Auto Accident 101

Posted on by Jeri McShan

Coppell Residents: Knowing what to do if you are involved in an accident can save lives and also make the claims process easier.

  1. Stop your car and find out if anyone is injured.
  2. Call the police or highway patrol. Tell them how many people were hurt and the types of injuries. The police will notify the nearest medical unit.
  3. Cover injured people with a blanket to keep them warm.
  4. Try to protect the accident scene. Take reasonable steps to protect your car from further damage, such as setting up flares, getting the car off the road and calling a tow truck.
  5. Ask the investigating officer where you can obtain a copy of the police report. You will probably need it when you submit your claim to your insurance company.
  6. If necessary, have the car towed to a repair shop. But remember, your insurance company probably will want to have an adjuster inspect it and appraise the damage before you order repair work done.
  7. Make notes. Keep a pad and pencil in your glove compartment. Write down:
    1. the names and addresses of all drivers and passengers involved in the accident
    2. license plate numbers
    3. the make and model of each car
    4. driver’s license numbers
    5. insurance identifications
    6. the names and addresses of witnesses
    7. the names and badge numbers of police officers or other emergency personnel

If you run into an unattended vehicle or object, try to find the owner. If you can’t, leave a note containing your name, address and phone number. Record the details of the accident.

Kid Country 2012 Build Week Oct. 2-7

Posted on by Jeri McShan

Build week for Coppell’s new Kid Country 2012 is October 2-7. You can be a part of this exciting community project! Volunteers will construct the new playground under guidance from the Project Architects, and are needed for each of the 6 days of the build week to help with construction, tools, food, child care, etc. There are volunteer opportunities for anyone of any age, so be a part of it! Go to www.kidcountry2012.com to sign up or get more information.

Coppell National Night Out Oct. 2

Posted on by Jeri McShan

National Night Out in Coppell will be held Tuesday evening, Oct. 2, 2012. NNO is a night where neighbors get together for fun, with a goal of uniting as a neighborhood to take a stand against crime in the community. Check with your homeowners association about a block party in your neighborhood. Irving and Flower Mound will also participate in National Night Out on Oct. 2.

How Much Will Higher Deductibles Save me on My Monthly Premium in Coppell, TX?

Posted on by AgentInsure

Buying insurance, no matter what kind, can be a complex process and you’ll find yourself faced with several questions. Which type of coverage should I get? How much coverage do I need? How high of a deductible should I have? Let’s take a look at the last question, and see how much money you can save by choosing a policy with a higher deductible.

The first insurance policy, with no deductible, costs $700 a month. Multiply that by twelve months and you’ll pay out $8,400 in annual premiums. Since there’s no deductible, your total annual cost is $8,400 if you don’t ever use the policy. On the other hand, if you choose a high deductible insurance policy that has a $250 monthly premium, you’ll pay out $3000 during the year. If you are so lucky as to never need to use your policy, then you’re savings will be $450 a month, or $5,400 a year. Even if you do need to pay your deductible, you’re only paying $5000 for the year, which is a savings of $416 from the no deductible coverage. Imagine what you could do with an extra $416 each and every month!

Choosing a policy with higher deductibles is the easiest way to lower your insurance premiums significantly. However, you will need to be prepared to pay the deductible, should the unfortunate happen. An easy way to do this, without impacting your budget is to set aside the difference between your old, higher priced monthly payments and your new, less expensive ones. Put that $416 aside each month, and in just 5 months you’ll have a $2000 emergency fund to use for paying your deductible. Keep this money tucked away in a special savings account so that it’s always available.

To find the best high deductible insurance policy in Coppell, Texas, contact us today. We’ll help you find a policy that meets your needs, while saving you as much money as possible.

Will Comprehensive Coverage Pay for a Hit and Run Accident in Texas?

Posted on by AgentInsure

Do you know what to do if you are the victim of a hit and run driver in Coppell, Texas. If such an incident occurs while you are in your vehicle, you may be able to get the license plate of the vehicle that just hit you and kept on going. You can use that information when you make a call to the police and inform them of the accident. Your next step is to call your insurance agent and file a claim.

You might think that having comprehensive coverage would take care of the matter, but, you would be wrong. In Texas, and for that matter, in any other state, comprehensive insurance only covers physical damage other than collision. It covers such things as vandalism, a tree falling on your car or damage from hail.

If you have been involved in a hit and run accident such as someone backing into your parked car in a Coppell parking lot, you can still file a claim with your insurance company. Under Texas law, your Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage will pay for the damages up to the value of your car. There is an automatic deductible of $250 and you must report the accident to the police in a timely matter for this coverage to apply. While every insurer must offer Um/UIM, you can reject the coverage by signing a form saying that you elect to forego the coverage.

Your other insurance option is to try to collect the claim under your collision coverage. Collision applies any time one car hits another and causes damage. It can be a little tricky when a hit and run accident caused the damage because an insurance company always wants to identify the other driver so they may have an opportunity to recover any amount they pay out. However, if you report the claim promptly to the police and notify your insurance agent or insurance company, you should be able to collect for the repairs, less any deductible you may have.

Fall Maintenance for Your Home

Posted on by Jeri McShan

Here in Coppell, and all of Texas, we’re waiting patiently for fall to arrive. Here are some ways to prepare your home for cooler days ahead.

* Have your furnace cleaned and inspected annually by a qualified technician.

