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🚨 當德州凍到停電、沒暖氣、全屋淹水：你才會知道保險買錯會多痛 When Texas Froze: No Power, No Heat, House Flooded — And What Happens If Your Insurance Is Wrong

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🚨 當德州凍到停電、沒暖氣、全屋淹水：你才會知道保險買錯會多痛

德州保險安全教育篇（1）：最真實、最容易被忽略的家庭風險 × 保險指南

如果你是在 2021 年冬天住在德州，你一定忘不了那一週。

氣溫從 60°F 掉到零下十度，整個州像是被瞬間切換到冰河時代：

  • ❄️ 沒暖氣
  • ⚡ 全城停電
  • 💧 水管凍住、爆裂
  • 🏚️ 房子一夜之間被水淹
  • 🚗 很多人只能睡在車上取暖

那一年，我聽過太多真實的故事：

  • 有人看到天花板開始漏水，五分鐘後整間客廳變泳池
  • 有人看著自己的地板一天比一天「鼓」起來，像踩在麵包上
  • 有人冰箱壞掉、熱水器壞掉、HVAC 全部燒掉，一次報廢
  • 有人找不到水電工，願意來修的人開價 $4,000～$8,000

所有德州人那一年都深刻體會到一件事：

💥 「保險不是有買就好，買錯會痛到哭。」

而真正能保護家庭的，不是最便宜的方案，不是 agent 說什麼都好，而是：

➡️ 你要先懂得 Safety（家庭安全）
➡️ 再懂得 Coverage（該加哪些保障）
➡️ 最後才是 Premium（保費）

這一篇，就是把 2021 年德州暴凍的教訓，用最容易理解的方式講給你聽。

你會看到：

  • ✔️ 德州家庭最常遇到的 7 大風險
  • ✔️ 哪些情況保險會賠、哪些一定不會賠
  • ✔️ 哪些 endorsement 便宜但能救你上萬美元
  • ✔️ 2021 真實案例：為什麼有人付 $18,000，有人只付 $500？

