Shelby County
Driving in Shelby County
There are approximately 19,519 registered vehicles in Shelby County for both commercial and personal use. These automobiles account for approximately 0.08% of all registered vehicles in Texas.
Every day, more than 81% of Shelby County drivers drive alone to work, with more than a third of those commutes lasting more than 30 minutes.
Because approximately 20% of Texas vehicles are uninsured, Shelby County may have nearly 4 thousand uninsured or underinsured vehicles.
Liability car insurance is required in Texas as "proof of financial responsibility," and driving without it is illegal.
Auto Insurance Analysis:
Almost 20,000 vehicles in Shelby County are required to have auto insurance. Private Auto Insurance, Farm Auto insurance, Commercial Inland Marine Insurance, and other types of insurance could be required. The type of vehicle and its intended use may also have an impact on auto insurance.
Majority of Shelby County 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, Shelby county residents should consider Comprehensive Auto coverage, which helps in repairing the damage after hitting an animal.
Uninsured driver coverage is becoming increasingly important in Texas because one out of every five drivers is uninsured or underinsured. Every year, Texans spend more than $900 million on Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist coverage.
If you need Auto insurance in Shelby County, contact a Property & Casualty insurance agent who is licensed in the state of Texas.
Shelby County Housing
Shelby County's housing market of approximately 12,672 units is split between homeowner-occupied properties (≈74%) and renters (≈26%). This is similar to the rest of Texas, where most homes are owner-occupied (62%). The surrounding counties are mostly made up of owner-occupied homes as well, with Sabine County having the highest homeownership rate with over 88%. In contrast, Nacogdoches County has the lowest rate, with almost 57% — which means almost every other home is a rental.
Nearly 1 in 8 housing units in Shelby County are experiencing overcrowding, lack of plumbing, and/or unsanitary kitchen conditions. In nearly 15% of homes, residents allocate half of their income on housing expenses.
Housing Insurance Analysis:
Almost 13 thousand housing units in Shelby County need insurance. All homes should have insurance to protect the owner's property from loss or damage (Homeowners, Condo Business Property insurance, or Business condo association insurance.
Shelby County has over 3,000 rental units that could be insured with Landlord Insurance. This coverage protects both the property and the owner from potential liability issues.
Tenants typically purchase Renters Insurance to protect their belongings from potential damage or loss. The standard Renter's Insurance policy covers theft and damage caused by water, fire, smoke, and vandalism. Landlords may also require renter's insurance as a condition of the lease.
Contact a Property & Casualty insurance agent licensed in the state of Texas for consultation and advice on Homeowners insurance or Renters insurance in Shelby County.
Shelby County Health
Shelby County's health insurance rate is one of the worst-rated in the entire state of Texas and the worst among the neighboring counties. At nearly 26%, more than 1 out of every 4 adults and 15% of all children in Shelby County do not have proper health insurance. This figure is higher than the 20.7% state average (in 2021).
Nacogdoches, San Augustine, and Rusk Counties are all tied in second place among the neighboring counties, with roughly 21% of residents lacking proper health coverage. Panola, and Sabine Counties, on the other hand, have the lowest rates of uninsured residents both at around 20%. In Texas, Gaines County has the highest rate of uninsured adults, approaching 36%, while Loving County has the lowest, around 11%.
More than 1 out of 4 adults in Shelby County has a health problem, and almost 36% of the population does not engage in physical activity, contributing to 29% of the population being obese — a figure that is lower than the Texas average of 32%.
Rusk County has the highest obesity rate of any peer county, followed by San Augustine County with 41% and 36% respectively. On the lower end of this list, Sabine County has the lowest obesity rate at 27%, tailed by Shelby County.
In Shelby County, at least 1 insurer provides affordable and regularly subsidized ACA health insurance, both in and out of the state marketplace.
Health Insurance Analysis:
Health insurance is the most important type of insurance, and more than 5,000 Shelby County residents do not have it.
Texas is one of the states that provides a broader range of health insurance and supplemental product options, making Texas healthcare more accessible. Texans can get coverage through ACA-Compliant Group or Individual Marketplace Health Insurance, various types of Short-Term Insurance (up to 3 years in coverage), Hospital Indemnity, Accident and Health, and so on.
Health insurance can be prohibitively expensive, particularly for those with low incomes, they can reach out to Texas-licensed health insurance agents to help them apply for government subsidies, which can significantly reduce the cost of insurance.
Short-term insurance may be an option if you do not have any pre-existing conditions. (Keep in mind that some multi-year short-term plans may cover specific pre-existing conditions after a full year of coverage.)
If you need consultation and advice on health insurance in Shelby County, contact a Texas-licensed health insurance agent.
Shelby County Mortality and the End of Life Statistics
The average life expectancy in Shelby County is estimated to be almost 75 years old, which is lower than the Texas state average of over 79 years. Rust County and Nacogdoches County have the highest life expectancy among neighboring counties, both at 77 years old, which is more than 2 years longer than Shelby County, and Shelby County has the lowest life expectancy. Statewide, Presidio County has the highest average life expectancy rate at 88.8 years, and with a life expectancy of 72.8 years, Donley County has the lowest average.
Shelby County had over 4,000 senior (65 and older) residents in 2022.
Life Insurance Facts:
In 2021, 48% of Americans did not have any type of active life insurance policy.
Life insurance premiums are based on the insured's age at the start of the policy, so the younger you are when you get it, the less you will have to pay in premiums over the course of the policy period.
Motor Vehicle Fatalities in Shelby County
Annually, roughly 6 fatal crashes occur on Shelby County roads, with a rate of 30.81 fatal crashes per 100,000 vehicles on the road.
Shelby County had 413 crashes in 2020, resulting in 11 fatalities, according to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDoT). Alcohol was responsible for more than 1 in every 5 traffic-related deaths.
Final Expenses - Shelby County Funeral Home Cost
A traditional funeral service in Texas can cost anywhere between $5,000 and $12,000, which includes the basic service fees, casket, embalming, transportation, viewing, and burial. The average cost of a funeral service in Texas is $6,200, while the cost of a funeral service in Shelby County is at $5,200, similar to San Augustine County. Nacogdoches County has an average cost of over $6,000 and a funeral in Rusk County will cost almost $6,000.
Life Insurance Analysis:
Nearly 46% of Americans die with less than $10,000 in life savings, which means that over 2,000 Shelby County senior citizens may be putting an undue burden on their family and friends with basic funeral expenses. Because of this, rather than mourning the loss of a loved one, the family must find a way to pay for the funeral.
Aside from burial costs, the deceased may have left behind taxes and debts for the family to deal with.
Term Life Insurance and Final Expense Insurance are the most commonly used life insurance policies that cover "final expenses" up to $50,000.
The most common life insurance policies that allow money to be left to family members can be Term Life Insurance and Cash Value Life, such as Whole Life Insurance, Indexed Universal Life (IUL) Insurance, and Final Expenses.
If you need consultation and advice on life insurance in Shelby County, contact a knowledgeable Texas-licensed life insurance agent. Experienced insurance professionals have access to multiple insurers, and can help you evaluate your needs and then offer you multiple solutions to fill them.
