for the amount of the deductible, the insurer shall:

(1) take action to recover the deductible against the third party not later than the first anniversary of the date the insured's claim is paid; or

(2) pay the amount of the deductible to the insured.

(b) An insurer is not required to take action or pay the amount of the deductible as required by Subsection (a) if, not later than the earlier of the first anniversary of the date the insured's claim is paid or the 90th day before the date the statute of limitations for a negligence action expires, the insurer:

(1) notifies the insured in writing that the insurer does not intend to take further collection actions against the third party; and

(2) authorizes the insured to take further collection actions.

(c) This section applies regardless of whether the third party who may be liable for the amount of the deductible is insured or uninsured.

Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site

Need a lawyer in Texas?

Find a Texas lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the Open US Law dataset (Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine (Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.