Author: AgentInsure

When Is It Time to Update Your Home Insurance Policy?

Posted on by AgentInsure

Here at Cross Creek Insurance, serving the greater Hope Hills, NC area, we recommend that you take a look at your home insurance policy every two to three years and ensure it still meets your needs. But there are also a few times that you should automatically change it without having to wait. Here are three of the times when you should update your home insurance policy. 

You’ve Renovated or Remodeled Your Home

Following a home renovation or remodel project, you should take the time to update your home insurance policy. After remodeling or renovating, the value of your home and the items contained inside have changed. As such, you may need to update your policy limits to ensure your new materials or space will be fully covered in the event disaster strikes. 

You’ve Purchased Expensive Items

Another reason why you may need to update your home insurance policy is that you’ve purchased new items for your home. When you’ve purchased new items for your homes, such as jewelry, art, pricey furniture or electronics, you want to ensure these items are covered against theft and damage. Updating your policy helps to ensure that happens. 

You’ve Made Life Changes

Lastly, if you have made changes in your life, you may want to update your policy. This includes getting married, having a baby or retiring. You should always look at all of your insurance policies when making life changes. 

Do you need to update your home insurance policy or purchase a new one in the greater Hope Hills, NC area? Then contact Cross Creek Insurance today. We can help you find the right insurance policy for your needs. Call us now to get started. 

Does Auto Insurance Cover Hurricane Damage?

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Hurricane season stretches from June through November each year, and recent years have brought some dangerous and damaging storms to the Southeast region of the United States and beyond. It is truly staggering to see the extent of destruction caused by hurricanes and tropical storms, no matter what level of severity and intensity they are. That impact can include damage to automobiles. You might be wondering what your auto insurance covers during and after a hurricane. At Cross Creek Insurance serving the Hope Hills, NC area, we are happy to help answer questions like that.

Collision insurance coverage as part of auto insurance may or may not come into play when hurricane damage occurs, just depending on the individual circumstances. This type of coverage pertains to a vehicle hitting or being hit by something. So if an automobile accident happens because of a hurricane, collision insurance could address that.

Then there is comprehensive coverage as part of auto insurance. It covers many different circumstances. In a hurricane, some of the types of situations that would be handled under comprehensive coverage would be the wind that causes damage to a car, flooding that affects a car, hail damage, auto damage related to hurricane-force winds or glass breakage.

Just as you need to complete a variety of preparation steps before a hurricane, make sure you also obtain the proper auto insurance coverage in advance of any storms. Often it is not possible to get coverage right before a hurricane is about to hit and after watches and warnings are issued. If you need advice on the insurance that makes the most sense for your unique needs, contact us at Cross Creek Insurance serving the Hope Hills, NC area.

Myths about Life Insurance

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There are a lot of common myths about life insurance in Hope Hills, NC that can stand in the way of you getting proper coverage.

Employer-Provided Life Insurance Is All You Need: An employer may provide life insurance, and you may be able to purchase more worth up to six times your salary, but to provide for dependents you typically need more. You may also lose the insurance when you leave the job, and while you may convert, it’s typically more expensive than just purchasing a policy today on your own.

Only a Breadwinner Needs It: If something happens to a stay-at-home spouse, then the breadwinner will need to hire someone to care for the children and clean, which can be expensive. It’s a good idea to have insurance on both spouses. This way, the working spouse can also take some time off to help the family adjust.

You Are Too Young to Worry about It: It actually makes more sense to get life insurance when you are young, since it’s usually less expensive and you don’t have medical conditions that could disqualify you. By the time you need life insurance, it could be too late, which makes it a good idea to purchase it as soon as you are able to.

You Can’t Get It If You Have Health Issues: You can generally buy term life insurance, even with some health issues. It may mean higher premiums, but you should still be able to find insurance. Speak with an agent at Cross Creek Insurance if you have some health issues.

You Don’t Need It If You Are Single: You may still have family that relies on you, such as aging parents. Benefits can also be used to pay for burial costs, so your family doesn’t have to go into debt.

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

Where to Get Quality Business Insurance in Hope Hills, NC

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With so many choices at your fingertips, you may be wondering how to select your business insurance policy.

The protection of your enterprise is nearly as important as your business model. Running an unprotected company may be the single riskiest method of operation. As the owner of a company, you need to protect your employees, customers, and your assets. Business insurance is the perfect layer of protection for your company.

Our expert agents in Hope Hills, NC will help you understand the various types of commercial insurance to choose the best form and amount for your company. Business insurance provides coverage for your physical equipment, inventory, and company vehicles. You can also choose a policy that protects your company if an employee steals from you or you incur some other type of theft. Business insurance is vital if your company encounters a lawsuit. If you have an employee that requires an extended absence leave due to injury, commercial insurance provides coverage. 

There are typically four ways to categorize business insurance:

  • Business liability insurance
  • Business umbrella insurance
  • Business property insurance
  • Business automobile insurance

Business automobile insurance gives protection to all cars used only for business purposes. Umbrella insurance gives you extensive coverage for any losses that wouldn’t otherwise be covered. Business property insurance provides reimbursement for an individual suffering from financial loss due to destroyed property, buildings, land, etc. Business liability insurance pays for property damage and bodily injury when the insured party is responsible.

Even if you need insurance for business-related activity outside the realm of these categories, Cross Creek Insurance can help. We have been serving the Hope Hills, NC area for many years, helping business owners acquire insurance for their specific needs. Contact Cross Creek Insurance today for a custom policy. Rest easier knowing your employees, customers, assets, and financed are protected.

