A couple of times a year I’m asked if it’s true Texans get free roadside assistance just for living in our glorious state. Usually the question comes from a client either because they saw it on Facebook or received an email which has been circulated (multiple times now). No, it’s not some fake news article and there really is an 800 number on the back of your Texas driver’s license stating it’s for Texas Roadside Assistance.
Imagine you’re riding in an autonomous or self-driving vehicle. The car is traveling 35 to 40 miles per hour and a pedestrian suddenly walks out in front of your vehicle. Complicating the issue there is a concrete barrier in the oncoming lane. Hitting the pedestrian may result in killing them while hitting the concrete barrier may result in the death of the vehicle passenger. What will the car do? Who will be liable?
What does a car insurance policy in Texas cover? That can vary from person to person. There is, however, one type of coverage every car insurance policy within Texas must have, and that is liability coverage. Over the next few weeks, we’ll take a look at the different types of coverage available on car policies in Texas, as well as, some discounts you should be aware of. We’ll first start with liability coverage.
The flooding that ravaged parts of Houston in April damaged 1,731 homes. Floods, such as Houston’s flood, affect much more than just homes, They impact businesses as well as cars and trucks. With that in mind, I thought we’d take a look at the impact flooding has on cars and answer the question, do you know what kind of car insurance coverage protects against a flooded vehicle.
What substances can contribute to a DUI in Texas and what is the impact on your car insurance? I wanted to raise these questions in light of an article written by AP journalist Michael Balsamo which appeared in the Dallas Morning News the other day. The article was about a young woman who was killed while riding in a friend’s car when they were struck by a driver who’d inhaled aerosol dust cleaner in order to get high.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) sent a letter to the head of Google’s self-driving car program on February 4th stating according to federal safety standards, a self-driving or autonomous vehicle’s software could be considered a “driver.” This announcement, along with a couple of other items that have come to light in the past few weeks provide an interesting perspective on autonomous vehicles and car insurance.
What factors should be used to determine a person’s car insurance rate? Factors such as their age and gender make sense. Even the type of car they drive, where the car is parked, and their driver classification (commuter, business use, or pleasure driver) should be factored into the rate determination. But should socio-economic factors, such as a person’s education or occupation be considered? What about a person’s marital status?
One of the questions the parents have asked is should they remove that son or daughter from their car insurance policy and require them to get their own insurance? While this action may lower the cost of car insurance for the parents, I usually don’t advise parents do this for three reasons; parental liability, denied claims, and expense.
When it comes to a Texas car insurance policy, everything other than liability coverage is considered optional coverage, however, most people don’t think that way. With that in mine, last week, I outlined four car insurance options worth considering (see https://wiseinsurancegroup.com/texas-car-insurance-options-part-1/). Here are four more that may be of interest to you.
Life is full of options, and the same is true of a Texas car insurance policy. Frankly, everything other than liability coverage is optional, however, insurance companies offer a number of options worth considering beyond uninsured motorist coverage, comprehensive and collision coverage, and medical coverage. Here are 4 options worth knowing about.
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