🔎 二、德州家庭最容易忽略的 7 大安全風險（Safety × Insurance）

德州的風險不是「會不會發生」，而是「什麼時候發生」。
以下七項，是每個搬到德州的家庭，都會遇到至少一種的風險。

1️⃣ 🔥 廚房火災（Kitchen Fire）— 德州最常見的 Home Claim

大多數人以為德州最常見的 home insurance claim 是 tornado、hail 或 hurricane。
其實不是 —— 是廚房火災。

保險通常會賠：

  • ✔️ 廚房受損（cabinet、wall、countertop）
  • ✔️ 排煙清潔（這很貴）
  • ✔️ Smoke damage（整屋子都會沾味）

但保險不會賠：

  • ❌ 人離開家中煮飯（明顯疏忽）
  • ❌ 長期油污累積造成的損壞

2️⃣ 🐶 狗咬人（Dog Bite Liability）— 德州家庭最容易忽略的責任險

德州地大、後院大，很多家庭都有狗。
但你知道嗎？
Dog Bite Claim 是美國最常見的 liability claim 之一。

保險通常會賠：

  • ✔️ Medical expenses
  • ✔️ Legal liability

但要注意：

  • ❗ 一些公司排除特定犬種（如 Pit Bull）
  • ❗ 責任上限可能不夠，需要 Umbrella 才能保護家庭

3️⃣ 🏊 泳池安全（Pool Liability）— 有泳池的家庭必看

德州有泳池的家庭非常多，而泳池意外是保險最嚴格審核的部分之一。

保險會賠：

  • ✔️ Swimming pool liability（若孩子或訪客意外）

保險不會賠：

  • ❌ 泳池沒有圍欄、沒有 self-locking gate → 容易被拒賠

建議：有泳池一定要加 umbrella（傘險）作為額外保護。

4️⃣ 🌪️ Tornado / Wind / Hail — 風不是問題，Deductible 才是問題

很多人搬到德州後才知道：
Wind / Hail Claims 的 deductible 不是固定金額，而是「房屋價值的 1%～3%」。

如果房子價值 $400,000：

  • 1% deductible = $4,000
  • 2% deductible = $8,000
  • 3% deductible = $12,000

真正打擊家庭的是 deductible，不是風。

這也是為什麼：

德州很多家庭會額外買 Hurricane/Wind Deductible Buyback。

5️⃣ 🌧️ 洪水（Flood）— 最多誤會的一項

🔥 超重要：房屋保險不含 Flood。

🔥 再次強調：下雨水倒灌進家裡 = 不賠。

要賠，必須額外購買：

  • ✔️ NFIP Flood Insurance
  • ✔️ 或 Private Flood

很多人到 claim 時才知道自己沒買 —— 太晚了。

6️⃣ ❄️ Freeze Burst Pipes（凍裂水管）— 2021 真實故事：天花板漏水、地板翹起、全家睡車上

這就是最經典的德州凍災故事：

  • ❄️ 沒暖氣
  • ⚡ 全城停電
  • 💥 水管爆裂
  • 💧 房間被淹
  • 🚗 家人睡在車上

這一段太重要，我在下面「案例段落」裡做完整整理。

7️⃣ ⚡ Electrical Fire（老電線走火）— 1980s–2000s 德州房子的通病

德州許多房子有老舊電線：

  • ✔️ 正常老舊 → 通常保險會賠 fire damage

但如果：

  • ❌ 屋主自己 DIY 接線
  • ❌ 找無牌工人施工

保險非常可能拒賠。

🚫 三、哪些情況保險「不會賠」？（德州家庭最容易踩雷的五大項）

很多德州家庭以為：「有買保險就一定會賠吧？」
但真實情況是 —— 以下五種是最容易被拒賠的狀況。

了解這些，就是避免災難後再一次受傷。

1️⃣ 🧹 Maintenance Issues（保養不當）

這個是被拒賠的 No.1 原因。

保險公司不會賠：

  • ❌ 你明明知道水管在滴水，但 6 個月都不修
  • ❌ 空調 filter 兩年沒換 → 系統故障
  • ❌ 地基裂縫累積多年 → 終於「爆發」

責任類型保險保的是意外，不是長期忽視。

2️⃣ 💧 Wear & Tear（自然老化）

很多屋主會誤會：

「房子是我買的，是我的，為什麼保險不保老化？」

但事實是：

  • ❌ 老電線老化 → 不賠
  • ❌ 屋頂因 20 年老舊 → 不賠
  • ❌ 地基因自然沉降 → 不賠

老化（wear & tear）屬於 maintenance，不屬於保險責任。

3️⃣ 🌧️ Flood（水災）— 家裡淹水 ≠ 一定賠

德州最常見的誤會就是這句：

「只要家裡有水進來，就叫水災吧？」

其實不是。

只有「從外面淹進來」的水，才叫 Flood。

例如：

  • 🌧️ 大雨造成街道積水 → 水流進你家 → Flood（要額外買 Flood 才賠）
  • 🚰 下水道倒灌 → 不是 Flood（要買 Water Backup 才賠）
  • 💧 水管爆裂 → 不是 Flood（屬於 Sudden & Accidental）

