If you’re in the business of looking for a new car, it’s always a good idea to sell your old one first, and there are little things you can do to help boost your selling price. Texas Automotive writer Barbra Terry, a few common sense car selling tips to spruce up your used auto before you put it up for sale, which could earn you 20% more in the sale.

• Clean up your car: Removing the garbage and vacuuming is good, but for about $100 or less you can bring your car to get professionally cleaned and detailed. Most places do an amazing job making your car look like new. The investment will help you make more money at the end.
• Gather all your receipts: Make sure you have receipts and documentation from all the repair and maintenance work you have done on your vehicle. It will ensure potential buyers that you did routine checkups.
• Fix the smaller repairs: Whether the blinker light is out, or the windshield wipers are worn out, replacing the small things can make the car have a fresher feel.
• Act like a seasoned sales person: Do your research so you know the worth of your car. Then when potential buyers call, you can promote the strength of your vehicle and reinforce the reasoning of your asking price.

Selling a car shouldn’t be a hassle if you price it fairly and take steps to add a little extra value to ensure you get what is deserved. As for buying, it’s always a good idea to visit the auto section of your local Texas News website or auto comparison/review site like Edmunds.com to compare prices. Additionally, it’s always wise to gauge the Texas Auto Insurance rates for various vehicles, just for perspective on how much a cherry red Lamborghini is to insure versus that lime green Festiva you’ve had your eye on.

Stay tuned next week as we discuss some additional tips on buying a new car.

When the heart abruptly shuts down, it is referred to as “sudden cardiac death.”  This is often the last stage of a heart attack and most frequently happens to people in their 60s and 70s.

However, a recent report by Centers for Disease Control claims that more and more children and teenagers are dying from cardiac arrest.  In the last ten years, the statistics have grown alarmingly high:  there are 3,000 deaths due to cardiac arrest annually among Americans in the age range of 15-34.

Studies show that the main factors of this rise in deaths involve clogged arteries and obesity.  Eighty out of 249 teens tested had a dangerous build up of cholesterol on their artery walls, and between 1989 to 1999, the obesity rate among Americans aged 18-29 more than doubled from five percent to twelve percent.

Another major factor is genetics.  A history of family heart problems can affect even the youngest of children.

The good news is that sudden cardiac death is preventable.  When it comes to clogged arteries and obesity, basic eating and exercise improvements  can reduce the risk.  As for those who inherit family heart problems, electrocardiogram screenings can detect any irregularities in the heart.

This is even better news for families in Katy.  On August 28th from 9am to 2pm, Memorial Hermann Katy will be screening adolescents and young adults for any underlying abnormalities. Test results will be reviewed and discussed with parents on-site by a board-certified specialist.

The cost of the screening is $150, and the hospital is located at 23900 Katy Freeway at Grand Parkway.  For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call 713-222-CARE.

At Dagley Insurance, you and your family’s health is important to us.  That’s why we customize health insurance policies that fit your life and budget.  To learn more, visit www.dagleyins.com or the Dagley Insurance Facebook Page.

Important legislation passed a couple years ago that most likely flew under the radar for many Colorado residents. In 2008, the Colorado legislature passed a bill called HB1385 that mandated the state of Colorado create a “Consumer Guide to Insuranc

e on the Web,” addressing important questions such as:

• What types of common insurance are needed?
• Which types of insurance are required — and which are recommended?
• What factors should I consider before I purchase any insurance?

At Dagley Insurance and Financial Services, we’re always scouring the web for resources that can help our loyal customers understand insurance better so they can make more informed decisions. We covered resources for the Texas Department of Insurance already, so we thought we’d share a little about the Colorado Department of Regulatory Services (DORA) Division of Insurance.

The most useful page for Colorado residents can be found on the Consumer Alerts and Tips page which offers valuable resources on claims processing, insuring your teen driver, how to file a protest, tips for saving on homeowners insurance, credit scoring and even a series of reports documenting the number of complaints lodged against Colorado insurance companies.

