How much you will have to pay for your Hope Hills, NC home insurance reflects a variety of things. Here are five things that can make a big difference to your home insurance rate from Cross Creek Insurance.

Location

Several pieces of the location puzzle can change your home insurance rate. If you live in an area with a higher crime rate, your rates will be higher. Also, if your home is a significant distance from the fire station or from a fire hydrant, you will be at  a higher risk for major losses if you have a house fire. Locations where there is risk for wildfire, earthquakes, sinkholes, and severe storms like hurricanes or tornados will have higher insurance rates.

Age of the Home

Very old homes may not be covered under certain insurance policies, and some companies give discounts to those who purchase newer homes.

Swimming Pools, Trampolines and Pets

Homes that feature swimming pools and trampolines may have higher home insurance rates. There is a higher incidence of accidents related to the ownership of these fun, but somewhat risky family activities, and that means that owners of these items are more likely to make a claim. Also, owners of certain breeds of dogs may have higher insurance rates, because some breeds are seen as more likely to attack.

Credit Score

Some homeowner’s insurance companies charge more to those with poor credit scores. It pays off when you pay your bills on time each month and improve your credit score if it’s low.

Frequent Claims

If you have a record of making many claims over the past few years, it  may make your insurance rate go up. For this reason, if damage is not going to be very expensive to repair, some people simply pay for the repair out of pocket, rather than risk that the homeowner’s insurance rate will go up.

Some of these things you can control, like paying your bills on time, not filing too many claims, maintaining your home, and avoiding owning trampolines or aggressive dogs. Others are factors you may want to consider before you buy a home, like the crime rate and the distance from the fire station. If you have questions about your home insurance rate in Hope Hills, NC or the surrounding area, you can contact Cross Creek Insurance Company.

Your homeowners insurance is there to protect you when the unexpected happens. At Cross Creek Insurance, our goal is to provide you with a policy that meets your needs and helps you to remain financially protected as a property owner. Yet, there are often questions about what a home insurance policy covers. The best answer comes directly from one of our experienced agents about the specific terms listed in your policy.

What About Hot Water Heaters?

Perhaps your hot water heater leaked and caused damage to the home. Home insurance does not cover all instances of water damage to a home. However, it may cover some of the damage caused by a hot water heater that was properly maintained and an unavoidable instance occurred. For example, your policy may cover damage to the home if the water heater was properly maintained, but the pipes froze anyway, leading to a rupture. Most home insurance policies will not cover the replacement of the water heater itself – though it may cover the damage repair. Generally, this is considered a normal step in maintaining your home.

What Should You Do Now?

If you have damage to your home from a damaged water heater that leaked throughout the area, call your agent at Cross Creek Insurance. We’ll help you determine if your existing home insurance policy covers the damage or not. More so, we can help you make any claims that you may qualify for. Every situation is different. There’s no reason not to give us a call.

We can also help you update your home insurance to provide comprehensive support. We serve clients in Hope Hills, NC and the surrounding area. Ask us for a quote on a more thorough home insurance policy to fit your home’s specific risks.   

 

Winter is coming to a close in Hope Hills, NC. If you are like most people, then you can’t wait for things to warm up outside so you can enjoy the spring awakening. Before you do that, though, you need to do a few things around your home to get it ready for the season. Use this list of things from Cross Creek Insurance to get you started.

• Clean around your home. You don’t have to go crazy with spring cleaning, but you should take some time to clean around your home. Even dusting can make a huge difference.
• Get your A/C checked. You may not need it quite yet but you will before you know it so go ahead and have some maintenance on it. The last thing you want is to try to use it and find out it needs a repair. Get ahead of that now.
• Plant some spring flowers. There are so many flowers that bloom in the spring, and if you have the room outside for some, you may want to consider planting some. You can even opt for flowers that will bloom year after year. If you do not have space outside, you can get some flowers for the inside of your home. You will be happy you did this in a few weeks when they start blooming because it will make a huge difference for the spring.

Other than these things, the other thing you need to look at is your home insurance policy. If you do not already have a policy, you should contact Cross Creek Insurance, serving Hope Hills, NC, for a  free quote. If you do have a policy, they can check it to make sure you do not have any gaps in coverage.

There are many different types of insurance policies that the average person buys and owns. Two of the most common are home insurance and auto insurance policies. If you are in the market for one or both of these types of insurance, you may find yourself wondering if you should bundle them. Bundling the policies is typically beneficial. Here are a few of the benefits you may experience by bundling home and auto insurance policies.

