Archive for December, 2010

Get set for Disney’s “Tron: Legacy”

Monday, December 20th, 2010
Disney's Tron Sweepstakes by Progressive

Enter Disney's Tron Sweepstakes, brought to you by Progressive

Get set for Disney’s “Tron: Legacy” Disney’s “Tron: Legacy” premieres Dec. 17, and whether you’re a Tron fan or a total novice, here’s a great way to be part of the fun:

Enter to win one of more than 150 cool Tron prizes! Through the Tron: Legacy Get on the Grid sweepstakes, brought to you by Progressive, you could win an amazing prize, like:

•A vacation for four to experience ElecTRONica at DISNEYLAND® Resort

•A home technology prize pack, including a 3D TV, home theater system and Tron accessories

•A trip for two to a Red Carpet Disney Premiere

 •A gaming prize pack, including an Xbox360® and Tron accessories

And, if you create a Program on Disney’s Tron: Legacy Web site you can enter the sweepstakes 10 times a day — which could boost your chances to win! Visit Disney.com/GetontheGrid daily to enter; the sweepstakes ends Dec. 31, 2010.

Austin Insurance Group - 512-576-5968

Progressive Authorized Insurance Agent/Texas

Posted in Progressive Insurance | Comments Off

Buying Progressive Car Insurance Online

Friday, December 17th, 2010
Austin Insurance Group - Progressive Authorized Agent

Austin Insurance Group/Progressive Authorized Agent offers instant quotes online or call for Free Quote.

When shopping for online car insurance, the right information can go a long way. We give you the insurance basics — and more — to help you make informed decisions and to better understand your car insurance coverages and service options. 

Shop for Progressive Car Insurance Online

Customers can choose to shop for Progressive car insurance online and offline for our extensive offering of coverages, specialized claims service and competitive rates. Car insurance coverages include Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Comprehensive, Collision, Rental Reimbursement, Roadside Assistance, and much more. If you’re thinking about shopping for car insurance online, over the phone (call 512-576-5968) or in person, we’re here to help — no matter your age.

Car Insurance Features

A Progressive car insurance policy comes loaded with extra features at no extra cost, including 24/7 live support, local response claims service and our unique concierge level of claims service. Plus, some Progressive car insurance coverages involve perks like Total Loss Replacement, Accident Forgiveness, Pet Injury coverage and more.

Get an Online Car Insurance Quote and More

With so many online car insurance companies out there, choosing the right one for your car insurance needs is important. By getting an online car insurance quote from Progressive, you can also take advantage of car insurance comparisons, money-saving tips, automatic discounts, payment plans and more. Go ahead — find the car insurance rate and service that’s right for you. We’ll be with you every step of the way.

Austin Insurance Group – Texas Authorized Progressive Insurance Agent

Posted in Progressive Insurance | Comments Off

Would Renters Insurance Cover It? Five Real-Life Scenarios

Thursday, December 16th, 2010

Editor’s note: Have questions about renters insurance after reading this post? Contact Austin Insurance Group at 512-576-5968 for specific, policy-related questions, or post general ones here—we’ll choose a few to discuss soon in our next renters insurance blog post.

Protect your valuable personal property

Protect your valuable personal property with Renters Insurance!

Always wondered what is and isn’t covered by renters insurance? Check out these five real-life scenarios to get an idea. Keep in mind that renters insurance works like your car insurance: you decide how much coverage to buy and then pay a certain amount out of pocket each time you use it.
Scenario #1: A toilet in the apartment above yours overflows. It’s fixed by the time you get home from work, but by that point, water’s already run down your living room wall, right onto your laptop, TV, and TV stand. All three are ruined—about a $2,000 loss.

Would a renters policy cover it?
Yes. If the tenant who lives above you doesn’t have renters insurance, then your policy would help cover the cost to replace your things. Depending on what coverage you have, you’ll either get reimbursed for what the damaged items are worth, or how much it costs to replace them (usually a higher amount).

Scenario #2: A few friends come over to watch the game, and on the way out, one of them trips and twists his ankle. Since it’s late on a Saturday, you take him to the emergency room. He’s got health insurance, but still owes $530 out of pocket for the visit and MRI.

