Advantages of a Life Insurance Policy with a Cash Value Account

Some whole life policies offer a savings and investment account with them so you can protect your beneficiaries while saving and investing tax-free or tax-deferred. You might think you already have a 401K so what is the point?

Southwest Insurance Center, serving the Austin, TX metro, wants you to understand why you need both accounts to best protect your financial future. Traditional individual retirement accounts (IRAs) have a maximum amount that you can contribute annually. Once you reach that amount, you cannot place more funds into the IRA that year. That limits the amount you can invest tax-free or tax-deferred.

The cash value account tied to a life insurance plan has no such limitation. You can contribute to it after paying your life insurance premiums and do so to your heart’s content. The money in your cash-value account also gets invested in much the same way the funds in your IRA does. Many cash value accounts use the S&P index as their fund index. As it earns, so does your investment account.

This type of dual-purpose insurance policy provides the standard type of death benefit of other permanent insurance policies. When you die, your beneficiaries receive a payment, the death benefit, which is the value of the policy you purchase.

But providing an investment account now and a death benefit to your beneficiaries isn’t the only way this type of policy helps you. You can borrow from or against the cash value account throughout the time you have the policy. That lets you build credit more safely since you have the collateral in the cash value account to repay the loan. If you already have pristine credit, you can choose to withdraw from the cash value account although this may incur a penalty.

Contact Southwest Insurance Center serving Austin, TX to learn more about life insurance with cash value savings and investment accounts. You can boost your retirement savings while you protect your family from the financial effects of your death.

When To Upgrade The Commercial Insurance For Your Growing Company.

At Southwest Insurance Center we know many small and medium-sized business owners who work diligently every single day to make sure that their company provides quality services, has integrity, treats employees right, and has a path for growth in the future. Many business owners have so much to do and consider in a single day that their commercial insurance is simply a box checked off when the policy is purchased without much more thought. We want to make sure our customers in and around Austin, TX are always protected to the max so here are some scenarios where you may want to upgrade your commercial policy. 

  • If your company added or moved locations. Your policy in one location likely is not one size fits all, be sure that you are covered anywhere you conduct your business. 
  • If you add employees. More employees mean more people to protect, and more risk so you should always evaluate your policy as your company grows. 
  • If you have increased in monetary value or assets. Congratulations on your success. Now you should know that even without changing a single element in your company, success itself actually increases your risk for lawsuits and leaves you with more to lose if something goes wrong. Many people add an umbrella policy to specifically cover liability and their increased assets as the company grows. 
  • If you add a service. Did your company get its start selling graphic t-shirts that you designed yourself and now you also sell banners and deliver them around town? Or maybe you made floral bouquets and now you added edible arrangements? Whatever it is, you will be most protected if you update your commercial insurance to reflect all of your business services. 

Contact us at Southwest Insurance Center if you have any questions about insurance for your growing business. We serve the communities in and around Austin, TX. 

Reasons a home insurance claim may be denied

Home insurance offers valuable protection you count on to cover you in the event something bad happens to your home. What could be worse than having your home insurance claim denied? Not much. Having to be responsible for repairing or replacing your home would be a nightmare and something you want to avoid. Knowledge is power so knowing what could cause a claim to be denied can help you to avoid letting those things happen. If you live in Austin, TX,  Southwest Insurance Center is the place to go when you are looking for a trusted independent insurance agency. 

The claim is under the deductible

Home insurance policies have a deductible. It may be $500 or it can be $1000. If the claim is not more than the deductible amount, the carrier will not pay on it. 

The type of damage is not covered

If you have not read your insurance policy you may not realize there are exclusions. Not every type of damage or loss is covered. The most common exclusion is flood damage. Damage due to mold, termites, and other insects is also not covered. You can often add a rider to your policy to cover additional damage. 

Wear and tear

Homes age and if your furnace dies because of old age it isn’t going to be covered. If your roof has reached the end of its useful life, any damage resulting from leaks, etc will not be covered. You are expected to maintain your property. 

Lapsed policy

It can happen, you forget to pay your premium and your policy lapses. It would be incredibly bad timing to have a claim you need to file when your policy is not in force. 

Knowing what can cause a claim to be denied helps you to make sure it doesn’t happen to you. At Southwest Insurance Center in Austin, TX, we will make sure that as our clients you understand your home policy. To discuss your home insurance needs give us a call for a no-obligation quote. 

Does auto insurance cover floods?

You probably don’t worry about floods in Austin, TX because rarely does Lake Austin engulf Sixth Street like the Gulf of Mexico does Houston, but heavy rains can cause flash floods. You need to know when your auto insurance covers this peril. Southwest Insurance Center wants you to understand how auto insurance protects you and which aspects of a policy protect your investment in your vehicle.

