Why Choose The Mike Leonard Agency in Plano,TX?

Why Choose The Mike Leonard Agency in Plano,TX? We are an Independent insurance agency which differs greatly from that of a captive agent such as Allstate, State Farm, Farmers, etc. A captive agent has only the rates of that one individual company to offer his customers as opposed to an Independent which can offer the rate of many different companies. This is important because all insurance companies go through times when they sustain losses and have to dramatically increase rates. When this happens The Mike Leonard Insurance Agency searches the marketplace for a new company with lower rates here in Plano. The captive agent can't help you with a new company because they are contractually obligated to write and renew every customer with that company.

Protecting Your Plano Home from Common Household Dangers

Natural disasters in Plano are hard to prepare for and even harder to protect your home and family from, but it’s much easier to protect your home from damage caused by faulty electrical wiring, plumbing or household accidents. When it comes to these potential dangers, a few home safety steps can all but erase the possibility of a disaster inside the home. This includes the simple and routine inspection of water pipes, appliance hoses and other features of your home that can fail and cause major damage. Read more about Protecting Your Plano Home

Did You Know

In the early 1840s, several settlers came to the area around Plano. Facilities such as a sawmill, a gristmill, and a store brought more people to the area. Mail service was established, and after rejecting several names for the budding town (including naming it in honor of then-President Millard Fillmore), the locals suggested the name Plano, from the Spanish word for "flat," a reference to the terrain of the area. The name was accepted by the post office.

In 1872, the completion of the Houston and Texas Railroads helped the city grow, and the population grew to more than 500 by 1874. In 1873, the city officially incorporated.

In 1881, a fire raged through the central business district, destroying most of the buildings: 51 in all. The town was rebuilt, and business again flourished through the 1880s. In 1895, the PISD (Plano Independent School District) was formed.

Unlike many of the other Dallas suburbs, which were closer to Dallas itself, the population of Plano initially grew slowly, reaching 1,304 in 1900 and increasing to 3,695 in 1960. By 1970, Plano began to feel some of the boom its neighbors experienced following World War II. A series of public works projects and a change in taxes that removed the farming community from the town helped increase the overall population of Plano. In 1970, the population reached 17,872, and by 1980, the population exploded to 72,000. Sewers, schools and street development kept pace with this massive increase, largely due to Plano's flat topography, grid layout and planning initiatives.

During the 1980s, many large corporations moved their headquarters to Plano, including JC Penney and Frito-Lay, which helped the city grow, as more people moved closer to their workplaces. By 1990, the population reached 128,713 and dwarfed the county seat of McKinney. In 1994, the city was recognized as an All-America City.

Among other sport accolades, Plano is home to the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy (WOGA), the training ground of 2004 and 2008 Olympic All Around Champions, Carly Patterson and Nastia Liukin. The gym is owned by Patterson's coach, Yevgeny Marchenko, and Liukin's coach and father, Valeri Liukin.

By 2000, the population nearly doubled again to 222,030, making it one of the largest Dallas suburbs. The city's population now is stabilizing. Plano is completely locked in by other municipalities and cannot expand in area. There is little undeveloped land remaining within the city limits. By 2005, its population was estimated at 250,096.

From Wikipedia