Nearly every insurance company claims they can offer the cheapest rates and the most discounts on your auto insurance. Details matter, however, and while one policy may offer the steepest savings on your premiums, it is important to always compare several plans to ensure you are receiving the best deal. One discount that some people can overlook is the savings realized for those who own their house, condo or mobile home. Renters simply pay more for home insurance than owners. This is because rental units have statically
Readmore

San Marcos, TX and the surrounding region has carefully preserved its past. Many residential neighborhoods are designated historic districts with Victorian, Classical Revival and Craftsman architecture built as far back as 1880 through the 1940s. Each lovingly restored and maintained historic home is a treasure, and for that reason each will have unique insurance needs. The Importance of Historic Home Insurance At Benchmark Insurance, we understand the insurance needs of historic Texas homes. Historic homes are
Readmore

When it rains, it pours. In the case of some lawsuits, it can be a monsoon. You have home and auto insurance policies that protect you from limited liability claims, but when those costs exceed your coverage, you are left exposed to the torrential downpour. You need an umbrella insurance policy to keep you safe and dry. Umbrella policies start to work after your home and auto insurance limits are exhausted, providing you with extra liability coverage. Very few home insurance or car insurance policy limits exceed $500,000
Readmore

Even though the winter season is still a few months away, now is the best time to start thinking about winterizing your home to prevent future damage and costly homeowners insurance claims. The fall weather is ideal for preparing your home against any hardships the seasonal elements may cause in the future. Here are some precautions you can take now to get ready for winter: Insulating Properly Adding insulation is an excellent way to protect your home during winter. It may seem a bit expensive, but you’ll save a
Readmore

As the leaves begin to turn and we clean up the yard to prepare for colder weather, it is time to put some fall and winter projects on the “to do” list. Have you considered adding a home inventory to your fall project list? Now is a great time to spend some time indoors, get organized, and make a detailed inventory of your belongings. No one wants to think about the consequences of a major loss of property. But if you do a little work now, the process will be far less stressful and the outcome much more satisfactory if
Readmore

You may be a stellar driver, but it’s always “the other guy” who poses a risk. According to data from the Insurance Research Council, 1 in 7 U.S. drivers is currently uninsured, despite the fact that most states require auto insurance. Now, many states are requiring uninsured motorist coverage in their car insurance policies to help with costs associated with injuries after being involved in a car accident with an uninsured driver. In the event of an accident, uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage will protect you and
Readmore

Eventually, most people will need to add one or more drivers to their car insurance policy. The effects of an additional driver on your policy depend on whether you need to add a roommate, spouse, or teen driver to your car insurance and the driving history of the person you are adding. Including a spouse on your car insurance policy is easy. In fact, federal law requires some insurance coverage to be automatically extended to a spouse. However, this does not protect you from financial or legal accountability should your
Readmore

Summer is finally here, and that means back yard pool parties, family barbecues and fireworks celebrations. It also means you are at increased risks to accidents and injuries stemming from these summertime festivities. You may think your homeowner’s insurance policy will protect you against any and all accidents, but if the incident that caused injury or damage was easily preventable, your insurance company may attempt to deny your claim. Most homeowners would prefer to avoid any incident in the first place. For those
Readmore