How Independent Insurance Agents Can Help Finding The Right Insurance Coverage For You

Independent insurance agents can make your life a lot easier, if you allow them to. They know about the industry and have spent a lot of time researching the different insurance companies and what they all offer. They have that ability to explain coverage, obtain the best discounts for you, and much more.

Instead of having to navigate through the complexity of insurance on your own over the Internet, you can work with an insurance agent who is going to help you every step of the way. Agents are often the pillars of the community and have your best interest in mind. They want to help you save money, and know how to accomplish this.

Whether you need insurance for your home, your car, or anything else, they can make sure that you have coverage that you can depend on. They will tell you what’s out there, what’s required in North Carolina, and show you what is going to fit your needs the most.

Insurance is a must to provide protection. It isn’t something you want to guess at. It could be very easy to spend a lot of money on insurance and there are affordable premiums out there – you just have to know how to get them.

Independent insurance agents are your gateway to getting the right insurance coverage. Let them help you with the options, the quotes, and everything else. This way, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that you have sufficient and affordable coverage in place for all aspects of your life.

At Cross Creek Insurance we have friendly and experienced independent insurance agents to help you find a policy you can rely on in Hope Hills. Call now and let us help you every step of the way so that you’re not left alone.

 

 

Using Life Insurance to Borrow Money

As “The Brick Capital of the USA”, Sanford, NC once produced about 10% of the bricks produced in the entire country. While bricks are still an important part of our economy, we now have a much more diverse base of employment. We have large employers like Pfizer, small home based businesses and everything in between. They all have something in common. It takes money to get them going and it takes money to keep them going. It is part of the reason supporting our local businesses is so important.

If you’ve ever considered starting your own small or home-based business, there may be a source for funding you may not have considered. You may be able to borrow money from your life insurance policy.

You see, whole life insurance can build value as the years go by. That means not only is it providing important protection for your family, but it can be a financial resource in emergencies or opportunities. Loans against your life insurance are generally at very attractive interest rates. If something were to happen to you before the loan is repaid, the balance would be deducted from your life insurance proceeds. Your life insurance agent can help determine this “loan value” for you.

Loans are just one of the many ways that life insurance is a valuable financial asset. If you would like to know more, we invite you to contact us. We are independent insurance agents who can work with a variety of providers to find the best insurance coverage for you. If you live in the Sanford area, we invite you visit our website for a comparative online quote on your homeowners and auto insurance. It is a convenient and simple way to compare rates. Give it a try. We look forward to serving you.

Does Your Health Impact Your Auto Insurance Rates?

Fuquay-Varina, NC has a quite a charming history. Established around mineral springs because they were believed to have healing powers, this quaint town continues to thrive. Unfortunately, the mineral springs in Fuquay-Varina do not have healing powers, and medical conditions you may suffer from can affect the rate you have to pay for your car insurance each month.

Medical Conditions and Car Insurance Rates

Your car insurance is rated based on risks. If you are a considered a risk after a risk assessment has been completed for you then you will likely pay more for your car insurance. Unfortunately, individuals with certain medical conditions are considered a risk. For instance, individuals with diabetes may have blurred vision, which compromises their ability to see while driving. Additionally, patients taking certain medications are considered a risk behind the wheel because their prescriptions may affect their ability to drive.

What Should Businesses Do About Drivers with Risky Medical Conditions

Since business insurance is expensive and many managers may not know what conditions are affecting employees driving their company vehicle, businesses must take a proactive position to protect their assets. Most businesses ask their drivers about medical conditions affecting their ability to drive and provide annual screenings or require DOT physicals that will help keep drivers honest. We encourage businesses to know their driver’s status because the company is liable for losses and accidents caused by the driver, ultimately.

Discuss Your Limitations with Your Agent

To ensure that you do not threaten your life or the lives of others, it is in your best interest to discuss your medical conditions with your doctor and your insurance agent. Both professionals will provide you with detailed information about what you should do to protect yourself and your family while driving. As your insurance agent, we can recommend measures you can take to reduce the chances of you getting in a wreck, which will help you save money on your insurance. 

Tips for Knowing How Much Life Insurance You Need

When it comes to purchasing life insurance, many people get more than a little confused on how much coverage they need. Truth is, though, it's fairly simple and straightforward to calculate how much is needed.

