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The Who, What, Why, When and Where of Watercraft Insurance in Texas

About Watercraft Coverage: What You Need to Know

At Hastings Insurance Agency LLC, our team is equipped to provide crucial information on watercraft insurance requirements to Tomball, TX residents.

Who Needs It?

While your homeowners’ policy might cover some damages incurred by your boat, it does not include liability, and the dollar amount for coverage is limited. For this reason, a separate policy for your boat is required.

What Types of Policies Are Available?

For boat owners in Texas, there are three different types of policy:

  • Policies for repair or replacement of the boat.
  • Policies with a set value for repairing or replacing the boat.
  • Actual cash value coverage options consider the boat’s depreciation, so the payout is based on its current value.

Why is it Necessary?

Since your homeowner’s insurance policy has certain limitations regarding boat coverage, a separate policy is needed to cover damages, potential accident-induced injuries, and medical payments.

When to Get Coverage?

It is crucial to get coverage as soon as possible and before using your boat. Be sure to understand any restrictions in place with your chosen policy type.

Where to Get Watercraft Coverage?

At Hastings Insurance Agency LLC, our primary goal is to ensure you comply with state laws by helping you secure the insurance necessary to protect your boat, your passengers, and others.

Get the Insurance You Need Today

Our professional team can help Tomball residents obtain the watercraft insurance they need. We ensure that before you hit the waterways, you’re fully covered. Contact us to put a policy in place; ensure your boat is insured and that you are well informed and ready to go before launching your craft.

Can I Just Buy an Umbrella Insurance Policy?

At Hastings Insurance Agency LLC, we often tell our Tomball, TX customers about umbrella insurance, a secondary type of insurance that increases their liability coverage with a $1 million policy. Learning that, we get the follow-up question, "Can I just buy an umbrella policy?"

Purchasing an Umbrella Policy 

No, the policyholder must own a primary policy that contains a liability component before purchasing an umbrella policy. Any insurance policy that includes a liability component qualifies so that you can use any of the following as your primary policy: 

  • Home 
  • Auto 
  • Boat and other watercraft 
  • Business/Commercial 
  • Commercial auto 
  • RV/motorhome. 

If the insurance policy contains a liability component, it can function as the primary policy.

How Umbrella Coverage Works

Because it offers secondary coverage, it pays out second if you have an accident for which you’re at fault or someone incurs an injury at your home or on your boat. Regardless of what triggers the liability, your primary coverage pays out first, and the umbrella policy only kicks in if the settlement exceeds the policy maximum of the primary policy.

Here’s an example. Let’s say a policyholder owns auto coverage with a liability component of $50,000 and a million-dollar umbrella policy. If they cause an accident in Tomball, TX that injures five people, the auto policy pays out first. In our example, the hospital bills for the injured total $125,000. Their settlement comes from the primary auto policy first, providing the first $50,000. The other $75,000 comes from the policyholder’s umbrella coverage. 

Contact Us to Add Umbrella Coverage Today 

Contact Hastings Insurance Agency LLC to add umbrella insurance to your insurance package. Let us help you protect your financial security. 

Will flood insurance cover my damaged car?

Understanding the Intricacies of Insurance: Homeowners and Flood Insurance

The labyrinth of insurance coverage can occasionally bewilder even the savviest of individuals. At times, the scopes of homeowners and flood insurance tend to overlap, creating confusion about which policy applies in specific scenarios. Here at Hastings Insurance Agency LLC, we are committed to clarifying such perplexing situations for residents of Tomball, TX.

What does Flood Insurance Cover?

Flood insurance primarily pays for repairing, replacing, or rebuilding your belongings after flood damage. It covers the losses of your physical property, including your home, appliances, clothing, and multiple other items. The insurance also finances necessary modifications like plumbing, electrical systems, fixtures, foundation, sanitation, and more.

Will Flood Insurance Cover My Flood-Damaged Car?

Intriguingly, while created to safeguard your property and personal items, flood insurance does not extend to your flood-damaged car. One might intuitively consider the scope of flood insurance to overlap with auto insurance, but that is not the case. Comprehensive auto insurance steps in here, providing adequate flood insurance coverage for your car.

Only holding comprehensive auto insurance ensures you get compensated for the flood damages to your car. A simple liability coverage does not protect your vehicle from flood damage. However, comprehensive coverage provides protection against such unforeseen situations, besides many others.

Reach out to Hastings Insurance Agency LLC

If lingering doubts about the coverage of flood insurance trouble you, feel free to contact us at Hastings Insurance Agency LLC. Our team is ready to assist and help you explore suitable options to address your needs.

How Much Condo Insurance do You Need?

Hastings Insurance Agency LLC is your reliable insurance partner in Tomball, TX, and our main objective is to ensure you’re well protected from all risks through superior quality service and personalized insurance policies that match your needs. When you use our experience and focus on details, you can be sure we are the right company for the job. We are absolutely dedicated to providing you with a brilliant insurance service, and we assure you that through our engineers, you will be supported in every way to ensure a sense of security.