How to Make Sure Your Homeowners Insurance is Adequate

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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

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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.

At What Age Should I Get Life Insurance?

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If you are thinking about getting a life insurance plan, it’s essential to know that there isn’t a set magic age for buying this coverage. Whole life insurance plans are best bought at the youngest age possible while term coverages are often purchased to offer protection for a specific time-constrained obligation. This may include providing a child’s college tuition fees in case you pass on before they get to college.

Some people choose to get both policies so that one portion can offer protection for the unknown future while the other covers different financial obligations that happen as the policy holder’s family grows. You can always get a life insurance plan from Cross Creek Insurance. We serve the entire Hope Hills, NC area and its environs.

What’s the best time to get a whole life coverage?

The perfect time to start a whole life coverage is when your kid is born. A whole life policy accrues value over time, so buying one for your child will give the protection they need during their later years. By the time your child is ready to leave home, the plan will have accumulated adequate funds that can be borrowed against the coverage to buy a house or overcome an unexpected hardship.

Basically, the younger you are when buying a life insurance coverage, the lower the premium costs will be. Since the average people’s lifespan has increased, the standard length of life insurance plans increased as well. This means that the risks of paying out a claim prematurely are lower today than before.

What’s more, there will be more time for a young one to pay premiums compared to a 60-year old person, meaning that the premium costs will vary significantly. But this doesn’t mean that old people shouldn’t get life insurance plans even if it’s for nothing more than paying for their funeral expenses when they pass on.

At Cross Creek Insurance, we can offer life insurance plans regardless of your age. Contact our Hope Hills, NC office today.

How many kinds of insurance does a small business need?

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Business owners in Hope Hills, NC recognize the value of the community, which is thriving and supportive of small businesses.  Cross Creek Insurance works hard to make sure our small business customers have what they need when it comes to protection. 

Operating a business has so many kinds of risks, and different kinds of insurance policies address the different and distinct areas. Businesses are especially vulnerable because they have so many contacts with the rest of the world, and a simple slip and fall on the property could cause enough damage to pit some small businesses deep in the red.

Various Kinds of Insurance 

You will need insurance for the property, whether you rent or own it. Even if you work from home, you may need special insurance because homeowners insurance usually doesn’t cover business-related damages or injuries. General liability insurance helps protect against incidents like slip and fall injuries on your property. 

If your business uses automobiles, there is commercial auto insurance available. Product liability will protect you if someone is injured by one of your products. If you are a professional, we offer special insurance for damages that occur as a result of your professional advice. 

Save Money With a Business Owners Policy

You can save money by bundling some of your insurance needs into a BOP. Business owners in Hope Hills, NC may be eligible to combine the property and liability portions into one policy, which is also more convenient. 

There are also other kinds of insurance you may want to take advantage of, depending on your circumstances. Call Cross Creek Insurance where we can address your questions and give you a free quote that will address all your business liability needs.

 

Why Do I Need Home Insurance?

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When you own a home in the Hope Hills, NC area, making sure that it is properly protected by insurance is very important. There are several reasons why you need to have home insurance on your property, which will help to ensure you are in compliance with a variety of parties.

Protects Your Asset
The main reason why you need to have home insurance is that it will protect your valuable asset. Your home is likely going to be the most valuable asset that you will ever own. Because of this, you will need to make sure that it is properly covered by insurance. This will provide you with protection in the event your home is damaged or destroyed.

Liability Protection
Another reason why you will want to have your home in the Hope Mills NC area covered by insurance is that it will provide you with liability protection. Liability insurance is a major component of all home insurance policies. This will provide you with liability protection in the event somebody is injured at your property and you are deemed to be liable.

Requirements
You will also need to have liability and home insurance policy because it is required by a number of different parties. First, if you have a home loan on your property, you will need to have it to stay in compliance with your mortgage. If you are part of a home association, you also like these will need to have a home insurance policy to stay in compliance with the association documents.

When you are looking for home insurance in the Hope Hills, NC area, you should speak with Cross Creek Insurance. The Cross Creek Insurance company can help you understand your requirements and get you into a policy that will meet your needs. 

Do You Have a New Teenage Driver in the Family? Make Sure They Have the Right Insurance Policy

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Learning how to drive is an exciting rite of passage in our country, and the team at Cross Creek Insurance is here to help you ensure that your family has the coverage that you need to keep your family protected in the greater Hope Hills, NC area. While all insurance coverage is important, when you have a new driver in the family, it makes sense to take another look and make sure your policy is adequate.

Special Insurance Considerations for New and Teenage Drivers

Remember when you were starting out as a new driver? It can sometimes be difficult to remember the feelings of nervousness that can occur for new drivers. As you are looking for the appropriate car insurance policy for your teen, keep these points in mind:

  • Roadside assistance coverage is always a great add-feature to have
  • Fender benders and small dings and dents are a lot more common for new teen drivers than experienced adults
  • Teenagers tend to travel in packs, and it is not unusual for your young driver to have several friends in the car, warranting the need for sufficient passenger coverage

Learning how to drive and mastering this important skill can be a nerve-wracking experience, both for the driver and for you as a parent. Knowing that you have the appropriate car insurance policy in place for your teen driver can help to increase your peace of mind and help you sleep better at night!

Are you looking for the right car insurance policy for your family’s new teenaged driver? Contact Cross Creek Insurance today to set up a consultation; we are proud to work with the many fine people in the greater Hope Hills, NC area!