Have a Sinkng Feeling Check Your Foundation

Posted on by AgentInsure

Mountains, rolling hills and 300 miles of beaches makes North Carolina an intriguing state to live in or visit. Some favorite attractions are the BlueRidge Parkway that winds for 432 miles from the Great Smokey Mountains to National Park to North Carolina Shenandoah National Park. Kure Beach Sea Turtle Patrol teaches ways to protect the endangered sea turtles. Blowing Rock Winterfest which has ice carving contests, food, WinterPaws dog show, and other winter themed events shows the festive side of winter. Across the state plenty scenic beauty and events exist to please most anyone in your family or friends.

Because of the geologic formations below the soil sometimes an instability happens. If you have ever been on a porch and had a sinking feeling before dismissing it go check your foundation. Whether buying a house or updating a policy, standard policies cover sinkhole coverage to a point. Coverage depends on how the sinkhole happened. Earthquakes take an additional endorsement for covering their damage on a home. As your local area agent I know my territory and can tell you where sinkholes are more likely to happen. Many times I even know how recently they have occurred in an area. When buying homeowners insurance it is important to cover all the bases above ground as well as below ground. Many times combining auto insurance with your homeowner policy results in a discount. Various options exist that can be added to a policy to customize it to your needs.

Before a sink hole happens stop by the office for a chat. Let’s take a look at what the possibilities are and see what is needed.

 

 

 

Hope Mills Takes Care of Its Residents

Posted on by AgentInsure

The beginning of Hope Mills NC 28348 is all in the name. It began as a grist, lumber, and saw mill because of the abundance of water. The town developed with a “can do” attitude and the community spirit of taking care of everyone. Located in Cumberland County, the community has two corn mazes. If your family wants to experience country living then visit Gallberry Farms. Experience corn hole, corn box, and tube slide. Cumberland Road Fun lets you explore your active side with laser tag, a set of batting cages, and miniature golf. A historic downtown lets you and yours do plenty of shopping finding items unique to the regions. If a bit of urban you desire Fayetteville NC is within the hour. Hope Mills NC gives you the best of both worlds.

Neighborhoods in Hope Mills are close knit with neighbors knowing each other. The area is friendly with strangers as well. To get out and about a car is needed. I as your local agent can help you find the best rate. Check out other agents websites and get some car insurance quotes. Then come visit me. All sorts of discounts exist on policies depending on the choices you make. Consider combining your homeowner policy with your car insurance policy. Putting the two together opens up other possibilities and may make you eligible for an umbrella policy which has special options. If you have an older home renovating with certain materials or adding environmentally recommended items also give discounts with premiums and tax breaks.

Enjoy rural life, raise your kids, and know your neighbors. Once in a while stop into my office. We can discuss the options and find the best policy for you.

3 Things Everyone Should Know about Car Insurance Rates

Posted on by AgentInsure

No matter how long you've had car insurance, there might be a few aspects related to your policy that you are unaware about. Fortunately, though, we're here to share a few secrets with you to help you understand how to get the most out of your insurance coverage.

Your Credit Score Matters

Did you know that your credit score influences how high or low your insurance rates are? That's right, and this gives you just another reason to make sure you pay back all of your debts and make all debt payments on time. Insurance companies predict your driving behaviors on your credit, so the better your score, the better your rates.

Never Stop Payment

Just because you've decided that you want to switch car insurance companies, this doesn't mean you should simply switch and leave your old agency in the dark. You should always go through the formal hoops of canceling your policy. Otherwise, the agency may report you to credit bureaus for non-payment of your premiums.

It Pays to Shop Around

Sure, you may have been with the same auto insurance company for the past 15 years, but what you don't realize is that you can likely save money by switching. There are many factors that influence insurance rates — many of which were not considered 15 years ago. You very well might find that new influencing factors could save you a considerable amount of money if you switch agencies.

 

Whether you just received your learners permit or you've been a licensed driver for 20 years, it's wise to speak with on of our professional North Carolina insurance agents to compare policies and see how you can save money on your insurance premiums.

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

Posted on by AgentInsure

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

Posted on by AgentInsure

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.

What Homeowners Insurance Options Are Available in NC?

Posted on by AgentInsure

As a resident of North Carolina, your homeowners insurance options are quite wide because you have the option of selecting any amount of coverage, and virtually any type of coverage, that you want and need. Every home is different, so the options that you want might be different from your neighbor’s choices. However, most homeowners in the state generally select options like these.

