A Guide to Motorcycle Insurance in Austin

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If you’re new to the world of motorcycling and reside in Austin, TX, understanding the basics of motorcycle insurance is essential. The Policy Source, based in Austin, TX, offers this beginner’s guide to help you navigate the world of motorcycle insurance.

Understanding Motorcycle Insurance

Motorcycle insurance provides financial protection in case of accidents, theft, or damage to your bike. It is similar to auto insurance but tailored to the specific risks motorcyclists face.

Coverage Options: Motorcycle insurance typically offers three primary coverage options:

  • Liability Coverage: Covers bodily injury and property damage you may cause to others in an accident.
  • Collision Coverage: Covers damage to your motorcycle in the event of a collision with another vehicle or object.
  • Comprehensive Coverage: Provides protection against non-collision-related events, such as theft, vandalism, or natural disasters.

Minimum Requirements: In Texas, motorcyclists are required to have minimum liability insurance. However, as these minimum limits may not provide adequate coverage, consider purchasing higher limits to protect your assets.

Additional Coverage: Consider optional coverage such as uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, medical payments, and custom parts and equipment coverage based on your needs.

Shop Around: Compare quotes from multiple insurance providers to find great coverage at an affordable price.

Safety and Training: Completing a motorcycle safety course can make you a safer rider and may result in insurance discounts.

For personalized guidance on motorcycle insurance in Austin, TX, and to explore the coverage options that best suit your needs, contact The Policy Source. 

Here’s Why So Many Folks Love Boating

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Spending time on the lake or ocean can offer respite from the grind of daily life. Boating is a favorite pastime for many and provides a great way to get a workout, spend time with family, and enjoy the great outdoors. Of course, it’s crucial to practice safe boating habits and ensure you have the right boat insurance policies. Contact The Policy Source, serving Austin, TX, if you have any questions.

Enjoy Time Outside

Boating is a great way to enjoy nature, and spending time in the sun can be good for your health. Whether you’re enjoying the local lake or the ocean, you can find many things to do. It’s essential to watch out for weather events, like storms, as they can be a severe risk. Make sure you take out the appropriate boating insurance to cover such threats.

Spend Time with Family

Want a fun way to engage your family? It’s hard to top boating. From kids to senior citizens, boating can offer a lot of fun and encourage people to put down their phones. However, make sure you have a life jacket for everyone in the family, and keep a close eye on children.

Get in Some Exercise

Water sports, like water skiing, offer a great way to have fun and get some exercise. Simply taking a dip off your boat and swimming can also be a great way to get in shape. Of course, you need to exercise the appropriate safety precautions and be mindful of currents and other risks. Also, ensure everyone is wearing a life jacket when needed and that the proper boating insurance policies cover you.

Need help selecting the right watercraft insurance policies? Contact The Policy Source, serving Austin, TX; we’d gladly help.

How does umbrella insurance benefit retirees?

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Ideally, you can focus on enjoying your family, hobbies, and other activities in retirement and not worry about money. One way to ensure that happens is through umbrella insurance that protects the assets you worked so hard to accumulate. Although this article covers the value of umbrella insurance for retirees, people of all ages should consider umbrella insurance as part of their insurance plan, and our team at The Policy Source, serving Austin, TX, is here to help you in that process.

How Umbrella Insurance Benefits Retirees

We buy insurance to protect against the unexpected. Still, accidents can happen, sometimes leaving us liable for damages that exceed our base home or auto policy limits. For example, Texas’s minimum auto insurance policy covers your liability up to $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident. If your liability for an accident exceeds your policy’s limits, you are responsible for the difference, potentially putting your retirement savings, home, and other assets at risk.

Umbrella insurance solves this problem because it sits atop your standard policies and pays out only when you exceed those limits. Umbrella policies are not often needed, but they cover you when the worst happens. In addition, since they are seldom needed, they are relatively inexpensive yet offer extra protection for retirees who are often past their prime earning years.

Working With The Policy Source

Umbrella insurance provides a low-cost method of protecting you, your family, and your assets. If you live in or near Austin, TX, and want to discuss the protection offered by umbrella insurance, our team at The Policy Source stands ready to help. Call us today to discuss a plan that makes sense for you.

Is Flood Insurance Required in Some Instances?

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Having flood insurance is essential for many residents living in and around the Austin, TX, area. If you would like to learn more about the national flood insurance program or any other insurance products to protect the things you care about, you can trust The Policy Source to provide information and resources to help you get the coverage you need.