關鍵就是：水是從哪裡來的？

4️⃣ 🍄 Mold（霉菌）— 不買 Mold Rider 等於不賠

Mold 是德州非常常見的問題：

  • 潮濕
  • 暴雨
  • 管線老舊

但！

大部分基本保單不賠 Mold。

要賠你需要：

  • ✔️ Mold Coverage Rider（通常一年 $20–$40）

沒有買 → 所有清除和修復費用自己付。

5️⃣ 🛠️ Unlicensed Work（無執照工人施工）

這是華人家庭最容易踩雷的一項。

你可能會想：「他比較便宜啊。」
但如果他：

  • ❌ 沒執照
  • ❌ 沒保險
  • ❌ 改電線 / 改水管出錯

房屋保險通常會拒賠 —— 因為屬於 illegal / unsafe work。

尤其是 Electrical（電）跟 Plumbing（水）這兩項。

不要覺得便宜，會很痛。

🛡️ 四、德州家庭必加的 8 個「便宜但救命」Endorsement（強烈建議全加！）

這一段是整篇文章的重點。
因為很多德州家庭的損失，都來自於：
「原來我沒買這個。」

其實這些 endorsement 都很便宜，但真發生的時候，可以讓你從 $18,000 變成 $500。

1️⃣ 💥 Service Line Coverage（德州 No.1 必買）

這是德州被低估、但最重要的保險之一。

一年大約 $30～$60，但能避免：

  • ✔️ 地下水管破裂
  • ✔️ 水管修理費（包含水管本身）
  • ✔️ 冷凍造成的管線破裂（許多德州保單會 cover）
  • ✔️ 工人開挖、修理、回填費

這就是為什麼 2021 冬季暴凍時：

  • 🌟 有 Service Line 的 → 只付 $0～$500
  • 💸 沒買的 → 自付 $6,000～$18,000

差一個 endorsement，差五位數。

2️⃣ 🚰 Water Backup（下水道倒灌）

德州暴雨多、下水道老舊，這個 endorsement 是：

  • ✔️ 如果下水道倒灌 → 保險才會賠

沒有買：

  • ❌ 倒灌 → 木地板毀滅
  • ❌ 廁所溢水 → 全屋臭水

一年大約 $20～$40，但救命。

3️⃣ ⚙️ Equipment Breakdown（設備損壞）

這是保護你家「大件家電」的保險：

  • ✔️ HVAC（冷暖氣）
  • ✔️ 熱水器（Water Heater）
  • ✔️ 冰箱
  • ✔️ 洗衣機／烘衣機
  • ✔️ 電控系統（Boards）

尤其是在「凍災」或「停電 surge」時非常重要。

一年約 $20～$40，大部分家庭都說「這個太值得」。

4️⃣ 🍄 Mold Coverage（霉菌保險）

德州的氣候 + 爆水管 = Mold 超級常見。

但基本保險通常：

  • ❌ 不賠 Mold

要賠必須買：

  • ✔️ Mold Coverage Rider（$20–$40/年）

沒有這個 rider → Mold 清除費常常是：
$2,000～$12,000

5️⃣ 🧱 Foundation Water Damage（地基進水）

德州很多房子是 slab foundation（板式地基）。
大雨、漏水、下水道問題都可能讓地基進水。

這個 endorsement 會保：

  • ✔️ water under foundation
  • ✔️ slab leak repair

沒有買 → 地基問題自己全額負擔（通常 $3,000～$15,000）。

6️⃣ 🌪️ Hurricane / Windstorm Deductible Buyback（風險區必買）

如果你的 wind/hail deductible 是 2–3%，
這個 buyback 可以把 deductible 降到：

  • ✔️ $1,000
  • ✔️ $2,000

如果你住：

  • 📍 Houston
  • 📍 Austin 周邊
  • 📍 DFW

這個 endorsement 超級實用。

7️⃣ 🆔 Identity Theft（身分盜用）

德州 identity theft 案件多。
很多保險公司提供：

  • ✔️ 信用修復
  • ✔️ 法律支援

一年大概 $25，CP 值很高。

8️⃣ 🖥️ Home Cyber Protection（網路詐騙保護）

德州詐騙案（特別是釣魚、email scam）非常多。

有些保險會保：

  • ✔️ 網路詐騙造成的財損
  • ✔️ ransomware（勒索軟體）損失

一年不到 $30，是現代家庭必備。

❄️ 五、2021 德州暴凍真實案例：為什麼有人付 $18,000，有人只付 $500？

2021 年的冬季暴凍（Winter Storm Uri），是很多德州家庭一輩子忘不了的一週。

那時候氣溫一天內掉到零下，整個州的水管瞬間凍住。
而接下來發生的，就是一場全州規模的巨大災難：

  • 🥶 暖氣不動
  • ⚡ 電源全斷
  • 💧 水管開始結冰
  • 💥 水管突然「蹦」一聲爆開
  • 🏚️ 房子整間被水淹
  • 🚗 許多家庭只能睡在車子裡取暖

