Upshur County
Driving in Upshur County
The roadways in Upshur County are home to an estimated 33,456 private and commercial automobiles. This figure represents around 0.14% of all automobiles registered in the state of Texas.
Nearly 82% of adult drivers in Upshur County drive to and from work on their own, with more than 1 out of 2 of those trips lasting more than 30 minutes each way.
With an estimated 20% of Texas drivers driving without insurance, it is possible that there are nearly 7,000 uninsured automobiles in Upshur County alone.
Auto Insurance Analysis:
Upshur County has over 33 thousand registered automobiles, all of which require some form of insurance coverage. According to the type of vehicle and its intended purpose, many types of insurance may be necessary, including Comprehensive Auto, Farm Auto, Private Auto, Inland Marine, Commercial Transportation, Collision Coverage, and others. Auto Liability is required for all vehicles on the road.
Driving without insurance is dangerous because the road is a high-risk location for accidents and other mishaps to occur. Getting caught driving without liability insurance may result in a financial penalty as well as the seizure of your car and possible suspension of your driving privileges.
Uninsured Driver Coverage becomes increasingly vital in Texas, where 1 out of 5 drivers is not insured. Uninsured and underinsured auto coverage costs Texans about $900 million every year.
Because the majority of Upshur County roadways are rural, there is less traffic and hence reduced risk of a vehicle crash. However, animals are more likely to go out on the road and get in the way of moving cars in rural areas. The majority of animal-related crashes in Texas occur twice a day, from 5-8 a.m. and again from 6 p.m. to midnight. In November, there is the greatest chance of colliding with a deer. Residents of Upshur County are generally advised to carry Comprehensive Auto coverage in addition to the state-mandated Liability policy. If you hit a deer caught in the headlights, comprehensive auto insurance will cover the cost of damage repair or a full replacement of your vehicle.
If you have questions about your auto insurance coverage in Upshur County, speak with a knowledgeable Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent who is licensed in the state of Texas.
Upshur County Housing
Upshur County's approximately 17,340 housing units are divided between homeowners (79%) and renters (21%), similarly to the rest of Texas, where the vast majority of residences are also owner-occupied (split at 62% owners, 38% renters). The neighboring counties are mostly composed of owner-occupied dwellings as well. Wood County leads the way with a homeownership percentage of over 80%, followed by Upshur County. Meanwhile Gregg County has the most rental units, offering over 40% of its housing for rent, with less than 60% as owner-occupied.
More than 1 in 7 housing units in Upshur County are having serious housing problems as a result of excessive housing expenses, overcrowding, a lack of plumbing, problems with kitchen appliances, etc.
Housing Insurance Analysis:
Over 17,000 housing units are subject to insurance requirements. In order to protect themselves against financial loss or risk, the owners of these homes should at the very least have Homeowners or Condo Insurance, and/or Business property insurance (for apartment complexes).
Upshur County has nearly 4,000 dwelling units that are for rent, thus landlords are recommended to purchase Landlord Insurance to protect their properties as well as themselves from potential liability claims that may arise from renters.
It is recommended that tenants purchase Renters Insurance coverage in order to protect their things from potential damage or loss. Property coverage provided by a typical renters' insurance policy commonly includes coverage for theft as well as damage caused by fire, smoke, water, and vandalism. Rental insurance may be required by some landlords in Upshur County as a condition of the lease agreement.
For consultation and advice about Homeowners insurance or Renters insurance in Upshur County, contact a Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent licensed in the state of Texas.
Upshur County Health
In Upshur County, over 18% of adults lack health insurance, compared to Texas's average of approximately 20.7 percent (in 2021). Camp County, Gregg County, and Wood County all have a similar adult uninsured rate (≈22%) among the neighboring counties, making them the highest in the area. Morris County on the other hand has the second lowest uninsured adult rate in the area (>19%) after Upshur County. Gaines County has the highest number of uninsured adults in the state of Texas, at nearly 36%, while Loving County has the lowest rate, at under 12%.
More than 1 in every 5 adults (nearly 7,000 residents) in Upshur County reports having health problems.
29% of the Upshur County population does not engage in any form of physical activity.
