Your Auto Is Like Home Away From Home

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Many people use their vehicles for more than just driving to work. They have to shuttle kids from one activity to another. While doing that, they’re eating a quick dinner, helping with homework, and asking about the school day. Their car has become part of their parenting, a tool where parents can reach out to their kids despite the busy schedule.

Why not double check your auto insurance? Make sure you have the coverage you need since you depend on your car for so much. Here in the Georgetown, TX area, we have representatives who are experienced with auto insurance. They’re ready to explain your policy’s details and research other options in case you feel the need to change policies. Contact us at StraightEdge Insurance Agency, and we’ll discuss your options with you.

Levels of Coverage

There are different levels of auto insurance coverage, and you may have forgotten which level of coverage your current policy represents. While getting a new car certainly brings this matter to your attention, that’s not the only situation that can affect your insurance. Here at StraightEdge Insurance Agency, we’ve encountered customers who had purchased a lower level of coverage long before. They just kept paying it without considering how their lives had changed. It may be that you could use more specific coverage that allows you to recover quickly from an unfortunate accident around the Georgetown, TX region.

You take the time to schedule and attend medical appointments, and this is similar to what we do for you. When you sit down with us and discuss your insurance needs, it’s like a check-up for your insurance. You’ll learn what great shape your policy is in, or where it needs special attention. Contact us for an insurance review.

What to Do Now that the Flood is Over

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The damage a flood can do to your Georgetown, TX home can be catastrophic. When a widespread area is affected by a natural disaster like a hurricane, it might be up to you to get your life back on track. The folks at StraightEdge Insurance Agency have this quick checklist to help you to decide what must be tackled first once the storm has passed.

File a Claim with both Your Flood Insurance and Your Home Insurance

When water has entered your home from a flood, there will be damage that is covered by your flood policy and other damage that may be picked up by your home insurance. The sooner you talk to an agent, the faster you can receive a check to help pay for the cleanup and repairs.

Find a Safe Place to Stay

Flood waters bring mildew, mold, and bacteria into your house. Protect the health of your family and head out to a friend’s home or rent a hotel room while the damage is removed.  

Rent a Dumpster and Start Throwing Out the Damage

Once the water recedes from your home, the battle is on to prevent mold and disease from taking over the house. Any carpeting, upholstered furniture, and drywall that was submerged should be thrown out. Wood flooring and trim may also need to be tossed. Clothing and toys may be able to be cleaned using hot water and bleach.

Have Your HVAC and Appliances Inspected before Turning them On

Water can corrode the wires and seals on electronics, stoves, fridges, and air conditioning systems. Mold could grow in ducting if it were flooded. They might need to go to the dumpster, too.

Remember, in dire times, your Georgetown, TX agents at StraightEdge Insurance Agency are here to help you navigate the stormy waters of recovery after catastrophic damage to your home. Give us a call today and ask about how flood insurance can better protect you.

 

Starting a Home Child Care Business or Preschool

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It’s a common play to add to the household finance for a home-bound partner to think about starting a child care business. After all, moms have a natural experience and knowledge of toddler care, especially if they already raised multiple kids of their own through the first five years. In some cases, some Austin, TX moms are teachers and miss the classroom feel, which the child care business or home preschool replaces to some extent. Either way, however, doing so changes the nature of the home as well as the risk covered by a homeowner insurance policy on the property. 

Remember, consumer insurance assumes the client is acting as a private party, not a business. So, it’s necessary for the homeowner to review a home policy and change it accordingly for the new business about to be started.

Aside from making sure the coverage still applies, it’s also good protection. Many liabilities and risks associated with child care or preschool business are not covered at all by a homeowners insurance policy. And that means the homeowner is entirely exposed to liability as well as losses if sued for injury and damages associated with the business and child’s welfare. 

Further, many jurisdictions have very specific requirements for child care programs and preschools, including insurance and bond requirements specific to a commercial entity. A private homeowners policy is not going to meet these requirements in any fashion.

If you’re in Austin, TX and thinking about using your home to launch a new early child care business, give the folks at StraightEdge Insurance Agency a call first. They will be more than willing to go over your current policy and explain where it won’t meet your business needs. Then they can show you what’s available and how to fit into your coverage package to protect your new venture. Email or call, StraightEdge Insurance Agency can help you get started right!

3 Ways Umbrella Insurance Protects Your Interests

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If you own a business, home, boat or auto, umbrella insurance can provide valuable coverage that can protect your assets. A comprehensive umbrella insurance policy from StraightEdge Insurance Agency can give you extra liability protection against accidents that may occur at home, on your business property or when traveling in your boat or car. Here are a few ways umbrella insurance can protect your interests.