最誇張的是 —— 同一條街的兩戶人家，損失差到天差地遠：

🏠 A 家：沒有 Service Line（自付 $18,000）

這戶人家遇到的狀況是：

  • 💥 主水管在地基下爆裂
  • 💧 地板全部浸水
  • 🧱 地基需要開挖
  • 🔧 水管工人開價 $8,500（還不包回填）
  • 🪵 木地板 → 全部報廢
  • ⚡ HVAC 進水 → 不動

因為沒有 Service Line Coverage，他們必須：

  • ❌ 水管維修自己付
  • ❌ 開挖與回填自己付
  • ❌ 地基修復自己付

最後總費用：
💸 $18,000

🏠 B 家：有 Service Line（只付 $500）

隔壁的 B 家也爆水管，但狀況為：

  • ✔️ 一樣是地基下爆裂
  • ✔️ 一樣需要開挖與更換
  • ✔️ 一樣地板受損

但差別是 —— 他們的保險多了一個便宜到不行的 endorsement：

🛡️ Service Line Coverage（$30～$60/年）

結果變成：

  • 💰 水管修理 → 有保險賠
  • 💰 地基開挖 → 有保險賠
  • 💰 回填 → 有保險賠
  • 💰 部分 flooring repair → 有賠

最後只需要付 deductible：

🌟 $500

📌 為什麼差這麼多？（一句話）

因為 A 家買的是「基本保單」，B 家買的是「完整保護」。

德州的狀況從來不是「你會不會遇到」，而是：

➡️ 「遇到時，你的保險會不會挺你？」

多花 $30～$60 結果差 $17,500，這就是 most Texas families learned the hard way。

📖 這個故事的真正教訓是什麼？

  • ✔️ 便宜的保費不代表划算
  • ✔️ Service Line 是德州必備
  • ✔️ 你以為不會發生的事，一發生就是大災難
  • ✔️ 家人的安全永遠排第一

這也是為什麼我在和客人談保險時，第一句永遠不是：

「你要買多少保費？」

而是：

💬 「你家需要什麼樣的保護？」

因為 Safety 不是保險，是生活的一部分。

❤️ 六、結語：保險不是推銷，而是 Safety

2021 年德州暴凍之後，很多家庭都說：

「我以為我買了保險，直到災難發生才知道——原來我買錯了。」

這也是為什麼在德州，保險不只是文件，不只是保單，而是：

  • 🏠 你的家能不能在災難後站得起來
  • 👨‍👩‍👧 家人能不能安心睡覺
  • 💸 一次意外會不會打亂整個家庭財務
  • 🛡️ 父母能不能保護孩子

我自己在做 Notary、Life & Health、P&C 的過程中，越來越清楚：

保險不是賣產品，而是賣「安心」。

資訊越透明，家庭越安全。

這也是為什麼我寫這篇文章時，只想把最真實、最重要的東西講給你聽：

  • ✔️ 德州最常見的 7 大風險
  • ✔️ 哪些保障會賠、哪些情況一定不賠
  • ✔️ 哪些 endorsement 又便宜又救命
  • ✔️ 2021 暴凍事件的真實教訓

因為如果有一天災難來了，你只會希望：

「還好我當初有做正確的選擇。」

當你準備在德州買保險、更新保險、或第一次搬來德州時，
我希望這篇文章能讓你：

  • 🌟 少掉不必要的風險
  • 🌟 避免被保險拒賠
  • 🌟 為你的家庭做更好的決定

這就是 Purser Services 想做的：

🫶 用最實在的方式，把 Safety 放在第一位。

你值得被保護，你的家也值得。

如果你需要我協助你檢查保單、看 deductible、或幫你評估 endorsement，
你隨時可以找我。

🚨 When Texas Froze: No Power, No Heat, House Flooded — And What Happens If Your Insurance Is Wrong

Texas Insurance Safety Education (Part 1): The Real Home Risks & Coverage Every Family Should Understand

If you were living in Texas during the winter of 2021, you probably still remember that week.

