Month: September 2018

How to Make Sure Your Homeowners Insurance is Adequate

Posted on by AgentInsure

Most homeowners rarely think about their home insurance except for those rare times when they actually may need it. The unexpected is what catches everyone off guard. Home insurance benefits from an annual review as part of general home maintenance and protection. Talk with your agent at Cross Creek Insurance serving Hope Hills, NC and the surrounding areas at least once per year to get good advice.

Here are some tips of what to consider when making sure home insurance coverage is adequate:

  • Carefully Assess Risks and Coverage: Update the replacement cost amount that is insured by using cost estimation software with the help of your agent. Make sure the software calculates the replacement value using current construction and repair costs for the area where the home is located.
  • Extend Standard Policy Coverage: Basic home insurance coverage is usually not enough. If the home is located in a high-risk zone with a greater risk of having natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, tornados, and earthquakes, having additional insurance for these special risks is a very good idea. Potential damage from hail during thunderstorms should be covered if that risk exists. Also, consider extended replacement cost coverage for these risks because reconstruction, after a natural disaster, is more expensive due to the high demand for services following such an event.
  • City Sewer Backups: Often overlooked, is insurance coverage for damage caused by municipal sewer systems that back up. Cities will older sewage systems can clog up and the sewage may run back into a home causing damage during severe thunderstorms.
  • Expensive Personal Items: Valuable personal items in a home may not be covered, or the coverage may be limited, and they may need to have specific insurance protection.

Ask your agent at Cross Creek Insurance in Hope Hills, NC about these risks to make sure you have adequate coverage.

What You Should Know before Loaning Out Your Car

Posted on by AgentInsure

If you are loaning out your car in Hope Hills, NC, you may think it’s no big deal. However, there are certain insurance aspects you should know about first.

Car insurance will cover the vehicle, not the individual driver, so if you lend your car to your friend and he or she gets into an accident, then your liability coverage pays for the damages. You are also responsible for filing the claim, paying the deductible, and suffering any rate hikes. The only exception is if you never gave permission to your friend. Express permission is important. If a friend takes your car without permission, then their insurance could be used first and yours second.

You should check to see if your friend is insured before handing over the keys. Your insurance is going to be the primary coverage if an accident occurs, but if your policy maxes out, your friend’s insurance could supplement and be the secondary coverage.

You should ask what your friend is planning to do with your car, because it could invalidate your insurance coverage. For example, if your friend is planning on driving with Uber or another ride sharing service while their car is in the shop, your policy likely won’t cover an accident because the car was being used for commercial purposes.

If you are going to be frequently lending out your car to a certain friend, it may be worth it to add them to your own policy. Adding new drivers can affect your rate, depending on their driving record. Those with bad records might hurt your rates, but a good driver could actually help. Speak with an agent at Cross Creek Insurance about adding new drivers to see how it affects your rates.

Contact an agent at Cross Creek Insurance serving Hope Hills, NC to get a quote on auto insurance.