Would a renters policy cover it?
Yes. Renters insurance will help pay for medical bills if someone gets hurt in your apartment. And, in an extreme case—where the injuries are extensive, and the person files a lawsuit—your renters policy will help cover legal fees, too.

Scenario #3: You host a Halloween party and the next day, you realize that your new $629 iPad™ was stolen—and your $175 mp3 player, too. 

Would a renters policy cover it?
Yes. Renters insurance helps pay to replace stolen items. Like we mentioned in scenario #1, you’ll either get reimbursed for what the items are worth, or what it would cost to replace them.

Scenario #4: You run a quick errand, leaving your gym bag (with your smart phone in it) on your passenger seat. When you get back, your window is smashed, and the bag is gone.

Would a renters policy cover it?
Yes. Your auto insurance policy covers the broken window, and your renters insurance helps pay to replace your property. Just like scenarios #1 and 3, this is another case where the more coverage you have, the more you’ll get reimbursed.

Scenario #5: You’re waiting for water to boil when you smell smoke. You run out to the kitchen, and the dish towel you sat by the stove is in flames. You quickly extinguish the fire, but not before it burns the wall and some of the kitchen cabinet doors. After a quick search online, you realize that even just refacing the cabinets would cost thousands.

Would a renters policy cover it?
Yes. Renters insurance covers damage you cause to your landlord’s property.

Learn more about renters insurance call Austin Insurance Group and get a renters insurance quote.

Posted in Renters Insurance | Comments Off

Fire Safety Tips To Keep You Safe This Winter Season.

Monday, December 13th, 2010

As the winter  season approaches, families crank up the heat, decorate their homes with lights and candles, and gather in the kitchen to prepare and enjoy warm, home-cooked holiday meals.  Unfortunately, the cold weather and seasonal activities can also create more fire hazards around the home.  In fact, the U.S. Fire Administration reports that residential building fires during the winter months result in approximately 945 deaths, 3,825 injuries and $1.7 billion in property loss each year.

One-third of home fires occur during the winter and cooking is the number-one cause of these tragedies between December and February.  So to prevent your holiday or winter gathering from going up in smoke, practice these important fire-safety tips:

Fireplace Safety Tips

Top Holiday and Winter Fire Safety Tips:

Avoid placing space heaters in bathrooms or other damp locations. Also, keep portable heaters at least three feet away from all combustible materials and never leave them unattended.

  1.  Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up.  Use only lights which have the label of an independent testing laboratory.  Some lights can  only be used indoors so check before using them outside.
  2. Choose only holiday decorations that are fire retardant or fire resistant.
  3. Make a new cut one inch up on fresh cut Christmas trees before mounting them inside, water them daily, and never let the water fall below the cut mark.  Remove fresh cut trees no later than four weeks after placing them inside.
  4. Keep candles out of reach from children and pets and never leave a lit candle unattended. Trim the wicks to one-quarter of an inch to avoid high flames and remember to leave a one-foot circle of safety around any burning candle in your home.
  5. Avoid overloading power strips.  Connect only as many devices as your electrical circuit can handle.
  6. When not at home, make sure to extinguish or turn off all candles and fireplaces.
  7. Secure a sturdy metal screen in front of fireplaces to prevent hot ash from escaping. Allow ashes to cool before disposing and dispose them in a metal container to avoid any potential fire hazards.
  8. Have chimneys and other sources of heat cleaned by a qualified professional.
  9. Do not leave an active stove unattended, and never use an oven to heat your home, as it can release potentially toxic fumes.
  10. Keep a fire extinguisher nearby high-risk areas so that it’s easily accessible in the event of a fire. If you haven’t used yours in a while revisit the instructions before the holidays get into full swing.  Alert everyone to evacuate before using the extinguisher, and designate someone to call the fire department from a cell phone or neighbors phone once they are outside.
  11. Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, and test them every month.  Replace any that have been used for 10 years or more.
  12. Install and maintain a carbon monoxide alarm in a central location outside each sleeping area.
  13. Ask smokers to smoke outside, or provide large deep ashtrays.  Wet all smoking materials before discarding them in your trash container.
  14. Practice an escape plan – during the day and night – at least twice a year. Also, remind any guests about your safe family meeting place, outside and away from the home, if a fire does occur.
  15. Talk to your children about fire safety. If there’s a home fire – everyone should get out and stay out. Call 911 from outside the home, and never go back into a burning home to retrieve a personal item or pet.
Fireplace Safety Tips:
 
Clean it out. Schedule a cleaning and inspection with a certified fireplace specialist, and make sure there’s nothing flammable—like hanging tree branches—near the chimney pot. Before you start each new fire, clean out the old ash and store it outside in a metal bucket with a lid. (Hot, live embers can survive for up to four days in ashes.)

