West Texas Insurance Agency

3702 Mockingbird Ln
Amarillo, TX 79109

If My Car Breaks Down, Does Auto Insurance Cover It?

When your vehicle breaks down, you can get caught alongside the road and face hefty bills for car repairs. What does your auto insurance cover if your car breaks down?

At West Texas Insurance Agency servicing Amarillo, TX, we’re happy to help you understand what’s included with your auto insurance and what isn’t. We also offer a range of insurance types, so you can choose the best type of auto insurance for your needs. 

Can My Auto Insurance Cover My Vehicle If It Breaks Down?

A typical auto insurance policy does not cover the cost of repairing a vehicle that has broken down due to maintenance problems. However, if you have comprehensive auto insurance, your policy may cover the cost of roadside assistance, including towing the vehicle to a repair shop.

If your car is covered under the vehicle warranty, you may be able to use the warranty to cover the repair cost. Speak to your car dealership to determine if your vehicle is still covered under warranty. In addition, if a recently replaced car part breaks down, it may be covered under its warranty. Speak with the mechanic who performed the installation. 

What Does My Auto Insurance Cover?

There are different types of auto insurance. Liability-only auto insurance is the minimum amount of insurance and will only cover the cost of repairing the vehicle you hit if you are at fault in an accident. Typically, comprehensive auto insurance will cover the cost of repairing your vehicle if it is damaged or stolen. 

Need to Review Your Auto Insurance? Contact Us

Wondering what your auto insurance covers? Call West Texas Insurance Agency, servicing Amarillo, TX. We can help you understand your policy and get the best coverage for your needs. 

Keeping Your Car Running Safely When the weather Turns Cold

Maintaining your car’s safety and performance during cold weather is essential to ensuring its smooth operation when driving in winter. According to the Amarillo, TX-based West Texas Insurance Agency professionals, these tips will help keep your car running safely as the colder weather arrives.

Tips to Keep Your Car Running Safely in Winter

In addition to modifying your driving habits for slippery roads (i.e., avoiding sudden movement or braking, increasing following distance, etc.) and following the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule, consider these valuable suggestions-

Check the following:

  • The Battery – Cold weather can strain the car’s battery, so check terminal connections and replace the battery when necessary.
  • The Tires – Cold weather can reduce tire pressure. Keep your tires properly inflated or improve traction with winter tires.
  • The Antifreeze/Coolant Level/Concentration – the proper mixture of antifreeze and water prevents engine freeze-ups.
  • The Engine Oil –thickens from low temperatures. Use winter-grade oil to help oil flow in cold temps.
  • Lights and signals – Make sure these are working correctly.
  • The Brakes – inspect the brake system, including brake fluid, pads, rotors, etc.
  • Check Wiper Fluid/Blade – replace worn blades and switch to winter-grade windshield washer fluid to prevent freezing.
  • The defroster, the heating systems, and related belts/hoses are in working order.
  • Keep Fuel Tank Full – a full tank can prevent a fuel line freeze-up and provides a margin of safety should you be stuck in traffic or delayed.
  • Carry Emergency Supplies – including blankets, flashlights, jumper cables, ice scrapers, snow shovels, and essential tools.

Contact a Leading Amarillo, TX Insurance Company Today

If you’re unsure about any aspect of your car’s readiness for winter, consult the insurance professionals at the West Texas Insurance Agency at 806-352-2090 (Amarillo, TX) or 806-5896454 (Lubbock, TX).

Telematics and Auto Insurance: How Technology is Changing the Game

Telematics is transforming and changing the auto insurance industry. Here at West Texas Insurance Agency, serving the greater Amarillo, TX area, we want to help you understand more about telematics.

Understanding Telematics

Telematics involves merging telecommunications and informatics, enabling real-time monitoring of vehicles using GPS and onboard diagnostics. This technology provides detailed insights into driver behavior and vehicle performance, sending this information to insurers to help assess risks more accurately.

Benefiting the Safe Driver

One of the standout features of telematics-based auto insurance is personalized pricing. Rather than relying on traditional factors like age, gender, or location, insurers use actual driving data. This means safer drivers can be rewarded with lower premiums, encouraging more responsible driving habits.

Enhancing Claims Processing

In the event of an accident, telematics can provide a detailed snapshot of the moments leading up to the collision, including speed, direction, and force of impact. This real-time data can streamline the claims process, ensuring quicker resolutions and possibly reducing fraudulent claims.

Data Privacy Concerns

While the advantages are numerous, there are concerns about data privacy. Consumers may feel uneasy about insurers having continuous access to their driving habits. Insurance companies need to remain transparent about data usage and storage, emphasizing customer trust and security.

As telematics technology evolves, its impact on the auto insurance industry becomes increasingly profound. Offering a unique blend of personalized pricing and enhanced claims processing is a win-win for insurers and policyholders. If you’re looking to purchase a new auto insurance policy in Amarillo, TX, the West Texas Insurance Agency team can help you find the best policy for your needs. Call today to get started.

