Killeen Insurance For Seniors to Lower Their Auto Insurance Costs

by Administrator 13. December 2012 05:37

There are many ways for older drivers to save significant dollars on their auto insurance. But, if you buy your policy online or over the phone there is a good chance that you won’t be told about them. Buying insurance through an independent insurance agent is no more expensive than buying a policy online or over the phone, but an independent agent will take the time to talk with you and uncover the discounts you qualify for as well as the discounts you can easily obtain. The following are a few tips you should keep in mind when thinking of acquiring a new Killeen Insurance policy.

1. If you are 50 or older check with your agent to see if you qualify for a mature driver’s discount. Most insurance companies give them, but not all do so automatically. In addition, different carriers may have an age other than 50 when the discount kicks in. The average mature driver discount is 5 to 10 percent, so that can be quite helpful.

2. Defensive Driving Course: These courses are given in a classroom setting or online. They are usually eight hours long and successful completion can earn you a discount of up to 10 percent for as long as three years. The cost is generally $10 to $30.

3. Folks who have retired and no longer commute to and from work often are eligible for a discount due to decreased mileage driven. The fewer miles driven, the lower the risk of having to file an insurance claim. The amount of the discount is determined by your state so check with your agent if you have retired.

4.  Multi-policy discount: When you place your homeowners or renters insurance with the same company that provides your automobile insurance you will usually get a discount, known as a multiple policy discount, on both policies. The discounts vary by insurance carrier, but it is certainly worthwhile to discuss with your insurance agent.

5. Military discounts are frequently available to consumers who are on active duty, have retired from the armed forces or are a member of the National Guard or Reserves. If this applies to you, ask your agent if you are entitled to a discount on your automobile policy.

6. Safe drivers who are accident free for a set period of time may qualify for a safe driver discount. Make sure to ask your agent about this potential money-saving discount.

7. PIP Discount: Some insurance companies offer a discount on Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage if a specified amount of miles driven each year is completed by a driver over a certain age.

While you can expect to see your rates fall when you are in your fifties they will start to rise when you hit your sixties. Getting every discount you can as soon as you can will help keep your rates manageable. Contact an agent at Shawn Camp Insurance today for more information.

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How to Increase Your Vehicle’s Fuel Efficiency Without Breaking the Bank

by Administrator 9. October 2012 11:23

With fuel prices hovering around the $3.50 a gallon mark, getting an extra 3 miles per gallon can really add up. There are plenty of websites that exhibit the fuel-saving  actions of a type of driver called the “hyper-miler.” These drivers have perfected the practice of getting every last mile out of their gas tanks. Unfortunately, some of these practices put the driver, and their car, at much more risk than the reward is worth. While we applaud the hyper-milers for their dedication, we must remind them that they might end up paying the savings that they make at the pump might in their next deductible.

Not all hyper-miling techniques are bad. In fact, there are five of them that make absolute sense. Doing these five things will keep your car in top shape so it delivers peak performance every day and will make you a safer and more fuel efficient driver.

-      Inflate tires properly

-      Get routine maintenance

-      Remove excess weight

-      Anticipate red lights

-      Accelerate slowly and evenly

By having properly inflated tires, you reduce the amount of friction that is generated by the rubber against the asphalt. According to Fueleconomy.gov you can increase your mileage by up to 3.3% simply by inflating your tires to the recommended PSI.

Keeping your car in good shape is the next best  way to save on fuel consumption. If you have a bad oxygen sensor, it could be zapping as much as 40% of your fuel efficiency. Of course, this isn’t the case with most cars, but by doing frequent oil changes and having a yearly tune-up you can save about 4% of your fuel costs over the duration of a year.

Removing the excess weight from your vehicle is also a good way to get better gas mileage. It takes more effort for a car to pull more weight. Reducing your car’s weight by 100 lbs can give you about 2% more fuel economy.

