Rusk County
Driving in Rusk County
Rusk County is estimated to have approximately 42,777 registered vehicles. This number accounts for approximately 0.18% of all vehicles registered in the entire state of Texas.
Over 87% of adult drivers in Rusk County use their vehicles for commuting. Only a small percentage of vehicles are utilized solely for different purposes. The major function of "commuter vehicles" is to transport workers to and from work. On average, nearly 1 in 3 of Rusk County's commuter vehicles spend at least 30 minutes on the road each working day.
It is unlawful to drive in Rusk County, as well as the entire state of Texas, without liability car insurance, which serves as "proof of financial responsibility." Nearly 9,000 vehicles in Rusk County could be uninsured, considering that approximately 20% of all Texas vehicles are uninsured or underinsured.
Auto Insurance Analysis:
With nearly 43 thousand vehicles registered in Rusk County, all of them require some type of insurance coverage to operate. Depending on the type of vehicle and the intended use, the following insurance coverages may be required in addition to the state-mandated liability coverage: Collision Coverage, Gap Coverage, Ride-Sharing Coverage, Comprehensive Coverage, Commercial Transportation, Inland Marine, etc.
A significant factor in the increased cost of auto insurance in Rusk County compared to less densely populated counties is the presence of almost 29,000 drivers who commute to work every day. There are more vehicles on the road as a result of everyone driving their own vehicle, increasing the likelihood of a traffic collision occurring. Rises in the amount of risk are accompanied by increases in the rates charged for insurance.
Rusk County's roadways are predominantly rural. Rural roads are less congested and hence have a lower risk of vehicular collision. Meanwhile, animals are more likely to come in the way of moving cars in rural settings. In Texas, the majority of collisions with animals occur twice daily: from 5-8 a.m. and from 6 p.m. to midnight. November has the biggest risk of colliding with a deer. As a result, residents in Rusk county should consider Comprehensive Auto coverage, which assists in repairing damage caused by an animal.
With one out of every five drivers in Texas being uninsured, it is important to have Uninsured Driver Coverage. Texans spend around $900 million each year on Uninsured and Underinsured Auto Coverage. By driving uninsured, such high-risk drivers shift the cost of damage liability to other road users. If you are caught driving without insurance, you will be fined, your vehicle will often be impounded, and your license may be suspended.
Consultation and advice concerning auto insurance in Rusk County are available by contacting a licensed Texas Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent.
Rusk County Housing
Rusk County has around 22,015 housing units, with nearly 78% of those units being inhabited by homeowners and the remaining 22% being filled by renters. The neighboring counties are primarily made up of homes occupied by their owners too, with Panola County having nearly the same homeownership rate as Rusk County, which is significantly higher than the Texas average of around 62%. On the other hand, Nacogdoches County housing offers over 43% of its real estate for rent.
Nearly 1 in 8 housing units in Rusk County has housing difficulties, such as overcrowding, a lack of plumbing, or kitchen troubles. Around 15% of households spend more than 50% of their income on housing.
Housing Insurance Analysis:
Rusk County has over 22,000 housing units that require insurance coverage. At the very least, all owners of these properties should acquire Homeowners, Condo insurance, and/or Business property insurance (for apartment complexes), to safeguard the underlying financial investment against loss or damage.
Nearly 5,000 housing units are rented in Rusk County; landlords of these properties usually get Landlord Insurance to safeguard their interests. If a tenant brings a liability claim against the landlord, the policy will protect both the property and the landlord.
Additionally, tenants can protect themselves by getting Renters Insurance Coverage, which is significantly less expensive than homeowner's insurance. Renters insurance covers theft/loss of personal property and damage caused by vandalism, smoke, sewer backup, flooding, or fire. Additionally, it helps protect a tenant from liability in the event that someone is injured on the property. Typically, landlords in Rusk County will want renters insurance prior to signing the lease.
Consultation and advice concerning insurance coverage types in Rusk County are available by contacting a Texas licensed Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent.
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
Rusk County Health
Rusk County's rate of adequate health insurance coverage is similar to the state average in Texas. Nearly 1 out of 5 adults and more than 13% of children lack proper health insurance. Shelby County has the highest adult uninsured rate of any of the neighboring counties, at nearly 26%. On the other hand, Harrison and Panola Counties have the lowest rate of adult uninsured residents in the area, at roughly 20%. Gaines County has the highest percentage of uninsured in the state (36%), while Loving County has the lowest (11.4%). In Texas, the average rate of uninsured residents under the age of 65 is around 21%.
