Understand the Auto Insurance Limitations for Electric Vehicles

Switching to an electric vehicle (EV) could be cost-efficient, but it also has its caveats. Auto insurance is required for all vehicles, including EVs, yet there are specific limitations when it comes to insuring electric vehicles. Let us at West Texas Insurance Agency in Amarillo, TX explain these limitations and the coverage you’ll need to ensure comprehensive protection.

Limitations on EVs

Electric vehicle drivers often pay higher premiums than conventional vehicle drivers due to the costly maintenance and replacement of EV components. This factor sets certain restrictions on the amounts covered by insurance.

One of the most significant limitations concerns EV battery replacements. The replacement could be expensive if the battery is damaged, stolen, or fails. Insurance companies often charge significantly high premiums if you want battery coverage.

Additionally, auto insurance for EVs generally doesn’t cover charging accidents. These incidents are often attributed to the owner’s fault and aren’t typically covered by standard auto insurance. Policyholders will need to add other types of insurance to ensure their vehicle is comprehensively covered.

Ensuring Comprehensive Coverage

Investing in additional policies is the optimal way to ensure comprehensive protection for your EV. Drivers should incorporate comprehensive, collision, and even umbrella insurance into their existing policies. By adding this extra layer of protection, drivers can rest assured that their vehicle is as covered as possible.

Contact West Texas Insurance Agency

With EVs growing in popularity, drivers need to comprehend how this affects their insurance coverage. Being well-informed facilitates the best decisions for both your vehicle and financial security. If you’re in Amarillo, TX, our West Texas Insurance Agency team is here to help. We’re devoted to providing the knowledge you need to protect your EV, so contact us today.

After an accident around Amarillo, TX, the last thing you want to do is file a claim and deal with the headaches. However, it is necessary to avoid common mistakes when filing those claims.

Delaying the Claim

One of the most significant mistakes is delaying the filing of your claim. It’s crucial to report the accident to your insurance company immediately. Prompt reporting helps preserve details and evidence while also complying with policy requirements. Delays can result in complications or even denial of the claim.

Inadequate Documentation

Ensure you collect all necessary information at the accident scene, including photos of the damage, other parties’ contact details, valuable notes, and witness statements. Having a police report can also be invaluable. Incomplete documentation can weaken your claim and lead to delays.

Admitting Fault

If you believe you were at fault, it’s wise to let the insurance companies determine liability based on their investigation. Admitting fault will hurt the process and affect your compensation.

Not Seeking Immediate Medical Attention

You should always seek medical attention after an auto accident. If you delay treatment, your health and the claim may be in jeopardy.

Ignoring Policy Details

Know what your policy covers, including deductibles and limits. Ignoring these details can lead to surprises during the claims process, such as out-of-pocket expenses or uncovered damages.

Poor Communication with the Insurer

If requests are made to hand over information, you should always respond immediately, without delay. Poor communication will lead to problems affecting your claim and compensation.

West Texas Insurance Agency Helps Guide You

West Texas Insurance Agency will help guide you and show you how auto insurance can save you in the long haul. Our team covers the Amarillo, TX region. Get in touch with us today.

When your vehicle breaks down, you can get caught alongside the road and face hefty bills for car repairs. What does your auto insurance cover if your car breaks down?

At West Texas Insurance Agency servicing Amarillo, TX, we’re happy to help you understand what’s included with your auto insurance and what isn’t. We also offer a range of insurance types, so you can choose the best type of auto insurance for your needs. 

Can My Auto Insurance Cover My Vehicle If It Breaks Down?

A typical auto insurance policy does not cover the cost of repairing a vehicle that has broken down due to maintenance problems. However, if you have comprehensive auto insurance, your policy may cover the cost of roadside assistance, including towing the vehicle to a repair shop.

If your car is covered under the vehicle warranty, you may be able to use the warranty to cover the repair cost. Speak to your car dealership to determine if your vehicle is still covered under warranty. In addition, if a recently replaced car part breaks down, it may be covered under its warranty. Speak with the mechanic who performed the installation. 