If insurance-related reading material just isn’t your thing (you’re not alone) or it creates more questions than it answers, we’re happy to answer specific Colorado Insurance queries for clients and non-clients alike. Just give a call or even post it on the Dagley Facebook page, where the lights are on 24/7.

We’re proud the Colorado is leading the nation in creating insurance awareness and will happily support those efforts in any way possible.

Head to one of these rallies to enter the drawing and find bikes you’ll love.

No summer is complete without a two-wheeled excursion to meet up with a few hundred other motorcycle enthusiasts. In addition to souvenir photos, you can register at the events to win a Harley-Davidson^® Sportster Forty-Eight^™ at the end of the year. Roll in to these rallies to register:

June 24–27 Thunder in the Valley (Johnstown, Pa.)
July 23–25 Carlisle Bike Fest (Carlisle, Pa.)
Sept. 18 Miles & Music for Kids (Seattle, Wash.)
Sept. 24–25 Ray Price Capital City Bike Fest (Raleigh, N.C.)
Oct. 3 Miles & Music for Kids (Nashville, Tenn.)

What about motorcycle insurance discounts? 

Discounts, like surcharges can vary widely by carrier. However, discounts may be allowed for rider association membership, safe drivers, multi- policies with the same carrier, home ownership, anti-theft devices, marital status and riding experience.

What are the coverage’s I need to consider for my motorcycle?

There are several. In addition to the mandatory property damage and bodily injury liability, you can consider:

• Collision
• Comprehensive
• Medical Payments
• Roadside Assistance
• Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist
• Specialty Coverage’s

 

It is vital to protect yourself when riding both physically and financially Dagley Insurance and Financial Services in Katy, Texas can take care of the insurance that will protect you and your bike financially it is up to you to protect your self physically. Use the right gear and remember loud pipes saves lives.

In its ongoing effort to promote a healthy and honest Texas auto insurance environment for consumers, the Texas Department of Insurance recently issued a bulletin to insurance companies reminding them of their responsibilities to claimants in the realms of payment for damage and selection of an auto body repair shop.

The Commissioner’s Bulletin references Section 1952.301 of the Texas Insurance Code (TIC) which states that, after a claim is made, insurers can’t limit coverage by:

1. Specifying the brand, type, kind, age, vendor, supplier, or condition of parts or products that may be used to repair the vehicle; or

1. Limiting the beneficiary of the policy from selecting a repair person or facility to repair damage to the vehicle.

Put bluntly, insurance providers CAN’T tell you what parts to use when fixing a damaged auto, nor can they tell you where to get it fixed. If they do, they are in breach of the TIC and should be reported to the Texas Department of Insurance.

The bulletin goes on to spell out some of the other responsibilities insurers have to their customers reiterating that a “fair and equitable” settlement of claims based on good faith should always applied.

“Unlike the big box and online discount insurance providers, Dagley Insurance and Financial Services in Katy, Texas provides personal service to all of our clients,” says Nathan Dagley, owner of Dagley Insurance. “We are not in the business of just selling a policy, we engage with our clients to understand specific needs before initiating the best coverage, a policy tailored to meet specific situations and requirements. As a result, we can effectively advocate for them in the unfortunate event of a loss. Our goal is to establish long-term relationships with our clients and the only way to do that is to make certain that they receive the best coverage and service. It’s the Dagley way.”

We encourage all customers to review their Texas Insurance policies, especially when a claim is made to ensure you’re not being left with shoddy aftermarket auto parts or unfair claims settlements. Of course, the safer bet is finding an insurance agent you can trust.

