What Factors Are Considered in Home Insurance Premiums?

Although most states require that drivers have auto insurance, not all states require that a homeowner has homeowners insurance. However, by not having your home protected, you can be wasting thousands of dollars. Depending on where you live, your home can be at risk of fires, storms, hail, and other unexpected causes. And in this day and age, the weather and storm patterns are more unpredictable than ever.

Have you ever wondered what factors are considered when it comes to the price of home insurance premiums? See below for the possible causes:

Insurance History

If you have a past that includes numerous homeowner insurance claims, you could be due for a higher premium. 

Life Choices

Even instances of being a smoker can affect your home insurance premiums. Your background and credit report might also be a culprit to high policy prices.

Area of Residence

Your location is one the top factors when it comes to homeowners insurance premiums. For instance, if you live in a high flood danger area, you’re home is more likely to be involved in a flood, which will drive up the premiums. Other causes such as hurricanes, violent storms, and fires are all factors that are considered.

Structure and Home Features

The characteristics of your home provide a good indicator of the premium of your policy. Older homes and weak structures tend to have higher policy prices. If you live in a new home, you can reap the benefits of a cheaper premium. 

Stay Protected with Homeowners Insurance

Having homeowners insurance is very important for the protection of your home. Nowadays, you never know what can happen in the world. Crazy hurricanes, extreme floods, and nasty wildfires happen year after year. And if you don’t have home insurance to protect you and your belongings, you could find yourself going through financial hardship in a tough situation. 

If you need insurance solutions in Ft. Worth, TX, reach out to Main Street Independent Insurance today. We have a long history of providing outstanding insurance solutions. We’ve worked hard to be a well-known insurance provider in Ft. Worth, TX. Call Main Street Independent Insurance now for more information!

Factors to Consider When Getting Auto Insurance

One of the most significant assets that most people own is their car. For those that are in the Ft. Worth, TX area, having a good insurance policy in place is very important. But several factors should be considered when getting a new insurance policy.  

Minimum Requirements

When you are looking to build a new auto insurance policy, the first factor that you should consider is what the minimum requirements are for coverage. Similar to other states, Texas requires that all drivers carry minimum levels of liability insurance coverage. The State of Texas requires all drivers to comply with the 30/60/25 coverage law. This means that you will be required to carry liability bodily injury coverage of $30,000 per person and $60,000 per incident plus property damage of $25,000 per accident. 

Collision and Comprehensive

As you are looking for a new auto insurance policy, you will also need to consider whether you should get collision and comprehensive insurance coverage. Collision insurance coverage will provide you with coverage to your vehicle in the event you are found at fault in an accident or if the other driver that is at fault does not have coverage.  

Comprehensive coverage will provide you with a wide range of coverage types including coverage if your car is stolen, vandalized, damaged due to weather, or if you are involved in an accident with an animal. Both collision and comprehensive coverage are typically required by auto lenders and it would be a good idea if you cannot afford to replace your vehicle.  

When looking for a new auto insurance policy in the Ft. Worth, TX area, reaching out to Main Street Independent Insurance would be beneficial. Main Street Independent Insurance is a leading consumer insurance agency and can help get you into a policy that provides you with the necessary coverage. Reach out to our agents for more information.

Does A Commercial Policy Cover Work Vehicles In Texas?

A question that many Texas and Colorado businesses ask when they call Main Street Independent Insurance in Ft. Worth, TX, "Does commercial insurance cover the autos used in the line of duty?" Short answer: No, Commercial auto insurance does.

The difference between commercial insurance and commercial auto

The slightly longer answer is that this is generally going to be all part of the same package. It’s possible to buy your commercial insurance from one group and your commercial auto insurance from another, but you’ll probably save yourself some time and effort and have one less bill to keep track of each month if you buy both through the same provider.

Before you ask: Commercial auto insurance isn’t enough. Even if you do your work exclusively on the road, driving a truck, running a delivery service, or being a form of transportation, you’re probably going to need commercial insurance in addition to your commercial auto insurance. If someone slips and falls at your home, and they can prove that you have a home office for your business, then you’ve got a commercial insurance case on your hands, not a commercial auto insurance case. If you run a business, you need a commercial insurance policy. If your business involves driving, then you need a commercial insurance policy and a commercial auto insurance policy.

If there’s anything else you need to know, or you’re ready to get covered, give Main Street Independent Insurance a call and see what we can do for you. You can’t run a business without getting some coverage to keep you safe out there, whether or not you’re on the road. So stay safe and stay covered.

Things To Do at Home Before it Gets Cold Outside

While it may not always get cold in Ft. Worth, TX, you want to be ready for it in case it does happen. The winter can be unpredictable in this area, so using these tips from Main Street Independent Insurance can help you ensure your home is ready for the first cold snap and beyond this winter season.

