Life Insurance Terms Everyone Should Know

Life insurance can be a confusing topic to figure out. Here are a few terms that will help you clearly speak the language of life insurance. For more details on these terms or on any other life insurance questions you have, trust the professionals at Cross Creek Insurance serving Hope Hills, NC to meet your needs.

Annuity: This pays out a fixed sum of money to the policyholder at regular intervals

Beneficiary: The person or people are chosen by the policyholder to receive the proceeds from an insurance policy if the insured dies

Death Benefit: Amount of money paid out to a beneficiary after the policyholder dies

Evidence of Insurability: Documentation provided during the application process to prove the health of the insured person.

Face Value: This is the amount of money that will be paid out when the insured dies. For example, if the insured purchases a $100,000 policy, that is the amount that their beneficiaries will receive.

Insured: The person that benefits will be paid out for in the event of their death

Life Insurance: When a policyholder pays premiums to an insurance company, and the insurance company agrees to pay the face value to the beneficiaries upon the insured’s death

Living Benefits: Advance cash payment of part of a policy before the policyholder dies. Provides financial assistance to the insured before their death

Policy Holder: The person who bought or owns the life insurance policy

Term: The amount of time that the policyholder is insured

Underwriter: The person or company that decides if a potential policyholder is insurable

To find out more about life insurance or get a policy, contact the team at Cross Creek Insurance serving Hope Hills, NC today!

Why do businesses in North Carolina need commercial insurance?

In the Hope Hills, NC area, there are a lot of opportunities for businesses to be successful. Those that are looking to build a business in this area of the state need to make sure they insure and protect it as well as they can. A great way you can do this is by getting commercial insurance, which offers several forms of protection. 

Stay in Good Standing with Requirements

An important reason to have commercial insurance in this area is so you can stay in good standing with your requirements. Those who choose to start a business may need to raise money from banks or investors and may want to lease a building to operate out of. In these types of agreements, there is almost always a requirement when it comes to maintaining commercial insurance. If you do not have this coverage, you will be out of compliance and could face penalization. 

Protect Solvency of Company

You also should get a commercial insurance plan as it can help to protect the solvency of your business. To start any type of business today, you will need a lot of capital to get it off the ground. Losing this investment due to an accident or unforeseen event can be very damaging. Due to the coverage it provides, a commercial insurance plan can help to protect this solvency.

As you are looking for a commercial insurance plan in the Hope Hills, NC area, it would always be a good idea for you to speak with a professional. The team with Cross Creek Insurance offers the support needed to build a proper plan. Cross Creek Insurance can help by carefully evaluating and assessing your situation and helping you build a plan that will meet your needs. 

What type of life insurance is right for me in North Carolina?

Those that are in the Hope Hills, NC area are going to want to have proper insurance in place at all times. A form of coverage that all people should consider here is life insurance. There are several forms of life insurance to consider when you are in the market, the two most common of which are whole and term life. You should consider the features of each plan type when choosing a new policy. 

Term Life Coverage

A common form of coverage to have here is term life insurance. People often prefer to have term life insurance because it provides coverage for a specified period of time and can come with any policy level that you want. This makes it easier to build a plan that is curtailed to meet your needs. Further, the premiums tend to be more affordable than other policy options.

Whole Life Coverage

People all over this state should also consider getting a whole life insurance plan. When you have whole life coverage, you can have a life insurance plan that will provide coverage for the rest of your life. An added benefit is that a whole life plan will provide you with an investment benefit as some of your regular payment will build in an account and grow with interest, which you can close and convert to cash in the future. 

Choosing a life insurance plan in the Hope Hills, NC area is always going to be an important decision. If you are looking for a new plan here, it would be a good idea for you to call Cross Creek Insurance. Those that are going to work with Cross Creek Insurance can learn a lot about their different insurance options and will receive the support needed to choose a new plan that provides the ideal coverage for their situation. 

Benefits of Getting Commercial Insurance

As a business owner, you probably understand how important commercial insurance is. The decision to not have it can cost you the business or eat up all your profits. There are many benefits of having business insurance, and the insurance agency Cross Creek Insurance serving Hope Hills, NC and other nearby towns prepared a list of its main advantages: 

Benefits of Having Commercial Insurance

  • Liability. One of the main benefits is that you as a business owner are covered for liability. If someone is injured on your business site, and you do not have proper commercial insurance, you may end up paying thousands of dollars for medical bills. 
  • Theft. Business insurance also covers equipment and goods that have been stolen. Thus, if you kept your business stuff in a warehouse, and it was stolen, commercial insurance will cover its replacement. So you can quickly get a new inventory and continue operating your business. 
  • Natural disasters. By buying business insurance, you are protecting your equipment and inventory in case if they are destroyed by a natural disaster. If you do not carry commercial insurance and your assets and commercial building are affecting by a disaster, you will have to cover all the losses yourself.

