Living in "The Woodlands"?

[txtig]

Dittos on the request for the names of these insurance companies! Apparently USAA is robbing us!

We live in the Houston metro area (Sugar Land) and have used USAA for our homeowners insurance for decades. Last year's premium was over $4300 for $390,000 coverage. I will be shopping around before I renew this year.


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[REWahoo]

Dittos on the request for the names of these insurance companies! Apparently USAA is robbing us!

We live in the Houston metro area (Sugar Land) and have used USAA for our homeowners insurance for decades. Last year's premium was over $4300 for $390,000 coverage. I will be shopping around before I renew this year.

I suspect you two are paying high rates for living so close to the coast. We live 150 miles inland and USAA charges us less than $1,200 for $260K coverage.

 

[HtownRose]

Yes, Houston city limits, west side. Only 1 hurricane in the 20+ years I've lived here, but could happen again any year.

 

[meierlde]

We live in the Houston metro area (Sugar Land) and have used USAA for our homeowners insurance for decades. Last year's premium was over $4300 for $390,000 coverage. I will be shopping around before I renew this year.


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One question might be what is the deductible. Both for wind and for everything else. State Farm went to 1% for everything.

 

[HtownRose]

2% for wind/hail. $1000 for everything else.

 

[txtig]

One question might be what is the deductible. Both for wind and for everything else. State Farm went to 1% for everything.

1% for all claims.


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[REWahoo]

I'm at 2% for everything.

 

[txtig]

I suspect you two are paying high rates for living so close to the coast. We live 150 miles inland and USAA charges us less than $1,200 for $260K coverage.

That may be it. We're a little over 40 miles from the coast as the crow flies. But, I still suspect that we may be able to get a much better deal from another insurance company. USAA has been steadily jacking up my rates for a number of years. We did have a roof claim with Hurricane Ike (2008).


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[Big_Hitter]

Yes, Houston city limits, west side. Only 1 hurricane in the 20+ years I've lived here, but could happen again any year.

Rita was in 05, Ike in 08

Rita was a near miss but we were still out of power for a week

 

[REWahoo]

But, I still suspect that we may be able to get a much better deal from another insurance company. USAA has been steadily jacking up my rates for a number of years.

The only way to know is shop around. Be sure to account for the $ USAA returns to you each year when you run the numbers.

 

[Big_Hitter]

even 100 miles inland, you can still get significant damage from a tropical cyclone


our deductible for trop cyc was 2% IIRC

 

[Sarah in SC]

I think y'all can get ASI (American Strategic) in Texas. They are probably worth getting quotes from when you look. They are the cheapest for us right now in SC.

 

[MichaelB]

We live in the Houston metro area (Sugar Land) and have used USAA for our homeowners insurance for decades. Last year's premium was over $4300 for $390,000 coverage. I will be shopping around before I renew this year.

I'd take USAA coverage in a heartbeat, even with a much higher premium. Here in Fl all the major insurers stopped writing new policies years ago, and now Citizens is pushing their clients onto new, local insurers that are unrated. A low price policy from a financially insecure insurer is worthless if a bad storm hits. My guess is Tx homeowners insurance is not much different.

 

[txtig]

The only way to know is shop around. Be sure to account for the $ USAA returns to you each year when you run the numbers.

Good point. I'd forgotten about the rebate.


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[Big_Hitter]

insurers took a huge beating from Ike, they are going to recoup those losses


that's how P&C works

 

[LOL!]

There are active fault lines in The Woodlands which apparently were undisclosed, so some homes sit on these faults and are cracking up.

Upscale homeowners in The Woodlands sue over fault lines - Houston Chronicle

As for the road bond issue, it had a pretty typical outcome. Folks who want higher home prices forget that it comes with growth and growth begets lots of traffic. If the major thoroughfares get choked with traffic, then folks will stop buying homes where the traffic is bad and there will be no need for any road improvements.

 

[Big_Hitter]

There are active fault lines in The Woodlands which apparently were undisclosed, so some homes sit on these faults and are cracking up.

Upscale homeowners in The Woodlands sue over fault lines - Houston Chronicle

not good, not good at all


glad I don't have a house in carlton woods - nice golf course tho

 

[Sarah in SC]

I'd take USAA coverage in a heartbeat, even with a much higher premium. Here in Fl all the major insurers stopped writing new policies years ago, and now Citizens is pushing their clients onto new, local insurers that are unrated. A low price policy from a financially insecure insurer is worthless if a bad storm hits. My guess is Tx homeowners insurance is not much different.

I get ya, I do. But I don't qualify for USAA, and am pretty much in the same boat as folks in FL are (except, merciful gods, I don't have to carry flood, nor carry state pool wind/hail like we did at the beach).

So ASI is a bit of a calculated risk for us, assuming that the state insurance commissioner is looking out for us coolsmiley when "the big one" hits. I'm just looking for decent coverage in a total loss situation and least bells and whistles. Still damn expensive.

 

[2soon2tell]

Another Sugar Land resident.

Our USAA homeowners is $2660 per year. This does not include our annual refund or senior bonus. According to the appraisal district out value is $262,000. Go figure.

 

[NYEXPAT]

You folks are making a good case for renting!

 

[Alan]

You folks are making a good case for renting!

If you are only going to be here for a few years then I would seriously consider renting. Loads of high quality places to rent.

 

[TeeRuh]

I just switched from State Farm to AMICA. Rate went from $2600 to $1300 (plus higher coverage level). USAA was about mid-way between the two (quote only, so may have changed if I pursued).

t.r. (FYI Sugar Land area)

 

[Texas Proud]

One question might be what is the deductible. Both for wind and for everything else. State Farm went to 1% for everything.

2% for wind/hail. $1000 for everything else.

I'm at 2% for everything.

I am at 2% for hail and 5% for hurricane.... but after I filed I found out that I only have cash value on the roof... when I thought I had replacement...

I am fine with paying the deductible, but was not expecting to have to cough up 50% depreciation on top of that...

So, do not just think your only cost might be the deductible....

 

[aja8888]

As for the road bond issue, it had a pretty typical outcome. Folks who want higher home prices forget that it comes with growth and growth begets lots of traffic. If the major thoroughfares get choked with traffic, then folks will stop buying homes where the traffic is bad and there will be no need for any road improvements.

Road bond issue was packaged so that no one had choices:

1. Expand Woodlands Parkway to Highway 249 (to make a straight shot from west areas into The Woodlands and access to I-45. (not many residents wanted the traffic increase which it would have created - traffic is bad enough right now)

2. Many millions of dollars for road improvements and lane expansions within the area. Very needed.

3. Millions for repairs and maintenance of existing roads. This really pi$$ed off the residents as that cost should come out of existing budgets and not new tax dollars. The Township has gotten a lot of new tax revenue in the last couple of years (say double?) and apparently has pi$$ed a lot of it away on pet projects in order to not be able to have funds to fix the current roads.

No's 1 & 3 failed the bond issue approval (at least that's my take on information from my neighbors and friends.)

Talk is next November the bond issue(s) will be put back on the ballot. Hopefully, those in "charge" will see the light and split out the choices.

 

[REWahoo]

So, do not just think your only cost might be the deductible....

Replaced the roof last summer after a hailstorm. Paid the deductible only, no depreciation - that was bad enough.