Cherokee County
Driving in Cherokee County
Cherokee County is home to 41,799 automobiles that were registered for personal and commercial use. This number represents 0.18% of all registered vehicles in the state of Texas.
Driving without auto insurance is illegal in Texas. But despite this fact, 1 out of 5 drivers statewide are uninsured, which means well over 8,000 vehicles in Cherokee County alone may not have any kind of coverage.
Nearly 79% of adult drivers commute to work alone, and almost 2 out of 5 of them are behind the wheel for at least 30 minutes.
Auto Insurance Analysis:
In Cherokee County, there are more than 41,000 registered vehicles that need proper vehicle insurance coverage. The type of insurance coverage will be highly dependent on the type of vehicle and can be one of the following: Private Auto, Farm Auto, Auto Liability, Inland Marine, etc.
Well over 10,000 adults commute to work almost daily for an extended period. This contributes to the increase of auto insurance premiums, as being on the road for a longer time increases the probability of a traffic accident.
More and more importance is being given to Uninsured Driver Coverage since 20% of the drivers in Texas don’t have auto insurance. Texans spend a total of almost $900 million annually for Uninsured and Underinsured Auto Coverage costs.
Most of the roads in Cherokee County are rural; this means there is less traffic and less potential for vehicular collision. However, 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, Cherokee county residents should consider Comprehensive Auto Coverage, which helps with the cost of repairing the car after hitting an animal. Take note that Liability Coverage does not cover this type of incident.
For consultation and advice about auto insurance in Cherokee County, contact an experienced Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent licensed in the state of Texas.
Cherokee County Housing
There are approximately 21,640 homes in Cherokee County, and 72% of these properties are occupied by the owners themselves, while the majority of Texas has a 62% rate for homes inhabited by the owners.
Looking at the Cherokee County’s neighbors, Rusk County has the highest percentage for this category at 78%, and Nacogdoches County has the lowest average at 57%, which means that almost every other house is listed for rent.
Approximately 17% of the homes in Cherokee County experience issues like overcrowding, substandard plumbing, or problems with the kitchen. In approximately 15% of homes, residents spend half of their income on housing expenses.
Housing Insurance Analysis:
More than 21 thousand homes in Cherokee County need insurance coverage. All owners of these properties should have at least Homeowners, Condo insurance, and/or Business property insurance (for apartment complexes) to protect the underlying financial investment from damage or even loss.
With a little over 6 thousand housing units in Cherokee County listed for rent, landlords should purchase Landlord Insurance, which covers the property and protects the owner from possible liability claims coming from the tenants.
Tenants, on the other hand, should obtain Renters Insurance to protect their belongings from damage or loss. This coverage is quite affordable, and it will cover the tenant's property from theft and damages caused by fire, smoke, water, and vandalism. Many landlords in Cherokee County include Renters Insurance as a requirement of the lease.
For consultation and advice about homeowners insurance or Renters insurance in Cherokee County, contact a Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent licensed in the state of Texas.
Cherokee County Health
In Cherokee County, 22% of the residents do not have health insurance coverage — a statistic that is ≈1% worse than the majority of Texas. But among its peer counties, Smith, Rusk, Nacogdoches, and Anderson Counties all share the Texas average (≈21%). Henderson County, on the other hand, has the highest percentage at 23%.
Statewide, Gaines County has the highest adult uninsured rate at nearly 36%, while Loving County proudly has the lowest percentage at just 11.4%. As of 2021, the average adult uninsured rate in Texas was approximately 20.7%.
Almost 2 out of 5 Cherokee County residents do not exercise at all, and this contributes to the fact that 44% of the population are considered obese (with a BMI of 30 or more) — which is relatively worse than the state average (≈ 31%). Cherokee County’s obesity rate is the worst in its area, while Houston County has the lowest average at 28%.
There are at least 2 health insurers in Cherokee County that offer affordable and frequently subsidized ACA health insurance on and off the state marketplace.
Health Insurance Analysis:
Health insurance is the most vital insurance coverage, but despite this fact, almost 10 thousand residents of Cherokee County lack proper coverage.
Almost 10 thousand residents report health problems that will drive up their health insurance premiums or bar them from coverage, unless they go with ACA-compliant coverage.
The sale of multiple types of health insurance and supplemental products is permitted in Texas, making securing coverage that fits their specific needs (both medically and financially) much easier. Texans can take out 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 individuals who cannot afford health insurance coverage can apply for government subsidies which will significantly reduce the costs.
Short-term Insurance is another way to save money if you do not have any pre-existing conditions. (If you have had your policy for a year or more, some pre-existing conditions may be covered by some Texas multi-year short-term health insurance.)
For consultation and advice about health insurance in Cherokee County, contact an experienced health insurance professional licensed in the state of Texas who has access to multiple insurers and can advise on the full scope of Texas health market capabilities.
Cherokee County Mortality and the End of Life Statistics
The average life expectancy rate in Texas is 79 years old, while the figure for Cherokee County is 76 years. Most of the life expectancy rates in this region are in the mid-70s except for Smith County, which is leading the pack at an average of 78 years old. Anderson County has the lowest figure at 73 years.
In the state of Texas, Presidio County has the highest average life expectancy at 89, and Donley County has the lowest at 73 years old.
In 2022, there were approximately 9,532 seniors (65 and older) living in Cherokee County.
Life Insurance Analysis:
In 2021, 48% of Americans did not own any kind of life insurance coverage.
It is a misconception that young adults do not need life insurance. Getting a policy at a young age, while the potential policyholder is still healthy and unlikely to pass away, can save them a lot of money. Premiums for life insurance tend to get more expensive as the potential policyholder gets older.
Almost 21% of Cherokee County residents smoke, and this habit will spike up the premiums of well over 6 thousand adults. A smoker’s life insurance premiums are around four times more expensive than a non-smoker's, as their life expectancy is deemed shorter unless they change their habits.
Whole Life Insurance has a cash value component, meaning that after a stated period, the insured can use the funds to pay for the life insurance premiums, cover emergencies, or to fund a tax-free retirement as a living benefit.
Motor Vehicle Fatalities in Cherokee County
Motor vehicle fatalities in Cherokee County occur at a rate of 26.76 per 100,000 vehicles on the road, averaging 11 fatal crashes per year.
In 2020, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDoT) reported 833 crashes in Cherokee County, which caused 13 fatalities. Over 1 out of 4 fatal car crashes in the county involved alcohol.
Final Expenses - Cherokee County Funeral Home Costs
The average price of a funeral in Cherokee County is around $5,000, which is significantly less expensive than the Texas average of $6,200, and the lowest compared to its peer counties. Smith County, on the other hand, has the most expensive funeral average at $7,600, followed by Angelina County at $7,200.
Life Insurance Analysis:
With 46% of Americans dying with less than $10,000 in assets, the cost of a standard burial for over 4 thousand Cherokee County residents could fall on the shoulders of the deceased person’s friends and family. Instead of mourning their loved one’s passing, they will have to focus on figuring out how to pay for the funeral.
On top of burial expenses, the deceased could possibly leave unpaid taxes and unsettled debts, which adds to the mourning family’s woes.
Term Life Insurance and Final Expense Insurance are the most common life insurance policy types to cover "final expenses" up to $50,000.
Different kinds of insurance policies can help the family with financial assistance. Such life insurance policies can be variations of Term Life Insurance and Permanent Life Insurance.
Reach out to a knowledgeable and experienced life insurance agent licensed in the state of Texas, who has access to multiple insurers and can give advice regarding life insurance in Cherokee County. The agent can help you assess the family’s needs and go over the possible options to fill them.
