Ward County
Driving in Ward County
Ward County has a total of 9,714 registered vehicles, both personal and commercial. Ward county's automobiles account for 0.04% of all automobiles in Texas.
Over 85% of vehicles used daily to commute to and from work contain only the driver, and more than 1/3 of those trips take half an hour or longer to complete.
Approximately 20% of Texas drivers are uninsured, and nearly 2,000 vehicles in Ward County alone may be uninsured or underinsured.
Auto Insurance Analysis:
Ward County has nearly 10,000 registered automobiles, all of which could benefit from auto insurance coverage. Ride-Sharing Coverage, Gap Coverage, Comprehensive Auto, and Commercial Transportation are just a few of the options available to car owners depending on the type of vehicle they own and how they use it.
Uninsured drivers account for approximately 20% of Texas drivers. As a result, Uninsured Driver Coverage is becoming increasingly important. Texans spend nearly $900 million per year on Uninsured and Underinsured Auto Coverage.
Texas law requires Auto Liability Insurance. Drivers who are caught driving without one will be fined. Repeat offenders' licenses may be revoked, and their vehicles may be impounded.
Contact an experienced Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent licensed in the state of Texas for auto insurance advice in Ward County. Agents may have access to multiple insurers and can assist you in determining your needs.
Ward County Housing
Ward County has approximately 4,862 homes, the majority of which are occupied by the owners. In Ward County, approximately 72% of housing properties are owner-occupied, which is higher than the state average of 62%.
Looking at the bordering counties, Crane County has the highest owner-occupied rate at 86%, and Winkler County comes in second with around 80%. Loving County has the lowest live-in owner rate (≈63%), where every third home is for rent, followed by Ector County at 65/35 percent split.
Almost 1 out of every 8 homes in Ward County has a housing problem, such as overcrowding, poor plumbing, or kitchen-related issues. Residents in nearly 15% of homes devote half of their income to housing costs.
Housing Insurance Analysis:
Ward County has nearly 5,000 housing units that should be secured with the appropriate insurance coverage. To protect their properties from damage or even total loss, owners of these properties should maintain: Homeowners, Condo, and/or Business Property Insurance (for apartment complexes).
With nearly 1.5 thousand housing units available for rent in Ward County, landlords purchase Landlord Insurance, which covers the property as well as any potential liability claims from tenants.
Renters Insurance is purchased by tenants to protect their belongings from damage or loss. The average cost of this coverage is typically quite low, and it protects the tenant's belongings from theft as well as damage caused by fire, smoke, water, and vandalism. Many Ward County landlords make Renters Insurance a condition of the lease.
Contact a Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance agent licensed in the state of Texas for advice and consultation about Homeowners, Renters, Flood, Condo, and other kinds of home insurance in Ward County.
A Texas P&C Insurance Agent:
- analyzes what you need and what your restrictions are,
- researches the right plans that will address your needs,
- provides you with the available options of coverage,
- highlights the differences in the options’ effects once you start using each insurance product
- helps with the application process
- does not affect your cost of insurance (The agent’s service is usually paid for by the insurer you choose)
Ward County Health
More than 1 in 5 (≈21%) of Ward County's population ( under the age of 65) lacks adequate health insurance coverage — this figure is similar to the Texas state average. Pecos County has the highest percentage of uninsured adults in the region, at almost 25% residents, followed by Ector County and Reeves County, both at around 22%, while Loving County has the lowest percentage, at 11%. In fact, Loving County’s uninsured adult rate is the lowest in the state of Texas, while Gaines County has the highest statewide, at 36%.
Over 1 in 4 of the residents in Ward County report problems with their health, which means that over 2,200 of its residents are in poor health.
Furthermore, more than a quarter of Ward County's population does not exercise regularly, which could be one of the reasons why nearly two-fifths of its residents are considered obese (with a BMI of 30 or more).
Looking at the neighboring counties, Pecos County has the highest obesity rate at 39% (nearly 2 in 5), which is not good given that they have the least number of adults with proper health coverage among its bordering counties. Crane County has the lowest obesity rate at 20% (1 in 5), nearly half compared to Pecos County.