Temperatures dropped from around 60°F down to below freezing in a single day.
It felt like Texas was suddenly switched into ice age mode:

  • ❄️ No heat
  • ⚡ Widespread power outages
  • 💧 Pipes frozen solid, then bursting everywhere
  • 🏚️ Homes flooded overnight
  • 🚗 Families sleeping in their cars just to stay warm

That week, I heard so many real stories:

  • People watching water start dripping from the ceiling, then turning their living room into a swimming pool within minutes
  • Flooring slowly “bubbling up” day by day, like walking on bread
  • Fridges, water heaters and HVAC units all dying at once
  • Plumbers charging $4,000–$8,000 just to show up and open up the slab

Every Texas family learned one painful truth that week:

💥 “Having insurance is not enough — having the wrong insurance hurts the most.”

The protection that truly saves your family is not:

  • ❌ The cheapest option you can find online
  • ❌ Whatever the agent recommends without explaining

It is:


➡️ Understanding basic safety risks in your home (Safety)
➡️ Knowing which coverages and endorsements you actually need (Coverage)
➡️ Then choosing a premium that makes sense (Premium)

This article turns the lessons from the 2021 Texas freeze into a practical, easy-to-read guide.

You’ll see:

  • ✔️ The 7 most common home risks for Texas families
  • ✔️ When insurance will pay — and when it absolutely won’t
  • ✔️ The “cheap but life-saving” endorsements every Texas household should consider
  • ✔️ A real 2021 freeze case: why one family paid $18,000 and another only paid $500

🔎 2. The 7 Most Overlooked Home Safety Risks in Texas

In Texas, the question is not if something will happen, but when.
These seven risks are ones almost every family will run into at some point.

1️⃣ 🔥 Kitchen Fire — The Most Common Home Insurance Claim

Most people assume the top Texas home claim is tornado, hail or hurricane damage.
In reality, one of the most common claims is kitchen fire.

Insurance will usually cover:

  • ✔️ Damage to your kitchen (cabinets, walls, countertops)
  • ✔️ Smoke and soot cleaning (which is very expensive)
  • ✔️ Smoke damage throughout the home

Insurance generally will not cover:

  • ❌ Obvious neglect, like leaving the stove on and leaving the house
  • ❌ Long-term grease build-up and lack of cleaning

2️⃣ 🐶 Dog Bite Liability — A Hidden but Huge Risk

Texas has plenty of space and big backyards, which means lots of families have dogs.
But many don’t realize this:

Dog bite claims are one of the most common liability claims in the U.S.

Insurance will typically cover:

  • ✔️ Medical expenses for the injured person
  • ✔️ Your legal liability and defense costs

But you need to watch out for:

  • ❗ Certain breeds may be excluded by some carriers
  • ❗ Your liability limit may be too low without an umbrella policy

3️⃣ 🏊 Pool Safety — A Must-Read for Families with a Pool

Swimming pools are common in Texas, and pool accidents are one of the highest-risk areas in liability.

Insurance may cover:

  • ✔️ Liability if a guest or child is injured at your pool

But policies may deny claims if:

  • ❌ Your pool has no fence
  • ❌ There is no self-latching, self-locking gate

Recommendation: If you have a pool, a personal umbrella policy is highly recommended.

4️⃣ 🌪️ Tornado / Wind / Hail — The Real Pain Is the Deductible

Many people who move to Texas only learn this later:

Wind and hail deductibles are often a percentage of your home’s value, not a flat dollar amount.