When your car is idling, it is wasting gas. Eliminating idle time at red lights can significantly improve your gas mileage for a couple of reasons. First, by anticipating the changing of the light you can begin to slow down much further away and coast to the light. This will consume less gas. Second, if you time it right, you can avoid making a full stop and conserve the momentum of the car. Accelerating from a dead stop is far less efficient than from a slow roll. 

Lastly, accelerating at a slow and even pace and maintaining a lower average speed can increase fuel efficiency by up to 20%. This eliminates excess fuel from being pumped into the pistons and being wasted.

Using these techniques will make you a more conscious driver. When you are focused on driving more steadily you become more aware of your surroundings and are less apt to end up in an accident that could have been avoided. Safe drivers get the lowest auto insurance rates across the board. So, by becoming more aware of your surroundings and taking better care of your car, you’ll be able to save money, not only at the pump, but on your monthly insurance bills as well! For more information on your Texas Auto Insurance policy, give us a call at Shawn Camp Insurance Agency today.

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5 Ways to Make Insurance Shopping Easier

by Administrator 20. August 2012 11:32

While insurance is one of the most important protections you can provide your family with, it's not exactly fun to shop for. When shopping for cars, gadgets, clothes, shoes and other retail items, you cast a hopeful eye to the future and look forward to a time when you get to use the item that you're shopping for; but when shopping for insurance you must consider the worst possible events that could occur and purchase protection against the financial damages they will cause, all the while hoping that they never come to pass.

If you want to make the process of shopping for insurance a little easier and faster, here are a few tips:

  • Have all your information. Depending on the type of insurance policy you’re shopping for, you may need varying types of information. For example, when shopping for home insurance you'll need to know the value of your contents, the rebuilding costs for your home and what kind of anti-theft and disaster response systems you have in place. When shopping for health insurance, you'll need to know your medications weight height and so on. Call your agent and ask what specific information you should have ready when you met with her. 
  • Know what you want to protect. When you apply for insurance the goal is to create financial protection against certain types of losses. If you don't know, however, what you want to protect then it will be difficult to get the appropriate coverage.
  • Have a budget. When designing an insurance policy, not only must you consider all the property you want to protect and the events you want to protect the property from, but also what you can afford to pay for the insurance. These two pieces of information go hand in hand.
  • Have an agent. Not only is it potentially dangerous to shop for insurance without an agent helping you understand the various coverage options, limits, and exclusions involved but it's also inefficient. Agents can quickly compare costs for equivalent policies and can design insurance coverage with as few gaps as you can afford.

We’re here to help you get the policy design that you and your family need most. When you're ready to start shopping for Killeen home, auto, or business insurance or to conduct a review of your current policies, give us a call at Shawn Camp Insurance today.

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Insurance and the Power of Being Mindful

by Administrator 20. March 2012 11:56

In a 2009 article in Psychology Today, mindfulness was described as the practice of being in the present moment. This means that instead of being distracted, thinking about the future, dwelling on the past, or allowing lots of noise in your head over everything but “the now,” when you are mindful you are fully invested in the current moment and what's happening during that tiny piece of time.

Mindfulness and Insurance

When you buy insurance, it's important that you allow yourself to be quiet and mindful. It’s understandable to feel anxious when working on final expense and legacy planning, when thinking about all the perils facing your home and vehicle, when imagining your future potential disabilities and contemplating all the liabilities and other negative aspects of life that make insurance necessary, but if you want to be properly insured and prepared for the future, you must allow yourself to be fully invested in the process of insurance planning rather than distracted and intimidated by what-ifs.

Mindful Insurance Planning

Instead of being cowed by the unknown, when insurance planning you focus on the known: the risks that any individual in your situation may actually face and the value of the property you want to protect. It’s really as simple as that—and knowing this will allow you to create a much more secure financial future.

Being frightened of a potential future event that has not yet come to pass, or being overwhelmed by the amount of data you must consider as you buy insurance will not help you purchase and amounts you need to protect your family and it won’t make it any easier to select the types of policies that offer you the kind of protections you’re looking for. Instead, it makes you feel powerless during what should be a very empowering process.