Insurance for the House: The home should be protected from all types of loss, and this is the insurance type that does that. You will be able to choose a policy max based upon how much you feel you would need to rebuild if disaster struck and you lost everything.

Other Building Coverage: If you have other structures on your property, those should also be covered by insurance. Some homeowners policies automatically include this coverage along with the house insurance, but always check with your agent as a policy addition may be needed to cover extra buildings. This would apply to greenhouses, tool sheds, and any other freestanding buildings on the property.

Contents Coverage: The contents of your home are significantly valuable to you and your family, whether the monetary value is high or not. If you want to be sure to have enough money to replace these home contents in a disaster, be sure to get this type of coverage. You can choose the amount of coverage you’re most comfortable with, but make sure that you estimate the current replacement cost of everything in the home to get a good figure for the policy.

Liability Insurance: Every homeowner should protect themselves from legal actions that could arise due to injuries that may happen on their property. If your friend, or in fact any property visitor, were to get hurt while anywhere on your property you could be held financially responsible for all their damages. This is one of the most important homeowners insurance options since judgments against you for injury could be so financially devastating, and this coverage prevents you from suffering those losses.

Don’t get caught without enough homeowners coverage. You can very easily compare policies on the Internet with Cross Creek Insurance Agency in minutes. Use our free quote comparison tool to get policy info from multiple major carriers, all in one convenient spot!

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

Posted on by AgentInsure

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.

What is The Penalty for not Having Auto Insurance in Lexington, NC ?

Posted on by AgentInsure

All drivers in Lexington, NC are required to maintain the state’s minimum levels of coverage for bodily injury, property damage and uninsured motorists. Anyone who has a lapse in coverage, and therefore does not meet the state’s minimum standards for a period of time, is subject to a penalty. The penalty is determined by how many lapses there have been in the previous three years and the duration of the current lapse.

What Happens When You Have a Lapse in Coverage

When you have a lapse in coverage, your auto insurance provider is required to notify the department of motor vehicles (DMV) in North Carolina. The DMV will then send you Form FS 5-7, which you must complete and return within 10 days. When submitting this form, you will need to provide proof that you have a current insurance policy and pay the appropriate fine.

The Fines and Fees

In North Carolina, the fines assessed are primarily determined by the number of previous lapses you have had in recent years. In any given three-year window, the first fine is $50. After your first lapse, the fines increase to $100 and then $150 for the second and third offense. Failure to submit this payment within 10 days results in increased fines.

Should you fail to return Form FS 5-7 with the appropriate documentation and payment within 30 days, the DMV will revoke your license plates. When you apply for new ones, you will have to pay the original fine, any late fees, a $50 service fee and the fee for new license plates.

Find Insurance Immediately

The first step to recovering from a lapse in insurance coverage is to immediately find new insurance. You can use our online tool to shop around and find a new policy today. If you need help with the DMV’s paperwork, call our agents for assistance.

Compare Cheap Car Insurance Quotes in Huntersville, NC

Posted on by AgentInsure

A car is a necessity in many parts of North Carolina, especially Huntersville, NC. You don’t have a lot in the way of public transportation, so you need rock solid insurance that isn’t going to let you down when you need it most. One of the most important features to look at with car insurance is to confirm that the monthly premium is at a rate you can afford consistently on a long term basis.

There are a few ways to get cheaper car insurance. One of the first ways is to look at comparative quotes from several insurance providers. While you can get this information on your own by contacting each carrier individually, but you won’t get the best deal. Instead, contact our independent agents so we can get in touch with the carrier for you. We have worked with the major carriers before, and they know that we talk with multiple companies before we write an insurance policy. Therefore, we get more competitive quotes than an individual talking to each company.

You can also adjust the level of coverage you get to the minimum instead of holding as much coverage as possible. Liability is the required insurance level in North Carolina, and if you cut out collision and comprehensive coverage you cut down the amount you pay monthly. However, this does mean that if you are in an at fault accident, that you aren’t going to have financial coverage for your repairs.

Deductible adjustment is another way to cut down the amount that you pay for insurance. The higher you set your deductible, the less you pay per month. Talk to our independent insurance agents in Huntersville, NC to get your free online insurance quotes.

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

Posted on by AgentInsure

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.