How to Know When Comprehensive Car Insurance Makes Financial Sense

At Jason Ridley Insurance Agency, we love helping clients in Colleyville, TX make smart financial decisions for their families. Customers often ask us about whether or not comprehensive automobile insurance makes sense for their situation. When is it safe, or even wise, to drop comprehensive auto insurance and save money on your yearly premiums? When do you really need it? Here are a few guidelines to help you determine whether or not you need to carry comprehensive insurance. 

When You Should Carry Comprehensive Insurance

Generally speaking, there are three situations that make carrying comprehensive auto insurance a good financial decision: 

When You are Leasing or Financing Your Vehicle. 

In this case, it’s not only wise to carry comprehensive insurance but also required! Lenders will typically require borrowers to have comprehensive insurance, because this protects their interest in the car in case it’s severely damaged in an accident or stolen. If you skimp on comprehensive insurance and your car is damaged, you could find yourself owing more than your car is worth and unable to buy a new vehicle until you get your loan paid down.

When Your Family Relies on One Car.

Between working from home and car services like Uber and Lyft, more families than ever are choosing to be one-car families. This can be a great decision for your wallet, but if you are depending on one car, you should definitely protect that car to the fullest. 

When You Don’t Have at Least a Down Payment Saved for Your Next Car.

If you’ve paid off your car and you’re looking to purchase a new one in the next year or two, it can be tempting to drop comprehensive insurance to save some money. However, this can lead to disaster! Take it from our clients who dropped comprehensive insurance 6 months before they planned to buy a new car. During a windstorm, a neighbor’s tree fell on their car just a few weeks before they were going to trade it in for a new car. They lost all their trade-in value and had to finance the full cost of their next car—$8,000 lost trying to save 6 months of insurance premiums. 

Of course, residents of Colleyville, TX are always required to carry liability insurance, and any decision to drop comprehensive coverage also depends on your personal financial situation and your ability to absorb a loss. If you’re wondering what coverages make the most sense for your specific situation, talk to your insurance specialist at the Jason Ridley Agency.

When you step out to shop for auto insurance in Colleyville, TX, one thing is always in your mind—coverages. While the Texas government requires you to have the minimum property damage and bodily injury liability, there are so many other coverages you can buy to stay protected. It’s also important to know that what the law requires is too little and may not be enough to cover for an accident where multiple vehicles are involved. Here are some of the critical coverages to have.

Liability

Liability coverage is the most important coverage you will ever need. Whether at school, work, business, home, or on the roads, you need adequate liability coverage to pay for damage or injuries you cause or defense fees when you are sued.

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage

Unfortunately, we still have drivers who drive without insurance. Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage helps reimburse you in case an uninsured driver hits you. At Jason Ridley Agency, we recommend never accepting money from uninsured drivers. Wait patiently for the police to arrive.

Comprehensive coverage

Comprehensive insurance covers damage or loss if your car is stolen, vandalized, or burned. If a covered peril like hail damages the car, comprehensive coverage can help repair or replace the vehicle.

Collision coverage

Collision is a critical coverage that repairs or replaces your car if you collide with another vehicle or object. For instance, the coverage can repair the damage if you hit a stone, fence, pole, animal, or tree branch when driving.

Personal injury protection (PIP)

Your liability coverage will pay other people’s medical bills but does not pay your bills. You need to buy personal injury protection or medical payments to help pay your bills if you are injured in an accident.

Drive defensively and get to your destination safely, and above all, know the coverages you need. For more information about auto insurance coverages in Colleyville, TX, feel free to talk to any Jason Ridley Agency insurance advisor, and you will get all the help you need.

Auto insurance is not only one of the most common types of insurance to have but it is required in many states, including the great state of Texas. The insurance agents at the Jason Ridley Agency in Colleyville, TX have knowledge and experience with all types of insurance and understand the requirements under Texas law.

Liability Insurance

Under Texas law, all motorists are required to have at least an auto liability insurance policy that covers property damage and bodily injury. There is a minimum amount of liability insurance you must carry, along with underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage.

 Underinsured and Uninsured Motorist Coverage

You need to have underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage to protect yourself and your vehicle from a motorist that is driving illegally and does not have any type of insurance or does not have enough to cover the medical bills for injuries that you or your passenger has suffered after becoming involved in an accident with the uninsured or underinsured motorist. This also ensures your vehicle will be repaired or replaced if this type of incident occurs.

Comprehensive Coverage

This type of insurance coverage may be required by your lender if you borrowed the money to purchase your vehicle. It will pay for any damage to your auto if it is destroyed or damaged by some type of event, including a vandalism incident, a fire, or a natural disaster. It will also help replace your vehicle if it is stolen.

Collision Insurance

Collision insurance helps pay for repairs to your vehicle if you collide with another vehicle or an object.

To create the best policy for you and your vehicle, contact the trust auto insurance agents at the Jason Ridley Agency in Colleyville, TX for a quote today!

If you own a car in Colleyville, TX, you’re required to have auto insurance. Liability coverage is a must in Texas to protect other drivers in accidents you cause. At Jason Ridley Agency, we can help you make wise auto insurance choices to protect you and your family on the road. Here’s what you should know about Texas auto insurance coverage.

Liability is Mandatory

If you cause an auto accident resulting in injury or property damage to another driver, you’ll be held liable for his medical or property damage costs. Depending on the severity of the accident, this could amount to tens of thousands of dollars or more. Liability insurance helps cover these expenses to spare you from financial loss. Texas only requires minimum liability coverage. We recommend you purchase ample liability insurance to protect you against significant auto accidents you may cause.

Optional Auto Coverage

As a Texas driver, you have the option of purchasing additional auto insurance to protect your car. This coverage is in the form of collision, comprehensive, uninsured motorist (UM), and roadside assistance.

• Collision insurance covers damage to your vehicle caused by collision, whether you crash into another car, a light post, fence, tree, or wall.
• Comprehensive insurance compensates you for your vehicle’s market value if someone steals your car. It also covers repairs to your vehicle if it’s damaged by non-collision causes (hail, falling object, vandalism, etc.)
• UM insurance protects you from hit and run drivers and drivers who aren’t carrying insurance coverage.
• Roadside assistance covers minor repairs and towing costs to a repair shop if your car stops working at some point in your travels.

The right auto insurance will protect your interests at home and on the road. To purchase the auto coverage you need in Colleyville, TX, contact Jason Ridley Agency today.