Renters Insurance and Identity Theft

In a typical year, over a million Americans report identity theft. This crime often involves someone using your identity and financial information to acquire loans, purchase goods, or commit other unlawful activities. Residents of Deer Park, TX with renter’s insurance may wonder if this coverage offers any protection against losses resulting from identity theft.

Your Coverage

Most standard renter’s insurance policies don’t fully cover identity theft; however, they may include coverage for specific scenarios like check or credit card misuse. The details are stated in your policy documents. In contrast, to attain comprehensive identity theft coverage, one must either add an identity theft rider to their renter’s insurance or purchase a separate policy altogether.

Benefits of Identity Theft Insurance

Regardless of how it’s acquired, identity theft insurance aids victims in recovering their identities and correcting false credit record information. The insurance may cover related expenses such as postage, fees, legal services, credit monitoring, notarization services, and even income loss, usually past a given deductible.

If left unchecked, a thief’s activities can affect your credit score, thereby hindering your access to housing, loans, insurance, and employment. Having identity theft insurance provides you with the resources to prevent further misuse of your identity and mitigate the damage.

Getting Insurance from Shell Insurance Agency

If you need reliable identity theft or renters insurance, call Shell Insurance Agency in Deer Park, TX. We can help you decide on the best way to add identity theft coverage to an existing policy or get separate insurance. Contact us at 713-844-1111 today.

Are you aware if you have flood insurance or not? Many homeowners either assume they do or don’t know.

Flood insurance is not included with most standard insurance policies and must be purchased separately. But what if you don’t live near water? Should you still consider acquiring flood insurance? At Shell Insurance Agency, serving Deer Park, TX, and the region, we think some factors should be considered.

Heavy Rains

Heavy Texas rains can inundate your water drainage and sewer systems whether you live near a river or lake. This can flood fields, roadways, retention ponds, and potentially even your home. Low-lying areas can initially sustain flooding, but if storms persist, more and more homes can suffer damage.

Changing Climate and Flood Zones

When you first took out your home insurance policy, your home may not have been in a flood zone or high flood-risk area. That can change over time. What may not have been a risk may now be. Flood insurance may now be prudent.

New Construction and Housing Developments

Many areas in and around Deep Park, TX, are growing. This means new construction and housing developments. This can change how water drains and moves away from your home. Flooding can become more likely if you live in an area that is growing. Revisit your decision not to get flood insurance. Shell Insurance can help guide you.

Flood insurance is generally an option. It must be secured separately from your basic home insurance policy. This can make it easy to dismiss to save a few dollars. But the reason you have homeowners insurance in the first place is to prevent you from financial loss. Ignoring flooding may not be the best decision.

Shell Insurance of Deer Park, TX can help protect your investment in your home. Please contact us to discuss your home insurance and review your coverage. We can shed light on your current coverage and provide a price quote. Contact us today for the homeowners and flood insurance you deserve in Deer Park, TX.

If hackers or thieves steal your identity, you could end up footing the bill for fraudulent charges. It can also impact your credit history. Fortunately, you can defend yourself against sophisticated attacks with ID theft insurance. The agents at Shell Insurance Agency in Deer Park, TX can help you find the right policy to meet your needs. 

How ID Theft Insurance Protects You Online

Criminals use malware and deception to obtain your personal information online. Sometimes, it only takes a single click on the wrong link to allow cyber thieves to track your activity. Fortunately, identity theft insurance provides a shield against potential losses associated with a stolen identity. Ask one of our knowledgeable agents about the different policies that might work best for you.

What Identity Theft Insurance Covers

Cunning criminals lurk online, waiting for your guard to slip. That’s why it’s so important to protect your online finances against hackers and bad actors.

Most policies help you pay for or eliminate fraudulent charges. You can also find policies that include credit history repairs and legal assistance to guide you through the recovery stage. With the right policy, you can receive reimbursement for various related costs. 

What does ID theft insurance cover? Usually, it handles fees associated with restoring your credits. It may pay for legal fees for court hearings and attorneys. If you need to replace your driver’s license or other compromised documents, your policy might cover those costs, too. 

Lost wages can further jeopardize your financial health. Therefore, you might want to find an insurer that covers lost wages and the cost of flagging your accounts with fraud alerts. Bank fees resulting from fraudulent activity are also included in some policies. 

Contact Shell Insurance Agency in Deer Park, TX to learn how ID theft insurance can protect your mind.

Extreme weather patterns over the years have resulted in countless flood events all across the country. Texas is no stranger to flood disasters. As home insurance doesn’t cover flood damage, we recommend Texas homeowners purchase flood coverage. Here’s what a flood insurance policy from Shell Insurance Agency in Deer Park, TX has to offer. 

Flood Events Covered by Flood Insurance 

Flood insurance protects both your home and personal belongings against major flood loss. Flood insurance covers water damage caused by rising lakes or rivers, storm surges, heavy downpours that cause flooding, dam overflows, mudflows and melting snow.

As many Texas homeowners have recently discovered, floods aren’t limited to flood zone areas. Even if you don’t live in a flood zone, you’re at risk of flood disasters. With flood insurance, you can be prepared for any eventuality. 

Protection Offered by Flood Policies

Flood policies offer two types of coverage: building and contents. You can purchase just building coverage, just contents coverage or both. Each has their own deductible, which is the part that you pay before coverage kicks in.

Building coverage protects your home’s structure. It covers flood damage to foundation walls, electrical and plumbing systems, wall-to-wall carpeting, staircases, furnaces, water heaters, cabinets, built-in appliances and detached garages. You can buy building coverage for up to $250,000.

Contents coverage protects your belongings. This includes clothes, furniture, electronics, major appliances, paintings, curtains, blinds and more. You can buy contents coverage for up to $100,000. Just so you’re aware, contents coverage is for the actual cash value of your goods at the time of loss – not current replacement costs.

Benefits of Flood Insurance Coverage

Flood insurance provides financial support to help you recover from flood disasters. To purchase flood coverage for your Deer Park, TX home, give Shell Insurance Agency a call.  

Identity theft occurs when someone gains access to your credit cards, account numbers, or computerized information intending to defraud. The Federal Trade Commission reported that identity theft affected more than 1.4 million Americans in 2021, so nearly anyone could be affected. Given the potential impact, feel free to contact the Shell Insurance Agency, serving Deer Park, TX, to determine whether identity theft insurance should be part of your insurance plan.

What’s Covered By Identity Theft Insurance?

Victims of identity theft may incur out-of-pocket expenses to fix the problem and spend substantial time doing so, and they may suffer direct financial losses. Identity theft policies range from basic to comprehensive, so the following list identifies how you could be affected by identity theft and the expenses and losses covered by different policies.

Out-of-pocket expenses may include:

• Obtaining copies of your credit report
• Notary, certified mail, and bank fees
• Legal fees and court costs
• Telephone costs

Due to the time required to repair your identity and reputation, some policies also cover the following:

• Wages lost while resolving issues
• Child care costs

More comprehensive policies may reimburse or cover the following:

• Stolen funds
• Credit monitoring
• Identity restoration specialists who handle tasks so you can return to work.
• Data restoration specialists (following a cyberattack)

Generally, those with more assets and whose time is most valuable need more comprehensive coverage, but everyone’s situation and needs differ. 

Working With Shell Insurance Agency

Many gain comfort knowing their families have identity theft protection. In a world where anything can happen, the Shell Insurance Agency team, serving Deer Park, TX, can help you gain that protection. So give us a call or stop in today.