Austin County
Driving in Austin County
Austin County's highways are home to an estimated 23,640 private and commercial vehicles. This figure represents roughly 0.10% of all vehicles registered in the state of Texas.
Over 83% of drivers in Austin County commute alone to work, and one in every two of those commutes exceeds 30 minutes.
Around 20% of Texas drivers are estimated to be uninsured, and nearly 5,000 vehicles in Austin County alone are uninsured.
Auto Insurance Analysis:
- Nearly 24,000 vehicles registered in Austin County require some form of insurance. Depending on the type of vehicle and its intended usage, the following insurance policies may be required: Private Auto, Commercial Auto, Comprehensive Coverage, Commercial Transportation, Inland Marine, and so on. Auto Liability is required on all vehicles on the road.
- With 1 out 5 drivers uninsured in Texas, Uninsured Driver Coverage becomes increasingly important. Texans spend nearly $900 million annually to pay for Uninsured and Underinsured Auto Coverage.
To discuss your auto insurance in Austin County, contact a Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent licensed in the state of Texas.
Austin County Housing
Just like the rest of Texas, where the majority of homes are owner-occupied, Austin County's 13,781 housing units are divided between owner-occupied homes (76%) and renters (24%). The neighboring counties are mostly composed of owner-occupied residences as well, with Colorado County leading the way with an owner-occupied rate of over 82% and Wharton County having the lowest at 67%.
Nearly 1 in 7 housing units in Austin County experiences housing problems, overcrowding, lack of plumbing, or issues with the kitchen. In approximately 15% of homes, residents spend more than 50% of their income on housing.
Housing Insurance Analysis:
Nearly 14,000 housing units in Austin County need insurance. At the very least, all owners of these properties should carry Homeowners, Condo, and/or Business property insurance (for apartment complexes), to safeguard the underlying financial investment against loss or damage.
With over 3,000 housing units available for rent in Austin County, landlords are encouraged to purchase Landlord Insurance, which protects both the property itself and the landlord from potential liability claims brought by renters.
It is usually recommended that tenants purchase Renters Insurance coverage in order to protect their things from potential damage or loss. The average renter's insurance policy is affordable, and it often protects the tenant's belongings against theft and damage caused by fire, smoke, water, and vandalism. Austin County landlords may need renters insurance as a condition of the lease agreement in some cases.
For consultation and advice about Homeowners, Renters, Condo, Flood, and other types of insurance in Austin County, contact a Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent licensed in the state of Texas.
A Texas P&C insurance agent:
- analyzes your needs and restrictions,
- researches the locally available plans that fit your needs,
- provides you with the available options of coverage,
- explains how the differences between the options affect you once you start using each insurance product
- assists you with the application process
- does not affect your cost of insurance. (agent’s service is usually paid by the insurer)
Austin County Health
Nearly 1 out of 5 adults and 12% of children in Austin County lack health insurance. Wharton County has the highest adult uninsured rate in the nearby counties, at approximately 26%. Fort Bend County has the lowest uninsured adult rate in the area, at 15%. Gaines County has the highest number of uninsured adults in the state of Texas, at nearly 36%, while Loving County has the lowest rate, at only 11.4%. As of 2021, Texas's average adult uninsured rate was approximately 20.7%.
More than 1 in 5 adults in Austin County report having health concerns. This equates to more than 4,000 people.
27% of the Austin County population do not participate in physical exercise activities.
Around 32% of residents of Austin County are classified as obese (with a BMI of 30 or above), which is higher than the Texas average of 31.4%. Among surrounding counties, Fayette County has the lowest obesity rate – at 24% of residents – while Washington, Waller, and Wharton counties have an average of 35-37% obese adults.
At least 4 health insurers in Austin County offer affordable and frequently subsidized ACA health insurance, on and off the state marketplace.
Health Insurance Analysis:
Health insurance is the most important insurance coverage and over 5,000 residents of Austin County lack this necessity.
Texas is one of several states that permit the selling of a variety of health insurance and supplemental products. This enables Texans to acquire coverage that is tailored to their unique requirements (both medically and financially): Marketplace ACA health insurance, Various types of Short-term insurance (up to 3 years in coverage), Hospital Indemnity, Accident & Health, etc.
If low-income consumers are unable to obtain health insurance owing to financial constraints, they are recommended to apply for government subsidies, which can significantly reduce the cost of insurance.
If you do not have any pre-existing conditions, Short term insurance may be an option for you. (* After a year or longer of coverage, certain pre-existing conditions may be covered under some Texas multi-year short-term health insurance plans.)
Discuss your health insurance needs with a state-licensed Texas health insurance professional with access to a variety of health insurance options available in Austin County.
Austin County Mortality and the End of Life Statistics
In Austin County, the average life expectancy is 78.8 years, which is slightly lower than the Texas average age of 79.2. Fort Bend County has the longest life expectancy among the neighboring counties, adding more than 5 years to the average life expectancy of Austin County. With an average life expectancy of 88.8 years, Presidio County has the highest life expectancy in Texas, while Donley County has the lowest life expectancy at 72.8 years.
In 2022 there were nearly 6,000 seniors (65 and older) residing in Austin County.
Life Insurance Facts:
In 2021, 48% of Americans did not have an active life insurance policy of any type.
Premiums for life insurance are determined by the insured's age at the time the policy begins. The younger you are when you purchase it, the more money you save on premiums over the policy's duration.
Motor Vehicle Fatalities in Austin County
According to statistical data, there are 18.35 fatal motor vehicle crashes for every 100,000 vehicles on the roads in Austin County, resulting in around 4 fatal crashes per year.
According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDoT), 616 crashes were reported in Austin County in 2020, resulting in nine fatalities. Alcohol is considered to be the primary reason for over 14% of all driving fatalities in Austin County.
Final Expenses – Austin County Funeral Home Cost
Funeral expenses in and around Austin County vary drastically. The average cost of a funeral in Austin County is roughly $6,600, making it the most expensive in the surrounding area. Among Austin County's neighbors, Washington County has the second-highest average funeral cost at over $6,400, while Fort Bend County funeral homes charge the same as the state average of around $6,200. On the other hand, Wharton County is estimated to have the lowest average funeral cost of its adjacent counties, at roughly $5,000.
Life Insurance Analysis:
With 46% of Americans dying with less than $10,000 in savings, nearly 3,000 senior residents in Austin County may be inflicting an unwanted and possibly unbearable financial strain on their family and friends, for having to pay for the unplanned funeral expenses. Rather than lamenting their loss, the family must focus on resolving their financial situation. (Note: If you are paying for funeral services using life insurance, most funeral houses demand that the policy be "assignable.")
Apart from burial expenses, the departed frequently leave behind taxes and other debts for the family to deal with. Life insurance is synonymous with love insurance.
The most frequently used life insurance policies to cover “final expenses” up to $50,000 are: Term Life Insurance and Final Expense Insurance.
The most commonly used life insurance policies to leave money to the family are the variations of: Term Life Insurance and Cash Value insurance, such as Whole Life insurance, Indexed Universal Life (IUL) insurance, and Final Expense.
Learn more about life insurance options in Austin County by speaking with a knowledgeable and licensed Texas life insurance professional.
The use of a Texas insurance agent typically does NOT incur additional cost to the insured.
