Unpredictable Winter Weather Driving Tips

‘Tis the season for unpredictable winter weather.  And it seems Texas can be very unpredictable during the winter months; hot one day snow the next! Keep the basics in mind when driving in hazardous conditions:

1.       If you must be on the road during a snow storm, drive with your lights on for increased visibility and reduce your speed. ---This one is rare for our area BUT good tip if you are holiday traveling in an area with snow.

2.       If driving during inclement winter weather, allow at least three car lengths between you and the vehicle in front of you

3.       Always let someone else know where you’re going, your planned route and when you expect to arrive.

4.       Allow extra time for your commute to account for unexpected traffic snarls caused by weather.

Like we mentioned some of these conditions are rare in our area if they appear at all. But use these tips during your travel this holiday season to make it smoother for everyone on the road!

Halloween Safe-Driving Tips

Just in time for Halloween weekend one of our many carriers GMAC Insurance has given stome useful tips for keeping your family and your neighbors safe this weekend. Be on the look out for gouls and goblins running around your neighborhoods!

Halloween Safe-Driving Tips

According to Safe Kids USA, children are twice as likely to be killed by a vehicle on Halloween compared to other days of the year. Take extra caution behind the wheel on Halloween and use the following driving tips to keep trick-or-treaters safe.

1. Yield to Trick-or-Treaters: Be prepared for children to run into the street at anytime.
2. Refrain From Passing Idle Vehicles: You never know when the driver in front of you has stopped to drop children off. Be patient and take extra caution when traveling near other vehicles.
3. Park Your Mobile Phone: With children crowding the dark roads, it is especially important to avoid any distractions while behind the wheel.
4. Communicate With Other Drivers: Use hazard lights when picking-up or dropping-off trick-or-treaters. And, always use turn signals.
5. Consider Alternate Routes: Avoid driving near trick-or-treaters by taking routes that go around busy neighborhoods, not through them.

Be a safe driver. Take the National Drivers Test!
Share and compare driver's test scores with family and friends and figure out who the smartest and safest drivers are. Visit www.gmacinsurance.com to see how well you know the rules of the road.

Tips to Prevent Auto Accidents

We want to help you protect yourself on the road. Keep these five tips in mind when driving to help prevent an accident. Being aware of your surroundings helps you and the drivers around you.
Five Tips to Prevent Auto Accidents

Risky driving behavior causes accidents. Be safe and avoid accidents by following these safe-driving tips:

1. Watch Your Speed: It's easy to go too fast—especially when you are in a hurry. Remind yourself to slow down and keep it safe.
2. Mirror, Mirror: Properly adjust all mirrors before starting your trip. It is also important to check the side and rearview mirrors frequently while en route. This will allow you to constantly observe your surroundings.
3. Avoid Road Rage: Leave aggressive drivers to the police. Call 911 and report unsafe drivers—you could be doing them and everyone else on the road a favor in the long run.
4. Drinking = No Driving: If you've been drinking, have someone else drive—no matter how you feel.
5. Eyes on the Road: Minimize distractions when driving. Avoid eating, using your phone or doing anything else that takes your concentration off the road—even if it's just for a few seconds.

Be a safe driver. Take the National Drivers Test!
Share and compare your scores with your family and friends and figure out who the smartest and safest drivers are. Visit http://www.gmacinsurance.com/ to see how well you know the rules of the road.

Home Fire Escape Plans Save Lives

It's National Fire Prevention Week Oct. 9-15! We will be posting tips and advice from multiple insurance carriers on how to keep your family safe. Below is an article on haveing a fire escape plan from Trusted Choice (which TWFG Insurance Services - Pflugerville is a proud agency member of). Remember it's not just your family and home that need insurance coverage from fires but also pets, vehicles and anything that could be at risk to fire. Call us for more information on policies!

Celebrate National Fire Prevention Week by creating or reviewing your family’s home escape plan.            

Fall is officially here, and with it comes the National Fire Protection Agency’s National Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 9 -15. This year’s theme is “Protect Your Family from Fire,” which makes now a good time to come up with a fire evacuation plan or review the one your family already has in place.

A small fire can escalate into a major blaze in less than a minute, and a sound escape plan greatly reduces fire-related deaths and protects your family if a fire occurs. Whether you have established an fire evacuation route or are coming up with one now, these are some important safety reminders and instructions you can you use when reviewing or planning your home evacuation plan.