What Does My Auto Insurance Cover?

There are different types of auto insurance. Liability-only auto insurance is the minimum amount of insurance and will only cover the cost of repairing the vehicle you hit if you are at fault in an accident. Typically, comprehensive auto insurance will cover the cost of repairing your vehicle if it is damaged or stolen. 

Need to Review Your Auto Insurance? Contact Us

Wondering what your auto insurance covers? Call West Texas Insurance Agency, servicing Amarillo, TX. We can help you understand your policy and get the best coverage for your needs. 

Maintaining your car’s safety and performance during cold weather is essential to ensuring its smooth operation when driving in winter. According to the Amarillo, TX-based West Texas Insurance Agency professionals, these tips will help keep your car running safely as the colder weather arrives.

Tips to Keep Your Car Running Safely in Winter

In addition to modifying your driving habits for slippery roads (i.e., avoiding sudden movement or braking, increasing following distance, etc.) and following the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule, consider these valuable suggestions-

Check the following:

• The Battery – Cold weather can strain the car’s battery, so check terminal connections and replace the battery when necessary.
• The Tires – Cold weather can reduce tire pressure. Keep your tires properly inflated or improve traction with winter tires.
• The Antifreeze/Coolant Level/Concentration – the proper mixture of antifreeze and water prevents engine freeze-ups.
• The Engine Oil –thickens from low temperatures. Use winter-grade oil to help oil flow in cold temps.
• Lights and signals – Make sure these are working correctly.
• The Brakes – inspect the brake system, including brake fluid, pads, rotors, etc.
• Check Wiper Fluid/Blade – replace worn blades and switch to winter-grade windshield washer fluid to prevent freezing.
• The defroster, the heating systems, and related belts/hoses are in working order.
• Keep Fuel Tank Full – a full tank can prevent a fuel line freeze-up and provides a margin of safety should you be stuck in traffic or delayed.
• Carry Emergency Supplies – including blankets, flashlights, jumper cables, ice scrapers, snow shovels, and essential tools.

Contact a Leading Amarillo, TX Insurance Company Today

If you’re unsure about any aspect of your car’s readiness for winter, consult the insurance professionals at the West Texas Insurance Agency at 806-352-2090 (Amarillo, TX) or 806-589–6454 (Lubbock, TX).

Telematics is transforming and changing the auto insurance industry. Here at West Texas Insurance Agency, serving the greater Amarillo, TX area, we want to help you understand more about telematics.

Understanding Telematics

Telematics involves merging telecommunications and informatics, enabling real-time monitoring of vehicles using GPS and onboard diagnostics. This technology provides detailed insights into driver behavior and vehicle performance, sending this information to insurers to help assess risks more accurately.

Benefiting the Safe Driver

One of the standout features of telematics-based auto insurance is personalized pricing. Rather than relying on traditional factors like age, gender, or location, insurers use actual driving data. This means safer drivers can be rewarded with lower premiums, encouraging more responsible driving habits.

Enhancing Claims Processing

In the event of an accident, telematics can provide a detailed snapshot of the moments leading up to the collision, including speed, direction, and force of impact. This real-time data can streamline the claims process, ensuring quicker resolutions and possibly reducing fraudulent claims.

Data Privacy Concerns

While the advantages are numerous, there are concerns about data privacy. Consumers may feel uneasy about insurers having continuous access to their driving habits. Insurance companies need to remain transparent about data usage and storage, emphasizing customer trust and security.

As telematics technology evolves, its impact on the auto insurance industry becomes increasingly profound. Offering a unique blend of personalized pricing and enhanced claims processing is a win-win for insurers and policyholders. If you’re looking to purchase a new auto insurance policy in Amarillo, TX, the West Texas Insurance Agency team can help you find the best policy for your needs. Call today to get started.