Saves You from Paying Liability Claims Out of Pocket 

Accidents can happen at any time without warning, leaving you financially responsible for the damages. Umbrella insurance protects you against liability claims where injuries or damages exceed your current liability coverage. Once the liability limits of your home, boat or auto policies are exhausted, umbrella coverage pays for remaining liability costs. Serious accidents could cost tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of damages. With umbrella insurance, you don’t have to dip into retirement funds or savings to pay these damages out of pocket.    

Protects You Against Lawsuits

If your negligence at home or on the road causes someone to have a serious accident, you could be sued for damages. Umbrella insurance protects you against lawsuits by covering the cost of a settlement. It also pays your legal expenses so these funds don’t have to come from your own pocket.

Safeguards Financial Assets

If you have substantial financial assets or own a thriving enterprise in Austin or Georgetown, TX, you can benefit from umbrella coverage. With umbrella insurance, you don’t have to worry about unforeseen liability claims depleting your financial assets. You can’t predict when accidents will occur but you can be prepared with insurance protection that covers the unexpected.   

For more information about personal or commercial umbrella insurance and the protection it has to offer, contact us at StraightEdge Insurance Agency in Georgetown, TX.

When The Rubber Hits The Road: Age Specific Milestones And Your Auto Insurance Policy

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Blow Out The Candles

Most of us can remember when we first got behind the wheel of a car. Depending upon your enthusiasm and zest for driving, you may have been more hesitant. It’s great to know that Texas leans on the side of caution when it comes to putting brand new licensed drivers on the road.

Here Is The Rule That Matters In Texas

In Texas, we like everything big. At StraightEdge Insurance Agency in Georgetown, TX, we give you all of your automobile insurance information straight – no chaser. Individuals under the age of 18 must have a valid learner’s license or minor restricted DMV license for six months prior to obtaining a provisional class A, B, or C drivers license. 

 A provisional drivers license means that for the first 12 months of driving you must be accompanied by a licensed parent or other licensed individuals who are over the age of 25 if you have passengers under the age of 20 for one year. For youngsters, it is a restriction that may seem rather cumbersome. It appears that Texas made these particular rules because it wanted to ensure that all of the residents stay as safe as possible. Practice makes perfect. These rules in Texas allow for better supervised and regulated driving before one is trusted on the open road alone.

Whoa There Nelly

Individuals who do not want to wait for their 18th birthday can start drivers education as early as 14 years of age. However, you cannot be issued a learners permit until you are 15 years of age. For more information about automobile insurance, please call or come by our office. Contact our agents at StraightEdge Insurance Agency in Georgetown, TX .

 

 

 

Does Flood Insurance Cover Damage to Contents?

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When dealing with a flood there is much more to consider than simply cleaning up the water. There are floors, walls, furniture, and other possessions to keep in mind and knowing how to proceed is important. You should take the time to make sure you are looking at what your flood policy coverage and if it includes the contents of your home as well. For those in the Austin, TX area, the agents with StraightEdge Insurance Agency can help you to find the perfect flood policy.

For the most part, flood insurance works to cover the cost of repairing the home and cleaning up the water and water damage after a flood. In many cases, if you have damage to possessions as a result of a flood, you are going to need a flood policy to take care of replacing and repairing the damage. It is crucial that you have a flood policy in place as your standard insurance is likely not going to cover the cost of replacing items damaged as a result of a flood. The majority of flood policies are going to have coverage for things like mold mitigation, water clean up, replacing floors, and walls that were damaged by the flood, and replacing contents of the home that were destroyed by a flood.

It is always important to know just what your insurance policies cover and that is especially true for specialty policies like flood insurance. Since flood insurance is a policy that is not necessarily required, you are not going to have as cut and dry of an answer when it comes to what is covered. Taking the time to look at your policy and see what it includes is the best way to know what you’re going to be able to replace with a flood policy. For those in the Austin, TX area, the agents with StraightEdge Insurance Agency can help. Contact our offices to speak with an agent and get a quote.

Home insurance coverage options in Texas

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We know how important a home is for many Texans. It is what we depend on to keep our loved ones and us safe. At StraightEdge Insurance Agency, we know that your home is one of the most important investment and we can help you keep your finances protected through home insurance.

Although home insurance is not a legal requirement in Texas, many mortgage companies request it to be part of the finance agreements with homeowners. Home insurance covers the following:

Personal property coverage

This coverage covers all your contents including clothes, shoes, personal effects, and personal documents. It also includes your furniture, appliances, electronics, or any other personal item. Some personal items like money, jewelry, or firearms are covered under different insurance policies.

Physical structure

The whole house structure including the walls, floor, and the roof is covered under the home insurance policy.

Other structures

Other structures that may not be inside your home but are part of the house are also covered. Such compositions include the fence, the stand-alone garage, and the shed.

