Texas Car Insurance Deductibles, The Great High-Low Debate

Is it better to have a higher deductible or a lower deductible?

Well, that all depends on personal preference. A higher deductible means you will pay less overall for your insurance policy since you will pay more out of your own pocket when filing a claim. Contrariwise, a lower deductible means a higher overall cost for your insurance policy, since you’ll be paying less out of pocket when you file a claim.

So which is better for you? Factor in some of the following:

  • Do you live in an urban area where accidents are more common or more likely? If you think collisions are a fairly likely possibility, you might consider a low deductible, since there’s a higher likelihood of accident. You may be paying more for your insurance each month, but you’ll be paying much less out of pocket when that Texas Longhorns fan careens around the curb and bumps you.
  • Are you terribly accident-prone? Your opinion on risk determines a good deal of your decision on your deductible. If you have a pretty clean collision record and you’re a decently safe driver, your risk of accident is generally lower, so you can feel a smidge safer about a higher deductible. If an accident does occur, you’ll be paying more out of pocket, but you’re banking on the hope that your safe driving will lessen the chance of that happening.

And the most important part about your deductible? Keeping in touch with your Houston Texas Auto Insurance agent to actively discuss your policy. Your agent is there to customize your policy to fit YOUR lifestyle, so make sure you keep an open relationship with him or her!

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Armed Robbers on the Loose in San Antonio

San Antonio police report that more robberies in the area are occurring at local businesses. The perpetrators, two masked robbers were dressed up like teenage mutant ninja turtles according to witnesses. Police reported their latest attach was this morning at 2:30am at the Valero corner store in the 10400 block of I-35 North.

Using guns they managed to get away with a few hundred dollars and some cigarettes, but area police believe these are the same masked robbers that have been hitting businesses in the area for the past few weeks.

A security camera caught the crime taking place, which police hope will lead them to some evidence in the case. If you are a small business in this area having Texas commercial insurance should be a priority. You do not want damage done to you store that could leave you with hefty repair costs.

You can watch the KENS5 video from the last robbery here. Anyone with any information should contact the San Antonio Police Department at 210-207-7484.

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Texas Department of Insurance Homebuyers Resources

One of the best resources available for researching insurance rates and information is the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) website. One of the most useful parts of the site is a page dedicated to helping prospective and current homeowners research insurance companies while providing valuable financial and Texas homeowners lending statistics.

According to the website the Texas Department of Insurance lists five purposes for its existence (according to Texas Insurance Code 2251.001):

  • Promote the public welfare by regulating insurance rates to prohibit excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory rates
  • Promote the availability of insurance
  • Promote price competition among insurers to provide rates and premiums that are responsive to competitive market conditions
  • Prohibit price-fixing agreements and other anticompetitive behavior by insurers
  • Provide regulatory procedures for the maintenance of appropriate information reporting systems.

Texas homeowners insurance can be a complicated issue, so the TDI provides explanations of: How Regulation Works, Homeowners Loss Data, Homeowners Premium Data and even Recent Homeowner Rate Changes so you can follow the constantly changing rate changes from the top companies selling homeowners insurance.

Once the research is done, homeowners can start going forward with the home buying process. A future post will look at some of the of the TDI’s Homeowners & Residential Property Insurance resources including the Stormlink, consumer complaint information and a list of inspectors available to the people of Texas.

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