Don't Spoil Thanksgiving

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is almost here! Most families prepare a huge feast that is only eaten once. This year break that trend and save your food. Take a look at this chart to determine how long food can be left out and how long it can be refrigerated without going bad.

Keep this in mind when determining what you are going to do with your leftovers and send us pictures of your feast. We enjoy seeing what our clients are up to. 

Rental Reimbursement Coverage - Do I Need It?

Rental Reimbursement Coverage pays a set daily amount for a rental car if your car is stolen or is being repaired because of damage covered by your policy. This coverage is fairly inexpensive and can give the insured peace of mind as accidents are impossible to predict. Note: This coverage does not reimburse you for your car undergoing routine maintenance or when you're on your vacation. 

When requesting this coverage, insurance companies require that you have comprehensive and collision coverage on your auto policy. This lets them now that you would be fully covered when driving a rental car.

Think about how much it would cost for repairs and a rental car if an accident were to take place. With some accidents, the repair time can take an extremely long time meaning that the rental car is needed for a longer period of time. Sometimes, it is worth it to spend a little bit every month to take away the burden if an accident does happen in the future. This is imperative if you don't think you could afford a big hit to your account at once.

It is important to keep in mind how much renting a car in your city costs to determine how much coverage you need. For example, in Austin it costs around $35-$40 to rent a car (this can differ based on what size vehicle). Due to this fact, it would be beneficial to include coverage up to $40/day for rental reimbursement coverage.

Each insurance company will offer this type of coverage for a different amount. Speak with your agent (us) to get an idea of how much this coverage would cost on your current auto policy. Contact us today via email ScottReed@Shop2Insure.com or phone (877) 892-4565.

For more information regarding rental reimbursement coverage, read this helpful article by ValuePenguin.

Halloween Tips & Tricks

It's finally Halloween! While the weekend was filled with many activities, tonight is the night for trick-or-treating. To keep our kids safe, it is important to stay safe and be aware of your surroundings. Follow these tips to be sure of a great Halloween experience.

• Only visit well-lit homes. While those spooky, mysterious homes might be appealing to the adrenaline lover, it is better to be safe than sorry!
• Make sure that costumes don't include accessories that could pass for a weapon 
• Be respectful and say "thank you"
• Watch out for cars and don't cross the road unless completely visible
• Try not to cut across yards as it is always best to stay on sidewalks!
• Watch open flames from jack-o-lanterns. Catching a costume on fire would be the worst.
• Check all candy before allowing your children to eat it

For more tips from the Austin Police Department and Downtown Austin Patch, click here. 

Adding a Teenage Driver to Auto Policy

When kids reach 16, the first thing they want to do is drive. While this is understandable, it is oftentimes terrifying for parents. The last thing you are thinking about when getting your kid a car and driver's license is the insurance for them. However, this is extremely important as they are such young drivers.

Adding a 16 year old to your current car insurance can be a huge increase. We've noticed that due to this huge increase, parents begin to ask if it is possible to put their child on their own policy. While this sounds like a good idea, it is not feasible. Insurance companies want everyone in the household to be on the same policy. Also, we have found that even when experimenting with this, the rates that have come back for a 16 year old and his/her car comes back way more expensive than simply putting them on their parents' car.

Since these rates can be so high, there is a Good Student Discount that can be added. This is awarded to students that have a 3.0 or higher. Driver Training Discount is awarded when the driver participated in training. (This discount is only offered by a few carriers.) If your child is off at college, they could potentially receive a Student Away Discount. This is given if the student is living 100 miles or more away from home without their car.

If you're thinking about adding a teenager to your policy, the best thing to do is speak with your agent about the next steps. They will assist you in pricing and giving potential discounts. Also, if you are with an independent agent, like us, they will shop your rates with other carriers to get you the best deal. Interested in getting quoted with us? Reach us today via phone (877) 892-4565 or email ScottReed@Shop2Insure.com.

Must Eat Restaurants in Austin

If you have ever been to Austin, you understand how important food is. There is a local restaurant on every corner and oftentimes it is difficult to know which one is worth the stop. (Hint: All of them!) However, we did a little research to see which ones are the most iconic and well-liked. Out of the list, here are our favorites:

1. Threadgills - If you enjoy southern comfort food and a good atmosphere, there is the place. This place has been open since 1933, so as you can imagine there is a lot of character.