Nearly 10,000 adult residents of Rusk County, (1 in 4) report having health problems.
30% of the population of Rusk County does not engage in any form of physical activity on a regular basis.
Around 41% of Rusk County residents are considered obese (with a BMI of 30 or more), which is much higher than the Texas average of 31.4%. Among the neighboring counties, Shelby County reports the lowest – at 29% of the residents, while around 45% of adults from Harrison County may be considered obese as well as Cherokee County at 44%.
At least 1 health insurer in Rusk County offers 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 sort of insurance coverage, over 9,000 people in Rusk County do not have this necessary coverage.
Texas is one of the states that allows the sale of a wide range of major health insurance and supplemental products. As a result of this, Texas residents have an easier time finding coverage that suits their specific needs (both medically and financially): Marketplace ACA health insurance, various types of Short-term insurance (up to three years of coverage), Hospital Indemnity, Accident & health insurance, and so forth.
If low-income consumers are unable to purchase health insurance because of financial constraints, they should consider applying for government subsidies, which can drastically reduce the cost of insurance.
If you do not have any pre-existing medical conditions, Short-term insurance may be a viable option for you to consider. (* Certain pre-existing conditions may be covered by some Texas multi-year short-term health insurance plans after a year or more of coverage under the plan.)
Consultation, advice, and assistance in purchasing health insurance in Rusk County are available by discussing it with a health insurance agent licensed in the state of Texas.
Rusk County Mortality and the End of Life Statistics
With a life expectancy of 77 years, Rusk County has a life expectancy that is lower than the state average of 79.2 years for the entire state of Texas. Among the neighboring counties, Smith County has the longest life expectancy at 78.1 years, while Shelby County has the shortest, with a life expectancy nearly 3 years less than Smith. Presidio County has the longest average life expectancy in the state, with an average age of 88.8 years, while Donley County has the shortest, with an average age of 72.8 years.
In 2022 there were over 9,000 seniors (65 and older) residing in Rusk County.
Life Insurance Facts:
In 2021, about 48% of Americans did not have any life insurance coverage.
Premiums for life insurance are determined by the insured's age at the time the policy begins. This means that the younger you are when you get coverage, the more money you can save in the long run on premiums.
Basic life insurance is relatively inexpensive and ensures that the individual's beneficiaries receive the agreed-upon death payments.
Motor Vehicle Fatalities in Rusk County
Traffic fatalities in Rusk County occur at average rate of 29.33 per 100,000 vehicles on the road, resulting in an annual total of around 13 fatal crashes.
759 crashes were reported in Rusk County by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDoT) in 2020, with a total of 17 fatalities as a result. The primary contributing factor in fatal crashes in Rusk County is confirmed to be alcohol in nearly 12% of all driving deaths.
Final Expenses – Rusk County Funeral Home Cost
Funeral costs vary from county to county depending on factors such as the transportation of the deceased, the cost of a casket, and the type of service selected by the family. The cost of a funeral in Rusk County costs around $5,900, which is significantly less than the state average of $6,200. In terms of average funeral costs among Rusk County's neighbors, Smith County has the highest average funeral cost of more than $7,600, while funeral homes in Gregg County and Harrison County can be found similarly to the state's average of $6,200. Shelby County and Cherokee County funeral homes can be usually found for less than $6,000.
Life Insurance Analysis:
Over 4,000 senior residents in Rusk County may be imposing an unwelcome and frequently intolerable financial strain on their relatives and loved ones, as 46% of seniors die with less than $10,000 in savings. The family's primary focus should be on resolving the debt, not on lamenting their loss. (Note: If you are paying for funeral services using life insurance, most funeral houses require that the policy be "assignable.")
In addition to the cost of the funeral, the deceased often leave their loved ones with the financial weight of unpaid taxes and bills.
Term Life Insurance and Final Expense Insurance are two policies that are commonly used to cover “final expenses” up to $50,000.
The most commonly used life insurance policies to leave money to the family, friends, or even charities are:
- Term Life Insurance
- Whole Life insurance
- Indexed Universal Life (IUL) insurance.
To find out about the best life insurance options to meet your needs, speak with a licensed Texas insurance professional who has access to multiple insurers and policy types.
