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.