If a person doesn't have anyone who is dependent upon him — spouse, children, grandchildren, etc. — then there's really no need to purchase a life insurance policy. If however, there are dependents, then a policy that equals about 10x as much as the policyholder's annual income should be obtained. Take for instance that the person makes $60,000 a year. A life insurance policy in the amount of $600,000 should be sufficient.

Then again, if a retirement fund or savings account has been paid into, then such a high life insurance policy may not be needed. It all comes down to what a person wants to leave behind to their beneficiaries. But the important thing to note is that life insurance funds are not meant to make a family rich once the policyholder becomes deceased. The funds are supposed to be used so that the family can maintain the same standard of living as it was when the policyholder was alive.

By speaking with our insurance agents in Hope Mills, NC, you can easily identify how much of a life insurance policy that you need. Our agents in the 28348 area will know how to best assess your life situation, which will go a long way in helping you create a life insurance policy that best accommodates you and your family's needs as well as fits within your budget. Do keep in mind there are several types of policies to choose from, with the cheapest usually being term life coverage plans.

Could Your Business in North Carolina Survive a Shutdown?

Whether it’s due to a bedbug infestation at your downtown hotel, roaches in the kitchen at your local cafe or mold in the walls at your office space, would your business in North Carolina be able to survive during the time it was shutdown? Would your company still be able to come out on top and perform like it did before the shutdown?

Costly Consequences of Shutdowns

In a situation like this, you have to think about everything. This includes how much revenue was lost, how much it cost to remedy the situation and whether or not you’ll be paying your employees while the company is shut.

It Won’t Ever Happen To Me.

Sure, you probably think that this will never happen to you, but that’s exactly when it does. In some cases, it may not have anything to do with a health code violation. In fact, your office could get vandalized and need to be shut down until repairs can be made. This temporary shutdown will cost your business a significant amount of money. Will you and your business be able to survive?

Protect Yourself. Protect Your Company.

If the healthier department shut down your business due to a violation, would you be okay? If you aren’t sure, then it’s time to speak to one of out independent agents. We can help you get the commercial insurance coverage that you need to ensure your business stays afloat even when times get tough. It is when you don’t have business insurance when you can’t survive a shutdown. Give us a call today so that our commercial insurance agents can help save your business in North Carolina.

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Hope Hills: Don’t Fall for these Life Insurance Myths in North Carolina

When you start planning for your financial future — which should be sooner rather than later — it is imperative that you not overlook the value of investing in life insurance. This type of insurance is meant to be a financial safety net for your family in the event that you were to die. Fortunately, life insurance allows you to properly prepare for your death, whether it be expected or unexpected. To ensure you get the most out of your life insurance policy, it’s important that you not fall for these common life insurance myths. 

Whole life insurance is always better because it always pays out

Just because whole life insurance has a higher rate of paying out than term life insurance doesn’t mean it’s always better. The best way to pinpoint which type of policy is best for your needs is by speaking with an independent life insurance agent serving the Hope Hills area. This agent will likely ask you a variety of questions, and it’s the answers that you provide that will determine which policy is best for you. Remember, it’s pertinent to be honest as this will help narrow down the available options, ensuring you get the absolute best policy. 

Waiting to invest until you’re in your 30s is wise

You never know when you are going to die, and if you are younger than 30 with a family or other people who depend on you for support, then life insurance should be considered a necessity. Just because you’re still young doesn’t mean you should wait to invest in this valuable type of insurance. In fact, the sooner you invest, the lower your premiums will likely be. 

Contact Cross Creek Insurance today to learn more about investing in life insurance the smart way. 

Commercial Insurance Company in Cornelius, NC

A small business owner wears many hats, especially as your business starts to grow. It can be hard to make sure that all of your administrative paperwork is handled, especially when it keeps piling up into a monstrous pile. One part of the admin paperwork you do want to address as quickly as possible is the insurance your business needs in order to protect its financial interests.

You have a lot of ways that you open yourself up for liability as a business, so it’s important to identify those risks and understand the type of insurance you need to mitigate them. One aspect of business that most people think of when it comes to insurance is worker’s compensation insurance. Most states require this insurance in place when you have a business that has employees, and the penalties for failing to hold this insurance while having employees is enough to make most businesses get right on that.

Workers compensation insurance works by covering the lost wages, medical bills, and other associated expenses for a worker who gets injured on in your workplace. If you had to pay all of that out of pocket, it’s likely that you would end up paying a significant fee. Instead of taking the hit to your cash flow, the insurance covers the claim.