Condo Insurance Protection

To determine how much condo coverage you need, you should consider multiple things so that you have enough insurance. Working with Hastings Insurance Agency LLC in Tomball, TX, you will be prepared to bridge that gap and get a risk management plan meant for your particular situation. 

When evaluating your insurance needs, review the value of your personal possessions, the replacement costs for your condo building, protection from liability, and relocation expenses associated with covered losses with a provider. With a seasoned insurance broker by your side, you can negotiate through the complexities of condo insurance plans and guarantee that you are secure in any unforeseeable events. By considering advice and carefully assessing your coverage needs, you can only guard the investment and have peace of mind about having the right amount of coverage.

Get Quality Insurance Today

At Hastings Insurance Agency LLC in Tomball, TX, our utmost concern is to provide excellence in insurance and services to meet your expectations. With our numerous years of experience and the highest level of know-how, you are guaranteed to receive only the best service possible. We guarantee that you will get the most out of our professionals, who will direct you explicitly through insurance and render cover options to your anticipation as well. Know that, with Hastings Insurance Agency LLC, your protection is guaranteed by skilled and professional hands.

Spring is Around the Corner: Getting Your Recreational Vehicles Ready for Spring

With spring just around the corner, now is the time for you to get your recreational vehicle ready for your warm-weather adventures in Tomball, TX, and beyond. At Hastings Insurance Agency LLC, we can also make sure that you have the right policy to protect your RV.

A Few Tips for Getting Your RV Spring-Ready

When you plan on having some adventures in the spring and summer, you’ll want to be sure that you have everything done and ready to go. There are a few things that you’ll want to add to your checklist in Tomball, TX so that you’re ready to go:

  • Have your RV fully inspected, complete with axle bearings, shock absorbers, brakes, and more
  • Refill your propane cylinders
  • Sanitize the freshwater tank
  • Install new batteries
  • Balance and rotate the tires

A little bit of preparation goes a long way. Before you decide to go on any trip, load it up and take it for a test drive. If there are any sounds, wobbles, or difficulties, take your RV to a trusted mechanic.

Get Your Documentation in Order

The last thing you want is to find out that you’re missing some important paperwork when you’re on the road. Check to make sure that your vehicle registration is up-to-date in Texas so that you don’t encounter any violations.

Be sure that you have an active insurance policy, too. This way, if you get into an accident or experience damage, you can file a claim and limit your out-of-pocket expenses.

Whether you’re looking for tips on where to go on your next adventure or you want to get quotes on recreational vehicle insurance, we’re here to help. Give us a call at Hastings Insurance Agency LLC today to get a few no-obligation quotes on a policy.

How does renters insurance work among roommates?

A common question asked by people shopping for renters insurance is how the policies work among roommates. Generally, insurance companies make it easy for roommates to share renters insurance policies, but doing so may not be in your best interests. If you are considering renters or other insurance, feel free to contact the Hastings Insurance Agency LLC team, serving the Tomball, TX area.

Sharing A Renters Insurance Policy Among Roommates

People consider sharing a renters insurance policy primarily because of convenience and cost savings. (Renters insurance in Texas averages only $173 per year.) Both are good reasons for sharing, but doing so can lead to complications.

One consideration is that if your roommate makes a claim on the shared policy, the claim becomes part of your seven-year insurance record. The claim could influence your insurance premiums long after you stop living together.

Roommates can also disagree about sharing the cost, particularly when one roommate has more valuable possessions than the other.

A third issue occurs when one roommate moves out, and the renters premium still has to be paid. Who will continue to pay the premium?

Renters insurance is inexpensive, so some will not be troubled by these issues. Nevertheless, it makes sense to consider these issues, particularly if you do not know your roommate well before living together. A shared policy is a shared legal obligation, so you may prefer to spend more money on separate policies to maintain legal separation.

Working with Hastings Insurance Agency LLC

Hastings Insurance Agency LLC, serving Tomball TX, offers the full range of insurance services, and our friendly team can help you develop an insurance plan that meets your needs. So, call us today or stop in to protect yourself and your possessions.

Your Guide to Better Motorcycle Insurance

At Hastings Insurance Agency LLC, our team can help Tomball, TX residents find motorcycle insurance that suits their needs. If you’re still not sure why you need a policy or what they do to help you, please make sure that you pay attention to the information below.

How Motorcycle Insurance Protects You 

Here are a few ways that motorcycle insurance protects you:

  • Bodily injury protection in case you or another rider gets hurt
  • Property damage liability to pay for repairs or replacements
  • Liability coverage to protect other people you hurt in a crash 
  • Uninsured motorist policies that help you if others don’t have insurance
  • Collision coverage to pay for all collision damage
  • Comprehensive coverage to pay for other issues

Extra Coverage Options 

Note that your insurance can also include riders or additional protection types that expand its scope. It’s a smart idea to consider a few of the options below if you ride your bike regularly and want to keep it fully protected:

  • Total loss coverage to protect you if your bike is very damaged 
  • Special equipment protection to handle custom enhancements on your bike
  • Roadside assistance and trip interruption in case you break down

Texas Requires Some Insurance 

Texas motorcycle owners need a minimum of liability protection or what is called bodily injury and property damage (BI/PD) protection. It won’t protect you, but it does help others in the crash. You can update your policy with personal injury protection if you need support here.

