We are complex species in a busy world. In any given season of life, most-to-all are rotating between dozens of metaphorical “hats”. You may be a young, single bachelor, tech guru, and avid skier. Or you may instead be a grandmother, caretaker, hobby artist and small business owner who likes to camp on the weekends. Any and all combinations are welcome!
Michael Plaia is a loving husband and father, travel enthusiast, relationship builder, who loves auto racing and go-karting. He credits his passion for things that go to his father, who propped him up with a phone book and taught him to drive a manual transmission in a parking lot at the age of eight. As an adult, Michael started doing amateur track days at various racetracks and worked with several driving instructors to get solo-certified. Most of the time, he participated in go-karting events to get his driving fix.
Michael also happens to be the owner and consultant at Plaia Insurance Agency, which he runs with his wife, Robin. His family, hobbies, and past can all be attributed to what make him an understanding and trustworthy agent today.
The same father who left such a memorable impact on a young Michael passed away when he was 12, but not without leaving a last gift that would set him up for success as an adult. He had secured a life insurance benefit for his son that became available when he turned 18. The proceeds were used to pay for Michael’s college and room and board for 4 years.
“Not many people can pay for college in full without accruing student loan debt or working full- or part-time to make ends meet,” he says. “I would give anything to have my father back, but his last gift to me meant I could focus 100% on my education and later begin my professional life after college debt-free.”
Most of the time we don’t think about how having insurance can impact our lives in a positive way, but this is one way that it did just that.
As time went by, a homeowner’s policy served as a financial relief once again. Michael’s childhood home in Texas had to be rebuilt three times in two decades due to hurricanes. Each time insurance proceeds allowed his mother to build back with minimal impact to her finances. Her story could have easily had a very devastating outcome, had she not been properly and preparedly insured.
Having a family of his own made proper coverage paramount for Michael and his family. “The last thing I want is to jeopardize our assets (retirement, savings, etc),” he says.
The youngest members of the Plaia family are Michael and Robin’s two elementary-aged daughters. The girls enjoy daddy/daughter dates, consisting of everything from picnics at the playground to burgers and go-karts (the apples didn’t fall far from the tree!) However, both Michael and Robin know that one day -all too soon, no doubt- their little girls will be learning to drive and needing their own ways to get around. The Plaia Insurance Agency has seen its fair share of new drivers being added to auto insurance policies. Michael offers a bit of advice for parents regarding what their newly-licensed teens really need:
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A “well-loved” used - but reliable - vehicle
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Liability insurance only (due to the vehicle’s lower value)
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A driving app or program, if your insurer offers one, to encourage safe driving and get a nice discount in the process. Farmers Insurance offers one called Signal, where students ages 16-24 earn a discount for a B “average” or better
It is to one’s utmost benefit to have a good agent walk you through your own seasons of life. It helps to have a neighbor to trust with when protecting what is most important to you, and be able to help you add or adjust these protections as you move from one chapter to the next. Life is ever-changing, but preparedness is the key to helping you navigate it with a peace of mind.