If your home is insured for $400,000:

  • 1% deductible = $4,000
  • 2% deductible = $8,000
  • 3% deductible = $12,000

In other words, the storm itself is not always the main problem —
the deductible is.

That’s why many Texas homeowners choose a Hurricane / Wind Deductible Buyback to reduce their out-of-pocket cost.

5️⃣ 🌧️ Flood Risk — The Most Misunderstood Coverage

🔥 Extremely important: Standard homeowners insurance does NOT cover flood.

🔥 And yes — rainwater flooding into your home is considered flood.

To be covered, you need:

  • ✔️ NFIP flood insurance, or
  • ✔️ A private flood policy

Many people only discover they don’t have flood coverage when it’s too late — at claim time.

6️⃣ ❄️ Freeze-Burst Pipes — The 2021 Story: Leaking Ceilings, Buckled Floors & Families Sleeping in Cars

This is the classic Texas freeze story, and exactly the scenario we talked about earlier:

  • ❄️ No heating
  • ⚡ Widespread power outages
  • 💥 Pipes freezing and then exploding
  • 💧 Rooms and hallways flooded
  • 🚗 Families sleeping in cars to stay warm

This risk is so important that we’ll cover it in detail in the case study section below.

7️⃣ ⚡ Electrical Fire — A Common Issue in 1980s–2000s Homes

Many Texas homes built between the 1980s and 2000s have older wiring systems.

In general:

  • ✔️ Normal wear that eventually leads to a fire may be covered

But if:

  • ❌ The homeowner does unlicensed DIY electrical work
  • ❌ An unlicensed “handyman” rewires parts of the home

The insurer may deny the claim due to illegal or unsafe work.

🚫 3. Five Common Situations Where Insurance Will NOT Pay

Many Texas families assume, “If I have insurance, it should cover everything, right?”
In reality, these five categories are the most common reasons for denied claims.

Understanding them helps you avoid a second round of pain after a disaster.

1️⃣ 🧹 Maintenance Issues (Lack of Proper Upkeep)

This is the No.1 reason for many denied claims.

Insurance usually will not cover:

  • ❌ A known leak that you ignore for six months
  • ❌ HVAC failure caused by never changing filters
  • ❌ Long-standing foundation cracks that were never addressed

Insurance is meant to cover sudden, accidental events — not long-term neglect.

2️⃣ 💧 Wear & Tear (Natural Aging)

Homeowners often think:

“It’s my house, why doesn’t insurance cover aging?”

But in practice, insurers generally won’t cover:

  • ❌ Old wiring slowly degrading over time
  • ❌ A 20-year-old roof simply wearing out
  • ❌ Foundation settling due to natural soil movement

Wear & tear is considered maintenance, not an insurable event.

3️⃣ 🌧️ Flood — “Water in the House” Does Not Always Mean Coverage

A very common misunderstanding in Texas is:

“If there’s water in my house, it must be a covered loss, right?”

Actually, no.

Only water that comes from outside and inundates the property is considered flood.

For example:

  • 🌧️ Street flooding from heavy rain → water flows into your home → this is flood (needs flood insurance)
  • 🚰 Sewer or drain backing up → this is not flood (needs a Water Backup endorsement)
  • 💧 A burst pipe inside your home → this is not flood (it’s a sudden & accidental water loss)

The key question is: Where did the water come from?

4️⃣ 🍄 Mold — No Mold Rider, No Coverage

Mold is very common in Texas due to:

  • Humid weather
  • Heavy rain
  • Hidden leaks

But most basic homeowners policies:

  • ❌ Do not include mold coverage

To get coverage, you usually need:

  • ✔️ A Mold Coverage Rider (often around $20–$40 per year)

Without it, mold remediation costs — often $2,000–$12,000 — are out-of-pocket.

5️⃣ 🛠️ Unlicensed Work (Unlicensed Contractors or DIY)

This is a very common pitfall in many communities: hiring someone “cheap” or doing major work yourself.