Of course, your best course of action when driving and you approach standing water is to turn around and take a dry route. You cannot control it though if heavy rains simply engulf your vehicle. Since most vehicles have less than 12 inches of ground clearance, just one foot of water can affect your undercarriage and the mechanics of your auto.

You need to discuss your insurance coverage with Southwest Insurance Center before Texas thunderstorm season. While it might be tempting to carry only the minimum state-required auto insurance, that will not protect your vehicle. You need comprehensive coverage in your auto insurance policy to cover flood damage. Comprehensive coverage will pay for repairs or replacement costs when necessary for damage caused by an event other than a vehicular accident.

If you took out an auto loan to buy your vehicle, the financial lender may require you to carry full coverage, so you would have comprehensive within that. This means that if your vehicle got damaged in a flood, you would only need to pay the deductible.

You can add comprehensive coverage if you do not already carry it, but you need to do it before the storm season. You are typically restricted from purchasing comprehensive coverage when a hurricane or other storm with tropical-storm-force winds is forecasted and you live within the forecasted landfall path. striking when reported by the National Hurricane Center.

Contact Southwest Insurance Center of Austin, TX today to discuss your auto insurance. A quick chat with an agent can ensure you obtain the proper coverage before you need it.

Benefits of getting dwelling fire insurance

Those that are living in the Austin, TX area should consider purchasing a home as it provides many great benefits over the long run. If you are going to purchase a home, you should also carefully consider all of your insurance needs. One form of insurance that you should consider getting is dwelling fire insurance. There are several benefits that come when you get a dwelling fire insurance policy. 

Offers Protection for Specific Risk

One advantage of a dwelling fire insurance policy is that it can give you coverage for a specific risk. When you get a dwelling fire policy, it will give you coverage related to expenses that you incur due to a fire, explosions, and smoke damage. This can be used to help repair or rebuild your home or to repair or replace your personal belongings. It is a more specific form of coverage than a standard home insurance policy. 

Can Cover Lapse in Home Insurance

Depending on where you live and what the local risks are, it may be challenging to get fire protection through your base home insurance policy. Since this could be a real risk that you need to protect against, it is important that you cover these lapses as well as possible. One of the best ways that you can do this is by getting a dwelling fire insurance policy as it will give you the coverage that your base policy may not offer.

There are a lot of situations when someone in the Austin, TX area should get a dwelling fire insurance policy. If you believe that this form of insurance is right for you and your situation you should call Southwest Insurance Center. The team at Southwest Insurance Center can address any of your questions and concerns to ensure you receive proper coverage and support. 

What Happens When I File a Homeowners Insurance Claim

When you file a homeowner’s claim, it will be received and reviewed by your insurance company. Once an internal review is complete, an insurance adjuster will be assigned to your case and come to inspect the damage. As a seasoned professional, your adjuster will be able to determine the amount that the insurance company will reimburse for the damage once your deductible has been met. Depending on how busy the insurance company is or whether the claim is related to a weather incident that causes a spike in claims, this process is usually completed in just a few days. To help the adjuster make a determination of the damages, it is always helpful to request estimates from local repair companies that you can then present to the adjuster as a benchmark for how much the repairs will cost. 

Filing a claim is never fun, but reputable insurance companies can streamline the process and make it easy as possible for the homeowner. Remember that if you aren’t satisfied with the amount offered by the insurance company you can always appeal and present evidence to show why you should be awarded a higher amount. At Southwest Insurance Center in Austin, TX, we know that filing a claim is never fun and is often the result of a stressful situation at your home. That’s why we try to make the process as simple and easy as possible by always putting our customers first. To learn firsthand about the homeowner’s insurance process and answer any other questions you may have please give us a call to schedule a no-obligation consultation. 

Which modern safety features are best for your vehicle?

Safety features in automobiles once consisted of little more than seat belts and airbags. However, modern technology has provided all sorts of features to make it less likely that your commute will be cut short by an accident. Southwest Insurance Center, serving Austin, TX would like to inform you of some of the better safety features available to you.

A front collision alert system will alert you that you are about to hit something in front of you. A more sophisticated version will actually apply the brakes automatically to avoid the possible collision. A variant of this system will detect a pedestrian and either alert the driver or automatically apply the brakes.

A lane changing alert will inform the driver if he or she is starting to drift out of their lane. Another version of this system will alert the driver if he or she is changing lanes and is about to hit another car that is in the blind spot.