Documents you should always have in your vehicle

Certain documents should be in the vehicle with you when you are out and about on the roads in Western Texas. If, for any reason, you get pulled over by the police, you will need to produce these documents, and you should have them all handy in your vehicle. At West Texas Insurance Agency in Amarillo, TX, we are independent insurance agents who put our customers first. 

Vehicle registration

When you purchase a new or used vehicle, you will need to register it with the state. This proves your ownership. You must produce the title to register it for the first time. If you are pulled over, you must be able to produce the registration, including your vehicle’s VIN number. 

Insurance card

When you purchase auto insurance, the insurance company will send you a card identifying you and your vehicle. This will also be required if the police pull you over for a violation or if you have an accident. 

Driver’s license

You always need to have your driver’s license with you when driving. Most people keep their driver’s license on their person in a wallet or their purse. It is an accepted form of identification that most people use regularly. 

Vehicle maintenance record

When you change the oil in your vehicle or do other repairs, the paperwork should be kept in your glove box. If you buy new tires and then have an issue with one of the tires, the paperwork can prove that a warranty still covers you. It is a good idea to have any proof of roadside assistance you may have in your vehicle. 

For advice about auto insurance, you can count on our West Texas Insurance Agency team in  Amarillo, TX to provide the customer service you deserve. 

Is Auto Insurance Required in Texas?

The agents at the West Texas Insurance Agency serving the Amarillo, TX area want you to know about the importance of having an auto insurance policy in place in the state of Texas.

Is Auto Insurance Required in Texas?

In Texas, all people who drive a motor vehicle are responsible for paying for any accidents they cause. Most people choose to do this through auto liability insurance. This type of policy will pay to repair or replace the other driver’s vehicle and will pay for other people’s medical expenses if it is found that you are at fault for an accident.

Auto Insurance Coverage Options

In addition to auto liability insurance, many other types of auto insurance are available. Listed below are different types of coverage options you can choose from when it comes to auto insurance.

Underinsured and Uninsured Motorist Coverage

While Texas does not require uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, it’s still a good idea to have this type of coverage in place. This is because you could become involved in an accident with a driver who has no insurance or does not have an adequate amount of auto insurance. This type of coverage will help you pay for any damage to your vehicle and medical expenses if needed.

Comprehensive and Collision Insurance Coverage

If you owe money for your vehicle to a lender, you will likely be required to have comprehensive and collision insurance coverage. This is because comprehensive insurance will help repair or replace your vehicle if a fire, an act of vandalism, or a natural disaster damage it. This will also help you out if your car is stolen.

Collision insurance is designed to help you pay for damage if you collide with a stationary object or another vehicle.

Contact West Texas Insurance Agency

To create the best auto insurance policy for you and your situation, contact the auto insurance agents at the West Texas Insurance Agency, serving the Amarillo, TX area, today!

Required Auto Insurance in Texas

When you are a driver in Texas, certain auto coverage is required for you by law. If you own a vehicle, you are required to have this insurance for it so that you and others on the road have some financial protection in case of an accident. When you have an auto policy in Texas, there are certain types of coverage that have to be included in it. To make sure that you have the insurance that you’re required to have, call us at West Texas Insurance Agency in Amarillo, TX to get started. 

Required Liability Coverage

The state requires two types of liability coverage, and these are broken up into three different coverage amounts. The bodily injury coverage pays for the medical bills of third parties who are injured in an accident when you are at fault for the accident. There are two amounts of this required by law. One amount is for everyone who was injured, and the other is for just one injured person. In addition to bodily injury, there is another liability type required. Property damage liability pays the other party for their property damage, such as repairs needed to their vehicle. 

Other Protection

Another type of coverage comes with Texas auto insurance unless you waive it in writing. This is called personal injury protection. This helps to pay for your own medical bills after an accident. There are other types of coverage that you can get as well that aren’t required, such as collision insurance. This pays for your vehicle’s damage from an accident. 

Protect Yourself and Stay Legal

To get the vital auto insurance you need, call us at West Texas Insurance Agency in Amarillo, TX to get started.

Auto Insurance and Coverage Options in Texas

When it comes to auto insurance as a driver in the state of Texas, the agents at West Texas Insurance Agency in Amarillo, TX want you to have an insurance policy in place to protect yourself from hefty fines and even jail time. This is because Texas requires that all drivers have a minimum amount of auto liability insurance to drive a motor vehicle legally. This type of insurance will help cover any damage you cause in an accident to someone else’s property, as well as any injuries sustained by anyone involved in the crash. Besides this type of required insurance, you may be interested in obtaining other types of auto insurance coverage options.

Underinsured and Uninsured Motorist Coverage

This type of insurance is excellent if someone slams into your vehicle, causing you to become injured or causing significant damage to your vehicle. This will help pick up the slack if the driver who caused the accident does not have any insurance or does not have a very good policy and place to cover everything it needs to.

