A thermoplastic polyester composition comprising, based on the total weight of the composition, a chlorine- and bromine-free combination of: (a) from 40 to 60 wt% of a polyester; (b) from 25 to 35 wt% of a reinforcing filler; (c) from 2 to 8 wt% of a flame retardant synergist selected from the group consisting of melamine polyphosphate, melamine cyanurate, melamine pyrophosphate, melamine phosphate, and combinations thereof; (d) from 5 to 15 wt% of a phosphorous flame retardant comprising: a phosphinate of formula [(R 1)(R 2) -O] - m M m+, a diphosphinate of formula [(O-POR 1)(R 3)(POR 2 -O)] 2- n M m+ x, and/or a polymer derived from the phosphinate of formula or the diphosphinate of the formula, wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently the same or different, and are H, linear or branched C 1 -C 6 alkyl, or C 6 -C 10 aryl; R 3 is C 1 -C 10, linear or branched alkylene, C 6 -C 10 arylene, C 7 -C 11 alkylarylene, or C 7 -C 11 arylalkylene; M is an alkaline earth metal, alkali metal, Al, Ti, Zn, Fe, or B; m is 1, 2, 3 or 4; n is 1, 2, or 3; and x is 1 or 2; (e) from more than 0 to less than 5 wt% of an impact modifier component comprising a poly(ether-ester) elastomer and a (meth)acrylate impact modifier; (f) from more than 0 to 5 wt% poly(tetrafluoroethylene) encapsulated by a styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer; and (g) from more than 0 to 2 wt% of a stabilizer, wherein the thermoplastic polyester composition contains less than 5 wt% of a polyetherimide. (a) from 40 to 60 wt% of a polyester; (b) from 25 to 35 wt% of a reinforcing filler; (c) from 2 to 8 wt% of a flame retardant synergist selected from the group consisting of melamine polyphosphate, melamine cyanurate, melamine pyrophosphate, melamine phosphate, and combinations thereof; (d) from 5 to 15 wt% of a phosphorous flame retardant comprising: a phosphinate of formula [(R 1)(R 2) -O] - m M m+, a diphosphinate of formula [(O-POR 1)(R 3)(POR 2 -O)] 2- n M m+ x, and/or a polymer derived from the phosphinate of formula or the diphosphinate of the formula, wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently the same or different, and are H, linear or branched C 1 -C 6 alkyl, or C 6 -C 10 aryl; R 3 is C 1 -C 10, linear or branched alkylene, C 6 -C 10 arylene, C 7 -C 11 alkylarylene, or C 7 -C 11 arylalkylene; M is an alkaline earth metal, alkali metal, Al, Ti, Zn, Fe, or B; m is 1, 2, 3 or 4; n is 1, 2, or 3; and x is 1 or 2; a phosphinate of formula [(R 1)(R 2) -O] - m M m+, a diphosphinate of formula [(O-POR 1)(R 3)(POR 2 -O)] 2- n M m+ x, and/or a polymer derived from the phosphinate of formula or the diphosphinate of the formula, wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently the same or different, and are H, linear or branched C 1 -C 6 alkyl, or C 6 -C 10 aryl; R 3 is C 1 -C 10, linear or branched alkylene, C 6 -C 10 arylene, C 7 -C 11 alkylarylene, or C 7 -C 11 arylalkylene; M is an alkaline earth metal, alkali metal, Al, Ti, Zn, Fe, or B; m is 1, 2, 3 or 4; n is 1, 2, or 3; and x is 1 or 2; (e) from more than 0 to less than 5 wt% of an impact modifier component comprising a poly(ether-ester) elastomer and a (meth)acrylate impact modifier; (f) from more than 0 to 5 wt% poly(tetrafluoroethylene) encapsulated by a styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer; and (g) from more than 0 to 2 wt% of a stabilizer, wherein the thermoplastic polyester composition contains less than 5 wt% of a polyetherimide.