Get the right type of wood. Wet wood creates more sparks, so use dry. If you’re using commercial fire logs—a wood alternative made from wax and sawdust—follow the package instructions, burn the logs one at a time and avoid poking or breaking them apart while they’re burning.

Start with a small fire, which—when given room to breathe—will burn hotter and create fewer sparks than large fires crammed into small spaces. To achieve the right-sized fire, start it in the back of the fireplace, preferably on a grill, and use kindling, twigs and small balls of newspaper, instead of fire accelerants, to get it going.

Use a tight-fitting screen at all times, and keep it closed while the fire is burning, to contain sparks and embers. Never leave a fire unattended or use a home fireplace to burn garbage, leaves or piles of newspaper, which burn quickly and at very high temperatures—and might create toxic fumes.

Prepare for emergencies. Install and/or check smoke alarms throughout your house and keep a fire extinguisher nearby. And before lighting a fire, remove objects like decorations and cards from around the fireplace, and move rugs and kindling away from the hearth.

For more information about fire safety, visit nfpa.org.

Protect your home inside and out with an affordable homeowners insurance policy through Austin Insurance Group.

Posted in Tips for your Home | Comments Off

Winterize your Bike—and Your Bike Insurance

Friday, December 10th, 2010

In many U.S. cities, it’s nearing the end of riding season, which means that soon, we’ll have to wash, prep and stow our bikes until spring.

The following detailed tips will help you winterize your bike, so it’s protected when you aren’t riding it.

How to Prepare Your Bike for Winter

Water is the eternal enemy of your bike’s inner works, and a bike that hasn’t been properly winterized is a sitting target for creeping moisture. A properly winterized bike is safe from moisture and corrosive compounds. When you do it right, you can start your motorcycle right up when spring arrives and be ready to hit the road.

Clean Your Bike

Cleaning your motorcycle may seem simple, but it’s an essential step in winterizing. Bug splatters and corrosive chemicals that are allowed to sit on your bike over the winter can damage your motorcycle’s finish. Give your bike a thorough all-over wash, and make sure it’s dry before you store it.

Coat Engine and Spark Plugs in Engine Oil

The engine and motorcycle spark plugs are prime targets for moisture over a long period of disuse. To protect your bike, you’ll need to coat your piston rings, valve seats and cylinder walls in engine oil. Start by warming up the engine to drive off moisture. Remove the spark plugs, and squirt some warm engine oil into the holes. Turn the engine over by hand to coat the cylinder walls, and then replace the plugs.

Change the Oil

The chemical makeup of your motorcycle oil can change over long periods of disuse and become acidic. To protect your engine, change your oil before storing for the winter. Ideally, you should change oil again in the spring, so it’s not necessary to change your oil filter for winter. However, if you plan to ride in the spring without changing the oil again, change your filter now.

Lube Everything

Before you park your bike for the season, lube everything that needs lubing. Lube your throttle and clutch cables. If your bike is a chain drive, clean and lube the chain. If you’re feeling really ambitious, lube your motorcycle pivot points, such as shifter, kick stand and foot pegs. Anything you’d normally lube during routine maintenance, lube.

Fill the Gas Tank and Add Stabilizer

Moisture is bad for metal, and your gas tank is made of metal. This means you’ve got two ways to safely store it for the winter: drain it completely and make sure it’s dried out, or fill the gas tank full and add fuel stabilizer. The simple option is to fill up the tank on the way home from your last outing, and add fuel stabilizer based on the capacity of your tank. A full tank prevents moisture from creeping in and fuel stabilizer keeps your gasoline from turning into sludge over the winter – very important if you want to avoid expensive repairs when spring arrives.

