Dagley Insurance Blog

It’s National Stamp Collecting Month! We know you’ve probably been counting down the days in anticipation. As your trusted Texas Insurance Agency, we have a responsibility to make sure our clients and their property are prepared in the case of any incident. Considering that more than 20 million people collect stamps in the United States, there are probably a few “philatelists” out there. For some it has gone beyond a hobby and has turned into an investment opportunity. For a point of reference, the Three-Skilling Yellow, a rare Swedish stamp sold for $2.3 million in 1996. In fact, there are countries that create stamps mostly for the purpose of selling them to collectors as an added stream of revenue. Wishing you knew more about philately now?

Alright, so most of you probably don’t have a Three-Skilling Yellow or an Inverted Jenny lying around the house; however, you may have a valuable collection of some sort. Most collectors assume that their rare valuables are covered in totality by their homeowner’s policy. Your homeowner’s policy will cover up to a certain amount of damage or theft in line with your deductible; however it’s not set up to cover large value specialty items.

This is where Inland Marine coverage comes into play. If you have a valuable collection of any kind, Inland Marine is something worth looking into. This goes above and beyond your homeowner’s insurance policy to cover high value personal items. Inland Marine coverage will apply whether an incident happens in your home or while traveling. Whether it is a stamp collection, antiques, jewelry, musical instruments or valuable equipment such as cameras or golf gear, we recommend getting Inland Marine coverage for specialty items with values exceeding $1000.

As your trusted Texas insurance agency, we must recommend that if you have a stamp that resembles the one above – look into inland marine coverage immediately and then call the Smithsonian!

Alright, so maybe there weren’t too many used cars in Sherlock Holmes’ day, but when it comes to making a wise decision in purchasing a  used vehicle, a bit of sleuthing is in order.

While finding the best auto insurance in Texas is vital for recovery in the event of an accident or  break in, what you do before you purchase a vehicle could not only save the lives of you and your passengers, but could also prevent  mechanical headaches down the road.

You may visually inspect the car, kick the tires and take it out for a spin, however do you know where it’s been? Researching a vehicle’s  past can tell you a lot about its future.

1. Was the vehicle a victim of theft?
2. Given a new identity after a serious accident?
3. Has someone tampered with or lowered the odometer reading?
4. Unfortunate bystander during a flood, suffering weather damage?
5. An unsavory past afflicted with recalls?

Before you say I do to the Vehicle-To-Be, a background check is advised. The best place to start is by dusting for fingerprints. Let’s clarify – the vehicle’s fingerprint – otherwise known as the VIN number. This fingerprint codes information such as the country where it was manufactured, to as detailed as the plant where the vehicle was assembled. This can be important if the vehicle has a history of recalls. Most importantly, once the VIN number is put into databases such as those at CarFax, AutoCheck.com, or www.vehiclehistory.gov, a wealth of information is easily at your fingertips.

Purchasing a reliable used vehicle is now elementary, my dear Watson.

For more information regarding ongoing protection of your vehicle, contact us for an auto insurance quote today!

When your son comes to you and says “Mom, I want to go into the Army”, what is your response? It’s one of those moments that as a parent is mixed with both fear and incredible pride. Our Customer Service Center Manager, Tracy Wiederkehr, found herself in this very position with her son, Gary Glenn.

Gary Glenn was a junior at Rosenberg High School when he decided that he wanted to join the military. Like most moms, Tracy had mixed emotions. This was her Gary Glenn. Her fun-loving son who loved to play football, golf, involved in FFA and if given the choice, could spend all of his free time at the lake fishing; the jokester who would sneak up on his Mom to scare the heck out of her and follow it up with hug. He was loving, kind and would give a stranger the shirt off his back. This was her Gary Glenn.

And so she asked him why? Gary Glenn’s answer left Tracy not only sure that he grasped the seriousness of his chosen career path, but also in awe of her son’s courage. He said, “Mom, I want to fight not only for my freedom, but for your freedom and for our country’s freedom.”  Gary Glenn was 17 years old at the time.

This past June, Gary Glenn graduated from Rosenberg High School and enlisted in the Army. He is currently at Boot Camp in Fort Benning, Georgia. He’ll be home in October for a short visit before being stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky in the Spring. He couldn’t be more proud to be a part of the 101^st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell with a one year deployment to Afghanistan in March.

Those of us at Dagley Insurance & Financial Services have witnessed the love and support that Tracy has given to her son and even while at the office, he is always on her mind. She proudly displays the picture of him in uniform on her desk and keeps all of us up-to-date on his training. And as she should be, it is obvious that she is more than proud of her son. Today we want to honor Gary Glenn, Tracy and their family along with the thousands of men and women who make this same sacrifice for our continued freedom on daily basis.

Remember the loving and generous part of Gary Glenn’s nature? It’s no surprise that he paid to fly Tracy and his 16 year-old brother, Sean, to Georgia to visit. Sean plans to follow in his brother’s footsteps of service and proudly serve in the National Guard. Tracy could not be more proud of Gary Glenn and the courageous path he has chosen.  When Tracy arrived in Georgia to visit her young son, she almost didn’t recognize the man that stepped up to hug her. Well, almost – afterall, he’s still her Gary Glenn.

Are you and your family, home and property prepared for a wildfire? Houston Area citizens in Grimes Montgomery and Waller Counties have been forced to evacuate as wildfires threaten their property with 100 homes consumed by the wildfires so far. While our hearts and prayers goes out to those in Central Texas where more than 1,300 homes have been lost in the Bastrop, TX wildfires with many still in the balance, Houston Area residents are also beginning to think about their own property and what they can do to protect it. At Dagley Insurance & Financial Services, we want to make sure our clients and fellow Texans’ property and families are prepared in the event of a wildfire threat.

The first rule of thumb, is to create at least a 30 feet “fire defensible space” around your property. In the event of a fire, this clearing will allow firefighters room to do their job, will stop the fire from spreading to your home or business and will give the structure the opportunity to survive a wildfire on its own if firefighting help is not available.

Here are a few tips to prepare your home and property for the threat of a wildfire:

1. Move combustible structures such as playground equipment, wood piles, garden trellises, patio furniture etc. away from your home or office building or into storage.
2. Clear dead foliage, weeds, tall grasses and brush
3. Prune trees ten feet up from the base of the trunk and limbs at least 10 feet from roof if possible
4. Remove vines from the sides of home or building
5. Irrigate before and cut the lawn keeping grass at maximum of two inches
6. Remove any debris from under decks or porches
7. Clean rain gutters of debris
8. Pay special attention to the vegetation around the driveway which is potential kindling for automobile exhaust systems
9. Keep your gas grill and propane tank at least 15 feet away from any structure.
10. Locate water sources and makes sure hoses are ready to go on all sides of your home or building

The Texas Forest Service also has a printable checklist for preparing your property in case of wildfire.

If you have any tips to pass on, please leave a comment!

Also, for more information about how you can join us in collecting supplies for the victims of the Texas wildfires and for our firefighters, please read this post for more information.