Brooks County
Driving in Brooks County
An estimated 5,432 private and commercial vehicles call the roads of Brooks County their home. This number accounts for approximately 0.02% of all vehicles registered in the entire state of Texas.
Over 86% of adult drivers in Brooks County commute to work by themself, and 1 out of 5 of those commutes last for more than half an hour.
Approximately 20% of drivers in Texas are uninsured and about 1,086 vehicles in Brooks County account for that.
Auto Insurance Analysis:
Over 5 thousand automobiles needing insurance coverage are registered in Brooks County. Liability coverage is required for all vehicles on the road, to protect others from the damage that an accident may cause. Depending on the type of vehicle and its use, the required insurance may be: Private Auto, Farm or Commercial Auto, Comprehensive Coverage, Farm or Commercial Transportation, Inland Marine, etc.
Approximately 1 out of 5 Texas drivers are uninsured. Hence, Uninsured Driver Coverage becomes increasingly important. Texans spend nearly $900 million annually to pay for Uninsured and Underinsured Auto Coverage.
A small part of Brooks County’s roads are rural. Rural roads have less traffic and less potential for vehicular collisions. Meanwhile, rural areas are more prone to animals getting in the way of moving cars. The majority of crashes into animals in Texas peak twice a day: 5-8 AM, and predominantly 6 PM to midnight. The highest potential of a collision with a deer is in November. Due to this, Brooks county residents should consider Comprehensive Auto coverage, which helps in repairing the damage after hitting an animal.
To discuss your auto insurance in Brooks County, contact an experienced Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent licensed in the state of Texas.
Brooks County Housing
Brooks County is similar to the majority of Texas, where most homes are occupied by the owner. There are approximately 3,244 homes in Brooks County and over 60% of them are owner-occupied and the remaining 40% are either rented or available for renters. Similarly, the neighboring counties are mostly composed of owner-occupied homes as well, with Kenedy County having the lowest owner-occupied rate at 23% and 77% of housing listed for rent. This is due to the fact that Kenedy County only has less than 500 residents, so there aren’t too many tenants around. Starr County’s 75% owner-occupied rate is the highest figure in the region, and it is significantly higher than the Texas average of 62%.
More than 1 in 5 housing units in Brooks County experiences housing problems such as overcrowding, issues withplumbing, or issues with the kitchen. In approximately 15% of homes, residents spend more than half of their income on housing.
Housing Insurance Analysis:
Over 3 Thousand housing units in Brooks County need insurance coverage. At a minimum, all owners of these properties should have Homeowners, Condo insurance, and/or Business property insurance (for apartment complexes), to protect the underlying financial investment from possible loss or damage.
With over 1,200 housing units in Brooks County as rentals, landlords obtain Landlord Insurance, which covers the property itself and from the possible liability claims arising from the tenants.
Tenants buy Renters Insurance coverage to protect their belongings from possible damage or loss. Average renters’ insurance is inexpensive and usually covers the tenant's property from theft and damages caused by fire, smoke, water, and vandalism. Some landlords in Brooks County may require Renters insurance as a condition of the lease.
For consultation and advice about Homeowners, Renters, Condo, Flood, and other types of insurance in Brooks 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)
Brooks County Health
In Brooks County, roughly 19% of people less than 65 years old, including children, lack proper health insurance. This figure is slightly lower than the Texas average of approximately 21 percent (in 2021) and is second to the lowest compared to its neighboring counties. Jim Wells County, Kenedy County, Starr County, and Duval County all have higher percentages compared to the state average with Hidalgo County as the highest at 33%.
Nearly 2 in 5 adults in Brooks County reports problems with health, which means that over 1,800 of its residents are in poor health.
Around 35% of Brooks County residents are considered obese (with a BMI of 30 or more), which is higher than the Texas average of 31.4%. A contributing factor may be the fact that about 23% of the Brooks county population do not participate in any physical exercises.
Among the neighboring counties, Kenedy County reports the lowest obesity rate – at 22% of the residents, while 38% of adults from Hidalgo County may be considered obese, and this is the highest figure in the region.