2. Dirty Martin's Place - Right by UT's campus, this restaurant is one that every student goes to at least once (or a hundred times). They're known for their yummy burgers and fries, but they also have the best Dr. Pepper in town.

3. Matt's Famous El Rancho - It is almost impossible to go here without there being a long wait for a table. Despite this, it is totally worth the wait! Matt's originally came up with the Bob Armstrong's dip that cannot be beat anywhere else.

4. Scholz Garten - This restaurant is at the middle of German culture, and you will realize this the second you walk in. Not only do people love it, but it is also the oldest restaurant in Austin (1866)!

Be sure to check out this article by Eater Austin for the rest of the must eat restaurants.

Tailgating Tips

Now that football season is finally here, so is tailgating season. Being Texan, it is like a tradition to tailgate pretty much the whole day before the game. It may be hot and sweaty, but we still do it. Because this is such a widespread phenomenon, we decided to do some research on tips and tricks to make for a successful tailgate.

Some of our favorites include:

1. Nothing is worse than cold meat! To fix this problem, use bricks to prop up your dish and put a Sterno can in between them. It will keep your food cold while also being safe.

2, Mason jars! You can serve almost anything in these little containers while also being somewhat decorative.

3. Freeze water bottles in order to keep everyone hydrated as well as ice.


To read the rest of these fun and easy tips, check out this post by Huffington Post.

Home Improvement and Insurance

Making home improvements is an exciting time for many people. However, there is much more than just price that needs to be considered when taking on these projects. Your home insurance as well as your contractors insurance needs to be evaluated to make sure that the entirety of the project will be insured. We have listed the top 3 things you need to check before starting a project.

1. Review your homeowner's policy - it is important to know exactly what is covered on your policy in case something happens to your property.

2. Make sure your contractor is licensed and bonded - you want to be sure that they are taking care of your property correctly and are insured adequately.

3. Confirm contractor's liability insurance - this is important in case anyone gets hurt on your property during remodel (someone other than a worker). They should also have a worker's compensation policy for workers getting injured.

To read more about the connection between home improvement and insurance, click here for the article by Property Casualty 360.

Save Some Money with RightTrack

While we work with many different companies, Safeco (aka Liberty Mutual) is one of our largest. They have recently debuted a new feature that could save our clients lots of money - RightTrack.  

Like many other companies, Safeco wants to know how well their customers drive. While this might not sound appealing, they do it in a way that greatly benefits the client. If you choose to sign up your vehicle(s) with this program (vehicle must be eligible and most are), you automatically receive a 5% discount on each vehicle. 

After that, it is up to your driving to decide if you receive any more of a discount or not. The device that is put under your steering wheel for 90 days tracks things such as speed, braking time, time of day driving, and other safe driving patterns. While the discount can get up to 30%, we oftentimes see customers with a 10-15% discount. The good news though is that no matter how awful you drive, you will have 5% off of the policy for its lifetime. 

For more information regarding RightTrack, click here!

If you are already a customer or just looking for insurance, contact us today via phone (877) 892-4565 or send us an email to ScottReed@Shop2Insure.com. We will shop your rates with our 10+ different companies as well as Safeco to find you the best coverage and price. 

Healthy Snacks for Your Kiddos

Now that school is starting, it is important for kids to receive the same healthy foods that they were getting at home during summer. Because of this, we found some healthy school lunches that you can pack for your kiddos.

Egg muffins

Author: Wellness Mama

Recipe type: Breakfast

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 12 pieces of nitrate free bacon
• ½ medium onion, finely chopped
• ½ bell pepper, finely chopped
• 10 eggs, beaten (with 2 TBSP milk or cream, optional)
• ¼ cup cheese (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Line each cup of the muffin tin with a piece of bacon.
3. Put chopped onion and pepper in the bottom of the muffin cups.
4. Pour egg mixture into the cups.
5. Bake about 30 minutes (ovens vary) until eggs are set. Top with cheese (optional).
6. Can be wrapped in foil and easily reheated on-the-go.

