The Texas Legislature wrapped up their business earlier this year with 4 new laws all Texas drivers need to know about. The laws are intended to save lives and make our road ways safer for drivers and our kids. All of them went into effect on September 1.
Last week was National Fire Prevention Week. Most fire officials across north Texas and the nation focus on fire prevention for the entire month. A ceremony lead by The Hispanic Firefighters Association kicked off National Fire Prevention Week in Dallas to honor the 17 Texas firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty this year. Special recognition was given to remembering Kenny Harris who died fighting the fire in the West Fertilizer Company plant explosion and Stanley Wilson who was crushed fighting a condominium fire in Dallas.
Growing up, my dad would look at me and with his best imitation of W.C. Fields say, “Close but no cigar kid!” when I’d almost get the point but be just a little off on what I was saying. I was reminded of his doing that with my ongoing search for affordable health insurance through the federal exchange. I’m closer to the answers I’ve been seeking but I haven’t been awarded a cigar yet.
You’re driving your new car on LBJ freeway in Dallas, headed to D/FW Airport to catch a flight out of town. You smell smoke and notice people are looking at you funny and maybe even waving as they pass. Your car loses power but you’re able to locate a safe place to pull over. Your car’s on fire! You grab your cell phone, dial 911, and wait for the Dallas Fire Department to arrive.
I got a call from my realtor friend, John Brooks of JP and Associates, a couple of weekends ago. John was helping a young couple with their first home and they’d just received the inspection report. Everything about the home was perfect except for one thing: it was wired with aluminum wiring.
October 1 arrived on Tuesday, the first day to evaluate and enroll in one of the Affordable Care Act’s plans. The 17 States that have their own exchanges, along with the Federal exchange, were quickly swamped as millions of people attempted to get on and determine what the ACA meant to them personally.
The Texas State legislature passed the original Move Over law in 2003. It was designed to protect all law enforcement officers, emergency vehicles, and first responders from being struck by a driver when working on the side of a road or highway. The law requires any driver approaching a stopped emergency vehicle with lights activated to slow down or move over one lane.
The people affected by the recent Colorado floods have begun the process of rebuilding their lives as the water recedes from their homes, farms, and businesses. Many were stunned to learn their losses aren’t covered by their home owner’s policy and are wrestling with the financial implications of that news. Most people don’t know that no home insurance policy cover’s flood damage, only a flood policy does that.
There are 4 plans that will be offered under the Affordable Care Act. Enrollment will begin on Tuesday, October 1 however pricing was released on Wednesday, September 25. So this is a good time to compare pricing, especially if you’re self-employed or pay for an individual policy through Blue Cross, Aetna, etc.
The Texas Department of Insurance recently released a report detailing the number of people driving without coverage. The good news is the number of Texans driving without car insurance is still lower than it was a few years ago when it was over 20% of all Dallas drivers. The current figures show 1 in 6 people on Dallas roadways don’t have car insurance and this number is even higher than it was last year.
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