* Keep flammable materials, including all lawn and power equipment, away from water heaters.

* Insulate water pipes in areas exposed to cold temperatures, and turn up the thermostat during extra cold periods.

* Check for damage to your roof, and clean gutters and downspouts to keep debris from accumulating. This is especially important during the fall season to keep leaves from building up in gutters.

* Check and repair caulking around doors and windows that show signs of deterioration.

* Check caulking around showers, bathtubs, sinks and toilet bases; and make repairs as needed.

* Have your chimney cleaned and maintained annually by a professional.

* Clean and/or replace your furnace filter.

* Clean the clothes dryer exhaust duct and space under the dryer. Remove all lint, dust,  and pieces of material.

* Check your electrical outlets for potential fire hazards such as frayed wires or loose-fitting plugs. Be sure not to overload electrical outlets, fuse boxes, extension cords or any other power service.

* Keep a multi-purpose fire extinguisher accessible, filled and ready for operation.

* Inspect your smoke detectors. Make sure there is one on each floor of your home. Test them monthly, and change the battery annually or as needed.

 

Questions to Answer When Applying for Insurance

Posted on by AgentInsure

Applying for an insurance policy can be overwhelming! With over hundreds of independent insurance companies in Texas alone, finding the right policy means you’ve got your work cut out for you.

How can you know which questions to answer? How can you be sure to make the right choice? As an insurance agent, I’m always getting calls from people who sound as hesitant as someone trying to arrange his or her own brain surgery.

Applying for insurance doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here’s what you need to know when applying for an insurance policy of your own. Having this information available before making that call or stepping into an office will make the process a thousand times simpler—and stress-free.

1. First, you’ll need your personal information like social security number, name, date of birth, marital status… pretty much the same you’d put on a credit card application or any other form. Have your social security card and I.D. at hand when you apply for insurance.

2. You need to know the date you want your coverage to go into effect.

3. You’ll need health information about yourself and any family members who you want to be covered on your policy. Depending on the company, many years of your medical history may be required, so try to find out what information you’ll need before starting the application process. Check with your doctors to make sure the information you have is accurate.

4. The insurance company may want to know if you have a family history of cancer, heart disease, or other conditions. If you do, provide the name of the person in your family who had the condition, as well as any details you have about their condition. Many insurance companies charge higher premiums to those with a family history of health issues.

5. Finally, you’ll need information about any pre-existing conditions you have when you apply.

By having this information at hand when you begin the application process, you’ll speed up your own insurance application—and you’ll know the questions to answer. See? No stress. Definitely not brain surgery.

Can an Insurance Company Back Date an Auto Insurance Policy in Coppell, Texas?

Posted on by AgentInsure

No auto insurance company in Coppell, Texas can backdate a client’s auto insurance policy. Backdating an auto insurance policy means that the insurance agent will put a date on the client’s policy that is earlier then the date that the policy actually took effect.

The agent is attesting to the fact the client had insurance when they did not and this is illegal and considered insurance fraud. The reason that auto insurance policies cannot be back dated is because if there was an accident within the period the back dating took effect the company will have to pay. If there were extenuating circumstance the agent and their company could be in serious trouble. It does not matter if the client lives in Coppell, Texas or Timbuktu, back dating vehicle insurance is risky business, and no honest and upright insurance company would practice back dating.

If a driver cannot afford their premium when due, or just forgot to pay their premium, the insurance company can legally reinstate the policy, however the client will now have two payments due. This reinstatement must take place within a 30 day window of time. There cannot be any claims during this time. Many times the insurance company may make the client sign a waiver that there were no accidents during this time without automobile insurance.

If a driver is stopped by the police, and is found to be uninsured there is generally a large fine and it is possible that the person will have to go to jail. Some states have stiffer penalties such as suspension of registration and driver’s license. If one does have a lapse in insurance the driver could get a penalty for the time they drove without insurance.

What is the Process for Excluding Someone on Your Insurance Policy in Coppell, TX?

Posted on by AgentInsure

Occasionally, it may be necessary to exclude someone from your insurance policy. The reasons you may do this are numerous. The main reason you would do this is if you have a family member who has had a large number of crashes, or for whatever reason has a difficult time getting affordable car insurance. Simply by having them able to drive on your policy, you could find that your rates rise, making insurance a burden. Additionally, your insurance company may not want to allow you to have a driver who has a record of DUI’s or at-fault crashes on your policy.

Whatever the reason you have for excluding someone from your policy, it’s important to know the details behind it. When you go about this process, you will likely want to talk to your agent directly, instead of working with an automated system. For instance, if you lived in Coppell, Texas, you may want to go to your agency in town, instead of calling a toll-free number. The insurance process is complex at times and dealing with a real person will make this much easier.

Your agent will likely explain more about how excluding someone works. Basically, you will be providing this person’s name and information and then even if they are driving your car that is insured, it will be as if they were driving without insurance. Because of this, it is important to talk this over with the excluded individual and make sure they understand they are not covered any longer.

It’s unfortunate when it becomes necessary to exclude someone from your policy, but at times it can save you hundreds of dollars or may be the only way that you qualify for insurance at all. If you have further questions about the process, don’t hesitate to ask your local agent in Coppell, or even compare rates with other companies. You may be able to avoid the exclusion process if you find a more compatible insurance program.

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