Why You Should Choose Farmers

Why should you choose Farmers for your insurance needs? Well... why not? You know the jingle, "We are Farmers! BUM BA DA BUM BUM BUM BUM BUM!"

I know that's not enough of a reason to choose Farmers but that jingle is catchy and I've been trying to figure out a way to fit it into a blog. On a serious note, here is some history of how long Farmers has been around, a few notable firsts, The University of Farmers and a little about a Farmers Friendly Review®. 

Since 1928, Farmers has grown to be one of the largest insurance companies in the United States. With more than 40,000 agents and employees, Farmers continues to thrive and be one of the leaders in the insurance industry. From the beginning, the founders of Farmers, John C. Tyler and Thomas Leavey, set the bar high and are able to claim several “firsts”. Farmers was the first major insurance company to offer a monthly payment plan that wasn't a finance plan nor was interest charged, first to offer a non-smoker discount, first major insurer to offer a discount for alternative-fuel vehicles, just to name a few.

Farmers not only has notable firsts but also has the highest-rated corporate university in the industry, University of Farmers. Agents are given the opportunity to be up to date with continuing education at the beginning and throughout their careers as a Farmers agent. The University of Farmers provides agents with the knowledge and skills needed to help educate our current and future clients with the information needed to select the best coverage at the best price.

Another reason to consider Farmers is for the Farmers Friendly Review®.  At any time, if you want to review any of your policies, you can give us a call and I will be happy to review them with you. Farmers also sends out a reminder for a review of your policies, once a year.  At this time we can see if what you have is still what you need or if they need to be changed up. With Farmers, customers have the personal service of an actual Farmers agent. 

Having the right insurance is NO accident. Choosing Farmers is NO accident, either. So come on in, enjoy a cookie and a beverage, and we can talk more about why Farmers is the best choice for you. Who can turn down cookies and a beverage? 

I'm On A Boat!

Summer will be here in no time.  I’m sure we will all be searching for fun places to cool down because Texas summers are typically VERY HOT. So hot that most of the time I don’t want to go outside.  If you have kids, you know that they are going to get bored fast so staying inside usually isn’t an option.

So what are some fun activities that can be done outside without fear of melting in the Texas heat? Swimming, waterparks, slip and slides, or even just spraying your kids down with a water hose are some of the ideas that I can think of. Just remember… If you are spraying your kids down with a water hose, let the water run for a little bit before you spray them.  That water can be pretty hot when you first turn it on during the summertime months.

With all the rain we've had this year most of the lakes water levels are back up so if you have a boat, the possibilities are endless! Waterskiing, swimming, tubing, knee boarding, fishing and whatever else you can think of when you have a boat.  Whatever else that keeps everyone out of harms way, that is. It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt so before you get that boat out on the water make sure you have checked your boat out and that you have all that is needed on the boat, in case of an emergency.

Knowing and following the rules and laws while out on your boat is something everyone should practice. Though it is the responsibility of the driver, it wouldn’t hurt to educate those on your boat as well. To learn more about boat rules and safety, Texas Parks & Wildlife offers a Boat Safety course to teach you what you need to know before you head out on the water. And just so you know, taking a safety course on boating could make you eligible for a discount on your insurance.

According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife, 70% of people who were killed in a boating accident would have survived if they had just worn a life jacket. It’s not only important to wear a lifejacket or Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs), it’s also very important to have the correct size PFD. There are different sizes for different weights and different types for different vessels. For more information on the different types of PFD and what type you need for your boat check out the Texas Parks & Wildlife.

Besides a PFD, other necessities you need to keep on your boat are things like a throwable personal floatation device, extra paddle or oar, fire extinguisher, flares, whistles or an air horn, and something you can put all your passengers in if your boat sinks. If possible, call for help on your cell phone.  One or all passengers will likely have their cell phones with them for selfies on the boat.   One item to not bring on the boat is alcohol. Alcohol and driving on land or water is never a good idea.

For more information on boating safety, the Texas Parks & Wildlife site is a great place to start. Whether it’s boating, hunting, fishing or anything outdoorsy, you should find your answers there.

Well that's a different way to put a boat in the water...

Bryce's Buddy Bash

Join us as we raise money for our young friend Bryce and his family. Bryce is an active 6 year old boy who attends one of the local schools and his family attends Fellowship of the Parks - Keller (FOTP Keller).  Bryce has hit early puberty due to an inoperable brain tumor. Even though there is not an operation in the future the expenses will continue to build up as he goes through extensive treatment. 

We will have live bands, a silent auction, a photo booth donated by Photo Bomb-Photo Booth Rentals, a dunk tank donated by The Floor Store of Keller, bounces houses, games and so much more. Pickles will be donating a percentage of sales back as well. So come out and enjoy great food, great music and meet a really great kiddo!  A special thank you to Outabounds Design Group / Ronnie Landreth for designing the great logo and Sarah Carter with Dynasty Pools for all your help in the planning process.

In the meantime, go to Bryce's Buddy Bash page on Facebook, share the event with your family and friends for a chance to be put in a drawing to win 4 Texas Ranger tickets, pray for Bryce and his family and make plans to attend.

***We are accepting silent auction items and if any business would like to set up a game at the event please contact Donna Kirkwood here at Farmers Insurance, The Kirkwood Agency at 817-898-0370.

#BrycesBuddyBash

Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

If April showers bring May flowers, shouldn't that mean nice weather in May? I hope so because I am pretty sure that we are all done with severe weather in the DFW area. Along with May flowers and hopes for nice weather comes the call of the open road for motorcyclists. It’s time to shine up those pipes and answer that call of open road.

May also brings Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. According to TxDOT, more motorcycle accidents happen in the spring and summer time than in the fall and winter. Motorcyclists take advantage of the (hopefully) nice weather and ride more during these times of the year. To bring awareness to those of us not riding motorcycles, TxDOT’s Share the Road campaign urges drivers to look twice when changing lanes and at intersections.  These two places seem to be the most common places for motorcycle accidents occur.  TxDOT along with LookLearnLive.org and several other organizations work together to raise awareness for motorcyclists and all how are on the road driving.

Even with the billboards to help bring awareness to this campaign, accidents will happen. When it does, will the coverage you currently have cover what it needs to? Does your provider offer added coverage? What about discounts or rewards? If you have your Motorcycle Insurance with Farmers, you know the answers to those question are all YES!

Farmers appreciates that when you are out on the open road you want to enjoy it! Soak in the sun, be free on the road and not worry about coverage.  For those reasons, Farmers has the #SMART choice in motorcycle coverage with 24/7 Claim Services, savings with multi-line discounts, coverage from one provider, specialized coverage, year-round rates that take into account mostly seasonal use and  best of all me, right here in your neighborhood.

Discounts and rewards? There most certainly are! Discounts for taking a safety course, renewal discount with continued coverage, having prior insurance, and bundling with another Farmers policy are just a few ways to save money from discounts. Would you consider yourself a responsible rider? I’d love to go over the different rewards available for responsible riders, another way to save money on your policy.