Comprehensive and Collision Insurance

Comprehensive and collision insurance coverage options may be required for you to have in your auto insurance policy if you still owe a loan for your vehicle. Even if you don’t, they’re both excellent coverage options to include.

Comprehensive coverage will help pay for any damage your car sustains if there is a natural disaster, a fire, or an act of vandalism. It will also replace your vehicle if it is stolen.

Collision insurance will help pay for damage to your vehicle if you collide with another vehicle or even a stationary object.

Contact Us

to create an auto insurance policy with adequate coverage, contact the very knowledgeable and experienced auto insurance agents at West Texas Insurance Agency in Amarillo, TX today!

How to Avoid an Auto Accident

When you need your auto insurance you could select the West Texas Insurance Agency servicing Amarillo, TX, to find your best rate and coverage for yourself and your family. To get your best rate, try to not have any automobile collisions. Be certain to be aware of your surroundings when driving because avoiding a car accident is usually something we could plan a little. Remember to drive slower when there is an unusual problem or something different, like the weather or some other vehicle driving different than usual or even some item in the road. Sometimes drivers ignore these differences and maybe would not see the problem early enough. You would need to drive like they are going to collide with your vehicle to drive your best and defensively.

One way to avoid a collision is to stay back from the other vehicle in front of you. This is a very common cause of vehicle accidents, the short following distance and the hard brake leads to multiple automobile wreckage mistakes. Use your signals for lane changes and turns. This is helpful and courteous, and, also, required. Use your etiquette, too, which will help you notice everything. When you go to an intersection, be certain that it is clear perpendicular to you. Remember to avoid alcohol before you drive. This is easy, usually, and maybe there would be a problem, though, and your driver is not available, after all. Remember to notice this and drive when sober. Maybe you need to remember the one beverage per hour rule and stay away from driving when drinking alcohol, usually.

Your West Texas Insurance Agency servicing Amarillo, TX, will help you with your insurance for collisions that maybe you would not cause because you follow these rules. 

Why does anyone need auto insurance in Texas?

Anyone that lives in the Amarillo, TX area will find that owning a vehicle is a good idea as it will make getting around the community much easier. While there are conveniences that come with vehicle ownership, it is also a big responsibility that you need to take seriously. One responsibility includes ensuring that you have proper insurance. There are several reasons that people here need to have auto insurance. d

Coverage Required by Law

A common reason that people in this area of Texas will need to have auto insurance is that the coverage is often required by law. Anyone that would like to drive a car on a public road in this state needs to at least have liability insurance. If you do not have this coverage, you could face various penalties. 

Coverage is a Lender Requirement

If you have decided to take out a loan when buying a car, you will need to abide by your lender’s insurance obligations. In many cases, the lender will stipulate that you need to have both collision and comprehensive coverage. This insurance ultimately protects your vehicle against many risks including theft, vandalism, or accident damage. Banks will want you to maintain this coverage until it is fully repaid as it will protect your vehicle and their security interest in your car. 

People that are in the Amarillo, TX area and want to own a vehicle should always get auto insurance for it. As you are looking to build an insurance plan, you should call the West Texas Insurance Agency. When you do call the West Texas Insurance Agency, you can learn a lot about the different insurance needs and options that you have. This can help you choose a plan that will give proper protection. 

Is it time to upgrade my auto insurance in Texas?

Upgrading your auto insurance policy in Amarillo, TX is relatively straightforward. Many motorists rarely boost their auto insurance. All they undertake is to renew their policies devoid of proper assessment of their current prevailing needs, getting captured. If you are such an automobile owner, please contact West Texas Insurance Agency in Amarillo, TX to explain striking reasons that may warrant your auto insurance upgrade. 

When you are letting go of your current car

There are various reasons you would want to offload your current car. You are probably aspiring to upgrade, downgrade, or upon your lease expiry, and you need to figure out the next step to take. Regardless of the reason, it’s prudent to upgrade your auto insurance to ensure your pressing current needs are taken care of.

When you change use of your car

Are you utilizing your vehicle in running your business affairs? It is wise to upgrade it to commercial auto insurance if you convert your private car to business operations. It’s vital to upgrade your auto insurance to commercial auto insurance to safeguard your driver when accidents strike.

When you let a teenager drive your car

When you decide that your teenage daughter or son should drive your car, there is an urge to include them in your auto insurance policy. Teenagers are considered risky and vulnerable drivers to road uncertainties requiring adjustment of your premiums accordingly from your insurance company.

Switching your coverage to another

When you realize that the third-party policy you earlier possessed is not adequate, you would prefer switching to comprehensive insurance.

Are you still in the darkness, unsure whether to upgrade your auto insurance in Amarillo, TX? Call or visit our West Texas Insurance Agency offices for guidance from our reputable agents.

Servicing States

  • Texas
  • Oklahoma
  • New Mexico