Posted by Roger Harkins on Tue, Apr 29, 2008
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) estimated that 2,200 Texas residents who were affected by flooding from Tropical Storm Fay a handful of years ago who had flood insurance claimed close to $44 million in damages. Sadly, those residents who did not have flood insurance had to dig in their pockets for money to repair the damages, or file for emergency assistance funds, which they would eventually have to pay back. As flood season approaches the DFW Metroplex, Tri-Star Insurance in Plano is ready and waiting to talk about your property protection this year.
Although North Texas may not be as consistently threatened by tropical storms as residents closer to the Gulf, heavy rains that have been prevalent over the past few summers pose the same amount of danger by flooding to property that is close to a Texas lake or river. Just a few inches of water can bring thousands of dollars in restoration and repair costs. "I commend those Texas property owners who protect themselves by purchasing flood insurance," said Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administrator Anthony S. Lowe, who manages the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). "I strongly urge those who don't have a policy to buy one before the next flood," he added. "You can recover so much faster and more completely when you have flood insurance."
According to FEMA, everyone lives in a flood zone. There is no such thing as a home that cannot be flooded. Flood insurance protects you from the financial loss and devastation caused by flooding; federal disaster assistance funding, on the other hand, is normally a loan that you must pay back with interest. For homeowners with a significant amount of property and memories to protect, the option of federal disaster assistance is not a good substitute for insurance.
- Doesn’t my regular homeowner’s policy cover flooding?
One of the main reasons people get homeowners insurance, besides the requirement of insurance by their mortgage company, is for protection against a loss from fire. Texans, though, are far more likely to have flood damage than fire damage. Flood insurance is valuable coverage for your most important assets, your family home.
Most homeowners insurance does not cover floods. Flood insurance, like earthquake insurance, is designated as “single peril” insurance and is sold separately from homeowners insurance. Flood insurance protects against financial losses to homes and buildings and their contents, but not the land surrounding them. The coverage applies regardless to the nature of flooding, whether the flood is from heavy or prolonged rains, coastal storm surge, levee dam failure, blocked storm drainage systems, or other causes. To be considered a flood, the waters must cover at least two acres or affect at least two properties.
Flood insurance should cost the same wherever you purchase it, because the rates are set by the National Flood Insurance Program. As you work with the North Dallas-Plano-Frisco insurance agency of Tri-Star Insurance, you’ll gain not only peace of mind on the standard insurance coverage for your home, but you’ll learn of the value and need for affordable flood insurance as well. Start the process before the summer rains hit and call 214-387-0600 today!
Related Links
FEMA
How to Clean Flood Damage
Dallas Ft. Worth Restoration
Posted by John Coyle on Sun, Apr 20, 2008
If you live in Texas, you are certainly familiar with how much damage a hailstorm can do to your car. It only takes one hail stone to crack a windshield or ding your vehicle...and when it’s Texas hail, that windshield will be shattered and those dings are big ol’ dents! When the hail season hits, you need to be prepared for some damage. Repairing hail damage to your vehicles can be expensive and inconvenient. What’s worse, your auto insurance may not cover the repairs. Tri-Star Insurance provides all types of auto insurance coverage in the Metroplex area, including the comprehensive coverage you need to protect yourself from costly repairs caused by hail damage.
Your vehicle can be damaged from many sources other than a collision. Damages from forces of nature like flood, fire, wind and hail are covered by the addition of comprehensive insurance to your total auto coverage. Comprehensive insurance also protects you form losses due to theft, vandalism, falling glass and glass breakage.
Like your liability and collision coverage, comprehensive auto insurance has a deductible amount that you are responsible for before the insurance company pays out any money. Your deductible also affects the amount of your premium. Generally, the higher your deductible, the lower your premium will be. Your insurance agent can help you determine the most appropriate deductible amount for your situation.
When you carry your comprehensive insurance with an experienced insurance agency, filing a claim for hail damage, or any other damage, is easy. All you need to do is pick up the phone and call your agent. Depending on the amount of damage the vehicle has suffered, your insurance company may need an adjustor to come out and look the car over. It’s always a good idea to take photographs of the damage, just as a precautionary measure. The next step is usually getting an estimate for the cost of the repairs from a qualified body shop. Some insurance companies have a list of preferred shops that they like you to use, but you can generally choose the shop yourself and you can also choose not to have your vehicle repaired at all. Either way, you need an estimate from a legitimate repair shop on their company letterhead or invoice form.
- How Important is it to Have Comprehensive Insurance?
If you live in Texas, it’s a simple fact that you are going to have to deal with hailstorms – and probably more than one in a lifetime. Even if you keep all of your vehicles garaged at home and at work, you are still exposed to the weather nearly any other time, and certainly while you are driving. It is not just a good idea to have comprehensive auto insurance in Texas; it just might be the most cost-effective decision about car insurance you will ever make.
The friendly, professional agents at Tri-Star Insurance are happy to help you with your comprehensive auto insurance needs today. Call today at 214-387-0600.
