SINTON, Texas — Reconstruction has started at Clemente Sanchez’ house on Hamilton Street. These last two weeks have proven difficult for the Sanchez family.
“My house got damaged and it’s costing quite a bit to repair because we don’t have insurance, but we have a lot of great friends who are coming through to help us,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez said it’s a nightmare he can’t wake up from.
“Sunday night they broke into my house and stole all my power tools we were using to fix up my house,” Sanchez said.
In his 35-plus years of living in Sinton, Sanchez could never have expected something like this to happen.
“A lot of people didn’t have insurance. I was one of them, I know three others on this street who couldn’t afford insurance,” Sanchez said.
According to the Texas Tribune, growth in homeowners’ insurance rates in Texas outpaced the rest of the nation last year and some Texans just can’t keep up with payments.
“Insurance is expensive in Texas because we are exposed to all sorts of parrels,” Texas Department Insurance spokesperson Ben Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez said that while it might be expensive, it’s a safety net in case of emergency.
“Insurance is not meant to repair little things. It’s meant as a financial tool to help rebuild and recover if your home is destroyed,” Gonzalez said.
For those who do have homeowners’ insurance, there are still some things to do.
“Your insurance company is going to be quick about getting your coverage up to the limit of your policy,” Gonzalez said. “That’s something you need to discuss with your agent every year so you can make sure you have enough to rebuild.”
The Texas Department of Insurance has a lot of resources. You can compare policies from Texas insurance companies, or you can learn how to protect your home from wildfires.
Here are other resources:
Lower your home insurance costs: Tips for saving money [tdi.texas.gov]
Renters insurance: What does it cover and how much does it cost? [tdi.texas.gov]
Wildfire risks: Projects to help you protect your home [tdi.texas.gov]
Alice J. Roden started working for Trending Insurance News at the end of 2021. Alice grew up in Salt Lake City, UT. A writer with a vast insurance industry background Alice has help with several of the biggest insurance companies. Before joining Trending Insurance News, Alice briefly worked as a freelance journalist for several radio stations. She covers home, renters and other property insurance stories.