Bundling Discount

One of the biggest benefits associated with bundling your home and auto insurance policy is a bundling discount. Typically, insurance companies will give you a discount when you bundle two or more of their insurance policies. This shows brand loyalty and insurers will reward you for this in the form of discounts. The amount of the discount varies from company to company, but generally the discount is significant enough to make bundling well worth it.

Working With One Insurance Company

The other benefit to bundling your home and auto insurance policy is that you only have to work with one insurance company. You don’t have to worry about paying multiple premiums to multiple companies or trying to remember which insurer to call when you need service. You can build a repertoire with one company and work with one agent or broker for all of your insurance needs. This is beneficial to both you and the insurance company, as you can both learn more about each other with this type of close business bond.

If you are looking to start a new home insurance policy, auto insurance policy or bundle both in the greater Hope Hills, NC area, give Cross Creek Insurance a call. Let us help you find the right insurance policies for you at a price you can afford.

Home insurance in North Carolina is a special type of insurance called a multi-peril policy. What does a multi-peril policy do? It covers you for several types of scenarios at once, such as medical payments from accidents and property damage. Here at Cross Creek Insurance in Hope Hills, NC, we’ll show you the six parts that make up home insurance in North Carolina.

A. Dwelling – Often determined by the home’s market value, this part of your home insurance covers major damage to the house and the structural buildings that are attached to it. 

B. Other Structures – This part of the policy takes care of the structures on your property that aren’t attached to the house, such as sheds and separated garages. 

C. Personal Property – This section helps pay for the contents lost that you or family members who reside with you own. Take caution that it may not cover everything, so purchasing additional riders would be wise. 

D. Loss of Use – Loss of use helps pay for the meals and lodging expenses you could have if the home cannot be inhabited after a natural disaster.

E. Personal Liability – If an accident happens at your home, you will probably be responsible. This section helps pay for the costs from such accidents and protects your liability.

F. Medical Payments to Others – Similar to section E, this part helps pay for the medical expenses of the person who was hurt.

Many more details are included in a North Carolina insurance policy. To find out if a specific scenario will be covered or not by your home insurance, contact us today at Cross Creek Insurance in Hope Hills, NC. You can also email us anytime at your convenience.

If you’re buying a home for the first time, and you’re planning on getting a mortgage, your lender will require you to bring proof of homeowners insurance to your closing.  For purposes of protecting your lender’s interests in the property, you’ll need to include your lender’s name in the mortgagee’s clause.  It’s unlikely that you’ll be able to close on the home without your lender being protected.  You might even need to include six months of coverage for the next year as part of your closing costs.  At Cross Creek Insurance in Hope Hills NC, we’ll help you meet your homeowners insurance requirements.  At a minimum, you’ll want to insure:

• Your dwelling and any other structures on the property
• Your personal property inside of the home
• Your liability for any injuries or property damage on the land
• Medical payments coverage is somebody is injured on your property

On top standard coverage for your home, you might want additional coverage.  Think about flood coverage if you live in an area where flooding occurs.  You might even want special endorsements for certain personal property like artwork, jewelry, furs or electronics.  A standard policy will only pay for loss or damage to those items on a limited basis. 

You’ll also need to make a decision on whether you want your home and personal property insured for actual cash value or replacement cost.  Replacement cost is a bit more expensive, but as opposed to actual cash value, it doesn’t contemplate depreciation.  Replacement cost is the better choice for homeowners.

You’ll want to speak with one of our agents at Cross Creek Insurance in Hope Hills, NC in order to customize the best options for you.  Just give us a call or stop in for a cup of coffee.

Whether you are selling your home or wanting to live in it for the rest of your life, it is imperative that you keep both its interior and exterior looking as good as possible. From washing the windows to pruning the rose bushes, taking care of your home will improve both its value as well as its looks. Here is a close look at a few tips you can follow to help improve the exterior of your home. 

Tip #1: Wash the windows regularly

When driving by your home, your eyes may not go directly to the windows, but when people are walking up your sidewalk, they will likely notice them if they haven’t been recently cleaned. Fortunately, cleaning the windows isn’t as difficult as you may have thought. If you don’t know how or don’t have the time to wash your windows, you can always turn to the services of a professional window cleaning company. Ideally, you will want the exterior of the windows to be cleaned once every three months and the interior cleaned at least once every two weeks. 

Tip #2: Take care of the landscaping

Mowing your lawn is a great way to keep the exterior of your home looking its best, but it is just as important to keep the bushes trimmed and the mulch fresh too. Taking care of the landscaping can be time-consuming, but working in it for just 20 minutes a day can go a long way. 

To learn more about improving the exterior of your home and home insurance, contact Cross Creek Insurance serving the Hope Hills, NC area.