As a consumer who dines out about 65% of the time I often wonder why it is virtually impossible to get a geographically specific delicacy in areas outside of their place of origin. Sure you can order them but you rarely get the ‘Real McCoy’. For instance, there are restaurants all over the country, and world for that matter, that offer, ‘Real Texas Barbeque’.  Most of the time it is not, now perhaps that only matters to the people who intimately know what real Texas barbeque is, but it seems that putting a recognizable name on something ought to mean that there is some sense of accountability. Not that it’s bad it’s just not the same. There are styles of barbeque from all around the world and each restaurant can and should try to create their own identity within the barbeque realm. So why put a tag on it?

 

After all you are not able to pitch, ‘Real Peter Luger steaks’ unless you are one of the two Peter Luger locations, and by the way their lamb chops are fantastic too. So is it safe to assume then that when a restaurant promotes, real authentic (anything) that it will likely be anything but the real deal. Well let’s look at a few other examples.

 

•         Real Philly Cheesesteaks do not have green peppers on them.
•         New York Pizza is essentially non-existent outside the tri-state area.
•         Chicago is famous for deep-dish pizza, hot dogs and Italian beef all of which are rarely matched.
•         Gumbo, Beignets and Po-boy’s are always better in Louisiana.
•         Did you ever have clam chowder in New England?
•         Or Snapper Soup in Pennsylvania? Both are delicious while your there but not so much when you order it outside of their ‘home towns’.
•         And this list can on and on

 

Is there an exception to the rule? There is always an exception and in this case the most obvious exception is, ‘Buffalo Wings’. We’ve all had great Buffalo Wings in locations other than Buffalo.

 

So back to the question at hand, “Why put a tag on it”? Well the answer is, in part, that most times when a person orders a geographic specialty, when they are not in the specific geographic area, it is likely that they do not have a reference point, or barometer. In other words, they probably have not had the real deal before so how do they know if it is genuine. So if a restaurant can participate in a niche that exist, if not only by folklore or legend, and it gets people through the door, then putting a tag on it works, at least from a marketing stand point. Getting the patron to return to the restaurant is another story.

 

How does this mindset apply to other industries is another consideration. Due to the fact that putting a regional brand on certain types of cuisine has been successful in the restaurant industry, Kentucky Fried Chicken proved that in spades. Other industries have adopted a similar type of marketing model to gain market share throughout the country and that raises another question, is there a hard and fast rule that can be applied to whether you should do business with a local provider versus a national provider?

 

The answer is again very simple; no there is not a definitive rule that can be applied, it simply comes down to common sense. For things that are innocuous or of little importance relatively speaking than go with the spirit that moves you, but for things that are important and that can impact your life then go with a company that can be accountable to you, because they operate in your community.

 

In other words, if you are looking for insurance go with a company within your community like Dagley Insurance & Financial Services in Katy, Texas. You can’t get a good bagel there but as far as a great insurance product with quality service, they have you covered. A recognizable name, personal service and accountability, you can’t get that from a company that is only, ‘Local’ in its marketing effort.

 

What other city specific foods do you know that are famous? Put them in the comments and I promise to try them all.

Hometown pride can come in many forms: a winning football team, a growing local business, a thriving arts or cultural scene, even a large event that galvanizes folks to give back or just enjoy each other’s company. Sadly, the simple aesthetic and environmental efforts that literally keep Texas beautiful don’t earn as much recognition.

Based on this, we were incredibly proud to learn that our own Keep Katy Beautiful (KKB) earned multiple awards at the annual “Keep Texas Beautiful” meeting in Austin last month. The crowning achievement was the KKB team and our community being named winners of the Governor’s Community Achievement Award, providing $180,000 for a landscaping project along a state right-of-way.

According to the Katy Times, “Communities are judged on community leadership and coordination, education, public awareness, litter prevention and cleanup, illegal dumping enforcement, beautification and property improvements and solid waste management.”

Beyond the Governor’s award, the KKB earned a Gold Star Affiliate, a second place award for its “Hunt for Festivitrees” event, a first-place youth individual award, and a first-place media award.

Seeing as how Dagley Insurance is in Katy, Texas, we may be a bit biased, but it’s hard not to glow with civic pride when you hear news like this that involves so many people throughout our community.

