4 Reasons to Upgrade Your Auto Insurance

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Changes in your lifestyle, location or vehicle can alter your auto insurance coverage, making it necessary to upgrade your policy to maintain the protection you need. At Thompson Insurance Services in Highland Village, TX, we can help you determine if you need to upgrade your auto insurance to keep up with current changes in your life. Here are four reasons why an upgrade may be in order:

Change of Vehicle

If you traded an older car for a newer model, you may want to add collision or comprehensive coverage to your policy to protect your new investment. Older vehicles often don’t need this type of coverage. Upgrading your policy ensures your new vehicle is protected against theft, vandalism, collisions, and other incidents that can cause costly damage.   

Move

Moving across town or to another city can affect driving distances or put your vehicle at greater risk of theft or vandalism. If so, you may want to increase the limits on your collision or comprehensive coverage to protect your vehicle against unforeseen incidents or accidents.

Teen Driver

Maybe you’re considering adding your teen to your auto policy. That would require an update to your policy. If your teen is driving the family vehicle, you may want to increase the limits of all your coverage.

Marriage

If you were married last year and your spouse will be driving your vehicle, you’ll need to add him/her to your policy. If your spouse has a questionable driving record, you want to increase your coverage, particularly liability insurance, to protect your assets against accidents your spouse may cause. 

For quality auto insurance at reasonable rates, call or visit Thompson Insurance Services in Highland Village, TX.  

How Does Umbrella Insurance Protect Someone?

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Most people in the Lewisville and Highland Village, TX area know how important it is to have proper personal liability insurance coverage. For many people, this means having a full home and auto insurance policy that gives necessary coverage. However, there are a lot of situations when someone could use additional umbrella insurance coverage. While it is not as common as other forms of insurance, umbrella insurance is beneficial as it can protect someone in a variety of different ways. 

Gives More Coverage

The main reason why people get umbrella insurance is that it provides more coverage than other forms of insurance. When you get umbrella insurance, it will provide you with liability coverage on top of what you already have. This means that if you are found liable for an accident where damages exceed your home or auto policy limits, your umbrella insurance policy will start to provide more insurance coverage. 

Covers for Unusual Situations

Another way that umbrella insurance will protect someone is that it will cover for unusual situations. Most people have some form of liability coverage through their home and auto insurance policies. While these are beneficial policies, they are not entirely conclusive when it comes to insurance coverage. An umbrella insurance policy gives coverage for a range of situations that are generally not covered by base policies. This provides anyone with more extensive liability coverage.

Choosing your umbrella insurance policy in the Lewisville and Highland Village, TX area is a big decision. Those that need a policy in this area should call the team at Thompson Insurance Services. The professionals here are experienced in helping people decipher their umbrella insurance needs. Based upon an initial assessment, Thompson Insurance Services can then help anyone find a policy that provides the right umbrella insurance coverage. 

4 Fire Prevention Tips: A Brief Home Insurance Guide

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The subject of fire prevention usually arises when it comes time to decide on a home insurance policy that would cover accidents occurring in Dallas and the Highland Village, TX area. These four fire prevention tips can get you started.

1. Make sure you have enough smoke alarms

The Red Cross recommends at least one smoke detector on every level of your home. It is always a wise plan to have one in each bedroom, the hallway, and other traffic areas.

2. Check smoke detector batteries frequently

It’s a good idea to check the batteries in all smoke alarms a minimum of once a month. If you hear frequent, intermittent beeping, you know it’s time to change it, but do it before then or it could be too late.

3. Keep your HVAC maintained and inspect all electrical wiring

Keeping your furnace, heating ducts, and vents clean can reduce fire risk. You also should repair any faulty electrical wiring immediately or it could cause a spark that starts a fire. An additional electrical wiring tip: don’t overload outlets with too many cords.

4. Keep an eye on the stove and make sure your timers work

The best way to prevent kitchen fires is to stay near the stove while cooking. In any case, make sure your timers work before you attempt to leave the room (ex: to use the bathroom) for even one minute. You also will want to keep your burners, stovetops, and ovens free of grease and debris.

Thompson Insurance Services in Highland Village, TX cares about your safety. We also can help you with questions about your home insurance policy. Contact us anytime.

Three things to know about your auto insurance deductible

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One of the most important things to understand when you purchase auto insurance and many other types of coverage are what a deductible is.

A deductible is an amount you have to pay out-of-pocket before your insurance coverage kicks in. At Thompson Insurance Services in Highland Village, TX, we have a range of deductible options on our insurance policies from among which you can choose. 