Liability coverage

When someone is accidentally injured on your property or your neighbors’ property is destroyed by your children while playing, liability coverage helps you pay for all the costs incurred and any reasonable medical fees.

Loss of use or additional living expenses coverage

This covers living expenses including transport, food, temporary shelter, and any other basic need in case of a fire or house damage that makes your home unlivable.

Feel safe and secure in your own home and leave the insurance part to us. Find the solution to all your insurance needs from StraightEdge Insurance Agency conveniently located in Georgetown, TX today. Visit or call us to get a quote or to discuss new policies.

What is umbrella insurance?

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Imagine yourself outdoors on a rainy day without an umbrella. At a minimum, you will get wet and need to retreat indoors for warmth. At a maximum, you will get soaked and have to take days off from work to recover from illness related to your negligence. Now, apply the scenario to an unexpected event such as fire or inclement weather destroying your possessions while you have insurance coverage that does not pay for everything that you’ve lost in Georgetown, TX, and now you have a financial dilemma on your hands.

It is during those times of under-coverage that you wish you had additional funds to help you pay for what your standard indemnity policy did not fund. Umbrella insurance offered by StraightEdge Insurance Agency may be your saving grace. 

What is umbrella insurance?

As the term implies, umbrella insurance is extra indemnity coverage that pays for the items that your standard assurance plan does not cover. Perhaps your auto insurance only covers $15,000 worth of damage, but your at-fault accident exceeds $20,000 in costs. Your umbrella insurance policy will pay the difference so that you do not have to sell your possessions to remain debt-free. 

Umbrella insurance is not just for automobiles. There are also policies that cover homeowners as well as boaters. This type of added protection may especially be handy during the winter season when high winds rip through Georgetown, TX and destroy parts of your residence. Wouldn’t it be nice to have full confidence that home repairs won’t set you back by thousands this year?

How much coverage is needed?

The amount of umbrella insurance coverage depends on the object being insured as well as personal preferences regarding financial limits. StraightEdge Insurance Agency can help you sort out the details of your umbrella indemnity plan. Call today for a quote!

Getting another driver on your auto policy

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If someone is going to be driving your car regularly, such as if you let your teenager drive it, if you share the car with a friend, or if both you and your wife drive it regularly, then you will want to make sure that you are both covered on your insurance policy. When you call StraightEdge Insurance Agency, you’ll find that it’s not difficult at all to get another driver added to your policy so that you and the other driver can safely navigate the streets of Austin, TX.

To answer a few fundamental questions: Yes, this will cause your rates to go up. However, it’s generally going to be cheaper than buying a whole new policy on a whole new car. Yes, their record will affect the rates. A safe driver is a safe driver, and a dangerous driver is a dangerous driver, whether or not they’re the primary driver of the vehicle. And yes, you can add non-family members to your policy. It’s not really any more difficult than calling StraightEdge Insurance Agency to have a family member added to the policy.

Finally, you may be wondering if it’s worth the effort and cost to have another driver added to your policy, and that comes down to how regularly you’re lending your car out. If you let your cousin drive the car maybe twice a year, then having them covered on your policy might not be necessary, as they will be covered under "permissive use." If everyone in your Austin, TX home drives the car on a semi-regular basis, then having the whole family added to the policy is not a bad idea.

Contact our offices to speak with an agent and have your questions answered. We can work with you to get you the policy you need.

Why Do I Need Flood Insurance Yet I have My Homeowners Insurance?

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We all know that some states and areas are prone to flooding, but what you should keep in mind is that flooding can happen anywhere anytime. Flooding is caused by numerous conditions such as hurricanes, heavy rains, spring thaws, and prompt accumulation of rains. Based on research, floods are the main natural disasters in the United States. It only takes few inches of water for major damage to happen to your home. The question is: are you prepared for this? Apart from taking a family emergency plan and securing your home’s drainage system, being prepared for floods means taking up the right insurance plan. This post outlines the need for flood insurance for your home and possessions.

Limited coverage from homeowners insurance plan

A standard homeowner’s insurance plan does not cover flood damage. Since floods can occur anywhere at any time, you should contemplate on buying a National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policy. NFIP policies are sold through insurance agents or insurance companies like StraightEdge Insurance Agency.

Very few understand the need of having a separate flood policy. There is always a mutual misunderstanding that homeowner’s insurance policy covers flood impairment, but the truth is: it doesn’t.

When do you need flood insurance policy?

If you are a resident of the Austin area or Georgetown, TX, it vital for you to get a flood insurance policy, especially if you already have a mortgage from a federal or insured lender. Your lender is mandated to ask you to get this policy if they feel that you’re living in a high-risk area. However, this may not be the case for those who live in areas that aren’t prone to floods.

Do you need flood insurance? The key is to get your policy from a reliable insurer in Georgetown, TX. Contact StraightEdge Insurance Agency for more information.