When you give yourself the space and permission to be mindful, you allow yourself to approach the task of buying insurance as practically and unemotionally as possible. This makes it easier to be deliberate and reasonable as you assess the practical risks you face each day and assign a dollar value to them, and then make relevant adjustments as you consider your budget and potential premiums.

Your insurance agent can be a big help in keeping your emotions on track and your approach to insurance planning practical. If you are ready to start searching for insurance policies that will protect your family, give us a call at (254) 547-2381 for a Killeen insurance quote.

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Can you only purchase rental car insurance from rental car companies?

by Administrator 4. October 2011 12:17

 

Occasionally you may feel as if your entire working life is defined by a single event each year—vacation. Taking a vacation is one way of reminding you of the reason for working so hard all year round, but you should plan in such a way that you get the most value for your money.

It’s simple to forget about rental car insurance when budgeting for your vacation. So if you don’t want to arrive home from your holiday with a car repair costs that competes with the cost of a holiday abroad, consider purchasing rental car insurance or at least finding out whether you already have adequate protection from other sources.

Will your current car policy cover it?

First things first, contact your insurance agent. They can tell you what coverages you have for rental cars on your current auto policy. You need to be sure to have something to protect yourself in the event of an accident, theft, and vandalism. This coverage should include protection for damage to the car, as well as also property damage and bodily injury.

Will your credit card cover it?

Secondly, check with your credit card company. Many credit cards offer special protections for their clients when they use the credit card to pay for their rental car fees, check if yours does. When you do, make sure to ask about any special restrictions in order to obtain the insurance coverage.

Will you be the only one driving?

Lastly, you need to make sure that the other drivers have the same coverages, because your personal insurance and credit card protection might not extend to other individuals who are not named on your credit card or auto insurance policy.

By managing the advantages offered by both your credit card and your auto insurance policy, you could avoid the expense of rental car insurance. But if there are any gaps in the coverages you get between the credit card and auto policy, make sure you try to fill it with the insurance offered by the rental car company. This way you can spend your vacation relaxing and enjoying yourself rather than fretting about possible damages and expenses.

Call us to talk about your car policy or get a free car insurance quote in Texas by calling (254) 547-2381.

 

 

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How can the Drive-Other-Car Endorsement help my small business?

by Administrator 4. September 2011 12:21

 

It can be challenging to deal with all of your different insurance policies and assets that you have between your business and personal life. From business insurance to home insurance, life insurance to auto insurance for your personal and business vehicles the perfect balance of personal and business coverage can be hard to manage. Although a lot of these complex insurance arrangements cannot be simplified, the one involving your business and personal car insurance can be.

When you buy a business auto policy to cover your company car you can choose the Drive-Other-Car endorsement to cover your driving activities with a personal vehicle rather than buying a separate policy for personal use. 

What is included in this endorsement?

The coverage provided under this endorsement is similar to that of conventional, personal auto insurance but only one bill payment is necessary—to your business auto policy. This makes paperwork easier for you and lessens the risk of one of your policies being interrupted due to nonpayment. The Drive-Other-Car endorsement can also be used to provide coverage to employees who are provided with a company car to take home.

The Drive-Other-Car endorsement can also provide bodily injury and property damage liability coverage as well as uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Whatever limits and deductibles you choose for the business auto insurance policy are extended to the endorsement.

Critical Factors to Consider

The Drive-Other-Car endorsement does not just cover you when you drive personal vehicles, it can also cover claims resulting from accidents that occur while you, or a covered employee, are driving a rental vehicle or a friend’s car. That helps to make this extremely flexible endorsement extremely comprehensive.

This endorsement can cover other drivers in the employee or business owner’s household too—but you must read your policy before you assume that this is the case. If your policy does cover household members then they will be protected whether driving a rental car, borrowed car or their own personal vehicle. However, this does not mean that they are covered under the business portion of your policy if they use your company vehicle.

In order to qualify for this endorsement, the business vehicle you use and insure must be owned by your business and not by you, a spouse or a member of your family. When looking for ways to buy insurance policies that protect you against financial risks and simplify your life, additional endorsements like the Drive-Other-Car endorsement are important and valuable tools to consider.

