Whether you are considering purchasing a boat or you already own a boat, one of the most important things many people in Austin, TX forget to invest in is boat insurance. Many people make the mistake of assuming that their boat is covered under another insurance policy, such as their home or auto, but this isn’t always the case.  Contacting Southwest Insurance Center about insurance coverage for your boat ensures that should there be a theft or damages associated with the boat, you are covered. So, what are the most common types of boat insurance? Here are the three most common types.

Hull Insurance

Hull insurance is designed to cover damages to the boat as well as any damages to the property of others that is caused by your boat. Hull insurance generally includes the cost of repairs to the boat and if there is a total loss, the hull insurance will pay coverage for the agreed value amount of the boat.

All Risk

An all-risk policy is designed to generally cover any risks that aren’t specifically excluded in the boat insurance policy. For instance, coverage may include pollution liability, ice damage, mechanical breakdown, freezing and reef damage liability. You may also have the option of including medical insurance as a rider to your All Risk policy.

Third-Party Liability

Third-party liability insurance is designed to cover damages to the property of others that is caused by your boat. This type of insurance also typically covers incidental damages due to a liability caused by medical expenses, rescue operations, towing and fuel spills. The rules and regulations for docking in a marina vary, so it’s important to find out if your marina requires a third party marine liability policy.

Just like other insurance policies, there are ways you can save on the monthly premiums. For instance, if you store your boat in a covered shelter, you may qualify for a discount, so be sure to discuss any available discounts with your insurance provider.

To learn more information about boat insurance, residents of Austin, TX should contact Southwest Insurance Center.

You never know what could happen. This is one of the random aspects that make life beautiful, but it also makes some people very uncomfortable. After all, if you build a life for yourself and your family,  you probably want to know that your hard work will not just fade if you are gone. At Southwest Insurance Center we understand, and we offer quality life insurance to help negate your worry about what could be. We serve Austin, TX and the surrounding areas with quality insurance services for all aspects of your life. 

Life Insurance To Fit Your Needs:

We offer policies that fit your specific needs. For example, if you are a single guy without any assets to insure yet you do not want to leave the expense of an unexpected funeral on your parents or closest relative then you can buy a small policy and leave a designated funeral home as the beneficiary. If you run your own business and have a lot of balls in the air at any given time a policy that covers your business completely with possibly some umbrella coverage to boot will keep your employees with jobs if something were to happen to you. If you are a family man with a steady job that keeps your family comfortable and stable, ensure continued stability with a basic life insurance policy that covers at least your mortgage and enough for your spouse to live on during the aftermath. 

Contact us at Southwest Insurance Center for a life insurance quote that fits your specific needs and allows you to feel a little better about the things you cannot control in life. We serve Austin, TX and the surrounding areas. 

Austin, TX is a great place to live, raise a family, and own a business. One thing Texas is known for is supporting businesses and people who work hard.

That’s one reason why Texas laws are designed to give your business flexibility.  Most states require businesses to pay for workers compensation insurance if there are employees, but Texas is different. 

You can choose whether or not to offer workers compensation 

If you want to discuss all the different options you could have with a workers compensation policy, we at Southwest Insurance Center would be happy to spend the time you need to explore your options.  You can choose coverage tailored to your business and its specific needs.

If you decide not to have worker’s compensation insurance at your business, you need to let your employees know when they are hired, and if the status changes. 

Opting out carries risks 

With workers compensation policy, there are limits as to how much an employee may be compensated for an injury. Without the policy, an injured employee can sue your business for an unlimited amount if there is a qualifying injury. The business would have to pay for the judgment without help. 

Kinds of worker’s comp

There are three basic kinds of worker’s comp benefits:

1. Medical benefits 
2. Income benefits 
3. Death benefits 

Almost any injury will qualify if it occurred while working unless the injury was caused by the employee’s own reckless or illegal behavior. 

If you have a business in Austin, TX, you want to protect your workers to the best of your ability anyway. Having worker’s compensation insurance makes sure that if an employee is injured he or she can get the necessary care right away. If you are thinking about whether or not your business could benefit from worker’s comp insurance, please call Southwest Insurance Center today. 

 

Almost everyone has valuable possessions, some of which have an extremely high monetary worth, while some possessions have valuable worth just to the owner. A standard home-owner’s insurance policy generally covers the primary items in your home, such as the furniture, appliances and clothing in the event of loss or theft. However, when it comes to the dollar value paid out on certain valuables, the amount paid by your homeowner’s policy may be quite low. Personal articles insurance is an additional type of insurance for the residents of Austin, TX that provides extra coverage for your valuables. Here is some brief information about personal articles insurance that is offered by Southwest Insurance Center.

What Is It?

Personal articles insurance, also known as a personal articles floater policy is a stand-alone form of coverage that is generally added to your current homeowner’s insurance policy. It provides coverage for extremely valuable items, such as rare coin collections, family heirlooms or camera equipment. The policy provides a larger level of monetary protection that what is included in the homeowner’s policy. When purchasing personal article’s floater insurance, you will need to submit a detailed list of the property you want to be covered in the policy. Each item listed must include an appraisal value and some insurance providers request proof of the appraisal.

What Does it Cover?

For the majority of homeowners, the standard homeowner’s insurance policy is enough to replace items that have been lost or stolen. However, if you have possessions that are considered to be rare and/or of extreme value, a personal articles floater policy may be necessary to ensure you receive the full value should they be lost, stolen or damaged. Some items that a personal articles insurance policy covers may include:

• Jewelry
• Furs or fur-trimmed items
• Coin and stamp collections
• Camera equipment
• Musical instruments
• Silverware
• Fine art
• Sports equipment

One of the best benefits of personal articles insurance and the reason it is known as personal articles floaters insurance is that the policy generally covers a loss to the items covered anywhere. This means if you are out of the country and your items become lost, stolen or damaged, coverage is provided, which is extremely valuable for those who travel for pleasure or business and take their valuables with them.

