How many kinds of insurance does a small business need?

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?

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

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!

When Should You Get Life Insurance?

Life insurance can help protect family members left behind after death in Hope Hills, NC. Many young people do not think about life insurance because they are more concerned with the present time instead of the future, and no one wants to think about his or her premature death. The best time to purchase life insurance is at birth because, as each year passes, a policy becomes more expensive. When a parent purchases life insurance for a child, the policy is prepaid and then transferred once the child turns 18.

The cash from life insurance grows tax-deferred. When a policy is purchased at a young age, the money can be used as a down payment on a home or, if held onto long enough, it could be used to supplement retirement income instead of being used for death benefits. Since many people struggle with finances in today’s economy, many choose to skip life insurance. It is important to know that there are options available depending on needs. An agent at Cross Creek Insurance can help you with the right options for your situation.

If life insurance is not purchased when the child is young, it’s best to purchase it under the age of 35. However, many people in this category are more concerned with paying immediate bills than worrying about the future.

It can be costly to forgo life insurance at a young age. It’s usually much cheaper to purchase earlier in life. Not only can be it be more expensive, it can also be more difficult to acquire life insurance. As an individual gets older medical conditions can arise, which lead to higher premiums and the possibility that coverage could be denied.

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

Does Your Auto Insurance Coverage Damage Caused By Drunk Driving?

If you live in Hope Hills, NC and caused an accident while drunk driving, you may be worried about your insurance coverage. We at Cross Creek Insurance can assure you that some types of policies will help even if you are drunk driving.

If you have liability insurance on your car, then your policy will cover the accident you cause while driving drunk. That is the purpose of liability insurance: to cover problems that you cause in an accident. However, it will only cover the damage that you cause to others.

For example, if you seriously devastate somebody’s car in an accident and cause them any kind of injury, your insurance will pay for their repair and health bills. However, your liability coverage will have a limit and, if courts decide you must pay these expenses, you will pay the rest once your insurance is done.

And if you are convicted of a DUI offense or any other crime after the accident, your insurance rates will skyrocket. At that point, you are now considered a high-risk driver. While that label won’t stay on your record forever, it will be hard to shake. Thankfully, your policy will not be canceled by your provider because of an accident.

If you are not only drunk but driving recklessly (such as driving at extreme speeds), your legal problems are going to be huge if you are caught. However, your insurance company will still pay for any accidents you cause, as long as you have liability insurance.

The reasons they pay for both drunken driving and reckless driving accidents is simple. While these actions are against the law, you did not engage in them to cause an accident. Therefore, people injured by your actions will still get help from your policy.

Obviously, it is best if Hope Hills, NC residents simply avoid drunk driving completely. And if you live in the area and want great liability insurance, please contact us at Cross Creek Insurance today.

Top Tips for Marketing Your Commercial Property

Do you have commercial property in Hope Hills, NC that you would like to sell? If so, it is pertinent that you market your properties to your fullest potential. The better you market the properties, the more likely you will create a bidding war between potential buyers, which is an excellent way to drive up the selling price. For now, here is a quick look at two of the top tips for marketing your commercial properties.

Market Yourself Along With your Listings

The Internet has made it possible to make everyone’s voice heard. This may seem like an old trick but the latest ways to self-promote, like content marketing, is a big part of brand-building strategies. Even though today’s consumers on the Internet are being blasted by advertising languages on every page, there are ways to build your brand and increase notoriety through content marketing. To do this, you should start your very own web publication that focuses on commercial properties and why they make a good investment. In doing this, you can establish yourself as a leader in the commercial property real estate industry. Clients will then be more likely to view your commercial properties that are up for sale.

Video for Visual

Humans are visual creatures. You work hard on your listing, so why not vamp it up using video? There are two valuable advantages you’ll gain with video marketing. The first is that video adds a new dimension when it comes to exploring the property. It adds a better feel and depth, helping to inspire the viewer and giving them a feeling that they are actually in person looking at the commercial building structure and land you are selling. YouTube is a great place to publish and market your video listings and has proven itself time and time again as a solid form of commercial property advertising.

Contact Us Today

During the process of selling your commercial properties, you will need to maintain the appropriate type of insurance. To learn more about commercial insurance policies, contact the Cross Creek Insurance today serving the Hope Hills, NC area.

Does Homeowner’s Insurance Cover Home Based Business Claims?

As more people develop side-hustles to supplement their incomes from their day jobs, home-based businesses are popping up in many neighborhoods. It never occurs to many homeowners that, as the business grows, their insurance needs may change. These tips from Cross Creek Insurance will help Hope Hills, NC home and business owners make wise insurance decisions.

Don’t Make Assumptions

Don’t assume that your homeowner’s insurance will cover your business too.  In some cases, your business property won’t be covered in case of a claim, so a break-in, fire, or storm could leave you on the line for replacing expensive business items. Additionally, in some cases, using your home as a place of business may even invalidate your home insurance. Check with your insurance agent to develop an insurance plan that won’t leave you at risk.