Zucchini Fritters

Author: Wellness Mama

Recipe type: Side

Cuisine: American

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchini
• 2 eggs
• 1 onion
• ½ cup parmesan cheese (optional, can replace with almond flour or 3 tablespoons of coconut flour)
• ¼ cup almond flour
• 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder, salt, pepper and basil leaf

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grate the zucchini with a cheese grater or food processor. Add the salt and squeeze very tightlywith a towel or some paper towels to get the excess liquid out. Put in a medium sized bowl.
2. Grate the onion and add to the bowl. Add the eggs, parmesan cheese and almond flour. Sprinkle the spices on top of the mixture and mix until evenly incorporated. To bake: well grease a baking sheet or muffin tins and put tablespoon size amounts of the mixture onto the baking sheet or fill the muffin tins ½ full.
3. Bake for approximately 18-20 minutes or until tops and sides are starting to brown. Serve alone or with homemade ketchup. Can also pan fry in coconut oil for a crispier outer coating.
4. Enjoy!

Check out this article by Wellness Mama that includes a 2 week menu and recipes for your kids. 

Claims Can Be a Pain

Dealing with a claim can be difficult to handle at times. Because of this, we encourage our clients to reach out to us before they go straight to their insurance company. This way, we can be sure that you know what to expect.

Q. I've been in an accident - what now? 

A. Start by reporting your claim to your insurance carrier. They will need to know specifics on what happened, where and when it occurred, and information regarding the people involved. The more specific you are, the greater chance that things will be taken care of quick and efficient.

Q. I have damage to my property - what now? 

A. When regarding home claims, it is oftentimes best to call your agent (i.e. Reed Insurance). We encourage this, because sometimes damage done to homes is less than what your deductible is.  For example, if your roof contains hail/wind damage it is best to get it quoted by roofers before going through the claims process. This way, you can know how much your roof repair would be. This forward thinking will prevent you from having to open a claim that may not pay out. While the claim might be $0, it can still count against you.
If you end up needing to file a claim, your insurance carrier will require specifics pertaining to the incident. To make sure that the damage is covered on your policy, check out this blog post by us.

If you just aren't sure about what to do regarding a claim, feel free to reach out to us. Our team is here for you and wants to help. Give us a call at (877) 892-4565 or send us an email at ScottReed@Shop2Insure.com.

Is Flood Insurance Really Necessary?

Is flood insurance really necessary? This is a question we receive quite a bit and we want to help our clients understand why it's sometimes essential. 

Unexpected storms and flooding happen all the time, especially in Texas. With flood insurance, you can take away the anxiety and know that your home is protected in case of these disasters. Homeowner’s policies do not cover this type of damage, so it is important to obtain this separate policy. Oftentimes, mortgage companies will require homeowners that are located in a floodplain to purchase flood insurance. However, contrary to popular belief, people that are located outside of these floodplains file more than 20% of flood insurance claims.

All flood insurance policies are regulated by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). Therefore, your flood insurance rate would be determined by FEMA. The amount of coverage requested, location, and flood zone, as well as the design and age of your home are all determining factors in what your rate will be. Every now and then, we will get hit with requests for flood insurance during an ongoing flood in hopes that it will be in effect ASAP. However, it is important to keep in mind that it takes 30 days for your flood insurance to go into effect. This means that the sooner you purchase it, the better. 

Don't be caught in a bad situation with a flooded home and no coverage. If you feel like flood insurance is something you need or are interested to see a quote, contact us today via phone (877) 892-4565, email ScottReed@Shop2Insure.com, or check out our website! 

What is Covered on a Home Insurance Policy?

Oftentimes, clients don't realize what is covered on their home insurance until it's too late. We created this infographic to explain what is and isn't insured. 

If you are interested in learning more, contact us today via phone (877) 892-4565 or email ScottReed@Shop2Insure.com. 

Who Are We? Learn What Makes Us Different

Building relationships is important for everybody and even businesses. In order to maintain this, we wanted to reintroduce ourselves to all of our current clients and prospects that we might work with in the future.

At Reed Insurance Agency, we offer things that you cannot get anywhere else: choice, high level of service, and locality. What does this mean?

Choice: We are an independent agent. This means that we can offer you rates from several different insurance companies to ensure that you are receiving the best rate and coverage. To learn more about why working with an independent agent is best, read our blog post.

High level of service: While we will certainly help you with adding a car to an auto policy or updating a mortgagee clause, we also want every customer to feel like they are important. To us, it's more about making sure our clients are insured properly and treated like family. In the event of a claim, we are the first ones you need to call. We will let you know exactly what to expect from each carrier and how to make sure it goes smoothly and in your favor. Since we are independent, we work for you and not the insurance companies.