Around 30% of Upshur County residents are classified as obese (BMI 30 or above), which is lower than the state average of 31.4% in Texas. Among the neighbors, Camp County has the lowest rate of obesity at 21%, while around 45% of adults from Harrison and Marion Counties may be considered obese.
Upshur County has at least 2 health insurers that provide affordable and regularly subsidized ACA health insurance, both on and off the state marketplace.
Health Insurance Analysis:
Health insurance is the most important type of insurance, and over 6,000 people in Upshur County still do not have it.
Texas is one of the states that allows residents to choose from a variety of health insurance and supplemental products, making it easier for them to obtain coverage. These include ACA health insurance (Group and Individual Marketplace coverage), various types of Short-term Insurance (with coverage up to three years), Hospital Indemnity, Accident and Health, and others.
If low-income residents are unable to obtain health insurance owing to financial constraints, they should apply for government subsidies, which can significantly reduce the cost of insurance. If you do not have any pre-existing conditions, Short-term insurance may be an option for you. (* After a year or more of coverage, some Texas multi-year short-term health insurance plans may cover certain pre-existing conditions.)
Discuss your health insurance needs with a knowledgeable state-licensed Texas health insurance professional with access to a variety of health insurance options available for Upshur County residents.
A Texas health insurance agent analyzes your needs, researches the available options, explains the differences between those options, and assists you with the application process.
Upshur County Mortality and the End of Life Statistics
Upshur County residents have an average life expectancy of roughly 75.3 years, which is lower than the Texas average of 79.2. Smith County has the longest life expectancy among the neighboring counties (78.1), adding almost three years on top of Upshur County. On the contrary, Morris County seems to have the shortest lifespan at 74.3. Presidio County has the highest life expectancy in the state of Texas, at 88.8, while Donley County has the lowest, at 72.8 years.
In 2022 there were nearly 8,000 seniors (65 and older) residing in Upshur County.
Life Insurance Facts:
In 2021, 48% of Americans did not have any form of active life insurance coverage.
Premiums for life insurance are determined by the insured's age at the time the policy begins. The younger you are when you purchase it, the more money you save on premiums over the policy's term.
Motor Vehicle Fatalities in Upshur County
In Upshur County, motor vehicle fatalities occur at a rate of 20.97 per 100,000 vehicles on the road, and around 7 fatal crashes each year.
There were 519 crashes in Upshur County in 2020, which resulted in 22 fatalities, as reported by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDoT). Alcohol was the primary contributing factor in nearly 16% of all driving deaths in Upshur County.
Final Expenses – Upshur County Funeral Home Cost
Funeral expenses in and around Upshur County vary drastically. The average price of a funeral in Upshur County is around $6,500, which is higher than the state average of $6,200. Among the neighbors of Upshur County, Gregg County and Harrison have similar average funeral costs to Upshur County, while Smith County funeral homes tend to have the highest average funeral cost, at over $7,600. Wood County, on the other hand, has the lowest funeral cost among its neighboring counties, closer to $5,800.
Life Insurance Analysis:
With 46% of Americans dying with savings of less than $10,000, the cost of a basic funeral can become a concern, putting an unwanted and often devastating strain on family and friends who are left behind. Instead of grieving their loss, the family must concentrate on figuring out how to pay for the final expenses.
Apart from burial expenses, the deceased frequently leave behind taxes and other debts for the surviving family members to deal with.
Term life insurance and final expense insurance are the two most frequently used types of life insurance to cover "final expenses" up to $50,000.
The most often utilized life insurance policies for leaving money to heirs are variations on Term Life Insurance and Cash value life insurance, like Whole Life Insurance, Indexed Universal Life (IUL) insurance, and Final Expense insurance.
For consultation and advice about life insurance options in Upshur County, contact a knowledgeable life insurance agent licensed in the state of Texas, who has access to multiple insurers and types of plans.
A Texas life insurance agent: analyzes your needs, researches the locally available options that fit your needs, explains how the differences between the available options may affect your decision, and assists you with the application process. The use of a Texas insurance agent typically does incur additional costs to the insured.