At least 2 health insurers in Ward County offer 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 type of insurance, over 2,000 Ward County residents do not have it.
The sale of multiple types of health insurance and supplemental products is permitted in Texas, making it much easier to shop for the best coverage that meets your specific needs (both medically and financially). Texans can obtain coverage through the Group or Individual Marketplace ACA Health Insurance, as well as various types of Short-Term Insurance (up to 3 years in coverage), Hospital Indemnity, Accident & Health, and other options.
Individuals who are unable to afford health insurance can apply for government subsidies which can help to reduce or even eliminate out-of-pocket health insurance costs.
If you do not have any pre-existing conditions, Short-Term Insurance is another way to save money. (Pre-existing conditions may be covered by some Texas multi-year short-term health insurance if you have had your policy for a year or more.)
Discuss your health insurance needs with a knowledgeable state-licensed Texas health insurance professional in Ward County to determine your best health insurance options.
Ward County Mortality and the End of Life Statistics
The average life expectancy in Texas is 79.2 years old, and Ward County’s average of 75.7 is shorter. MeanwhileWard County is average in comparison to its neighboring counties, with life expectancy ranging from 73 to 78 years old (all lower than the Texas average). Pecos County residents have the longest life expectancy in the region, with an average of 78.4 years, while Winkler County is at the bottom of the list, with an average lifespan of 73.4 years.
Statewide, Presidio County has the longest average at 89 years, and Donley County has the lowest life expectancy rate, at 73 years old.
In 2022, there were approximately 1,700 seniors (65 and older) living in Ward County.
Life Insurance Facts:
In 2022, 47% of Americans did not have any type of life insurance coverage.
It is a common misconception that the best time to purchase life insurance is during our retirement years. Because age and life insurance premiums are directly proportional, young adults can be offered low-cost premiums and potentially save money in the long run.
Approximately 18% of adults in Ward County smoke, and this habit will significantly raise the cost of their insurance policy. Smokers' life insurance premiums can be up to four times higher than non-smokers' because their life expectancy is deemed shorter.
Permanent Life Insurance also has a cash value component, meaning that after a stated period, the policyholder can use the funds to pay for premiums, emergency expenses, or a tax-free retirement income stream.
Motor Vehicle Fatalities in Ward County
Motor vehicle fatalities in Ward County occur at a rate of 39.32 per 100,000 vehicles on the road, averaging 3 to 4 fatal crashes per year.
In 2020, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDoT) reported 191 crashes in Ward County, which led to 8 fatalities. More than 1 in 5 of the fatal car crashes in Ward County involved alcohol, which is considerably lower than the state average at 26% (≈1 in 4).
Final Expenses – Ward County Funeral Home Cost
A traditional funeral in Texas can cost between $5,000 and $12,000, while the average across the state is around $6,200, which includes basic service fees, casket, embalming, transportation, viewing, and burial. The average funeral cost in Ward County is around $9,000, significantly higher than the state average. Looking at Ward County’s neighbors, Ector County residents on average pay around $6,600 for a traditional funeral.
Across the entire state of Texas, Polk County has the highest average funeral cost of $10,900, while Kenedy and Willacy Counties have the most affordable average, both at around $3,200.
Life Insurance Analysis:
With 46% of Americans dying with savings of less than $10,000, the deceased may leave their friends and family in a difficult financial situation. Instead of grieving the loss of a loved one, they will have to concentrate their efforts on raising the funds for the funeral.
Unsettled accounts and unpaid taxes may also be left for the deceased's family to deal with. Understandably, this adds to the family's financial difficulties, given that they have already spent a significant amount on the funeral.
Term Life Insurance and Final Expense Insurance are the most common life insurance policy types to cover "final expenses" up to $50,000.
There are different kinds of insurance policies that can help the bereaved family through financial assistance. Such life insurance policies can be Term Life Insurance and variations of Permanent Life Insurance: Whole, Indexed Universal Life, and others.
Reach out to a Texas-licensed experienced life insurance agent with access to multiple insurers for advice on life insurance in Ward County and to help lighten the load for your family. An agent of this type can assist you in evaluating your needs and then providing you with multiple solutions to meet them.
The use of a Texas insurance agent does not usually result in additional costs to the insured.