At least 3 health insurers in Brooks County offer affordable and frequently subsidized ACA health insurance, on and off the state marketplace.
Health Insurance Analysis:
Despite the fact that health insurance is the most important insurance coverage, more than 1 thousand residents of Brooks County do not have proper health insurance coverage.
Depending on their specific needs (both medically and financially) it is easier for Brooks County residents to obtain coverage that fits their needs since Texas is among the states that allow the sale of multiple types of health insurance and supplemental health insurance. Texans can get coverage through Group or Individual Marketplace ACA health insurance, various types of Short-term insurance (up to 3 years in coverage), Hospital Indemnity, Accident & Health, etc.
Low-income consumers should apply for government health insurance subsidies to substantially lower the cost of health insurance, if coverage is not being purchased due to unaffordability.
For people who do not have pre-existing conditions, Short-term health insurance may provide an alternative option. (* Some Texas multi-year short-term health insurance plans may cover certain pre-existing conditions after a year or more of coverage)
To know all available options it is best to discuss your health insurance needs with a knowledgeable state-licensed Texas health insurance professional with access to a variety of health insurance options available to Brooks County residents.
A Texas health insurance agent: analyzes your needs and restrictions, researches the locally available plans that fit your needs, provides you with the available options of coverage, and explains how the differences between the options affect you once you start using each insurance product. The agent assists you with the application process, and at any time you need to make a change to the policy, or shop for replacement coverage.
Brooks County Mortality and the End of Life Statistics
For the residents of Brooks County, the average life expectancy is around 74.7 years old, lower than the Texas average of 79.2, and is second to the lowest compared to its peer counties.
In the region, the longest average is recorded in Hidalgo County with 81.9 years, and the shortest is observed in Kleberg County at 74.6 years. Statewide, Presidio County has the highest average life expectancy at 88.8 while Donley County has the lowest at 72.8 years.
Life Insurance Facts:
Approximately 47% of Americans did not have an active life insurance policy of any type in the year 2022.
To be able to save more in premiums over the duration of the policy, it is best to get life insurance at a young age, as life insurance premiums are based on the age of the insured when the policy begins, among other factors.
Approximately 19% of the adults in Brooks County smoke, and this habit will definitely increase their life insurance premiums by up to 4 times compared to non-smokers. A smoker’s life expectancy is deemed shorter, making them more of a risk than people who do not smoke.
Motor Vehicle Fatalities in Brooks County
Motor vehicle fatalities in Brooks County statistically occur at a rate of 21.86 per 100,000 vehicles on the road: approximately 1 fatal crash per year.
In 2020, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDoT) reported 170 crashes in Brooks County, with a resultant 4 fatalities. Alcohol is determined as the main factor for the fatal crashes in Brooks County in over 8% of all driving fatalities.
Final Expenses – Brooks County Funeral Home Cost
The average price for a funeral in Brooks County is around $8,600, which is the most expensive funeral cost average in the region and is also higher than the Texas average of $6,200. Kenedy County has the lowest average funeral cost in the region as well as in the entire state of Texas, of a little over $3,100.
In the entire state of Texas, Polk County has the highest average funeral cost at $10,900, while Kenedy and Willacy Counties have the most affordable average, both at around $3,200.
Life Insurance Analysis:
Frequently family and friends face unbearable burdens, due to 46% of Americans dying with savings of less than $10,000. Instead of grieving their loss, the family must concentrate on finding a way to settle the costs. (Note: If using life insurance as payment for the funeral services, most funeral homes require the policy to be “assignable”)
Unsettled accounts and unpaid taxes are sometimes left by the deceased for the family to take care of, besides the burial costs.
The most frequently used life insurance policies to cover “final expenses” up to $50,000 are: Term Life Insurance and Final Expense Insurance.
Life insurance policies that may provide financial assistance to the bereaved 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.
To find out more about life insurance options in Brooks County, speak with a state-licensed and experienced life insurance professional who has access to multiple insurers. A knowledgeable agent can provide you with multiple options based on your needs.