Cross Creek Insurance – We Are Here To Help You and Your Business

If you operate your business in Hope Hills, NC or any other surrounding town, and you are looking for a reliable insurance agency to get commercial insurance, Cross Creek Insurance is here for you. Our insurance agency is dedicated to protecting your financial future and the future of your business. Feel free to give us a call if you have any questions or you want to know more about the insurance solutions we offer. 

Types of Life Insurance Policies

We have all heard about the relevance of buying life insurance at some point and even thought of getting one. But do you know the types of life insurance policies and the recommended ones to consider for your needs? In Hope Hills, NC, Cross Creek Insurance is here to give you guidance and direction on the types of life insurance policies and help you get the right one.

Whole Life Insurance Policy

As long as you pay the premiums, this type of life insurance policy lasts until your death. There is a guaranteed rate of return on the policy’s cash value in this type of life insurance policy. This is because the premiums stay the same, and the death benefit amounts don’t change. The whole life insurance policy is beneficial as it provides coverage for your entire life as builds cash value.

Term Life Insurance Policy

As the name suggests, this types of life insurance policy provide coverage for a specific period. The coverage amounts vary on the policy depending on the premiums you are willing to pay.

Group Life Insurance Policy

While this type of life insurance policy is not mandatory in Hope Hills NC, it is essential to employers who seek to offer workplace benefits to their staff. The basis of the premiums is as a group and not individually. As a benefit, the coverage comes for free to the employees with the option of buying individual supplemental life insurance if need be.

Endowment Life Insurance Policy

With this type of life insurance policy, you have a combination of savings and protection. When the policyholder meets an untimely death, the insurance provider promises to pay an assured sum to the nominee. However, the policyholder receives the total payout as the maturity benefits if there is survival of the policy term.

At Cross Creek Insurance, we commit ourselves to provide the right guidance and direction on life insurance policies. Reach out today and let us help meet your insurance goals.

Commercial Insurance Add-ons to Consider

Small business owners in Hope Hills, NC, operate on a tight budget, and expenses like insurance that don’t generate day-to-day revenue can easily fall on the wayside. Sadly, if you ignore insurance for your business, it can end in disaster when the unexpected strikes. 

While most businesses adhere to the state-required business insurance coverages, Cross Creek Insurance shares commercial insurance add-ons you should budget for to get the best out of your business insurance coverage. Besides the mandatory required workers’ comp and commercial auto insurance coverages, other add-ons you can consider for your business insurance include:

  • Commercial property insurance: It covers your business assets like the building, inventories, computer equipment, and furniture from risks like theft, vandalism, fire, and other natural calamities. You can bundle this coverage with business interruption insurance to protect your revenues when your business operations are in jeopardy. 
  • General liability insurance: Whether an online, home-based, or traditional business, you need general liability insurance to protect your business and employees against bodily injury, property damage, and advertising injury caused to third parties.
  • Business owner’s policy (BOP): This insurance bundles property insurance and business general liability coverage. Businesses looking to save costs on insurance can consider BOP since it’s more affordable. 
  • Cyber liability insurance: If you store sensitive customer data, this coverage protects you when there is a data breach. 
  • Professional liability insurance: This coverage protects your business from alleged negligence or missed deadlines when rendering professional services. This coverage is applicable for businesses like accounting, legal, auditing, and investment professions, where stakeholders rely on your professional advice to make decisions.
  • Umbrella insurance: You are aware that expensive lawsuits can wipe your assets, eating away all the gains you have made over the years. Thankfully, umbrella insurance provides an extra layer of liability protection for claims exceeding your typical commercial insurance.

Would you like to boost commercial insurance for your Hope Hills, NC business? Please contact Cross Creek Insurance for a personalized quote.

How much life insurance is enough

One of the most important decisions you will ever make is how much life insurance is enough. Having an independent insurance agent who knows you and whom you can trust with your life is essential. In Hope Hills, NC Cross Creek Insurance is your local independent agency. We take our responsibility to provide the finest customer services seriously. With more than 20 years of experience, we are happy to share that experience with our customers. 

How much life insurance is enough is not a simple one size fits all answer. To come up with an amount that is right for you, several things have to be considered. After you have analyzed the answers to the following questions, you will be better able to come up with a figure that makes sense. 

