El Paso County
Driving in El Paso County
The roadways in El Paso County are home to an estimated 663,142 private and commercial vehicles. This figure represents approximately 3% of all vehicles registered in the entire state of Texas.
Over 80% of adult drivers in El Paso County commute to work by themself. On average, less than a quarter of every commuter vehicle in the county is estimated to spend at least 30 minutes on the road each working day.
Despite the fact that it is illegal to drive in El Paso County, as well as in the whole state of Texas, without car insurance, which serves as "proof of financial responsibility", there are still over 20% of Texas drivers that are uninsured, and an estimated of 130,00 vehicles in El Paso County alone are uninsured.
Auto Insurance Analysis:
There are over 600,00 vehicles registered in El Paso County that need insurance coverage. Depending on the type of vehicle and its use, the required insurance may be: Private Auto, Comprehensive Auto, Commercial Auto, Auto Liability, Non-owner Car Insurance, Commercial Transportation Inland Marine, and more.
Most El Paso residents drive their own car, with over 400,000 drivers commuting daily, road traffic, and the chances of encountering a road accident increase, which can inflate insurance premiums.
The long daily commute of approximately 150,000 El Paso County residents escalates the amount of time a driver spends on the road that can increase the probability of getting involved in a car accident and the cost of auto insurance.
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. By driving uninsured, such high-risk drivers place the burden of damage liability on other drivers who share the road with them, increasing the chances of an accident. If you are caught driving without insurance, you will be fined, and your vehicle will most likely be impounded. You may also risk a suspension of your driver’s license.
To discuss your auto insurance in El Paso County, contact a Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent licensed in the state of Texas.
El Paso County Housing
El Paso County has a total of around 309,709 housing units, the majority of which are homeowner-occupied, almost exactly matching the state-average. Approximately 61 percent of the housing in the county is owner-occupied. Similarly, its neighboring county, Hudspeth County, has even less housing available for rent - just 28%.
1 in 5 housing units in El Paso County experiences severe housing problems, such as:
- Increasing housing cost
- Lack of plumbing facilities
- Overcrowding, or
- Lack of proper kitchen facilities
In approximately 13% of homes, residents spend more than 50% of income on housing.
Housing Insurance Analysis:
Over 300,000 housing units in El Paso need insurance coverage. The owners of these homes should at least maintain a standard Homeowners or Condo Insurance to protect their assets from loss or damage. Apartment buildings get insured by Commercial property insurance.
With approximately 120,000 rental units in El Paso County, landlords are advised to purchase Landlord Insurance, which protects both the property and the landlord from potential liability claims made by renters.
Tenants are recommended to obtain Renters Insurance coverage to protect their belongings from possible damage or loss, which is much more affordable than Homeowners insurance. The average renter’s insurance policy usually covers the tenant's property against theft and damage caused by fire, smoke, water, and vandalism. Depending on the landlord in El Paso County, renters insurance may be required as a condition of the lease.
Contact a Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent licensed in the state of Texas for consultation and guidance on Homeowners, Renters, Condo, and other forms of insurance in El Paso.
A Texas P&C Insurance Agent:
- analyzes your necessities and constraint,
- researches the locally available options that suit your requirements,
- offers you with the various coverage alternatives,
- explains how the differences between the options affect you once you begin using each insurance product
- assists you with the application process
- has no influence on the cost of your insurance. (in most cases, the insurer pays the agent's service fee).
El Paso County Health
In El Paso County, more than 1 in 3 adults (approximately 167,569 residents, aged 18 and above) live with poor or fair health conditions. More than 1 out of 4 adults and 11% of all children in the County do not have health insurance coverage. Between El Paso and its peer counties, Hudspeth County has a lower insured rate (68%) and a higher rate of residents that do not have health insurance coverage under 65 years old, including children (32%), which is almost 12% higher than the 20.7% of the state average, reported in 2021.
Nearly a quarter of the people (20%) in El Paso County do not engage in any physical exercise activity and because of this, obesity cases among its residents are not rare.
There are over 31% of adult residents in Texas with an obesity case. While El Paso's neighboring county, Hudspeth County, has a higher adult obesity rate (with BMI of 30 or more) of around 38%, El Paso has a lower percentage of obesity cases of around 32%.
At least 5 health insurers in El Paso 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 that fills the basic human need for safety, and almost 170,000 residents of El Paso County lack this necessity.
- Texas is one of several states that allows a variety of health insurance and supplementary products, which enables Texans to easier acquire coverage that is suited to their particular needs (both medical and financial): Marketplace ACA health insurance, Various types of Short-term insurance (up to 3 years in coverage), Hospital Indemnity, Accident & Health, etc.
- If health insurance is not obtained due to its cost, low-income individuals may apply for government subsidies, which can significantly reduce the cost of insurance.
- You may also be able to get short term insurance if you do not have pre-existing health problems (Note: some multi-year short-term Texas plans may cover selective pre-existing conditions after a full year of coverage).
Talk about your health insurance needs with a state-licensed Texas health insurance professional who has access to a wide range of health insurance plans in El Paso County.
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,
- 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 paid by the insurer)
El Paso County Mortality and the End of Life Statistics
Life expectancy for the residents of El Paso County is around 80.1 years old, which is higher than the Texas average (79.2). In contrast, its adjacent county, Hudspeth County, has a longer life span (84.5) adding four more years on top of El Paso and five additional years on Texas average life expectancy.
In 2022, there were over 105,000 (12%) senior residents (aged 65 and older) in El Paso County.
Life Insurance Facts:
In 2021, 48% of Americans did not have an active life insurance policy of any type.
Life insurance premiums are determined based on the insured's age at the inception of the policy. Thus, the younger you are when you acquire it, the less you will pay in premiums over the duration of the policy life.
Motor Vehicle Fatalities in El Paso County
Motor vehicle fatality deaths in El Paso County statistically occur at a rate of 11.22 per 100,000 vehicles on the road. This translates to at least 74 fatal crashes per year.
In 2020, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDoT) reported 14,583 crashes in El Paso County, where 71 were fatal, resulting in 83 fatalities.
Final Expenses – Dallas County Funeral Home Cost
Funeral expenses may differ from county to county. A traditional funeral in Texas can range between $5,000 and $12,000, covering basic service fees, transportation, casket, embalming, viewing, and burial.
The average cost of a funeral in Texas is around $6,200, which is higher than El Paso's average of $51,000 funeral expenses.
Life Insurance Analysis (continued):
With 46% of Americans dying with less than $10,000 in savings, over 48,000 El Paso County senior residents may be putting an unneeded and often hard financial strain on family and friends. Instead of focusing on their loss, the family must focus on resolving the financial situation and a solution to pay. (Note: If paying for funeral services with life insurance, most funeral houses want the policy to be "assignable.")
Apart from the burial costs, the deceased frequently pass the burden to the family, leaving taxes and other debt behind for the family to take care of.
Term Life Insurance and Final Expense Insurance are two frequently used policies that can help you cover “final expenses” up to $50,000.
The most commonly used life insurance policies to leave money to the family are the variations of: Term Life Insurance and Cash Value life, such as Whole Life insurance, Indexed Universal Life (IUL) insurance, and Final Expense.
Speak with a licensed Texas insurance professional about life insurance options in El Paso County.
The use of a Texas insurance agent typically does NOT incur additional costs to the insured.