Store Your Battery on a Tender

It’s not good for your motorcycle battery to be left alone in your bike for a long period of time, and leaving it for the winter definitely counts. Remove your battery from your motorcycle and store it on a battery tender. At the same time, check the fluid level in your battery and clean any corrosion from the posts. If your bike has the right connection, you may be able to plug a trickle charger in to your bike without removing the battery.

Drain the Float Bowls

In a carbureted bike, you may want to drain the float bowls. To drain the float bowls, you’ll need to turn your fuel petcock off and drain the gasoline from the bowls. Every bike is different, so consult your owner’s manual for details. Gas that you don’t drain can turn into sludge and hamper your bike’s performance in the spring, and potentially lead to costly repairs.

Make Sure Your Bike Coolant is Safe

If you’re storing your bike in physically cool temperatures, use a hygrometer to check the anti-freeze. You may need to add anti-freeze to protect your bike’s system. You should drain and replace the antifreeze every two years as part of your winterization process.

Protect Your Bike from Moisture

If you’re storing your bike on bare concrete, roll your bike onto a piece of old carpet, plywood or MDF. Moisture can collect and ruin your rubber tires if you let your bike sit on cold concrete. Check your tire air pressure periodically and top it up as the temperatures drop.

Plug Your Pipes to Protect from Pests

Rodents and other small pests may try to climb into your motorcycle exhaust to shelter for the winter. Plug your pipes to protect your bike from small pests. Make sure you remember to remove the plugs before you go for your first spring ride!

Store Your Bike Covered

Store your bike under a breathable motorcycle cover. If possible, store your bike in a heated garage; if not, make sure you complete the winterization process to protect your bike from moisture. With proper winterization, even a bike that’s stored outdoors can be ready to start up and run smoothly when spring arrives.

Then, to “winterize” your bike insurance policy, you only have to do one thing: keep it.

 
Here are a couple of the benefits of keeping your policy:

Enjoy unexpected sunshine
With year-round coverage, you can take your bike out on that warm, sunny December day—and in the meantime, enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing your bike’s protected while in winter storage.

Earn perks
With most insurance policies, the longer you keep it, the more benefits you get. For example, with our Progressive bike policy, over time you earn Loyalty Rewards like accident forgiveness—which means your rate won’t go up if a claim interrupts your streak of accident-free driving.

Save on your Progressive motorcycle insurance policy with our great rates and Loyalty Rewards. It works like this: the longer you keep your policy, the more perks and discounts you’ll earn.

You’re automatically enrolled in Loyalty Rewards when you buy our Progressive motorcycle insurance policy, and you can view the rewards you’ve earned by logging in to your Progressive policy online.

With our Progressive policy you’ll earn some rewards immediately:

  • Unlimited Small Accident Forgiveness – Resolve minor claims and move on—they won’t affect your rate.
  • Specialized Claims Service – Resolve claims quickly with the support of claims specialists trained in motorcycles and off-road vehicles.
  • Responsible Driver Discount – Earn a break on your rate if it’s been awhile since your last accident or traffic violation.
  • Accessory Coverage – Enjoy coverage for up to $3,000 of your custom accessories, and get reimbursed for the full amount–there’s no depreciation in value–if you file a claim.

Then, rewards get bigger over time:

  • Renewal Guarantee – Rest assured that your policy will always be renewable, even if your accident history changes.
  • Claims-Free Discount – Save at renewal time if your previous policy period was accident-free.
  • Large Accident Forgiveness – Avoid a rate increase if a claim interrupts your streak of accident-free driving.
  • Buy a Progressive motorcycle insurance policy and start earning Loyalty Rewards today. Check out our motorcycle insurance discounts, too.  You may already qualify for significant discounts if you insure more than one bike or already have another Progressive policy — even if it’s not a motorcycle policy. Plus, safe riders could receive even lower rates on our already affordable motorcycle insurance.

You may qualify for even more discounts, too, including the following:

  • Claims-Free Renewal – Receive an automatic discount if you have no at-fault accidents during your previous policy period.
  • Homeowner – Get a discount on your motorcycle policy if you own your own home.  Get a Home Insurance Quote.
  • LoJack – Automatically receive a discount if your bike is equipped with LoJack® for even more affordable motorcycle insurance.
  • Paid in Full – Pay the full amount of your policy when it renews and receive a discount just for doing so.
  • Prompt Payer – Pay on time for a year and receive a discount when your policy renews.
  • Responsible Driver – No accidents or violations on your driving record for the last three years translates to a discount.
  • Safety Course – Completing an approved safety course could earn you a discount.