  • Drain your irrigation system. If you have an irrigation system set up for your lawn, before it gets too cold, you want to make sure that the pipes are drained. This is because if the pipes under your lawn freeze during the winter, you will have a huge problem when they finally thaw. Have a professional come out to help you with this task to ensure it is done the right way. 
  • Get your heater checked. If you have a heating system, then you do not want to find out that something is wrong with it when you do need it this winter. Have a professional come out to inspect it and ensure it is ready for the cold. 
  • Prep your external pipes. If you have any piping that is exposed to the outdoors, you will want to prep them now by putting some covers over them to help keep them warm. 

Even though it is just getting cold, getting a head start on some of these tasks will go a long way. In addition to completing this list for your home, you also want to have a great home insurance policy for your home to protect you from the things you can’t predict. Contact Main Street Independent Insurance serving Ft. Worth, TX, to help you find the best policy for your needs and your budget today. 

The Importance of Taking Photos After a Car Accident

At Main Street Independent Insurance, serving the Ft. Worth, TX area, we highly recommend that you take photographs after a car accident. However, you may not understand why this is recommended. Here are a few of the reasons why we recommend you take photos immediately after a car accident. 

Helps Show the Damage Done

Following a car accident, some people claim more damage was done to their car than what was really done. When you take photographs of both your car and the other car, you are able to document the exact condition of both cars. This helps to ensure you are not required to pay for damage that is not there or could not have been caused by your accident. 

Can Show the Reason for the Accident

In some cases, there are extenuating circumstances that caused the accident. The road may be icy, in poor condition, or trees may have been blocking a stop sign. After a car accident, be sure to take pictures to document exactly what caused the accident and why it may not have been your fault. 

May Help Prove Fault

The last reason you should take photographs of the accident scene is that it may help to prove fault. In some cases, it comes down to your word against the other drivers if there is no proof of who was at fault. But pictures may show who was at fault based on the final position of the cars. Taking photos may help you to prove that you were not at fault. 

Following a car accident, your current insurance company may try to raise your auto insurance rates. If they do, take the time to shop around. Here at Main Street Independent Insurance, serving the Ft. Worth, TX area, we are committed to providing reliable insurance for all drivers. Call us today for a quote or try our online rating tool.

What is covered by a commercial insurance policy?

Owning a business requires you to plan and invest wisely. It also requires you to know the things that may affect your business beforehand so you can protect it against the risks. For example, every business has employees and competitors, and with that, you never know what may happen tomorrow. You might wake up one morning to find out you are being sued.

A commercial insurance policy helps to protect your business against any unforeseen risks. It helps you protect your business assets which include your employees and your business property among more. However, understanding insurance terms can be complicated if you are not in the insurance business. So, below is some of the most common commercial insurance coverage options from Main Street Independent Insurance Agencies Inc. in Ft. Worth, TX to help you understand more about insuring your business.

Property Insurance

Property insurance coverage protects your business property against unforeseen risks. It covers damages to your business building as well as any furniture and inventory inside it. The loss of property may be due to theft or a disaster such as fire or a storm.

General Liability Insurance

In the course of business, you may cause injury to a visitor or an employee who may sue you. Also, you may get sued for defamation, advertising injury, or slander, and in any of the cases, you will have to hire lawyers to defend you in a court of law. With a liability insurance, all the expenses may be covered by your insurance policy.

Errors and Omissions Insurance

Errors and Omissions policies cover for any mistake you may have made either through omission or as an error which caused harm to a third party. It is mainly for companies who are service based.

Worker’s compensation Policy

This policy covers any medical expenses in a situation where an employee gets injured in their place of work.

With the above coverage options, you can choose the policies you want. We provide coverage for businesses throughout Texas and Colorado. For further information, feel free to contact us at Main Street Independent Insurance Agencies Inc. in Ft. Worth, TX.

Types Of Assets Protected Under Home Insurance.

Home insurance plans may vary on what they will cover, but they will always take care of the basics. You may find that some of your property may or may not be covered depending on the terms of your home insurance policy. If you are looking for a reliable insurance plan with a broad spectrum of coverage options in Texas or Colorado, consult with Main Street Independent Insurance Agencies Inc. in Ft. Worth, TX.

Damage To Your House

Protecting the structure of your home in the event of harm is the primary goal of any home insurance. Disasters like tornados, hurricanes, fires, and more can occur, and home insurance will cover the damages. Floods, earthquakes, and neglect of property do not count in most home insurance policies. Typically you will want to take out just enough coverage to rebuild your house in the event of complete destruction.

Detached Structures

Many policies will also allow you to add your garage, carport, gazebos, tool sheds, or other structures that are on your property. The amount covered by these structures will be about 10 percent of your home’s value, but the coverage amount varies by company.

Valuable Personal Items

Insurance companies recognize that disasters will affect more than just the structure of your home but also the things inside. Your expensive laptops, jewelry, collectibles, and more will be covered after speaking with your insurance agent. Some plans will also include stolen items or fraudulent credit card usage. Expensive trees or plants also have a degree of coverage in some policies.

As you can see, you can cover a variety of assets on your property with home insurance. If you need a reliable plan to keep you completely covered in Texas or Colorado, Main Street Independent Insurance Agencies Inc. in Ft. Worth, TX can help you find an insurance policy. Also, try our online rating tool for quotes on home insurance.