If someone:

  • ❌ Has no license
  • ❌ Has no insurance
  • ❌ Does electrical or plumbing work that later causes a fire or flood

The insurer may deny the claim, especially for illegal or unsafe work.

This is particularly critical for electrical and plumbing work.

🛡️ 4. Eight “Cheap but Life-Saving” Endorsements for Texas Families

This section is the heart of the article.
Many large losses in Texas share one painful theme:

“I didn’t know I needed that endorsement.”

These add-ons are usually inexpensive, but when something happens, they can turn a $18,000 bill into a $500 bill.

1️⃣ 💥 Service Line Coverage (Texas Must-Have)

This is one of the most underrated but crucial coverages in Texas.

It usually costs around $30–$60 per year, but it can save you from:

  • ✔️ Underground water line breaks
  • ✔️ Repairing or replacing the pipe itself
  • ✔️ Freeze-related pipe damage (often covered under this endorsement in Texas)
  • ✔️ Excavation, repair and backfilling costs

During the 2021 freeze:

  • 🌟 Families who had Service Line Coverage often paid only their deductible ($0–$500)
  • 💸 Those without it had to pay $6,000–$18,000 out of pocket

One endorsement can mean a five-figure difference.

2️⃣ 🚰 Water Backup (Sewer & Drain Backup)

With Texas heavy rains and aging infrastructure, this endorsement is essential.

It typically covers:

  • ✔️ Damage caused by water coming up through drains or backing up from sewers

Without it:

  • ❌ A backed-up toilet or drain can destroy your floors
  • ❌ You may be stuck with contaminated water damage and no coverage

Cost is often around $20–$40 per year — very high value for the risk.

3️⃣ ⚙️ Equipment Breakdown

This protects your major home systems and appliances, such as:

  • ✔️ HVAC systems
  • ✔️ Water heaters
  • ✔️ Refrigerators
  • ✔️ Washers and dryers
  • ✔️ Certain household electronics and control boards

It is especially helpful during events like:

  • ⚡ Power surges
  • ❄️ Freeze-related strain on equipment

Cost is usually around $20–$40 per year, and many families feel it’s well worth it.

4️⃣ 🍄 Mold Coverage

As discussed, mold can be very expensive to remediate.

Adding a mold rider often provides:

  • ✔️ Coverage for mold testing, removal and repairs up to a certain limit

Again, typical cost is around $20–$40 per year.

5️⃣ 🧱 Foundation Water Damage / Slab Coverage

Many Texas homes are built on slab foundations.

This endorsement can help cover:

  • ✔️ Water damage under the foundation
  • ✔️ Slab leak repairs

Without it, foundation-related repairs can run from $3,000 to $15,000 or more.

6️⃣ 🌪️ Hurricane / Windstorm Deductible Buyback

If your wind/hail deductible is 2–3% of your home value, a buyback endorsement can reduce it to:

  • ✔️ $1,000
  • ✔️ $2,000

If you live in areas like:

  • 📍 Houston
  • 📍 Austin and surrounding regions
  • 📍 DFW

This endorsement can dramatically reduce your out-of-pocket costs after a major storm.

7️⃣ 🆔 Identity Theft Protection

Identity theft and fraud cases are common in Texas and across the U.S.

Some homeowners policies offer:

  • ✔️ Credit monitoring support
  • ✔️ Help with legal and administrative recovery

Cost is often around $25 per year — small price for significant peace of mind.

8️⃣ 🖥️ Home Cyber Protection

With more people working from home and doing online transactions, cyber risks have increased.

Home cyber endorsements can help with:

  • ✔️ Certain types of online fraud or scams
  • ✔️ Ransomware-related losses (depending on the policy)

Often under $30 per year, this is becoming a modern essential.

❄️ 5. 2021 Texas Freeze Case Study: Why One Family Paid $18,000 and Another Only $500

The 2021 winter storm (Winter Storm Uri) was a once-in-a-generation event —
and a brutal real-world test of how well Texas families were insured.