We stand and applaud the KKB team for all of their local efforts and also the Keep Texas Beautiful group for continuing to promote the importance of keeping our state’s natural beauty intact. Borrowing from the Katy Times article, a quote from KKB vice chairman Kay Callender sums up our sentiments exactly:

“It just shows the dedication from the volunteers and that the city supports us…We have citizens that tell us they’ve never seen Katy look more cared for, and it really is a nice place to live, work and play.”

Dealing with insurance companies can be frustrating and downright difficult, which is why having an agent to represent your Texas insurance needs and guide you through the tough decisions is such a valuable asset. We deal with all the bull, so you don’t have to.We deal with all the bull, so you don’t have to.

There is no lack of creativity at Dagley Insurance and Financial Services in Katy, Texas. In an effort to further optimize their social media marketing campaign, and by the way they are light years ahead of any other insurance providers not just in marketing but also and more importantly in service and overall value to their clients. The most recent example of this creativity is also coupled with a philanthropic component, something that has long been the rule rather then the exception at Dagley Insurance. Giving back to the community in nothing new here, but this particular project is innovative to say the least.

Reaching out to youth groups around the Greater Houston area Dagley has effectively created a viral marketing campaign that will be launched in the upcoming weeks. You see the results of it in due time via email chain or You Tube and it will likely keep you laughing and passing it along to your friends to see as well. The mission was simple they asked several youth groups to create a video commercial for Dagley Insurance & Financial Services, something simple that shows a peril and brands the Dagley name as the quintessential provider to have in the event of such a loss. For their efforts Dagley will make a donation to their organization and the overall winner will receive an additional donation. What a concept! Everyone wins. And the entries that have been received so far are hysterical. All videos will be uploaded to the Dagley Insurance channel on You Tube and will likely spread through the emails of the over 1400 friends of Dagley Insurance on facebook and on to their friends, and their friends, and their friends… You know how it goes, all the while giving everyone a chuckle and delivering an important message about Dagley Insurance. Good for the Community. Good for you.

Yes, Dagley gets it. They know how to brand and they know insurance. If you have a business in Texas or Colorado and your current insurance company is not actively working with you to help grow your business you really should contact Dagley because not only do they know how to market and brand their business, they also include the same marketing effort to their commercial clients for FREE, it is a value add that commercial clients get for simply being a Dagley client. What’s your insurance company doing for you?

We’re proud to be a part of the Nationwide Insurance family. They provide us with excellent resources, support and their insurance products help us meet the needs of Texas and Colorado residents. For this reason, we were excited to see a fellow insurance blog provide a breakdown of Nationwide’s social media activities.

The article provided links to all the social sites including Twitter, Facebook and Youtube but pays special attention to, “The World’s Greatest Spokesperson in the World,” and his various viral marketing and service-oriented exploits. In describing Nationwide’s choice of a brand icon, Insurance Marketing HQ had this to say:

“The choice of a generic looking (as in not animated or Cro-magnon), non-celebrity as the spokesperson is a curious decision, but one that allows Nationwide to show off a humorous, human and creative side without selling out its brand. The campaign is special because the WGS actually interacts with fellow Nationwide employees and fans in his uniquely self-important demeanor, making them feel like part of the campaign.”

We thought that was a pretty accurate description and it makes a lot of sense when you read the comments by Steven Schreibman, vice president of advertising and brand management for Nationwide, who states in a press release:

“Nationwide is outspent by most of our competitors, so this campaign will leverage on-line and viral media in a huge way to give fans a chance to learn more about our legendary pitchman and hopefully build a dialogue with Nationwide about how our personalized customer service can make their insurance experience better. The World’s Greatest Spokesperson in the World will be an advocate for consumers, listening to the things about insurance that frustrate them, and then challenging Nationwide to address these concerns.”

Perhaps we’re a bit biased, but we’d love to heard what you think about the campaign?