Affordable Motorcycle Insurance — Even for Customized Bikes

With our Progressive motorcycle insurance, you’ll receive coverage that fits your needs and affordable motorcycle insurance that fits your budget. Our Customized Motorcycle program offers up to $30,000 of coverage for custom parts, as well as Actual Cash Value or Agreed Value coverage for several types of personalized bikes. To find out what kind of coverage you need, get a quote for affordable motorcycle insurance any time.

Cheap Motorcycle Insurance for Many Types of Motorcycles

Everyone wants affordable motorcycle insurance, but no one wants cheap motorcycle insurance that doesn’t cover what you need. A Progressive policy offers coverage for all kinds of bikes and ATVs: Cruisers, Limited Production Cruisers, Street Sports, High Performance, Touring, Sport Touring, Mopeds, Scooters, Trikes, and even models older than 25 years, to name a few. See what your rate for affordable motorcycle insurance is today — get a quote now!  We will also compare your rates with all of the major insurance companies we represent for motorcycle insurance, incuding, Dairyland, Foremost, Metlife and Safeco.

Common Questions

  • How do I earn Loyalty Rewards?
    It’s simple. You’ll earn certain rewards immediately, just by becoming a Progressive policyholder. Then, by keeping your motorcycle insurance policy, you’ll earn more rewards over time.
  • How do I enroll?
    You’ll be automatically enrolled when you quote and buy your motorcycle insurance policy.
  • Does it cost anything?
    No, it’s completely free. We provide Loyalty Rewards to thank you for choosing us.
  • How will I know which rewards I’ve earned?
    Simply log in to your policy and go to the Discounts and Programs section. There, you can view your current Loyalty Rewards status and see which rewards you’ve earned.
  • I’m a current customer; do I qualify?
    There’s an easy way to find out: simply log in to your policy. We’re able to offer Loyalty Rewards to many of our current customers, so if Loyalty Rewards have been applied to your policy, you’ll see reward details, as well as your status in the program, when you log in. Keep in mind that your status will be based on your insurance history, so if you’ve been insured by us for four years continuously, you’ll have earned four years’ worth of perks.

Learn more about the other products and services we offer.  

Austin Insurance Group.  Our Progressive motorcycle policies, usually start at just $95 a year.

Posted in Motorcycle News & Insurance | Comments Off

Four Questions to Get the Right Auto Insurance

Thursday, December 9th, 2010

Using the right tool for a job is key to success in any profession. Experts say the same principle applies when selecting an auto insurance policy. Having the right type of policy can help ensure that you, your employees and your business are all protected in the unfortunate event that one of your vehicles is involved in an accident.

If you’re a business owner and you or your employees use a vehicle for business-related deliveries or to carry certain materials to and from a job site, you may need a commercial auto insurance policy that’s tailored to more closely suit the needs—and risks—of a business vehicle operator.

Here are some questions that can help you determine if you might need a commercial auto policy instead of a personal auto policy, courtesy of Austin Insurance Group:

 • Do you need more liability coverage than your personal auto policy provides? Generally, a commercial auto policy provides higher limits of liability, but less or no coverage in areas that are typically not associated with commercial auto risks.

• Do you need special coverage for situations associated with con-ducting business? Commercial auto policies also usually offer certain coverages—such as hired and non-owned auto coverage and coverage for towing a trailer for business use—that are not available with personal auto policies.

• Do you need to list any employees as drivers? You can do this with a commercial auto insurance policy.

• Do you use your vehicle for business purposes? If you use your vehicle for things like pizza or newspaper delivery, catering, door-to-door consulting service, landscaping or snowplowing service, logging business, day care/church retreat van service and/or farm-to-market delivery, you might need a commercial auto policy.

Austin Insurance Group is an independent insurance agency – trained, licensed insurance professionals who offer personal service and advice. We can help match you with the type of policy that best suits your needs and those of your company.

 To learn more about all an independent agency offers, visit http://www.aigtexas.com/ or give us a call 512.576.5968

Posted in Business Insurance | Comments Off