Local: When we say that we are local, it means that we are involved in our communities. Our staff is involved with local and national charities and organizations that benefit where we all live.

If you are ever in need of assistance, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We want to help you with it all. Reach us via phone (877) 892-4565, email ScottReed@Shop2Insure.com, visit our website, or even LIKE us on Facebook.

Things to Do in Dallas

As the weekend is finally here, it's time to think of fun things to do. Since we've already mentioned things to do in Austin, we found that we should broaden ourselves to other cities as well. This time we're talking about Dallas. It's a huge city, so there must be lots to do, right?

Some of our favorites include:

John F. Kennedy Memorial and Dealey Plaza: If you're even slightly interested in history, this a cool place to check out. The Memorial (also The Sixth Floor Museum) hosts items to remember his life and tell his story, while Dealey Plaza is the site of his assassination.

Dallas Arts District: This is the largest urban arts district in the whole country. There are many things to do here including shops, museums, and performances. Check out the FREE Dallas Museum of Art if you go. 

NorthPark and Galleria: While shopping isn't every person's favorite thing to do, these malls are interesting to experience. NorthPark hosts several different art collections and the Galleria has it's own ice skating rink. 

To check out more fun things to do in Dallas, click here!

Umbrella Insurance - What is it?

What is an umbrella policy? 
An umbrella policy extends all of your current liability coverage on your homeowners policy up to another $1, $2, or $5 million. In the event that you get sued, this ensures you extra coverage. 

If you're like most people, you probably think umbrella insurance is just for big corporations or high-income households - but you couldn't be more wrong. This type of insurance is a great idea, because you never know when an unexpected event will happen; for example, a neighbor getting hurt on your property. Many suits today settle for far more than the amount covered on most homeowner's policies. 

To help put this is perspective, let us tell you about a time one of our clients was very grateful to have their umbrella policy. They were having some friends over one winter night to sit in their hot tub. Unexpectedly, one of their guests fell from the top of the hot tub (10 ft up in the air) and landed on the icy ground. This caused their guest to become paralyzed. Thankfully, the owners of the house and hot tub had an umbrella policy to help pay for the medical bills and such for their dear friend. (Also, she is doing better and hopes to race again as she was a triathlete.) 

You never know when something bad or unexpected is going to occur in your life, so it is always better to be safe than sorry. As these policies are offered at such a low cost with such a great benefit, it only makes sense to look more into this coverage. If you are interested in getting a quote for an umbrella policy, contact our office today by phone (877) 892-4565, email ScottReed@Shop2Insure.com, or visit our website!

Children's Miracle Network

As someone who loves the Children's Miracle Network and all they stand for, I found that it was necessary to share the great things of this organization with you. Since 1983, Children Miracle Network hospitals have been raising money to help any and every child that walks in their doors. The donations that they receive go toward research, training, equipment and uncompensated care.

Growing up, my school and I would go visit the children to either play games or read to them. While they were going through difficult times, each child was happy with the way they were being taken care of. Every hospital is built and designed to be welcoming to children. At the end of the day, all these hospitals want to do it save kids' lives.

There are several Children's Miracle Network Hospitals in Texas ranging from Austin and Dallas to Beaumont and El Paso. When you make a donation, the network sends it to the closest hospital to you to ensure that their needs are met.

To learn more about the Children's Miracle Network and what they do, go to their website.
If you're interested in donating, volunteering, or fundraising, click here!


-Lauren Ross
Marketing Manager

What is an Independent Agent?

Being an independent agency, like we are, includes many advantages to our clients. We work with 10+ different insurance companies that offer many different coverages and premiums. This means that when it is time for renewal and you are not happy with your rates, we can easily go out and shop you with our other companies. To get a better understanding of what this means, I have created a scenario below - one as an independent agency and one as a captive agent (ex: State Farm). 

Say your auto renewal has just come out with Company A for 15% higher than what you were paying before ($1,300 annually). Because of this, you reach out to your agent to see if there is anything they can do for you. 

Independent Agent: 

We see the significant increase in premium and go shop your rates with our multiple other companies. While we are looking for low premiums, we are also searching for identical coverage levels to be consistent. After shopping rates, we find the top 3 rates listed below. 