Residents of Austin, TX that are interested in updating their current policy to include personal articles insurance should contact Southwest Insurance Center.

If you think flood insurance is only for people who live in high-risk flood areas, think again. It’s estimated that approximately 20% of flood claims come from homeowners who live in low to moderate risk flood zones, putting almost anyone at risk of flood damage. Flood insurance from Southwest Insurance Center in Austin, TX can protect you against financial loss due to flood damage. Here’s why you should consider flood insurance for your Austin, TX home.

Homeowner’s Insurance Doesn’t Cover Floods  

Homeowner’s insurance protects you against water damage caused by rain entering your home or leaky water pipes, not flooding. Unless you have flood insurance, you’ll be covering the cost of flood damage out-of-pocket. A major flood could destroy your home and all its contents. The risk of losing everything you own should prompt you to consider flood insurance protection for your home.  

Floods are an Extremely Common Disaster

As evidenced by recent climate change events, flooding can occur to anyone in just about any location. It’s one of the most common natural disasters occurring across the country today. Hurricanes, tornadoes and tropical storms can all lead to flooding, putting homeowners at even greater risk of losing their home. By investing in flood insurance, you can be prepared against this unforeseen disaster.  

Saves You from Financial Ruin

Even a small flood can result in thousands of dollars’ worth of damage to a home. It only takes 3 inches of flood water to ruin carpeting, furniture, hardwood flooring, baseboards, and drywall. Imagine what a foot of water can do to the interior of your home. In contrast, flood insurance may cost you several hundred dollars annually, depending on the location, size, and value of your property, making it a worthwhile investment for your family.

For more information on flood insurance options and costs, contact Southwest Insurance Center in Austin, TX.

Umbrella insurance is a sort of mystery to many regular insurance policyholders. By its nature, this type of insurance is not specific to what it covers. Therefore, you may not realize that this kind of coverage would actually be useful for you until you become more familiar with the concept of an umbrella policy.

The truth is Insurance providers like Southwest Insurance Center, who offer an umbrella policy save the livelihoods of many individuals as well as their businesses. Read on to find out if umbrella coverage is for you.

What Exactly Is Umbrella Insurance?

To fully understand what an umbrella policy entails, you have to envision a literal umbrella. An umbrella protects you from the rain, sun, or other elements of the weather, kind of like your own personal roof. The umbrella keeps your whole body dry and cool. This is exactly how an umbrella policy relates to insurance coverage.

An umbrella insurance policy is not specific on purpose. It is meant to cover any gaps or limits all of your other policies may encompass. For instance, if you have a basic homeowner’s policy for your Austin, TX home, an umbrella policy can cover any damages that aren’t covered by this basic policy in case of an unfortunate disaster.

If you own a car but your auto insurance coverage is a bit skimpy, your umbrella coverage can kick in past the limits of that auto policy. Umbrella insurance is especially useful if your teen is newly added to your auto insurance policy.

Who Is Umbrella Coverage For?

The short answer is that anyone can benefit from purchasing an umbrella policy. This type of coverage is a leg up for anyone who may find themselves suddenly facing a costly emergency.

If you have many assets, though, an umbrella policy might be especially necessary for you. For instance, if you own a home, a car, and a business, an umbrella policy can keep you from losing everything you own in case of a house fire or a particularly nasty auto accident.

Are You Ready To Get Umbrella Protection?

Do you have assets you couldn’t stand to lose in case of an emergency?

If you have limited insurance policies and you don’t want to go into debt or bankruptcy should you lose your Austin, TX home, an all-encompassing umbrella policy from Southwest Insurance Center is for you. Contact us today for a quote on a policy that best fits your needs.

When considering RV insurance, there are three main types of uses to think about, which are:

1. On the Road: Think about the need to insure the RV while it is driving down the road. Insurance should provide protection for the vehicle and its contents if it is involved in an accident.
2. Parked: The protection needed for when an RV is parked includes insurance against theft, damage, vandalism, fire, and other risks to the RV and its contents.
3. Storage: When an RV is in storage, there are other risks to consider such as pest infestation.

Discuss these three categories in detail with your agent at Southwest Insurance Center, serving Austin, TX and the surrounding area, to make sure you have adequate coverage.

On the Road

The most common accidents while on the road are:

• A tire blowout caused by the tires not being properly inflated.
• Hitting some overhang when the driver makes a height-clearance mistake.
• Tearing off the stairs or something else attached to the RV when it was not retracted before moving the RV.
• Fires that start in the motor area.

Parked

When an RV is parked, it is subject to the inclement weather of the area where it stops. Many RVers do not know the weather patterns of the places where the RV trip will take them. In fact, it may be the first time they visit an area. Additionally, climate change is causing unusual weather such as flooding and tornadoes that could damage a parked RV. Hail damage is a serious risk that may need special coverage.

When an RV is parked, it is vulnerable to burglary if the occupants leave the RV unattended. If the RV is parked in an isolated area and left unattended, it may attract vandalism. If it is parked in a campground, it may be subject to the risk of things being done by others who are nearby, such as lighting campfires.

Storage

Storage has special risks. Damage to a stored RV may come from pests, mold, mildew, and other risks depending on the storage conditions. If the RV is not secured properly, it could be stolen.

Conclusion

Protecting your valuable investment in your RV with adequate insurance coverage is best done with the help of your agent and thinking about all the details about where it will be used, parked, and stored. To get a quote for new RV insurance or an upgrade for existing RV insurance, contact an agent at Southwest Insurance Center in Austin, TX by calling 512-280-6100.