Hope Hills NC

What You Should Know before Loaning Out Your Car

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If you are loaning out your car in Hope Hills, NC, you may think it’s no big deal. However, there are certain insurance aspects you should know about first.

Car insurance will cover the vehicle, not the individual driver, so if you lend your car to your friend and he or she gets into an accident, then your liability coverage pays for the damages. You are also responsible for filing the claim, paying the deductible, and suffering any rate hikes. The only exception is if you never gave permission to your friend. Express permission is important. If a friend takes your car without permission, then their insurance could be used first and yours second.

You should check to see if your friend is insured before handing over the keys. Your insurance is going to be the primary coverage if an accident occurs, but if your policy maxes out, your friend’s insurance could supplement and be the secondary coverage.

You should ask what your friend is planning to do with your car, because it could invalidate your insurance coverage. For example, if your friend is planning on driving with Uber or another ride sharing service while their car is in the shop, your policy likely won’t cover an accident because the car was being used for commercial purposes.

If you are going to be frequently lending out your car to a certain friend, it may be worth it to add them to your own policy. Adding new drivers can affect your rate, depending on their driving record. Those with bad records might hurt your rates, but a good driver could actually help. Speak with an agent at Cross Creek Insurance about adding new drivers to see how it affects your rates.

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

How to Make Sure Your Homeowners Insurance is Adequate

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Most homeowners rarely think about their home insurance except for those rare times when they actually may need it. The unexpected is what catches everyone off guard. Home insurance benefits from an annual review as part of general home maintenance and protection. Talk with your agent at Cross Creek Insurance serving Hope Hills, NC and the surrounding areas at least once per year to get good advice.

Here are some tips of what to consider when making sure home insurance coverage is adequate:

  • Carefully Assess Risks and Coverage: Update the replacement cost amount that is insured by using cost estimation software with the help of your agent. Make sure the software calculates the replacement value using current construction and repair costs for the area where the home is located.
  • Extend Standard Policy Coverage: Basic home insurance coverage is usually not enough. If the home is located in a high-risk zone with a greater risk of having natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, tornados, and earthquakes, having additional insurance for these special risks is a very good idea. Potential damage from hail during thunderstorms should be covered if that risk exists. Also, consider extended replacement cost coverage for these risks because reconstruction, after a natural disaster, is more expensive due to the high demand for services following such an event.
  • City Sewer Backups: Often overlooked, is insurance coverage for damage caused by municipal sewer systems that back up. Cities will older sewage systems can clog up and the sewage may run back into a home causing damage during severe thunderstorms.
  • Expensive Personal Items: Valuable personal items in a home may not be covered, or the coverage may be limited, and they may need to have specific insurance protection.

Ask your agent at Cross Creek Insurance in Hope Hills, NC about these risks to make sure you have adequate coverage.

At What Age Should I Get Life Insurance?

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If you are thinking about getting a life insurance plan, it’s essential to know that there isn’t a set magic age for buying this coverage. Whole life insurance plans are best bought at the youngest age possible while term coverages are often purchased to offer protection for a specific time-constrained obligation. This may include providing a child’s college tuition fees in case you pass on before they get to college.

Some people choose to get both policies so that one portion can offer protection for the unknown future while the other covers different financial obligations that happen as the policy holder’s family grows. You can always get a life insurance plan from Cross Creek Insurance. We serve the entire Hope Hills, NC area and its environs.

What’s the best time to get a whole life coverage?

The perfect time to start a whole life coverage is when your kid is born. A whole life policy accrues value over time, so buying one for your child will give the protection they need during their later years. By the time your child is ready to leave home, the plan will have accumulated adequate funds that can be borrowed against the coverage to buy a house or overcome an unexpected hardship.

Basically, the younger you are when buying a life insurance coverage, the lower the premium costs will be. Since the average people’s lifespan has increased, the standard length of life insurance plans increased as well. This means that the risks of paying out a claim prematurely are lower today than before.

What’s more, there will be more time for a young one to pay premiums compared to a 60-year old person, meaning that the premium costs will vary significantly. But this doesn’t mean that old people shouldn’t get life insurance plans even if it’s for nothing more than paying for their funeral expenses when they pass on.

At Cross Creek Insurance, we can offer life insurance plans regardless of your age. Contact our Hope Hills, NC office today.

How many kinds of insurance does a small business need?