Backup cameras will automatically turn on when the vehicle is in reverse. They are very useful for informing a drive if backing out of a driveway or a parking spot is safe.

Cruise control has been around for a while. An adaptive cruise control system will keep a vehicle a certain distance behind the vehicle ahead, applying the brakes and pushing the accelerator as needed. The feature is very useful when battling rush hour traffic.

Parallel parking is one of the most difficult things to do at the wheel of a car. Parking assistance systems will use sensors in the front and rear of the vehicle to ensure you move into the gap at the curb without hitting anything.

For more information about auto insurance, feel free to contact Southwest Insurance Center, serving Austin, TX.

3 Reasons to Buy a Comprehensive Policy

A comprehensive insurance policy is a great idea if you have a newer car and want to make sure you are properly compensated if something happens. If you have questions about what your auto insurance covers, the agents at Southwest Insurance Center have the answers you need. The agency offers its services to the residents of Austin, TX, and many of the nearby communities. 

Your Lender Requires It

If you have a loan on your vehicle, your lender may require that you purchase comprehensive insurance. This ensures that if your vehicle is damaged in any way or stolen, they will be able to recover the cost of your loan.

Covers All Types of Damage

Comprehensive auto insurance covers all types of damage. Damages caused by break-ins, collisions, theft, or storm are all covered. With this type of policy, you may also be able to get a rental car and towing benefits as well.

Sense of Security

Many people choose a comprehensive auto insurance policy because it offers them a sense of security knowing they will not be left without a vehicle if the unthinkable happens. The policy will pay off their vehicle and they will be able to purchase a new one to replace it.

If you live in the Austin, TX area, you can find out everything you need to know about comprehensive auto insurance policies just by talking to one of the agents at Southwest Insurance Center. Place the call and one of the agents will be more than happy to discuss all of your options with you. They can go over your existing policy with you and discuss ways you can improve your coverage.

What You Need To Know About Umbrella Insurance

You make investments, investments of time as well as investments of money. Life, however, can jeopardize these investments through any number of unforeseen problems. No one can be protected from everything all the time, but there are steps you can take to help protect the investments you have made. At Southwest Insurance Center, serving Austin, TX, we love having the opportunity to educate our clients and future clients on important insurance topics and ways to help them protect their investments. Keep reading to learn what you need to know about umbrella insurance. 

What Is Umbrella Insurance 

You may be familiar with homeowner’s insurance, auto insurance, life, and health insurance. So, what is umbrella insurance? Umbrella insurance is an additional type of insurance which you can purchase to supplement any insurance you already have. The purpose of umbrella insurance is to keep you protected in the event that your regular policy does not cover the extent of expenses incurred during an event. This can apply to car insurance, homeowner’s insurance, health insurance, and others. 

Who Needs Umbrella Insurance?

Anyone can benefit from umbrella insurance, however, individuals who are more at risk of liability, as well as individuals with substantial assets should definitely consider investing in this additional type of coverage. In this way, you can be sure that your finances are not put in danger if an event super cedes a current policy. 

What is Covered Under Umbrella Insurance?

Umbrella insurance can be very flexible. These types of policies can also be customized to suit your particular needs. An umbrella policy can cover expenses that supersede an auto policy, homeowner’s policy, health policy, or others. 

If you would like to learn more about umbrella insurance, please contact our friendly staff at Southwest Insurance Center serving Austin, TX today. We will be happy to answer your questions. 

What is included with RV insurance?

The state of Texas is the largest in the continental United States. For those that are in the Austin, TX area, finding a way to explore all that the state has to offer is a great idea. When you are looking to tour the state and countryside, it would be a good idea to do so in your very own RV due to the comfort and safety amenities that they provide. When you get an RV, you should also get an RV insurance policy due to the benefits that they provide. 

Unique Liability Protection

One of the advantages of an RV insurance policy is that they can provide you with some very unique liability protection. When you have an RV, you are going to be taking on liability risk when you are driving and when you have guests over when not on the road. This is unmatched by other forms of vehicles. With RV insurance, you will receive coverage for this unique risk.

Protects Assets

Another advantage of an RV insurance policy is it will give you coverage for your assets. Anyone that owns an RV will want to keep their asset properly protected. When you get an RV insurance policy, you are going to receive coverage for both the RV as well as all of the personal items that you keep within it. 

Getting a proper RV insurance policy is a great idea for any RV owner in the Austin, TX area. Due to the benefits that it provides, speaking with the Southwest Insurance Center is a great option. When you do work with the Southwest Insurance Center, you are going to receive the support that you need to pick the right policy. This process will include getting a full understanding of your options and personalized needs.