Consider Limits of Liability

Look around your home office and tally up the full cost of your business related items. Computers, printers, inventory, and tools for your trade may add up to thousands of dollars invested in your business. Adding the costs these business items onto the costs of your personal property means that a total loss may exceed the maximum of liability coverage on your homeowner’s policy. A business policy or a business rider on your homeowner’s policy can help you avoid losing the hard-earned money you’ve invested in your business.

If Clients Come to Your Home Office, You Need Protection

If clients, salespeople, or co-workers come to your home office, you definitely need business liability insurance. If your visiting nephew slips on the stairs and sprains his ankle, your homeowner’s insurance will pay for medical treatment. But, if your client slips on the same stairs, it’s likely that your homeowner’s insurance will not cover his medical treatment. Protect yourself, your business and your clients by adding business liability insurance to your policy.

If you have more questions about the insurance needs of your home-based business in Hope Hills, NC, contact Cross Creek Insurance.

Are Auto Insurance Rates Climbing In North Carolina?

A recent survey found that the average driver pays just over $1,400 per term for auto insurance in 2018. Such number is around 20 percent more than what consumers were paying for similar policies in 2011. Although North Carolina was not listed as one of the most expensive regarding indemnity policies for cars and trucks, it is certainly counted among those regions with climbing rates. Why you may wonder, is insurance in Hope Hills, NC and beyond getting more expensive? Blame it on technology and population, and then look to Cross Creek Insurance for help.

It is no secret that cars are becoming more complex every year. An infotainment system used to be something that only luxury auto buyers could possess. Now, the feature comes standard in every car. The convenience of having everything from navigation to SiriusXM radio at your fingertips does not come at a low price. As car prices rise, so do auto insurance rates. Thus, the reason why you may find yourself paying well over $150 per month to assure a compact car.

Technology also comes with the disadvantage of distraction.  A person torn between finding his favorite station on the radio and connecting his smartphone to the car’s system is not concerned about what is in front of him. You may find yourself rear-ended if you are that unlucky automobile in his path. Distraction becomes an even bigger problem in urban areas because the population in these regions is higher. Imagine twenty people on the highway trying to organize their day via their smartphone while driving. The combination is a recipe for disaster.

There is no way of completely avoiding an accident in Hope Hills, NC, but there is a solution to the financial turmoil that you may face after having a car wreck. You can find the right indemnity policy now that will cover everything from your damaged vehicle to the other person’s medical bills. Call Cross Creek Insurance today for a quote!

Three Reasons Why You May Want to Insure an Inoperable Vehicle

One of the biggest myths out there is that you only need to ensure a car when it is operable or being driven on the roads. Here at Cross Creek Insurance, serving the greater Hope Hills, NC area, we want to educate everyone on the importance of ensuring inoperable vehicles as well. Here are three key reasons you may wish to keep an inoperable vehicle insured.

Covers Vandalism

If you have an inoperable vehicle, you may not be able to get into a car accident in the car, but it can still be vandalized. If someone throws a rock at it or breaks the window, comprehensive car insurance can help cover the loss caused by these things.

Covers Theft

An inoperable vehicle may be more of a challenge to steal, but that does not mean that it cannot happen. Someone may tow or haul away your inoperable vehicle and your neighbors may not say anything, thinking that you sold the unused car or are having it repaired. Comprehensive auto insurance helps to protect you against the financial loss that a stolen car may cause you.

Helps You Register Your Vehicle

The last reason why you may wish to keep an inoperable vehicle insured is that it helps you to register your vehicle. In many states, if you don’t have insurance, you can’t insure the car. And even inoperable cars need to be registered or you can be ticketed for having an unregistered car on your property.

If you have an inoperable vehicle that is not currently insured, now is the perfect time to insure it. Contact Cross Creek Insurance, serving the greater Hope Hills, NC area, for a free estimate today.

Avoiding Life Insurance Loopholes

Hope Hills, NC residents need high-quality life insurance to protect their families. However, there are many loopholes that are easy to fall into when getting this type of coverage. We’ve seen them all at Cross Creek Insurance and can help you avoid them.

Lying On Your Application

The truth will set you free when it comes to life insurance. If you lie on your policy and your provider finds out, they can deny your policy. Lying can be as simple as misrepresenting a disease you have or even denying a serious life-changing condition, such as cancer when buying a policy.

Drug And Alcohol Use

This loophole can be a very problematic one for many people. It states that if you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol when you die, the insurance company can deny your claim. This fact is true even if the drugs or alcohol had nothing to do with your death. It can be a very troubling one if you enjoy a drink now and again and die at home due to a heart attack not related to your alcohol intake.

The Suicide Loophole

Those who are suffering from a serious disease may try to use suicide as a way of helping their families. As a result, life insurance companies have a clause that allows them to deny payment for the first two years of the policy. After that, beneficiaries only receive the premiums the policyholder paid for their deaths.

Performing Dangerous Activities

Traveling to dangerous or even war-torn areas, performing extreme sports, or doing other dangerous activities can void your life insurance. That’s because you weren’t taking due care to prevent your death.

Keeping Your Coverage Active

If you want your Hope Hills, NC life insurance to pay off, please contact us at Cross Creek Insurance. Our experts will make sure you don’t fall into these loopholes and void your policy, leaving your beneficiaries in a tough situation.