Contact us at (800) 212-2641 for a free company car insurance quote or visit our office.

 

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Protecting Your Car from Theft

by Administrator 4. August 2011 12:24

 

Your car is vulnerable to attack every day. Whether you are at the grocery store, the mall, or your neighborhood salon, someone could break into your vehicle and take whatever valuable possessions you have inside.

Many people make sure to lock their car doors and close their windows when they are out of their own neighborhood safe zone so they aren’t giving potential car thieves an open invitation to their stuff. But once they get home, to their tree-lined street filled with neighbors that they trust, all their safety activities go out the window. They leave their windows down enough to snake an arm through, leave doors unlocked and use their car like it’s another room of their home with expensive MP3 players, laptops, clothes and other items inside.

No matter where you live you should never take the safety of your surroundings for granted. Crime happens everywhere, and even the most secured and safe-seeming areas can play host to criminal activity.

Your vehicle is one of the most vulnerable places to store or leave valuable possessions and it is the last place you should leave unlocked at the mercy of vandals and thieves. No matter how safe you think it might be wherever you have it parked, you should always lock your car and remove any expensive items that don’t really need to be in the car. If you aren’t able to take out your valuables, you can always leave them in your trunk. While a super determined burglar could still break into your trunk, it’s not likely they will go to the trouble and risk when they don’t even know if there is anything worth stealing within it. If you leave items in view however, you can be sure that a passing thief will recognize the potential value and break in. Tinted windows can help reduce visibility from the outside at night, but rather than risk your possessions it is best just to remove them from the car and bring them into your home or work each time.

You never know when you could experience this kind of event. That’s why you bought Texas car insurance in the first place. But the more you do to prevent insurable events from occurring, the less expensive your premiums will be and the less stress you will have in replacing the valuable items you lose.

To learn more about Texas car insurance contact us at (800) 212-2641 or get a free car insurance quote.

 

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Pollution and the Company Car Policy

by Administrator 7. June 2011 12:24

Insurance companies have to regulate their liability in a practical manner. This is why there are suicide exclusions on life insurance policies, pre-existing condition exclusions in health insurance policies, and certain pollution exclusions in company car policies. But insurance companies can also offer unmatched coverage that protects you from certain hazards to your business—which is why there is also specific pollution coverages that you can add to your company car policy. Let’s explore the differences between the exclusions and the coverages.

The Pollution Exclusion
Your business car policy covers bodily injuries that your employees may sustain in a collision unless the injuries are a result of the release, seepage, dispersal or escape of pollutants from your company vehicle. In general, your employees should not be handling pollutants in any form unless you have the suitable coverage for this business activity. When you are handling and getting rid of pollutants in the proper manner, then obtaining coverage for these essential activities is easy and affordable. For most businesses, this is not an issue. Only select companies need to deal with waste and storage of pollutants. But it is crucial to understand what is considered a pollutant before you verify whether or not the exclusion will impact your business. Common items like paint, oil and industrial solvents may be considered pollutants so even something as simple as an office renovation could result in the transportation of pollutants.

Optional Pollution Coverage
There are periods when your company may need to be involved in the haulage and removal of pollutants. If you have pollutant coverage in your business auto policy and you are handling the pollutants in the proper way, when an incident takes place then your insurance company will usually not exclude the claim. When you are regularly involved in the disposal, storage or transportation of pollutants, this is coverage you should definitely have. Not only can it help you manage claims of injured parties and workers but it can also take care of any fines imposed by the government as a consequence of the accident and any ensuing spill of pollutants.

So before you decide whether or not to add pollution coverage to your company car policy or to accept the exclusion, try to evaluate the daily, weekly and monthly activities of your business to determine just how feasible that coverage would be for you—and just how risky it might be to go without.

Contact us at (800) 212-2641 for a free company car insurance quote or visit our office.

Waco Drivers: Get Your Car Insurance Now or Get Towed

by Administrator 18. May 2011 12:21

If you don't have insurance, your car will be impounded.