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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?

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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

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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!

Avoiding Life Insurance Loopholes

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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.

Does Commercial Insurance Cover Business Equipment?

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If you want to ensure your expensive equipment is covered if damage or disaster occurs, then you need to purchase equipment breakdown coverage in Hope Hills, NC. Traditional commercial insurance policies from Cross Creek Insurance do not cover this and if you don’t purchase this specialty type of insurance, you may have no recourse if a breakdown does occur, besides paying for repairs or replacing the item out of your own pocket. 

How Does Equipment Damage Occur? 

There are several ways that your equipment may be damaged, resulting in a loss of productivity and profits, which include:

  • Power surges
  • Short circuits
  • Employee error

What will Equipment Breakdown Insurance Cover?  

This type of insurance policy is also referred to as “boiler and machinery” policies in Hope Hull NC. When you purchase this type of policy, you will be protected against breakdowns that are the result of power surges, boiler malfunction, motor burnout and even operator error. 

This type of policy will also cover all types of equipment – both electrical and mechanical, including boilers, refrigeration systems, HVAC systems, communication equipment and more. The policy will also include coverage for any new technology you have invested in. 

Purchasing the Right Policy is Key

If you are ready to purchase this type of insurance, there are several things you should keep in mind. For example, not all policies are created equal. As a result, you need to find a reputable agent and have them help you find the right policy for your needs. 

If you are ready to purchase equipment coverage for your business, then contact the Cross Creek Insurance team serving Hope Hills, NC. You will be able to speak to professionals in the industry who can help you get the right coverage for your business and your needs. In the long run, this will pay off and ensure your business equipment is covered. 

 

What Protection Does Home Insurance Provide?

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Your home is a very important asset that needs to have proper insurance coverage. In situations in which you have a home loan or mortgage, you will have to have a home insurance policy in place. There are several types of protection that home insurance provides that can make buying home insurance a great idea, even if it is not required by a lender.  

Property Coverage

One type of coverage that your home insurance policy will provide is property coverage.  When you have a home insurance policy, you will have coverage if your home is damaged or destroyed by a storm, fire, or other calamity. The property coverage policy will also provide you with coverage for your personal property.  This will include coverage in the event a personal property item is stolen or vandalized. If you have valuable personal items, such as jewelry or expensive collectibles, you may need to purchase an insurance rider for your insurance policy.  

Liability Insurance

Another benefit of having a home insurance policy is that you will receive liability insurance coverage. Whenever you have someone come to your home you are taking on some liability for that person. If someone is injured on your property due to either an accident or negligence, you could be found liable. When you have a liability insurance policy in place, you will receive coverage in the event you are found to be liable for an accident that happened to another person. 

When you are looking for a new home insurance policy in the Hope Hills, NC area, reaching out to the Cross Creek Insurance company could be a very good option.  The Cross Creek Insurance company has experience in helping people better determine their home insurance needs and can help you get into the right policy for your personal situation.  

 

 

 

How to Choose the Right Auto Insurance Policy

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Choosing the best auto insurance policy can sometimes be a tough mountain to climb. With so many options to consider, choosing the right policy can be stressful.

To ensure you’re making the right decisions when it comes to choosing an auto insurance policy, it’s important to understand what coverages are involved. If you’re in the market for a new policy, it’s very beneficial to understand the following coverages:

Liability

Liability involves the damage made to both the property and individuals involved in the accident. If you’re at fault for an accident and there are bodily or property damages, you’ll be covered by the amount you choose. 

Collision and Comprehensive

If you’re involved in an accident, collision coverage pays for the damage caused by the impact of another vehicle or object. Comprehensive coverage covers just about anything else that can happen to your vehicle, including falling objects, fire, theft, hail, flood damage, and more. 

Medical Payments

Medical payments coverage will pay for medical bills and funeral expenses caused by an accident. These costs can be extremely high so it’s beneficial to be protected with this important coverage option. 

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists

This coverage is important when dealing with motorists that don’t have auto insurance or who are underinsured. With so many of these types of drivers out there, this coverage option is a great one to have. 

If you live in the Hope Hills, NC area and have questions about auto insurance, then Cross Creek Insurance is the company to call. We’re the experts when it comes to choosing the right auto insurance policy in Hope Hills, NC, and customer satisfaction is our number one priority. Contact Cross Creek Insurance today to learn more!