Related Links
Donate a Car to Charity
My Honest Mechanic
The Auto Channel
Posted by John Coyle on Mon, Apr 07, 2008
Now that the perfect riding weather has arrived, it’s time to get your motorcycle out on the highway and enjoy the natural rugged landscape of Texas and the surrounding areas. You may be wondering if you should insure your motorcycle and if so, what kind of insurance you should consider. Also, there may be some doubt as to whether or not motorcycle insurance is even required in the state of Texas. You need someone you can trust to help you to make an informed decision, and Tri-Star Insurance in Plano is here to show you your Texas motorcycle insurance options. Enjoy the freedom of the road, knowing that you’re covered!
At Tri-Star Insurance, we believe that insuring your motorcycle is extremely important in that it’s not only the peace of mind you need should anything happen to your bike, but it’s a good investment to protect your assets in the event of a major occurrence.
Texas motorcyclists must have insurance to operate their bikes on public roads and highways. Without it, they not only risk being ticketed, but will be liable for any bodily injury or property damage if an accident occurs when they are at fault.
Let’s take a further look at two popular types of insurance for motorcycles.
COLLISION:
Collision insurance covers damage to your motorcycle in the unfortunate event of an accident. When you purchase collision insurance, your insurance company pays for damages, minus your deductible if you should ever collide with another vehicle or object. Collision insurance usually covers the book value of the motorcycle before the loss occurred.
LIABILITY:
It’s not something we like to discuss, but an even more ominous thought than damaging your bike is incurring or causing damage to someone else, and risking your assets against a lawsuit. Having motorcycle liability insurance is the security you need when it comes to coverage of bodily injury and property damage when you are at fault. As opposed to collision insurance, it doesn't cover you or your motorcycle. An important consideration is whether or not your motorcycle insurance plan will include guest passenger liability, which provides protection in the event that a passenger is injured on the cycle.
- Next, we’ve put together some valuable tips for bikers from motorcycle expert Kenneth Cheek:
- Keep Your Bike Secure: What can you do to keep your bike more secure? If you can garage your bike, alarm it, or secure it somehow while it is parked, you may be able to secure yourself some discounts on your insurance.
- Find a Plan That Is Right For You: Remember, if something happens to your motorcycle, you will only receive the market value so over insuring will not help you get a higher price for your bike.
- Tracking Your Mileage Saves Money: If you only ride your bike once in a while during the summer for pleasure, you should be able to get a better rate if you can keep your mileage low. Also, if you do not carry passengers, this can lower your rate as well.
- Special Motorcycle Training: Taking special DMV or other motorcycle classes can help decrease your rate. Just make sure you keep your certification documents handy in your records.
- Provide Honest Information: Falsifying information is not only unethical, but it may lead to your coverage being dropped or a claim not being processed. Be sure to stay above board when providing information about yourself and your bike!
Remember, don’t just depend on the cyclist or salesperson who sold you the motorcycle to give you the most accurate and up to date information about an insurance plan. Call today for a free quote from Tri-Star Insurance. We are standing on ready to provide friendly service, great quotes, and set you off on the highway ready to ride!
Related Links
Texas Department of Public Safety
Ride My Own
Harley Davidson
Posted by John Coyle on Thu, Apr 03, 2008
“He had his own construction business, but we just didn’t get around to buying life insurance.” Putting off the decision to buy life insurance could leave you in the same circumstances that it did Sandy after the unexpected loss of her husband, Don. To make sure that your life insurance needs are covered, call the insurance experts at Tri Star Insurance at 214-387-0600 today.
When Sandy B.’s husband died from an unexpected heart attack, her whole world felt like it was falling apart. At 52 years old, Sandy was suddenly a widow with no husband, no income and no life insurance. The funeral expenses alone were a lot more than Sandy had ever realized they could be. The bills started piling up immediately and to make a difficult time even worse, the credit card companies were starting to call in just days.
Sandy and her husband Don had worked hard to build Don’s plumbing business over the years into a family business that would offer a lifetime income and financial security for the family. Sandy had been a stay at home mom who did the bookwork for the business while Don provided the services that clients needed. The business was going strong, but Don had never gotten around to buying the insurance. He thought he had plenty of time to worry about that.
When he died unexpectedly, Sandy was left alone with three boys to raise and no life insurance to help settle the bills. “Before I knew it, we were so buried in debt, I was afraid I would lose everything.” Dealing with Don’s death was so much more difficult because Sandy had to face financial insecurity along with the loss of her beloved husband. Not only was their family income lost, but the safety net that Don would have wanted Sandy and their children to have just wasn’t there. In difficult times like the loss of a loved one, financial hardship makes things so much worse.
Having the right life insurance is one of the most important things you can do to keep your family protected in the event of an unexpected tragedy. The insurance experts at Tri Star Insurance can help you determine your best options to leave your loved ones protected from financial devastation in the event of your death. It is easy to put off discussing life insurance, but it is so important to take care of it now, before an unexpected tragedy happens to your family.
Don certainly never expected that he would leave his wife and children unprotected. He thought he would be around for years to live out the life he and Sandy had planned. Don’t let this happen to you and your loved ones. Call 214-387-0600 and talk to the insurance pros at Tri Star Insurance today to make sure that your family is protected -- no matter what happens in the future.
Related Links
Texas Funeral Service Commission
Texas Department of Insurance
Caring Connections