When temperatures plunged and pipes froze, what followed was a statewide disaster:

  • 🥶 No functioning heat
  • ⚡ Statewide power failures
  • 💧 Frozen pipes suddenly bursting
  • 🏚️ Entire homes flooded from above and below
  • 🚗 Families sleeping in cars to stay warm

On the same street, two families had almost identical damage — but completely different outcomes.

🏠 Family A: No Service Line Coverage (Paid $18,000)

Their situation:

  • 💥 Main water line burst under the slab foundation
  • 💧 Floors soaked with water
  • 🧱 Foundation had to be opened up
  • 🔧 Plumber quoted $8,500 just for accessing and fixing the pipe
  • 🪵 Wood flooring ruined and had to be replaced
  • ⚡ HVAC unit damaged and needed repair or replacement

Because they had no Service Line Coverage, they had to pay for:

  • ❌ The pipe repair itself
  • ❌ Excavation and backfilling
  • ❌ Foundation repair related to the leak

Final out-of-pocket cost:
💸 $18,000

🏠 Family B: With Service Line Coverage (Paid Only $500)

Their situation was nearly identical:

  • ✔️ Same kind of under-slab pipe burst
  • ✔️ Same need for excavation and replacement
  • ✔️ Similar flooring damage

But they had one small, inexpensive endorsement on their policy:

🛡️ Service Line Coverage ($30–$60 per year)

That endorsement covered:

  • 💰 Pipe repair costs
  • 💰 Excavation and backfilling
  • 💰 Part of the related foundation and flooring work

In the end, they only paid their deductible:

🌟 $500

📌 The Real Lesson Behind This Story

Family A bought a “basic policy.”
Family B bought “real protection.”

In Texas, the real question is not:

“Will something happen?”

It is:

➡️ “When something happens, will your insurance stand by you?”

Spending an extra $30–$60 per year versus paying $17,500 more out of pocket —
this is how many families learned the hard way.

  • ✔️ Cheap premiums are not always a bargain
  • ✔️ Service Line Coverage is a must-have in Texas
  • ✔️ The things you think will “never happen” often become the biggest disasters
  • ✔️ The goal is to protect your family, not just your walls

That’s why, when I talk to clients, my first question is never:

“How much do you want to spend?”

Instead, I ask:

💬 “What kind of protection does your family really need?”

❤️ 6. Conclusion: Insurance Is Not Sales — It’s About Safety

After the 2021 freeze, many Texas families said:

“I thought I had insurance…
only to find out during the disaster that I had the wrong kind.”

That’s why, in Texas, insurance is not just paperwork or a policy number.
It’s about:

  • 🏠 Whether your home can stand back up after a disaster
  • 👨‍👩‍👧 Whether your family can sleep at night
  • 💸 Whether a single event will destroy your finances
  • 🛡️ Whether you, as a parent, truly protected your children

Working across Notary, Life & Health, and P&C has made one thing very clear to me:

Insurance is not about selling products — it’s about creating peace of mind.

The more transparent the information is, the safer families become.

That’s why, in this article, I simply wanted to share the most honest and practical insights I can:

  • ✔️ The 7 most common risks Texas families face
  • ✔️ When insurance pays — and when it doesn’t
  • ✔️ The endorsements that are cheap but life-saving
  • ✔️ The real lessons from the 2021 Texas freeze

Because when disaster hits, you want to be able to say:

“Thank goodness we made the right choices earlier.”

As you move to Texas, buy a home, renew your policy or review your coverage,
I hope this article helps you:

  • 🌟 Reduce unnecessary risk
  • 🌟 Avoid painful claim denials
  • 🌟 Make better decisions for your family’s future

This is what Purser Services is here for:

🫶 Putting Safety first — in the most honest and practical way possible.

You deserve to be protected. Your home does too.

If you’d like help reviewing your policy, checking your deductibles, or deciding which endorsements make sense for your situation, you’re always welcome to reach out.