Insurance | Blog

Average gas mileage is better than ever

Posted on March 15, 2016February 25, 2016 by Victor Varma

In spite of consumers’ affection for SUVs and pickups, the average fuel economy for new vehicles is still improving, according to the Environmental Protection agency.

Vehicles in the 2015 model year were expected to average 24.7 miles per gallon, and improvement of 24.3 mpg in 2014. Average fuel economy is at a record high, the EPA says.

The auto industry is taking advantage of incentives and trying to get ahead of stiffening fuel-economy requirements aimed at reducing greenhouse gases, says Christopher Grundler, Director of the EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality.

Reductions in CO2 emissions, which are tied to how much fuel an engine burns, have outperformed the standard for the third consecutive year.

Some automakers are getting way ahead. Ford’s F150 pickup, the nation’s best-selling vehicle, meets the 2019 standard in 15 of its 32 different versions.

Income tax changes to plan for in 2016

Posted on March 10, 2016March 9, 2016 by Victor Varma

By learning about tax changes early in 2016, you’ll have more time to plan for them. Here are nine changes, according to the IRS and USAToday.

1. Income taxes for 2015 are due on April 18 because Friday, April 15 is the Emancipation Day holiday in Washington, D.C.

2. Penalties for not having qualified Affordable Care Act health insurance in 2016 are $695 per adult, 2.5 percent of income for children or a family maximum of $2,085.

3. Tax brackets rise by 0.4 percent, adjusted for inflation.

4. Standard deductions for heads of households rise, including single, married filing jointly, and married filing separately. The deduction rises by $50 to $9,300 in 2016.

5. Personal exemptions rise by $50 to $4,050 for this year.

6. Contribution limits for health savings accounts rise by $100 per family to $6,750, and an additional $1,000 for those 55 or older. Individual contribution limits remain the same at $3,350.

7. Earned Income Credit is rising. The maximum allowable Earned Income Credit for families with three or more children rises to $6,269, up by $27 in 2016. With two children, the maximum rises by $24. And one child families get $14 more than in 2015.

8. The exemption from alternative minimum tax rises for single taxpayers by $300 in 2016 to $53,900. Joint filers see a $500 boost to $83,800 this year.

9. The estate tax exemption rises to $5.45 million, up $20,000 for the estates of those who pass away in 2016.

Contributions to 401(k) plans, IRAs, and flexible spending arrangements are all staying the same as they were for 2015.

Giving Back: Helping Your Cypress, TX Community

Posted on March 3, 2016March 3, 2016 by agentinsure

Living in Cypress, TX can be a beautiful thing, and one of the ways you can really get involved in your community is through service to others. Fortunately, there are plenty of good ways you can get involved, so you can focus on your strengths and on the needs that the community truly has. By doing things like donating or volunteering, you can bring hope back to people who really need it, and learn more about the place you live and the people who share it with you.

The more you learn about the Cypress area, the more you see that there are people who are very successful and some that need more help, just like everywhere else. You have the opportunity to make a difference, and to show the people around you that there are ways they can make changes in their community that have a big impact on other people. That’s what small businesses and family businesses also often do. They have a more personal touch, and make people feel comfortable with the goods and services they get from them.

Another way you can get involved in your community and give back is to support those local businesses to help them grow and thrive. Make sure you’re insured by someone in your community, like InsureUS, for example, so you can get good insurance coverage and personal service. You’ll help out a local insurance agent, and also get the coverage you need at a price you feel good about. Because you’ve helped a local business be successful, you can count that as a contribution to your community. It will also give that company a chance to give back, too, so there’s an additional benefit to making sure you keep your time, talents, and money in your local area as much as possible.

The Duration of Yellow Lights is Unpredictable

Posted on February 12, 2016February 3, 2016 by Victor Varma

Traffic engineers in the United States have never agreed on how to time yellow lights so the interval between green and red is just right.
If it’s too short, drivers may run the red light by mistake. If it’s too long, they may intentionally risk driving through the intersection.
In the past, the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) has tried to come up with a formula, but they couldn’t get enough support from their 15,000-plus members. That was 30 years ago, but they’re trying to create a standard again. Their findings might come before the board late this year at the earliest.
The current proposal relies on four factors: determining how long the yellow should last; vehicle approach speed; driver perception-reaction time; and the deceleration rate and grade of the road. Because no studies are available on these factors, the information they use will be approximations.
Timothy Gates, an engineering professor at Michigan State University and co-author of an ITE report, says it’s a matter of validating appropriate input values.
“If the formula suggests you need 4.5 seconds, and if you provide drivers with 3 seconds, you’re putting drivers into a case where they either have to stop abruptly or proceed through and run the risk of running the red light,” Gates reported recently in The Wall Street Journal.