Flood Insurance Coverage 

Flood insurance is a government-backed national program designed to protect homeowners against flooding and natural disasters. If you live in a low-lying area or on the coastline, you will want to secure this coverage to prevent losses associated with flooding events such as hurricanes and torrential rains. In fact, in some instances, depending on where you live, your Finance provider may require flood insurance to lend you money to purchase a home.

If you would like to learn more about flood insurance and what it protects, you can count on our team to give you all the details, along with the terms and conditions of a policy. Our goal is to help ensure that you are fully aware of how flood insurance can protect you and the coverage limitations for each policy. We can assist you with selecting a policy and submitting information to obtain coverage immediately. If you have any questions or need to change your policy during its lifetime, we can help. We are committed to assisting the residents in the area to help them get coverage that gives them peace of mind.

Find Out More 

We encourage you to call or stop by the policy source to speak to one of our knowledgeable insurance agents. We strive to provide top-quality insurance products and services to the Austin, TX, residents.

Do You Need Insurance for Your Texas Condo?

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The agents at The Policy Source serving the Austin, TX area want you to know if you own a condominium in Texas, you are not mandated to have condo insurance. Even though it is not required, it is essential to have a policy to protect your investment in your condo. Also, if you owe a lender for the purchase of your condo, you probably are required to have condo insurance for the duration of the loan.

Many condo owners may be under the assumption that the company or HOA that owns the condominium complex will have insurance in place to cover each individual unit, and that is not the case. That type of property insurance covers the outside area of your condo and shared spaces throughout the complex, such as patios, pool areas, and recreational rooms.

What Does Condo Insurance Cover?

Condo insurance, often called HO6 insurance, provides coverage for your individual unit and your personal belongings. Unlike homeowners’ insurance, which covers the entire dwelling structure, condo insurance focuses on your condo’s interior and your personal possessions, including furniture, appliances, clothing, electronics, and more. It protects your belongings if there is a fire, theft incident, an act of vandalism, water damage, or a natural disaster.

Condo insurance also provides personal liability coverage. If someone is visiting your condo and is injured, your policy can help them with their medical bills and other expenses.

Get Your Condo Insurance Policy Started

Even though condo insurance is not required in Texas, it can be required by your lender and your condo association. To start your condo policy, contact the experienced agents atThePolicy Source serving the Austin, TX area.

Is Home Insurance Required in Texas?

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The agents at the Policy Source serving the Austin, TX area want you to know that although home insurance is not required in Texas, it is a critical policy if you own a home. Remember that if you still owe money on purchasing your house, you will probably be required to have a home insurance policy in place by the bank or other lender you borrowed the money from.

What Does Home Insurance Cover?

Home insurance covers a variety of different things, including the structure of your home. It also covers your personal belongings, appliances, furniture, electronics, and other things you own inside your home. You can also obtain a home insurance policy covering any structures outside your home on your property. These include your garage, shed, deck, porch, or even privacy fencing.

Home insurance is important to have to protect these items if there is a tornado or some other natural disaster, a fire, or an act of vandalism so that you can have your home repaired quickly. It can also help you relocate while your home is being repaired after one of these types of events. Your home insurance policy will also cover anything stolen if your home is burglarized.

Contact The Policy Source

The agents at the Policy Source serving the Austin, TX area want to create the best home insurance policy for you and your situation. They will work with you to ensure you have the coverage you need to protect your investment in your beautiful home. Call today for a quote and to get your policy started.

Exceptions to who is to blame when hitting a car from behind

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Most of the time you will be at fault if you hit a car from behind. Police often assume the person was driving too fast or was not paying attention and ticket the person at the back of the crash. Many people believe it is the law of the land. The Policy Source in Austin, TX explains a few of the exceptions.

What is the law concerning rear-ending another car?

Usually, these accidents are caused by someone following too closely, and they cannot stop when the car in front of them stops or slows down.  This could be because of distracted driving, following too close, or even intoxication. In Texas, you should stay one car length behind per 10 MPH. At 50 MPH you should be five car lengths behind the car in front of you.

How is liability determined?

Texas is an “at fault” state, which means the driver ruled responsible for the accident is responsible for all damages. Lawyers may challenge who was at fault if an accident were to go to court.

When is it not your fault?

It is not your fault if the other driver did something wrong that made you unable to stop on time. Here are some cases where you would not be at fault.

