Farmers Insurance - Matt Metzger

My Car was Covered, But Not From Theft According to a 2012 FBI report, every 43 seconds a car is stolen in the United States.* Joe Thompson never thought his car would make that list, until it disappeared one night. His Story “I took my family to dinner and parked across the street. I figured that I had nothing to worry about as it’s a popular neighborhood spot,” he said. “But we were in for a shock after we came out of the restaurant. The car had vanished. My first thought was that it had been towed!” Actually, thieves had made off with Thompson’s car right from the heart of the busy area. After filing a police report, Thompson also filed a claim with his insurance company. To his disbelief, his claim was denied. “Unless you carry comprehensive coverage as part of your auto policy, you’re not covered for car theft,” he said. “I learned that the hard way.” For Thompson, the gap in his auto coverage dealt a huge financial blow. Without comprehensive coverage...

You know the saying, “too many cooks in the kitchen,” but you could also have too many appliances. Forty-four percent of home fires start in the kitchen; by unplugging equipment that you aren’t using, you’ll help reduce the risk of it generating heat and sparking a flame. Need more tips on how to protect your home? Give me a call at 210.722.8220 and let’s chat.

According to pricing data collected by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) , the average monthly energy bill in the U.S. , including electricity, natural gas and heating oil, is around $181. We plugged this average into Freed’s energy-saving DIY home projects to find out how much you could potentially save per month. Project 1. Close your fireplace flue. Project Time: Five minutes Energy Bill Savings: Potentially up to 10 percent or more Freed says the fireplace flue is open in 90 percent of the homes he visits to conduct energy-efficiency audits. “That’s like keeping a big window in your ceiling wide open, and then putting a straw in it to suck out heat,” he says. The fast, simple fix: Attach a pull chain to your flue so it’s easier to open and close without getting your hands dirty. Keeping your flue closed when you’re not burning a fire can save you approximately 10 percent (or more) on your energy bill each month. Potential average monthly savings:...

Life insurance for your kids is a policy that grows with them. Purchasing a permanent juvenile policy now ensures that they have coverage, even if their health changes later on, and can even be used to help pay for school or a home. Give me a call so you can figure out what's right for your family.

Ho w it Works   Homeowners insurance policies offer actual cash value or replacement cost coverage to replace your damaged, stolen, or destroyed personal property.  • Replacement cost is what you would pay for the item at today’s cost.  • Actual cash value is what you would pay for a similar item at today’s cost minus depreciation (replacement cost minus depreciation).  • Depreciation is a decrease in value due to wear and tear or age. Claim Scenario  Your home and some furnishings were damaged during a recent wildfire. You made a claim to your insurance company and have met your deductible. Now you are looking at replacing the damaged furnishings. Last year, you bought a sofa for your living room for $2,000. The amount of money you will receive to replace your sofa depends on the type of coverage you have.   • If you have actual cash value coverage, the company might pay you $1,500 because that is the actual cash value of the so...

5 Ways to Reduce Your Auto Insurance Premiums 1 Drive safely and drive less Generally, the longer you drive without major citations or accidents, the lower your premium will be. In addition, the more time you spend driving and the farther the distances, the higher the likelihood that you may end up in an accident regardless of how safe a driver you are. Consider car-pooling, taking public transportation or riding your bike. If you are a safe driver, Farmers offers a safe driver discount to reward your good driving habits.   2 Research before you buy Before you commit to buying a new car, be sure to do your research. Some makes and models of cars, particularly those with excellent safety, theft loss or accident records, can be less expensive to insure. If you're considering several models and can't decide, I can help you make an informed decision providing some coverage price comparisons for the models you're interested in...

Everything’s Bigger in Texas…Especially Farmers’ Smart Insurance Discounts If you’re employed or retired from an approved occupational group (e.g., Accountants, Educators, Engineers, Firefighters, Military, Law Enforcement, Medical Professionals, etc.), you may be eligible for this discount. Contact us at (210)722-8220 or mmetzger@farmersagent.com to see if you qualify.