The following are three crucial things to know about auto insurance deductibles to find and use your auto insurance policy:

The higher your deductible, the more expensive an accident is going to be for you out-of-pocket

High deductible plans offer the benefit of a lower monthly premium and are cheaper overall if you don’t get into any accidents. However, they can create a lot of expenses for you in the event of an accident. The more likely an accident is for you, the more critical it is for you to opt for a lower deductible policy.

You can save money on insuring an expensive vehicle with a higher deductible

Higher deductible policies are especially attractive to anyone who is driving a vehicle that is particularly expensive to insure. If your car falls into a high-risk category in the minds of insurance providers, consider bringing down costs while still covering your liabilities by choosing a high deductible policy. 

Liability insurance doesn’t generally require a deductible

While deductibles usually apply to collision and comprehensive insurance coverage, they shouldn’t apply to your liability coverage. Therefore, a deductible is generally not a consideration if you’re only purchasing liability coverage. 

Consult one of our representatives at Thompson Insurance Services in Highland Village, TX if you are a DFW driver who is on the market for a good auto insurance policy. 

What You Need to Know About Auto Insurance in Texas

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The state of Texas is a great place to live as it provides you with a good lifestyle and plenty of professional opportunities. For those that work and live in Texas, having a car is a practical necessity. When you do have a car in Texas, you will need to have auto insurance in place at all times. There is a lot you need to know about auto insurance when you are looking for a policy in the Highland Village, TX area. 

State Requirements

The first thing that you need to know about auto insurance in Texas is the basic state requirements. The state of Texas has a 30/60/25 auto insurance requirement for all drivers. This dictates the amount of liability insurance that you need to have at all times. In Texas, you need to have bodily injury coverage of at least $30,000 per person and $60,000 per incident plus property damage liability of at least $25,000 per incident. 

Additional Options

While it may not be required by law, Texas car owners should also consider getting collision and comprehensive insurance coverage. This type of insurance will provide you with protection for your vehicle if you sustain a loss. This is not included by the base state requirements and could save you a lot of money in some challenging situations.

If you are a car owner in the Highland Village, TX area, it is important that you fully understand all of your requirements when it comes to having auto insurance. To ensure that you get into the right policy, you should speak to the team at Thompson Insurance Services. When you reach out to the team at Thompson Insurance Services, you will get the guidance that you need to get into a policy that provides you with adequate auto insurance coverage. 

When should someone get Umbrella insurance?

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All people take on a certain amount of liability risk every day of their lives. Most people have some level of liability insurance risk through their home and auto policies. While this could be enough coverage for some people, there are situations in which other coverage could be necessary. For people in the Highland Village, TX area, there is a variety of situations in which getting additional liability protection through an umbrella insurance policy would be a good idea. 

They Need Additional Liability Coverage

Many people in the Highland Village area will benefit from an umbrella insurance policy because it will give them additional liability coverage. While you may have some liability coverage through your home or auto policies, this level of coverage may not be enough in all situations. When you get an umbrella insurance policy, you will receive additional liability coverage on top of your other policies.

Coverage for Other Situations

Another advantage of getting an umbrella insurance policy is that it can give you coverage for other situations that may not be covered by a normal liability insurance policy. In many situations today, people are taking on a lot more libel and slander risk than they realize. Often, this is not covered by base insurance policies. However, it would fall under the coverage of an umbrella insurance policy.

There are clearly several situations in which it would make sense to get umbrella insurance if you are in the Highland Village, TX area. If you are interested in getting umbrella insurance, speaking with the team at Thompson Insurance Services would be a very good option. The team at Thompson Insurance Services can help you find a policy that will give you the additional liability coverage that you need and that will provide you with a sense of security. 

The Importance of Inventorying Your Belongings When Buying Renters Insurance

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At Thompson Insurance Services, serving Highland Village, TX, we recommend that everyone inventory their belongings when they are buying renters insurance. If you have never purchased renters insurance, you may be unsure of the importance of making a list of what you own and taking pictures of it. Here are two key reasons why it is recommended that you do so. 

Inventorying Your Belongings Shows What You Own

One of the key reasons why you want to inventory your belongings when buying a renters insurance policy is because it helps to show what you own. Anyone can say that they had a large television or fancy furniture if there home they are renting burns down. However, having an inventory list made and pictures helps to substantiate your claim. Second, if you need to file a claim, you may be overwhelmed. Having an inventory list can help remind you of everything that you had in the home, helping to ensure you claim everything with your insurance company. 