• Plan two ways out of every room in your house -- this way if one path is blocked by flames or smoke there is an alternate path out. For example, a bedroom door can be the primary escape path and a window the secondary one. If you intend to use an upper-story window as an evacuation option, be sure to store a collapsible ladder in the room in a well-known place. The U.S. Fire Administration advises consumers to only purchase ladders evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory.
• Practice escaping from the house with a blindfold, in the dark, or with your eyes closed. This will prepare you and your family to navigate through smoke if it is blocking your exit route. Remember to stay low to the ground to avoid the smoke and keep your mouth covered with a piece of clothing, blanket, or towel since the toxic gases from smoke can cause disorientation or fainting.
• Make sure doors and windows open easily. Check windows to make sure they are not stuck, and that everyone in the house knows how to open them and remove the screen if necessary. If you have security bars on your windows, check the quick-release device to make sure they can be opened immediately, and practice opening the locks with everyone in the house.
• Designate a meeting place that’s away from the house, such as the end of the driveway or a place on the sidewalk. Hold a fire drill to ensure everyone in the house knows where to meet. Also pick someone to be in charge of going to a neighbor’s house and calling 911.
• Time is of the essence during a fire, so don’t waste time trying to save property. Remind your family members of this, too, especially children who may want to save their toys. A homeowners policy will help with the replacement cost of your property, and while some items are impossible to replace, they’re not worth a life.
• Teach children not to hide or be afraid of firefighters. Remind young kids that firemen will help them in the event of an emergency.
• In the event of a fire, check a closed door using the back of your hand to feel the door, doorknob, and the crack between the floor and door frame to make sure the fire is not outside the door. If any of these things feel hot, use the second escape path from the room. If the door is cool, open it slowly and brace your shoulder against the door. If heat and smoke come in, close the door quickly and use the other escape route.

For more information on National Fire Prevention Week or fire safety procedures, visit www.nfpa.org. You can also contact your Trusted Choice® independent insurance agent for more information on protecting your family from the flames by obtaining or reviewing your homeowners or renter’s insurance policy.

Carrier Spotlight - Foremost Insurance

Foremost Insurance is also one of the many insurance providers TWFG Pflugerville carries. Call us today to find out if Foremost is right for you. Remember we can shop around multiple carriers to get you the best coverage at the best rate!
Check out there commercial. This rapping man is actually a part of the marketing team at Foremost!

Four Facts About Speeding

Our friends at GMAC Insurance have provide us with more useful facts to help you become aware of your driving habits. Those speed limit signs are there for a reason.
Four Facts About Speeding.

Exceeding posted speed limits accounts for nearly one-third of all fatal car crashes. Next time you are rushing to get somewhere and find yourself speeding, consider the following facts from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

1. Don't Let Low Traffic Fool You: Speeding-related fatalities are twice as likely to happen in rural areas as they are on urban streets. In fact, only 12 percent of speeding-related fatalities occur on Interstate highways.
2. Ten Miles Per Hour Makes a Difference: The probability of death or a debilitating injury doubles for every additional 10 mph when a vehicle is traveling 50 mph or faster.
3. Wear Your Seatbelt: One in three drivers killed in car accidents are not wearing safety restraints.
4. Talk to Your Teen: The likelihood of fatality in a speeding-related crash is highest for divers in their teen years. Young men are particularly at risk. They have twice as many fatalities from speeding when compared to women.

If you still aren't convinced about the risks of speeding, click here to see more speeding facts.

Carrier Spotlight - Travelers Insurance

Did you know that one of out many carriers is Travelers insurance? Let us show you how Travelers can meet your insurance needs. If they don't meet your needs we'll quote from another one of our carriers. Check out our website and call us today.

We just love the Travelers' dog commercials!

Five Steps to Take After an Accident

According to the US Census Bureau, there are more than 10 million motor vehicle accidents each year. Are you prepared for what happens after an accident? Make sure you know what you should do if you or a family member is involved in an accident. GMAC Insurance provides five simple steps to keep in mind.
Five Steps to Take After an Accident

If you're ever in an accident, it's easy to forget what to do right away. Follow these five steps to ensure the safety of you, your passengers and everyone else involved:

1. Call the Police. Even for small accidents, call 911. Police will help redirect traffic and document the incident.
2. Avoid Additional Damage. Move your car from the roadway as soon as possible to prevent additional collisions.
3. Get the Right Information for the Insurance Process. You'll need the other driver's name, license, phone number, insurance information and license plate number.
4. Document the Accident. From taking pictures of the damage and the overall accident to interviewing witnesses and taking down their information. The more accident evidence you can gather for the insurance claim, the better.
5. File an Accident Report. File a state vehicle accident report (available at police stations and DMV websites) to help speed up the claims process.

Be a safe driver. Take the National Drivers Test!
Share and compare your scores with your family and friends and determine who the smartest and safest driver is! Visit www.gmacinsurance.com and click on the National Drivers Test button to see how you size up.