That's the message Waco Police want to get out to drivers. Starting June 1st, cops will tow uninsured vehicles. They are trying to make sure accidents don't leave innocent victims out in the cold.

Sergeant Patrick Swanton says the ordinance will benefit every driver. "If you or I are involved in an accident and it's not our fault then they're gonna be able to cover our medical bills and cover the cost of getting our vehicles fixed."

Swanton says some insurance is better than no insurance. "It may not cover the total cost of everything if you look at medical, and by the time you add all the cost of the vehicle. But some is better than nothing. "

Lorraine Kelly just relocated from Minnesota. She is already making sure her and her family are insured and safe. "We're driving all over the place and I've got my child in the car and I wouldn't want anything to happen to her."

Mark Baker, owner of Mark Baker Insurance says getting insurance could ultimately be easier and cheaper than dealing with a violation. "You're gonna have to pay the storage fee the towing service to tow it in. it's a lot cheaper to pay the $50 dollars a month than it is to run without it."

Baker also says even though it's hard times for many, they shouldn't put their insurance on the back burner. "I see a lot of things first thing that goes you know they're gonna take care of the family and rent and food and the car insurance is gonna be one of the things that get dropped."

For Lorraine, no amount of money is too much to keep her family safe. She just hopes others also feel the same. "People who can afford to go do other things like going out and drinking then I think they can afford insurance, it's safer for everybody."

Statewide, 20% of drivers do not have insurance. The Waco ordinance only requires liability insurance, but drivers are encouraged to add uninsured drivers to their policy.

(Source: KCENTV.com)

At Shawn Camp Insurance Agency, a family-owned-and-operated business since 1976, we pride ourselves on helping you protect your home, automobile and business by offering exceptional service, quality products and unparalleled customer support. Contact us at (800) 212-2641 for a free Waco auto insurance quote or visit our office.

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Texas Auto Insurance

by Administrator 21. April 2011 12:17

Auto Insurance

Why do you need auto insurance?
It's really all about protecting yourself financially.

  • If you're in an accident or your car is stolen, it costs money, often a lot of money, to fix or replace it.
  • If you or any passengers are injured in an accident, medical costs can be extremely expensive.
  • If you or your car is responsible for damage or injury to others, you may be sued for much more than you're worth.
  • Not only is having insurance a prudent financial decision, many states require you to have at least some coverage.

Questions to ask your agent
Your Independent Agent is an advocate for finding auto insurance that meets your specific needs. Here are a few things to consider as you prepare for the discussion:

  • How much can you afford to pay if you get in an accident? (To keep premiums low you may want to have a higher deductible and be willing to pay more for repairs.)
  • What is the insurance company's level of service and ability to pay claims?
  • What discounts are available? (Ask about good driver, multiple policy and student discounts.)
  • What's the procedure for filing and settling a claim? (Ask who to call and what happens after you file a claim.)

Texas

Texas is the second-largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States. The name, meaning "friends" or "allies" in Caddo, was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in East Texas. Located in the South Central United States, Texas is bordered by Mexico to the south, New Mexico to the west, Oklahoma to the north, Arkansas to the northeast, and Louisiana to the east. Texas has an area of 268,820 square miles, and a growing population of 25.1 million residents.

Due to its size and geologic features such as the Balcones Fault, Texas contains diverse landscapes that resemble both the American South and Southwest. Although Texas is popularly associated with the Southwestern deserts, less than 10% of the land area is desert. Most of the population centers are located in areas of former prairies, grasslands, forests, and the coastline. Traveling from east to west, one can observe terrain that ranges from coastal swamps and piney woods, to rolling plains and rugged hills, and finally the desert and mountains of the Big Bend.

At Shawn Camp Insurance Agency, a family-owned-and-operated business since 1976, we pride ourselves on helping you protect your home, automobile and business by offering exceptional service, quality products and unparalleled customer support. Contact us at (800) 212-2641 for a free Texas auto insurance quote or visit our office.

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