Who depends on you?

Are you responsible for providing monetary support to anyone beyond yourself? If you are young and single and your parents and siblings are all financially independent, you may need very little life insurance. One thing to keep in mind, however, is whether or not you plan to marry and have children at some point in your life. If that is the case, you will never find life insurance at a lower rate than when you are young and healthy, 

How much money do you owe?

You should have enough life insurance to cover any debt you have. If you own a home, that includes your mortgage. 

Do you have young children?

Providing for them is one consideration that really matters. Without your income, their lifestyle could be dramatically changed. As a loving parent, you want to make sure they can stay in the home they love and not have any other changes in their life. Consider between 7 and 10 years of your income as the standard for life insurance coverage.

If you are looking for life insurance in Hope Hills, NC Cross Creek Insurance is here for you. Stop by our office or give us a call. 

Commercial Insurance Can Protect Your Business

If you have a business or you’re thinking of starting one and you’re in the Hope Hills, NC area, Cross Creek Insurance can help with your commercial insurance needs. Depending on the type of business you have, there are different kinds of insurance coverage options to consider. Most businesses need insurance, especially if they have employees working on-site or customers coming through their doors. Someone who works online from home might not need coverage, but it can also depend on the type of business they have.

Rather than take the chance of not being covered when you need to be, it’s much better and safer to work with a knowledgeable agent so you can have the protection your business deserves. Then if an employee or customer ever makes a claim against your business for an injury or other issue, you can have some peace of mind in knowing that you have coverage. The best way to feel secure in your insurance policy choices is to talk to professionals and get the needed information so you can make the right coverage decision. Then you can get back to focusing on operating your business instead of worrying about insurance.

Reach out to us at Cross Creek Insurance today, if you’re in the Hope Hills, NC area and need a commercial insurance policy. Whether you have a policy on your existing business or you’re starting a business and need to find out what insurance options you have, we’re here to help you get the information and coverage you’re looking for. It’s not just the peace of mind that comes with insurance, but also the protection and security that’s so important. By working with us, you can find the right type of coverage so you can get on with building your business.

Protect Your Loved Ones With a Life Insurance Policy

Having life insurance is one of the best ways to show your family how much you care about them. That’s because this kind of insurance isn’t to protect you but to protect the people you love if you pass away. When you choose a quality life policy you’re letting your loved ones know that you want to keep them safe and make sure they have what they need even if you’re not able to provide for them any longer. If you’re in the Hope Hills, NC area, Cross Creek Insurance can help you find the right policy for your needs.

The level of insurance you choose for your family’s protection will depend on several factors, and it’s easier to figure out what kind of policy will be best for your situation if you work with a trusted agent. Our dedicated professionals are focused on helping you make the right choice, so you have peace of mind and feel good about the policy you choose. Then you can just enjoy the time with your family, knowing that you’re taking good care of them in all the ways that matter. 

There’s so much to explore in the Hope Hills, NC area, and when you’re not spending any time worrying about life insurance issues you can get out and enjoy the area more. By reaching out to us today at Cross Creek Insurance, you can get the help and information you need to find the right insurance policy for your needs. We’re here and ready to help, so you can have proper coverage and make sure the people you love are protected in the event of your death. People don’t like to think about passing away, but getting good insurance to protect your family could help make your worries over that event much smaller.

Required Commercial Insurance in North Carolina

When you have a small business in North Carolina, there are certain types of insurance that you are required to have to meet state requirements. If you need commercial insurance for your business, call us at Cross Creek Insurance in Hope Hills, NC.

Workers’ Compensation

If your business has at least three employees, it is required that you have workers’ compensation insurance for your employees. This is required whether your employees are part-time or full-time. This insurance coverage pays for the medical bills for employees who have an accident while working or get ill from something at work. This helps to protect your business by paying these bills instead of the business having to come up with steep bills. It also protects the employees. They know that if they should have an accident, the bills will be covered. 

Commercial Auto

If a vehicle in North Carolina is owned by a business of any size, it must have a commercial auto insurance policy. This policy has a set minimum amount for bodily injury liability for one person as well as another figure for the injury liability for the entire accident. There is another minimum amount required for property damage liability for an entire accident. This does not include any coverage for the business’ car- it pertains to third parties. There is also a set minimum amount of uninsured motorist coverage for each person in the accident and another amount for the entire accident. There is another set minimum amount required for property damage for the accident. 

Get Your Commercial Insurance

If your business needs to be insured, call us at Cross Creek Insurance in Hope Hills, NC. Make an appointment with an agent to discuss your business insurance needs.