We’re Here to Help

At Hastings Insurance Agency LLC, we have years of experience helping Tomball, TX residents find the insurance policies that make sense for them. Contact us today to learn more about your options, and we’ll do whatever we can to ensure that you’re satisfied with your choice.

Why Should I Purchase Boat Insurance in Texas?

While Texas doesn’t require boaters to have insurance, it’s worthwhile to have it because unexpected events happen. At Hastings Insurance Agency LLC, serving the greater Tomball, TX community, we can help you get the right boater’s insurance.

Coverage for Medical Expenses

A standard policy with a bodily injury clause will cover the medical expenses up to policy limits if your boat injures another boater, for example. You can also get coverage for medical expenses for you and your passengers should there be an occurrence on your boat that requires medical attention. 

Help With Fuel Spills and Property Damage

And property liability would cover you if, for instance, your boat damaged the fence around a shoreline home. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality says that the owner or operator of a boat or anyone who causes, allows or permits a fuel/oil spill is responsible for paying cleanup costs.

If you had a boat insurance policy with a spill endorsement, you might be spared the out-of-pocket cleanup costs minus your deductible. In another unwanted scenario, what if your boat was in a collision and it sunk? If you had a boat insurance policy with a clause governing recovery, you’d probably be spared most of the high cost of pulling your vessel from the water.

Boat Towing

And if your boat became disabled, a roadside assistance clause would allow for it to be towed to a repair shop. Perhaps you carry fishing gear, scuba/snorkeling or other equipment on your boat. With a personal effects clause, these items would be covered if they were damaged or stolen up to the policy limits.

Schedule A Consultation Today

Serving Tomball, TX, our team of insurance experts at Hastings Insurance Agency LLC is ready to help you with your boat insurance needs. Contact us today.

When it Rains, It Pours: Why You Need Umbrella Insurance

Tomball, TX is a vibrant community known for Southern charm, friendly residents, and beautiful landscapes. While life in Tomball can seem idyllic, unexpected accidents can happen to anyone.

Accidents and mishaps can lead to liability claims that can turn a peaceful existence into a financial nightmare. Umbrella insurance is a supplementary form of insurance that can provide a safety net to help protect your and your family’s assets and shield your financial future from unexpected storms. 

Well-informed agents at Hastings Insurance Agency LLC in Tomball, TX can help you choose an umbrella insurance policy to meet your needs. 

When It Rains, It Pours – Get Umbrella Insurance 

Get umbrella insurance for liability protection, asset protection, and peace of mind. Liability insurance protections can shield you from financial damages related to lawsuits or property damage claims. It can also protect your valuable assets, including your home, savings, and investments, in the event of a lawsuit. 

How to Get Umbrella Insurance

The first step to getting an adequate umbrella insurance policy is to evaluate your current insurance policies and calculate how much additional coverage you need. 

A licensed insurance agent can guide you through the process by helping assess your risk profile and offering a free umbrella insurance quote. 

An umbrella insurance quote contains important details about add-on insurance coverages that extend the limits of your existing home and auto insurance policies. Insurance agents can help you choose an umbrella insurance policy that meets your insurance needs and aligns with your budget. 

Reach Out To Us

Don’t get caught in the rain without an adequate umbrella insurance policy. Contact a knowledgeable agent at Hastings Insurance Agency LLC and get an umbrella insurance quote today! 

Is Southeast Texas Set to Have One of the State’s Highest Flood Risk?

Flood risks in Texas are rapidly rising as sea levels climb and the state’s population increases. Climate change results in heavier precipitation along with stronger hurricanes. Hastings Insurance Agency LLC in Tomball, TX serves southeast Texas residents and all of Texas by helping them secure flood insurance.

Our service area serves much of the San Jacinto region, which includes Galveston and Harris County. Southeast Texas which has 2.5 million people situated in a 100 or 500-year floodplain. These statistics indicate that southeast Texas is set to become a leading area for flooding in the state. Let’s explore historical and current statistics for floods and the storms that cause them.

Past Major Storms in Southwest Texas

This region sees a major flood due to acts of god like hurricanes, tropical storms subtropical cyclones, and heavy rains every at least every 2 years. Houston and the surrounding areas have experienced flooding since the 1800s, with the first major storm occurring in Galveston in 1900.

The 16-foot storm surge and 140 mph winds caused 6,000–8,000 fatalities and destroyed countless homes and buildings. The same situation demolished the Port of Houston in 1935. Hurricane Harvey in 2017 was the deadliest Southeast Texas hurricane in over 100 years and caused $125 billion in damages.

Reach Out To Her

At Hastings Insurance Agency LLC, we know your property is important, and protecting it is pivotal. With flooding being a possibility anytime, whether you’re in a flood zone or not, we’ll help you obtain flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program or a customized policy. We gladly serve Tomball, TX and surrounding communities. Contact us today for a consultation.