Super Bowl 50 Madness

Posted on February 5, 2016February 3, 2016 by Victor Varma

Super Bowl Sunday is an unofficial American holiday. Last year, about 114-million viewers tuned into the game on NBC. Over 118-million took in Katy Perry’s half-time performance, making it the most-watched broadcast in the history of U.S. television.

On February 7, 2016, even non-football fanatics will be among the 68,500 tickets holders in Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA, home of the San Francisco 49ers. Hundreds will see the game from the stadium’s luxury suites, and millions will tune in on CBS’ broadcast with fans of all ages.

NBC is so confident of its enormous audience, the price for a 30-second ad has gone up 11 percent to $5 million. People often tune in to see the ads.

For the first time ever, the Bowl game is branded with the Arabic numeral 50, rather than Roman numerals. The franchise and every spectator is on the 50 yard line celebrating the fiftieth game. Pepsi, sponsor of the already anticipated halftime spectacular, says the On the Fifty theme will honor the past, recognize the present and look forward to the next 50 years.

Legendary players and coaches of winning games will join popular music artists to ensure a thrilling, star-studded event sure to make history of its own. The stage is the largest in the world. When Coldplay was confirmed as the headliner, Chris Martin, the Grammy award-wining British rock band’s lead singer, said the thought of performing on it made him nervous, but the privilege was the “greatest moment in our band’s life.” Bruno Mars and a host of other stars will join Coldplay on stage.

Stadium security will be strict and intensified.

Spring your Spring,Texas Business Into Spring

Posted on October 1, 2015May 26, 2015 by agentinsure

Spring, Texas has a long business history. In fact, it traces its start to 1838, and just two years after the town was founded, William Pierpont started the area’s first trading post on Spring Creek. In two more years, the town would grow to 153 residents, far from the estimated 55,000 who live here now.

Depending on the type of business you have in Spring, the change of seasons will likely mean more activity. People are getting out more and income tax refunds are being spent. It is a time many businesses look forward to and enjoy. It is also a time when the threat of spring storms increases. Is your business prepared? Do you have the appropriate coverage to cover the increasing role technology is playing in your business? Is your storefront covered for glass breakage? What if there were to be flooding or a lightning strike? The time to find out is now.

This is a very good time to get a commercial insurance review from InsurUS. We serve the Spring area with a full line of personal and commercial insurance products. We are an independent broker. Being a local and independent agency works for you in multiple ways.

We can review policies no matter what company initially issued them.
We have access to get quotes from many different companies.
Since we are independent we work for you, not a particular company.
We are here to answer questions, conduct reviews, and even assist in the event of a claim.

We invite you to try us for a comparative quote right online. Visit our website, answer a few questions and we’ll get you a homeowners or auto quote. For a business insurance review and quote, please contact our office.

Before our weather “springs” any nasty surprises on us, contact InsurUS. We are here to serve you!

Basic Form vs Special Form and What It Means To Your Texas Business

Posted on August 3, 2015May 22, 2015 by agentinsure

Many Texas businesses only think about their commercial insurance on three occasions. The first time is when they first purchase it. Of course, they also think about it when they get their bill. The third time may be when they have a loss. Many times the first reaction is “I hope I’m covered.” That is a bad time to ask that question.

There is no reason to live in doubt with a commercial insurance review from InsurUS. We are an independent, Texas based insurance broker. Because we are independent we are not tied to selling the loss prevention products of one company. We can review your policy no matter where you purchased it.

Do you know the difference between basic form vs special form coverage? There’s an important distinction. With basic form insurance, each covered peril is specifically laid out in the policy. If it is not listed, you are likely going to be out of luck if you suffer a loss under perils not mentioned. With special form insurance, coverage is inclusive. That means you will be covered under all perils unless they are specifically excluded in the policy. Most Texas businesses prefer special form due to the wider range of coverage it provides.

Don’t go another day not knowing. Contact InsurUS for a commercial insurance review that can bring peace of mind, and perhaps even savings. Our agents work to find you the best coverage at the most competitive pricing. Try us with your personal insurance with a hassle-free, no obligation online quote for your homeowners or auto coverage. We think you’ll like what you discover.

Discover the powerful role an independent insurance agency can play in your coverage and your costs when you contact InsurUS.