top of page

Auto Insurance

There are eight basic auto insurance coverages. You can choose whether to buy the others.

​

  1. Liability coverage pays to repair the other driver’s car if you caused the accident. It also pays the other driver’s and his or her passenger’s medical bills and some other expenses. Texas law requires you to have at least $30,000 of coverage for injuries per person, up to a total of $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 of coverage for property damage. This is called 30/60/25 coverage.

    Think about buying more liability coverage. The minimum liability limits might be too low if you cause a multi-vehicle accident or the other driver’s car is totaled. If you don’t have enough liability coverage to pay for the damages and injuries you cause, you might have to pay the rest out of your own pocket. The other driver could sue you.

  2. Collision coverage pays to repair or replace your car after an accident.

  3. Comprehensive (other than collision) coverage pays if your car is stolen or damaged by fire, flood, vandalism or something other than a collision.

  4. Medical payments coverage pays your and your passengers’ medical bills. It also pays if you’re hurt while riding in someone else’s car or while walking or biking.

  5. Personal injury protection (PIP) coverage is similar to medical payments coverage. It pays your and your passengers’ medical bills. But it also pays for things like lost wages and other nonmedical costs. All auto policies in Texas include PIP coverage. If you don’t want it, you must tell the company in writing.

  6. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage pays if you’re hit by someone who didn’t have insurance or didn’t have enough to pay your medical and car repair bills. It also pays if you’re in a hit-and-run accident. Insurance companies must offer you this coverage. If you don’t want it, you must tell the company in writing.

  7. Towing and labor coverage pays to tow your car if it can’t be driven. It also pays for labor to change a flat tire or jump-start your battery.

  8. Rental reimbursement coverage pays for you to rent a car if yours is stolen or being repaired after an accident. Some policies also pay for taxis or ride-hailing services.

If you would like more information on auto insurance, click here.

Home Insurance

Homeowners policies combine several types of coverage into one policy. Most homeowners policies in Texas include these six coverages:

​

  1. Dwelling coverage pays if your house is damaged or destroyed by something your policy covers.

  2. Personal property coverage pays if your furniture, clothing, and other things you own are stolen, damaged, or destroyed.

  3. Other structures coverage pays to repair structures on your property that aren’t attached to your house. This includes detached garages, storage sheds, and fences.

  4. Loss of use coverage pays your additional living expenses if you have to move while your house is being repaired to fix damages your policy covers. Additional living expenses include rent, food, and other costs you wouldn’t have if you were still in your home.

  5. Personal liability coverage pays medical bills, lost wages, and other costs for people that you’re legally responsible for injuring. It also pays if you’re responsible for damaging someone else’s property. It also pays your court costs if you’re sued because of an accident.

  6. Medical payments coverage pays the medical bills of people hurt on your property. It also pays for some injuries that happen away from your home – if your dog bites someone at the park, for instance.

If you would like more information on home insurance, click here.

Business / Commercial Insurance

Coverage options

​

There are three different levels of commercial property coverage. Each level protects against different causes of damage or loss.

​

  • Basic form policies provide the least coverage. They cover damage caused by fire, windstorms, hail, lightning, explosions, smoke, vandalism, sprinkler leakage, aircraft and vehicle collisions, riots and civil commotion, sinkholes, and volcanoes.

  • Broad form policies cover the causes of loss included in the basic form, as well as damage from leaking appliances, structural collapses, falling objects, and weight of ice, sleet, or snow.

  • Special form policies provide the most coverage. These policies cover damage from all causes of loss, except those specifically listed in the policy. These are called policy exclusions. Most policies exclude damages from floods, earth movement, war, nuclear disaster, wear and tear, and insects or vermin.

 

Replacement cost vs. actual cash value coverage

​

Commercial property policies provide either replacement cost coverage, actual cash value coverage, or a combination of both. To be fully protected, make sure your policy provides replacement cost coverage.

​

  • Replacement cost coverage pays to repair or replace your property at current costs. This means the policy will pay enough to rebuild your building and replace your property with new items, even if the cost is more than what you originally paid.

  • Actual cash value coverage pays replacement cost minus depreciation. Depreciation is a decrease in value because of wear and tear or age. If you have actual cash value coverage, the policy might not pay enough to fully rebuild your business.

bottom of page