  • If a car pulls out in front of you and you are too close to avoid hitting it,
  • Swerving too close to you in traffic.
  • Brake checking or braking too suddenly.
  • No brake or tail lights
  • Not signaling when turning or changing lanes
  • Parked in the roadway
  • Stopped in the roadway with no lights flashing.

Give The Policy Source a call.

The Policy Source in Austin, TX can explain all your insurance options, and they would like to remind you to stay a safe distance behind other traffic on the highway.

How Does Umbrella Insurance Policy Work and Why Do I Need It?

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Umbrella insurance provides additional coverage to your insurance policies. You can get this insurance when you have a home, auto, boat, or other coverage. As the name ‘umbrella’ implies, umbrella insurance provides maximum coverage when other policies do not apply. For instance, if you are involved in an accident, and your auto insurance covers half of your liabilities, umbrella insurance can substitute for the rest.

Here are common reasons you may need umbrella insurance in Austin, TX.

Home Accidents

Home accidents are many, and umbrella insurance can help you sort out some of them. For instance, you can be liable for a guest getting injured in your swimming pool or sliding in your landscapes. Your kid may even throw a party in your absence, and one of the guests gets injured. If your home insurance policy fails to cover such liability, umbrella insurance can come in handy to help you sort out the medical bills.

Lawsuits

Umbrella insurance may be helpful when facing lawsuits, whether at home, work, or in society. For instance, if you were involved in an accident and some people sustained injuries, you may face a lawsuit if you were liable for the accident. In such a situation, umbrella insurance can cover any excess amount that your auto accident policy doesn’t.

Defamation Charges

You may need umbrella insurance if you are a blogger or a contributor to a magazine. If someone sues you for defamation, your umbrella policy can help cover any damage liability you face.

Contact The Policy Source Today

At The Policy Source, we understand the importance of umbrella insurance, so we help our clients understand and acquire the right umbrella insurance based on their needs. If you need umbrella insurance in Austin, TX, and need help figuring out where to start, contact us today for guidance.

Can You Get Renters Insurance if the Lease is in Your Roommate’s Name?

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Can you still get renters insurance if you live in an apartment and the lease is in your roommate’s name? Or is renters insurance in Austin, TX only available to those with their names on the lease? The short answer is that you can get renters insurance even if the lease is not in your name. However, there are some key things to consider first.

The Benefits of Having Renters Insurance 

Before we dive deeper into whether or not you can get renters insurance when the lease isn’t in your name, let’s discuss why coverage is so important. There are so many benefits to having renters insurance! One of the main benefits of having a renter’s policy is that it will protect your personal property in case anything happens, such as theft or damage due to weather or fire. Renter’s insurance also includes liability coverage. If someone is hurt while visiting you, you’ll have insurance to cover their medical bills.

Can I Get Renters Insurance If The Lease Is Not In My Name? 

So now let’s answer the burning question – Yes! You can get renters insurance even if the lease is not in your name! At The Policy Source, an experienced agent will guide you through the necessary paperwork and forms needed to get renters insurance.

Contact The Policy Source Today

At The Policy Source in Austin, TX, we understand how important it is for people living together as roommates or family members under one roof to have adequate protection from unforeseen events like theft or damage from natural disasters. Contact us today to help you get the renter’s insurance coverage you need.

Will RV Insurance Cover a Television Inside the RV?

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Owning an RV is a fantastic experience. You can take the RV anywhere and check out national parks, campgrounds, and more. RV insurance is one of the more necessary insurance types because there is so much value the RV brings and initial buy-in with their high costs. Owning an RV in Austin, TX, and abroad requires research on RV insurance and understanding if it covers things like televisions inside. The Policy Source can help increase your education about what RV insurance covers and does not.

Contents Coverage

RV insurance brings with it a lot of different coverage types. One of the things that you can add to your RV insurance is what is known as content coverage. With contents coverage, you purchase coverage for the contents inside the RV.

Some of the things that content coverage will insure include electronics, personal effects, and even your television(s).  

With an RV, you will likely spend considerable time within it. You invest in the RV, so it is as comfortable as possible. This can include expensive televisions, sound equipment, furniture, and more. If something happens to the RV, that contents coverage can assist in helping recover the losses.

RV Insurance Before Hitting the Road

You want to have RV insurance before you make a move to hit the road. Whether you are driving from Austin, TX, or elsewhere in the United States, RV insurance can provide you with the necessary protection to help in an unforeseen event. The Policy Source can help further educate you about RV insurance and its benefits.