Tips For First Time Life Insurance Buyers

As Life Insurance Awareness month starts to come to an end we want to leave you with a few tips on how to navigate the purchasing process. New York Life gives six useful tips in this article that everyone should consider when looking at life insurance. Always talk to your agent if you are confused by anything in the policy or if you wish for them to explain something in detail. Agents are here to help YOU!

Here are the bullet points of the article. Please visit New York Life to view the article entirely.

Six tips for the First-Time Buyer
1. Understand Why You Need It
In short, if others depend on your income for support, you should strongly consider life insurance. Even if you don't have any of these needs immediately, you still may want to consider purchasing a small "starter" policy, if you anticipate you will have them in the future. The reason: the younger you are, the less expensive life insurance will be.

2. Determine the Amount of Coverage You NeedThe amount of money your family or heirs will receive after your death is called a death benefit. According to the article the easiest way is to take your annual salary and multiply by 8.

3. Find the Right Type of PolicyToday life insurance comes in many varieties, but there are four basic types term, whole life, universal life, and variable life. (For a detailed explanation of each type click here)

4. Look at the Quality of the CompanyAn insurance policy is only as good as the company that backs it. You want to know for certain that the company that issues your policy will be around to service it and eventually pay the death claim.

5. Consult an a Financial ProfessionalA Financial Professional provides an invaluable service. The relationship you develop with a Financial Professional can last a lifetime.

6. Increase Your VocabularyAny discussion of insurance will probably include words such as cash value, premium, dividends, death benefit and more. To discuss life insurance knowledgeably, it will help to understand the terms. (For definitions of these words click here)

Call us today and let us help you prepare you and your family for the future!

Are You Driving a Safe Vehicle?

We want to make sure you are safe in your vehicle. Make sure your insurance is updated and also check the saftey of your vehicle. Below is a 4 step monthly check of your vehicle provided by GMAC Insurance. After you read the article don't forget to visit GMAC Insurance and take the National Drivers Test!

Monthly Four-Point Safety Check

To ensure you're driving a safe vehicle, take a few minutes to conduct this monthly Four-Point Safety Check. Your car and your safety may be riding on it!

1. Tire Pressure: Make sure all tires are inflated to the pressure recommended in your owner's manual (not the maximum pressure noted on the tire's sidewall). The correct pressure will ensure your tires wear evenly which will reduce the chance of blowouts.
2. Check Front End Alignment: Any pothole or bump can knock your car out of alignment. While driving slowly in an empty parking lot, see if the vehicle is pulling to one side. If so, have a qualified mechanic realign your front end.
3. Take a Brake: When in park, check your brake pressure. There should be resistance to the pedal when depressed. And, any grinding, squeaking or shuddering you hear or feel when you hit the brakes means it's time to have them serviced.
4. Keep Your Lights On: Blown out brake lights and turn signals can be a big hazard on the road. Have a friend help you make sure all lights are working properly.

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Remind yourself to be a safe driver, take the test!
Raise awareness about safe driving and take the National Drivers Test! You will be able to share and compare scores with family and friends and determine if they are smart and safe drivers.

September is Life Insurance Awareness Month!

Below is an article from LIFE, Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education, a non profit dedicated to helping consumers make smart insurance decisions to safeguard their families’ financial futures. They coordinate the Life Insurance Awareness Month each September backed by more than 100 leading insurance companies.

Life insurance can do some pretty amazing things for people. It can buy loved ones time to grieve. It can pay off debts and loans, providing surviving family members with the chance to move on with a clean slate. It can keep families in their homes and pre-fund a child’s college education. It can keep a family business in the family. It can provide a stream of income for a family to live on for a period of time. Life insurance can do all of these wonderful things for your family…there’s just one small catch. You need to own life insurance.

There’s a growing crisis of too many Americans not having adequate life insurance protection. According to the industry research group LIMRA, 30 percent of US households have no life insurance whatsoever. Today there are 11 million fewer American households covered by life insurance compared with six years ago. Here’s the bottom line: A majority of families either have no life insurance or not enough, leaving them one accident or terminal illness away from a financial catastrophe for their loved ones.

What if you were suddenly gone and your family had to manage on their own? When was the last time you did the math to make sure your loved ones would be OK financially? Have you checked with your employer to find out what kind of life insurance benefit you have through work and whether you have the option to increase your coverage? When was the last time you had your life insurance needs reviewed by an insurance professional?
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Contact the TWFG Pflugerville office TODAY to get a life insurance quote or to update any information that has changed. It's not just your future you're planning for but for your family as well.

All contact information is located to the right. Or visit our website at TWFG Pflugerville

Welcome to the TWFG Pflugerville Blog!

TWFG Pflugerville Insurance is here to shed some light on the insurance world. With this blog we will be able to give you updates on branch happenings, what you should know about insurance, tips from our agents and useful articles and resources that can help you manage your insurance needs.

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