Company B: $1,113 annually

Company C: $1,009 annually

Company D: $625 biannually (or $1,250 annually) 

We provide these rates and you let us know which one you are interested in; most likely, Company C. After that, we issue your policy and you're good to go! 

Captive Agent: 

They see that your renewal has increased, but as they only offer one company that is the only rate they can offer you. Oftentimes, clients believe that what their captive agent offers them is the only option. Although, there are many different insurance companies out there that can offer the same amount of coverage if not more. 

After providing examples of both types of agents, it is obvious to see that independent agencies truly want what's best for their clients: low premiums and good coverage. If you're interested in receiving quotes from us, give us a call at (877) 892-4565 or send us an email to ScottReed@Shop2Insure.com.

You can also click here for a home quote and here for an auto quote!  

FREE Things to Do in Austin This Summer

When summer rolls around, it's only natural to want to go do fun things with our family and friends. However, it isn't always feasible to afford. To help with this ongoing issue, we decided to look up the top FREE things to do in Austin. Yes, I said FREE!

Some of our favorites included in the article are:

Congress Bats: There are about 1,500,000 bats living under the Congress Avenue Bridge. Get there early and see the bats come out the bridge. It is truly an amazing sight!

Hope Outdoor Gallery: Take pictures by the ever-changing graffiti and even create some of your own art! Bring your own spray paint or buy some by a vendor at the Gallery.

Mount Bonnell: Hike up this beautiful mountain that will lead you to one of the best views in Austin. You can even bring a picnic to enjoy along with the view. 

To check out the rest of the top free things to in Austin, click here!

What You Need to Know About Auto Insurance

Oftentimes when we speak to clients regarding their auto policies, we find that they are not aware of all that is covered on their Texas Auto Policy or what coverages mean. While having auto insurance is required by state law, it is important to understand what all the numbers and abbreviations mean when buying insurance. Below, we have outlined the different types of coverages that are required and/or optional with a brief description. 

Liability Coverage: This helps protect you and your assets in the event that you cause an injury to others or damage the property of others with your vehicle. Bodily Injury Liability covers you if it is found that you are responsible for an accident in which someone is hurt or killed. Property Damage Liability covers the damage your vehicle caused to someone else's property. 
As this is a required coverage, the state minimum for liability coverage is 30/60/25. This means that $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident for bodily injury with $25,000 for property damage. 

Uninsured Motorists/Underinsured Motorists Coverage: This covers you, other drivers on the policy, and passengers in your car if you are involved in an accident caused by an uninsured motorist or if the other driver did not have enough insurance to cover your bills, up to you policy's dollar limits. 
*If you do not want this coverage, you must reject it in writing as it is recommended by the state*

Medical Payments Coverage: This covers the cost of doctors, hospitals, and funeral expenses for you and/or your passengers that result from an accident, regardless of who was at fault.
*This is not a required coverage*

Personal Injury Protection Coverage: This coverage is the same as medical payments coverage (above), but it also covers 80% of lost income and the cost of hiring a caregiver for an injured person. Something to keep in mind with this coverage is that it only pays up to the dollar amount chosen. Insurance companies must offer you $2,500 in coverage, but you can certainly buy more. 
*If you do not want PIP coverage, you must reject it in writing*

Collision (Damage to Your Car) Deductible: This pays for the damage to your own auto as the result of colliding with another vehicle or object. Your car is covered no matter who caused the accident. 

Comprehensive (Physical Damage Other than Collision) Deductible: This pays for damage to your auto caused by something other than a collision. This includes theft and vandalism, and disasters such as fire, flood, and hail. 

*With the Collision and Comprehensive Deductibles, it isn't necessary to have them. However, we always recommend having this coverage with newer vehicles. 

Below are some optional coverages that are nice to have. 
Towing and Labor Coverage: This pays the towing charges when your car cannot be driven. It also pays for labor charges, such as someone changing your tire at the place where your car is broken down.  
Rental Reimbursement Coverage: This pays a set daily amount for a rental car if your car is stolen o ris being repaired due to damage covered by your policy. 

As you can see, there are many different coverages that insurance companies offer. Give us a call at (877) 892-4565  or send us an email to ScottReed@Shop2Insure.com and we can go over your policy to see if there is any kind of coverage that you are missing out on! 

For an auto quote from us, click here!