Inventorying Your Belongings Shows the Condition of the Items You Own

The second reason inventorying your belongings is important when buying renters insurance is because pictures can help to show the condition your belongings were in. An insurance company has to value the items they are replacing. Pictures help to show exactly what you had and the condition it was in, taking some of the guesswork out of coming up with a value. 

Inventorying your belongings can help you if you ever need to file a renters insurance claim. But prior to filing a claim, you first need to be covered. If you do not have renters insurance, or you are looking to buy a new policy in the greater Highland Village, TX area, we at Thompson Insurance Services can help you. Call us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your renter’s insurance needs with one of our agents. 

Seeking Out Home Insurance for Your First Home

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At Thompson Insurance Services, we work with people in and around Highland Village, TX and try to find high-quality insurance. For example, we can help first-time owners like you understand your home insurance option and prepare you for purchasing the best policy. 

Work On Your Credit Score 

First-time homeowners with a middling or mediocre credit score may want to work on that before they purchase a house or a home insurance policy. Your lending rates – and your insurance premiums – will be higher if your credit score is sub-par. 

Try to make all of your payments on time, pay off your credit cards, and work on boosting other elements of your score. You’ll typically need to get around 750 or so to get the best results, though the higher you get with your score, the better. 

Don’t Buy Excessive Coverage 

After you’ve improved your credit score and you’re ready to buy a policy, you should make sure to obtain a plan that is right for your home and financial needs. Too many first-time homeowners make the mistake of trying to get a policy that covers everything and pay too much money. 

For example, you may think that you want hurricane coverage for your home even though you don’t live in a hurricane zone. Or you may try to purchase coverage options that are too expensive or which add little to your policy. Talk to your provider to ensure you don’t make this mistake.

We Can Help 

So if you’re buying your first home in Highland Village, TX and you want to make sure you get the best hoe insurance possible, please contact us at Thompson Insurance Services right away to learn more. Our experts will sit down with you and work out the best plan for your needs. 

How Much Comprehensive Coverage Do You Need?

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Navigating the world of auto insurance can be difficult without the assistance of an auto insurance agent. There are many points to consider including how much comprehensive auto insurance coverage you need. Learn about comprehensive coverage and how much you need with the assistance of a reputable agency and their skilled agents. 

Comprehensive Covers Many Hazards

Comprehensive auto insurance is designed to cover a vehicle from many possible threats ranging from theft to damage as a result of the weather. If you are financing a vehicle, comprehensive is a requirement. Even if your vehicle is paid for, you should avoid potential losses by covering your automobile with the right amount of comprehensive. Select an amount that will cover the replacement cost of the vehicle to ensure you don’t suffer losses from gaps in coverage. If you have an expensive automobile, you may need to purchase special insurance to give you the complete coverage you need. 

Working With An Agent

An agent will outline your individual needs and then find insurance products and solutions that will cover you and provide you with peace of mind whether you are parked for the night or out on the road. If you live in the Highland Village, TX area, you can count on the agents at Thompson Insurance Services to give you the individualized attention you need to make smart policy choices and prevent losses. 

Give your automobile the protection it needs no matter where you are or when by selecting adequate comprehensive auto insurance. If you are located in the Highland Village, TX area, call or stop by Thompson Insurance Services and speak with an agent to learn more about your coverage options. 

3 Reasons Why More Texas Businesses are Opting for Umbrella Insurance

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Commercial insurance policies are a must-have for Texas businesses, and now many firms are updating their portfolios to include an Umbrella Insurance policy in addition to Property Insurance. If you are a business owner in the greater Highland Village, TX area and would like to find out how umbrella insurance can play an important role in your overall insurance portfolio, contact the team at Thompson Insurance Services today. We are proud to serve the business needs of our community and look forward to working with you.

3 Reasons Why More Texas Businesses are Opting for Umbrella Insurance

  • Inventory Coverage – if you carry a lot of inventory, you may exceed the policy maximum if an event occurs during your busy season. Be sure to calculate your coverage needs to include inventory protection when it is at the highest level. Don’t make the mistake of calculating coverage needs based on low inventory levels.
  • Liability Protection – no one wants to get sued or have liability problems that cause the bottom line to take a huge hit. Be sure that you understand your coverage options in your primary policy, and consider umbrella insurance if they are not sufficient.
  • Increased Policy Level – umbrella insurance provides additional insurance and can help to fill any gaps within your primary policy. Whether your needs for coverage of physical assets are higher than policy maximums, or you are looking for comprehensive coverage that includes liability protection, it’s time to look at umbrella insurance options.

Having the right level and type of insurance can make the difference between catastrophe or manageability in the event of a covered incident. Call the team at Thompson Insurance Services today and set up an appointment at our Highland Village, TX office.