Certain documents should be in the vehicle with you when you are out and about on the roads in Western Texas. If, for any reason, you get pulled over by the police, you will need to produce these documents, and you should have them all handy in your vehicle. At West Texas Insurance Agency in Amarillo, TX, we are independent insurance agents who put our customers first. 

Vehicle registration

When you purchase a new or used vehicle, you will need to register it with the state. This proves your ownership. You must produce the title to register it for the first time. If you are pulled over, you must be able to produce the registration, including your vehicle’s VIN number. 

Insurance card

When you purchase auto insurance, the insurance company will send you a card identifying you and your vehicle. This will also be required if the police pull you over for a violation or if you have an accident. 

Driver’s license

You always need to have your driver’s license with you when driving. Most people keep their driver’s license on their person in a wallet or their purse. It is an accepted form of identification that most people use regularly. 

Vehicle maintenance record

When you change the oil in your vehicle or do other repairs, the paperwork should be kept in your glove box. If you buy new tires and then have an issue with one of the tires, the paperwork can prove that a warranty still covers you. It is a good idea to have any proof of roadside assistance you may have in your vehicle. 

For advice about auto insurance, you can count on our West Texas Insurance Agency team in  Amarillo, TX to provide the customer service you deserve. 

The agents at the West Texas Insurance Agency serving the Amarillo, TX area want you to know about the importance of having an auto insurance policy in place in the state of Texas.

Is Auto Insurance Required in Texas?

In Texas, all people who drive a motor vehicle are responsible for paying for any accidents they cause. Most people choose to do this through auto liability insurance. This type of policy will pay to repair or replace the other driver’s vehicle and will pay for other people’s medical expenses if it is found that you are at fault for an accident.

Auto Insurance Coverage Options

In addition to auto liability insurance, many other types of auto insurance are available. Listed below are different types of coverage options you can choose from when it comes to auto insurance.

Underinsured and Uninsured Motorist Coverage

While Texas does not require uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, it’s still a good idea to have this type of coverage in place. This is because you could become involved in an accident with a driver who has no insurance or does not have an adequate amount of auto insurance. This type of coverage will help you pay for any damage to your vehicle and medical expenses if needed.

Comprehensive and Collision Insurance Coverage

If you owe money for your vehicle to a lender, you will likely be required to have comprehensive and collision insurance coverage. This is because comprehensive insurance will help repair or replace your vehicle if a fire, an act of vandalism, or a natural disaster damage it. This will also help you out if your car is stolen.

Collision insurance is designed to help you pay for damage if you collide with a stationary object or another vehicle.

Contact West Texas Insurance Agency

To create the best auto insurance policy for you and your situation, contact the auto insurance agents at the West Texas Insurance Agency, serving the Amarillo, TX area, today!

When you are a driver in Texas, certain auto coverage is required for you by law. If you own a vehicle, you are required to have this insurance for it so that you and others on the road have some financial protection in case of an accident. When you have an auto policy in Texas, there are certain types of coverage that have to be included in it. To make sure that you have the insurance that you’re required to have, call us at West Texas Insurance Agency in Amarillo, TX to get started. 

Required Liability Coverage

The state requires two types of liability coverage, and these are broken up into three different coverage amounts. The bodily injury coverage pays for the medical bills of third parties who are injured in an accident when you are at fault for the accident. There are two amounts of this required by law. One amount is for everyone who was injured, and the other is for just one injured person. In addition to bodily injury, there is another liability type required. Property damage liability pays the other party for their property damage, such as repairs needed to their vehicle. 

Other Protection

Another type of coverage comes with Texas auto insurance unless you waive it in writing. This is called personal injury protection. This helps to pay for your own medical bills after an accident. There are other types of coverage that you can get as well that aren’t required, such as collision insurance. This pays for your vehicle’s damage from an accident. 

Protect Yourself and Stay Legal

To get the vital auto insurance you need, call us at West Texas Insurance Agency in Amarillo, TX to get started.