Another liability area for a business is in your products. Do you know what happens if someone gets hurt or dies using your products, even if they weren’t using them properly? The inevitable lawsuit. Product liability insurance handles claims of this nature, and general commercial liability covers it to a point as well.

Talk to us, a trusted Cornelius, NC insurance company, to find out what commercial insurance options keep your business going strong. We have a free online quote system to deliver commercial insurance information right to you.

Cross Creek Insurance Agents ready for help 24*7 in Hope Mills, NC

Insurance is in place to protect you from having to pay out of pocket when unexpected situations arise that would otherwise cost you a significant amount of money. When you sign up for an insurance policy, such as one protecting your house, you set up coverage against a number of specific situations. Common insurance coverage for homeowners insurance includes protection against natural disasters, flooding, fire, theft, and accidents on the property.

When one of these situations occurs, you have to file a claim with the insurance company. Depending on the type of claim it is, you may need to take photographic evidence of the damage and document it. An insurance claims adjustor comes to look at the damage to your car or house. We send them out to make sure that the damage estimates are accurate, so that the claim is processed as quickly as possible.

The longer it takes for a claim to get processed, the longer you have to take before you get to return to the normalcy of your life. You don’t want to have to go without a car or to have to deal with house repairs for any longer than you need to.

Another important aspect of insurance is to go with a company that understands claims may occur at any time of day or night. We always have someone available in the office to talk to you after an accident or problem occurs. 24/7 availability for our agents is an important part of the service that we offer you. Our insurance agents in Hope Mills, NC are always happy to help.

Does Smoking Cigars Affect Life Insurance Rates in Hope Mills, NC?

Tobacco may no longer be as important to the North Carolina economy as it once was, but plenty of people still smoke cigarettes or like to enjoy a good cigar. Cigars, like cigarettes and chewing tobacco, have been scientifically proven to be bad for your health. You can still purchase a life insurance policy if you smoke, but your rates will almost certainly be higher than if you did not smoke.

It is often the case that you will need to undergo a physical exam before you can buy a policy that insures your life. The exam can be as simple as a nurse coming out to your house to check your weight, blood pressure and other vital signs. You might also be sent to a facility to have blood drawn and to give a urine sample. The insurance company wants more than your word to determine your general health before they approve your application for a policy.

Insurance companies want to know as much about you as they can before they insure your life. They want to know if you engage in risky behavior like sky-diving or swimming with the sharks. They want to know if you smoke cigars because that can lead to cancer, emphysema, or other life-shortening diseases. Whether you are buying a term-life or whole-life policy, insurance companies make money the longer the insured lives.

If you are young and in excellent physical condition, smoking an occasional cigar will probably not raise your life insurance rates. When the results of your urine test are received by the insurance company, they will see how much nicotine you have in your system. If you only smoke cigars for special occasions like the birth of a baby, you probably will be below the tolerance set for nicotine.

While smoking a cigar is still legal and your own personal choice, if you want to keep your life insurance rates down, you may also need to put down your cigar. Contact us today to learn more about what might affect your life insurance rates.

Raeford, NC Insurance Agency

Working with a Raeford, NC insurance agency can help you find the best policy for your situation and the assets that you own. An agency is an independent company that helps you compare your rates and provides the professionals that you need to find the best policy for your goals.

Ways of Finding Policies

Depending on the insurance policy that you are considering, the method of finding out more information and comparing your options can vary. For a house or car, you can quickly compare quotes and policies by using online tools. You can also talk to an agent over the phone if you are not comfortable with the online tools or if you want to ask questions.

For other forms of insurance, talking to an agent over the phone can help you find the policy that you need. An agent will ask a variety of questions to understand the policy that is most appropriate.

Saving on Coverage

The key reason that an agency can help is by providing the information that you need to make an educated decision. Your assets can have a variety of coverage options available, but the plan that is best for your situation and your goals can depend on several factors. Recognizing your options can help you narrow down the choices so that you can get the best rates.

Saving on your coverage can take two forms: finding the lowest rates and providing information about discounts that may apply to the asset. The information is just as important, since discounts and promotions can vary.

An agency gives you an edge when you are looking for a policy. Compare the options that are provided and select a plan that focuses on your goals. Call today to talk to an agent and learn more about insurance policies that can protect your belongings.