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Key Differences Between Condo Insurance and Homeowners Insurance in Texas

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Owning a condo is a good option for people in the Tomball, TX area as it offers many of the benefits that come with home ownership without all the same maintenance obligations. If you get a condo here, you need to have the right insurance, which almost always means getting condo coverage. There are various differences between condo and home insurance that you should be aware of.

Limited Property Coverage

One important consideration for condo insurance versus home insurance is that condo coverage has limited property coverage. A condo policy is designed to cover items within your unit, including appliances, flooring, plumbing, electrical, and interior walls, as well as personal items. A master condo policy held by your association will cover exterior walls, common areas, and other shared fixtures. Many condo associations will also want to ensure each unit owner has a proper condo insurance plan.

Liability Protection

A condo plan will also offer liability coverage for accidents that only occur within your dwelling. A home insurance plan can cover any accident that occurs on your land. However, accidents that occur within shared condo building spaces may not be protected. Accordingly, it is important that your condo association has an appropriate master policy in place as well to cover such claims.

If you are a condo owner in the Tomball, TX area, you will want to know that you choose a proper condo insurance plan. When you are ready to start your search for your next plan, it would be ideal to call our Hastings Insurance Agency LLC team. Our professionals at Hastings Insurance Agency LLC know the value of this coverage and will provide any help you need to select a new policy.

Why You Need Enclosed Storage for Your Recreational Vehicles

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Valuing Your Recreational Vehicles: Considering Enclosed Storage

If you’ve started collecting recreational vehicles, it might be wise to consider obtaining enclosed storage for them. Despite the additional expenditure involved, the benefits over time make it well worth the investment.

Theft Prevention

A key motive for opting for enclosed storage is to deter theft of your recreational vehicles. You can choose to climate-control the storage if desired or even rent a facility nearby if you lack ample space on your property. Inherent security measures can keep away unwanted visitors, curtail damage, or altogether prevent vehicle theft.

Mitigating Environmental Damage

Leaving these vehicles outside exposes them to the elements, hastening wear and tear. Environmental factors such as weather fluctuations, rain, wind, and sun can cause damage faster when vehicles remain outdoors. The initial signs of deterioration appear on the exterior, eventually extending to the interior parts of some cars. This condition necessitates added maintenance, escalating costs over time. An enclosed space also keeps out unwelcome pests, which commonly infest these idle vehicles during winter months.

Gaining Convenience

Transferring everything to a single enclosed space translates to convenience. Each vehicle has its designated place in the structure, facilitating easy access whenever you wish. It also lets you organize your assets by enclosing them on-site or moving them to a storage facility nearby. The convenience and straightforwardness of storage are hard to overlook.

If you’re in the Tomball, TX area and looking for quotes for recreational vehicles, contact us today at Hastings Insurance Agency LLC.

How Can a Landlord Mandate Renter’s Insurance?

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Multiple concerns might occupy your mind as you search for a rental property. A significant worry could revolve around the conditions a Tomball, TX landlord might impose. One common requisite for tenants is renter’s insurance, leading you to question if a landlord can indeed insist on such coverage.

Understanding Renter’s Insurance

Renter’s insurance is a specialized insurance policy for tenants. It provides coverage for personal property in the event of theft, damage, or destruction. While its principles align with homeowners’ insurance, it is specifically designed for renters.

Can a Landlord Mandate Renter’s Insurance?

While a landlord cannot force you to maintain renter’s insurance post-contract, they can initially deny renting their property to you if you disregard their request for such a policy. Although it may seem like an additional expenditure, renter’s insurance serves as a practical safeguard; unfortunate incidents like extreme weather conditions or theft that could damage or steal your belongings are unpredictable.

As illustrated, a landlord can make renter’s insurance compulsory for all tenants. Failure to secure such insurance before a lease agreement could result in the landlord refusing to rent you the property. However, they cannot impose legal repercussions for failing to uphold the plan. While landlords could potentially resort to legal action post-lease, they generally do not diligently check on maintaining their tenant’s renter’s insurance policies. If you’re hunting for a trusted insurance provider, consider Hastings Insurance Agency LLC. We extend our services to residents in Tomball, TX, and pride ourselves on going the extra mile to ensure our customers are fully satisfied.

What Type of Motorcycle Insurance Do I Need?

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In Texas, motorcycle insurance is legally required before you take your bike on the road. However, choosing the right policy can be confusing. We offer motorcycle coverage at Hastings Insurance Agency LLC in Tomball, TX.

Liability Coverage

Let’s start with liability insurance. Texas requires all motorists, including motorcycle riders, to have liability coverage. This type of coverage caters to costs due to damages and injuries if you are responsible for an accident.

Collision and Comprehensive Coverage

If you have a loan for your bike, your lender will probably require you to have collision and comprehensive coverage. This policy covers the costs of replacing or repairing your motorcycle if it’s damaged or totaled.

Even if you don’t have a loan for your motorcycle, this coverage is still a wise choice. If you don’t have the money to purchase a new bike, this policy will help protect your investment.

Collision coverage will cover damages caused by an accident regardless of your fault, and comprehensive coverage takes care of incidents that don’t occur when you are on the road. For instance, if your bike is stolen, comprehensive coverage will provide the funds for a new one.

Medpay and PIP

In Texas, you can opt for Medpay or PIP coverage. PIP, also known as Personal Injury Protection, comes standard with all motorcycle policies in Texas. It covers injuries to you and any passengers if you are injured in an accident. Besides medical bills, you can also receive lost wages payments.

Medpay, on the other hand, is a similar type of coverage but doesn’t cover lost wages.

Motorcycle Coverage at Hastings Insurance Agency LLC

Do you need motorcycle coverage in Tomball, TX? Contact us at Hastings Insurance Agency LLC. We are happy to discuss your needs and help you select the right policy.

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

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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?

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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?

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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?

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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

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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?

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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.

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