The summertime is fast approaching and you are ready for a fresh new look in your home. Start with some quick tips that will keep your home fresh and clean throughout the summer months. You can also rely on the Hope Hills, NC agents at Cross Creek Insurance to give you information regarding home insurance.

Start with your refrigerator. It’s time to pull out all the old food and remove the shelves. Throw away any food that has spoiled or is past its expiration. Wipe down the inside of the refrigerator with mild soap and water. Avoid using harsh sprays because this can linger and damage your food and drinks.

The coffee maker should be your next stop in the kitchen. Depending on whether you have a single-cup maker or a multiple-cup coffee maker, you should run it through a cleaning cycle with vinegar and water. If there are stubborn coffee deposits, you can soak it in soap and water.

Toast is another morning favorite, but the toaster has had its challenges. When you begin to smell burning due to random crumbs at the bottom of the toaster, it is time to clean it. Some toasters have a small removable crumb tray. Wipe the rest of the appliance with a damp washcloth.

Remove all the blinds and wipe them down with a damp sponge. While the blinds are down, you should also clean the windows. If your house has ceiling fans, this is the perfect time to clean them as well as any light fixtures.

A great non-abrasive cleaner is a baking soda and water combination. You can turn it into a paste for a porcelain bathtub or tile walls.

Having your home clean for the summer can make your season go smoothly. Talk with one of the agents in Hope Hills, NC at Cross Creek Insurance to discuss your homeowner’s policy and its coverage.

Here at Cross Creek Insurance, serving the greater Hope Hills, NC area, we recommend that you take a look at your home insurance policy every two to three years and ensure it still meets your needs. But there are also a few times that you should automatically change it without having to wait. Here are three of the times when you should update your home insurance policy. 

You’ve Renovated or Remodeled Your Home

Following a home renovation or remodel project, you should take the time to update your home insurance policy. After remodeling or renovating, the value of your home and the items contained inside have changed. As such, you may need to update your policy limits to ensure your new materials or space will be fully covered in the event disaster strikes. 

You’ve Purchased Expensive Items

Another reason why you may need to update your home insurance policy is that you’ve purchased new items for your home. When you’ve purchased new items for your homes, such as jewelry, art, pricey furniture or electronics, you want to ensure these items are covered against theft and damage. Updating your policy helps to ensure that happens. 

You’ve Made Life Changes

Lastly, if you have made changes in your life, you may want to update your policy. This includes getting married, having a baby or retiring. You should always look at all of your insurance policies when making life changes. 

Do you need to update your home insurance policy or purchase a new one in the greater Hope Hills, NC area? Then contact Cross Creek Insurance today. We can help you find the right insurance policy for your needs. Call us now to get started. 

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.

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. 

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.  

 

 

 

Home insurance is something that all homeowners should have and it covers a wide range of things. For the most part, home insurance covers the typical issues that might pop up here and there, but there are also some pretty strange things that it covers. For those that live in the Hope Hills, NC area, the agents with Cross Creek Insurance can tell you just what your policy covers.

Aside from your typical fire and burst pipes coverage, most policies have what is called an open peril policy that covers the cost of things that fall from the sky. This means things like plane parts, meteors, and any other object that might fall from the sky to land on your home. Another clause that most policies have is to cover volcano eruptions. This only covers damage from the volcano, however, not from any associated earthquakes.

Your homeowner’s policy may also help cover reward money if your home is broken into and you want to offer a reward. On top of all that, your policy may also cover the cost of clean up for any unattended death, murder, suicide, or another major injury in the home. This is not something that every single policy has but rather something that many have. If you are curious, you should contact your agent to see if your policy covers it. Lastly, your policy may cover tombstones if they are damaged, cracked, or otherwise damaged by people playing pranks.

For those in the Hope Hills, NC area, the agents with Cross Creek Insurance can tell you just what strange things your policy covers and what you may want to add additional coverage for in order to be fully protected.

How much you will have to pay for your Hope Hills, NC home insurance reflects a variety of things. Here are five things that can make a big difference to your home insurance rate from Cross Creek Insurance.

Location

Several pieces of the location puzzle can change your home insurance rate. If you live in an area with a higher crime rate, your rates will be higher. Also, if your home is a significant distance from the fire station or from a fire hydrant, you will be at  a higher risk for major losses if you have a house fire. Locations where there is risk for wildfire, earthquakes, sinkholes, and severe storms like hurricanes or tornados will have higher insurance rates.

Age of the Home

Very old homes may not be covered under certain insurance policies, and some companies give discounts to those who purchase newer homes.

Swimming Pools, Trampolines and Pets

Homes that feature swimming pools and trampolines may have higher home insurance rates. There is a higher incidence of accidents related to the ownership of these fun, but somewhat risky family activities, and that means that owners of these items are more likely to make a claim. Also, owners of certain breeds of dogs may have higher insurance rates, because some breeds are seen as more likely to attack.

Credit Score

Some homeowner’s insurance companies charge more to those with poor credit scores. It pays off when you pay your bills on time each month and improve your credit score if it’s low.

Frequent Claims

If you have a record of making many claims over the past few years, it  may make your insurance rate go up. For this reason, if damage is not going to be very expensive to repair, some people simply pay for the repair out of pocket, rather than risk that the homeowner’s insurance rate will go up.

Some of these things you can control, like paying your bills on time, not filing too many claims, maintaining your home, and avoiding owning trampolines or aggressive dogs. Others are factors you may want to consider before you buy a home, like the crime rate and the distance from the fire station. If you have questions about your home insurance rate in Hope Hills, NC or the surrounding area, you can contact Cross Creek Insurance Company.

Your homeowners insurance is there to protect you when the unexpected happens. At Cross Creek Insurance, our goal is to provide you with a policy that meets your needs and helps you to remain financially protected as a property owner. Yet, there are often questions about what a home insurance policy covers. The best answer comes directly from one of our experienced agents about the specific terms listed in your policy.

What About Hot Water Heaters?

Perhaps your hot water heater leaked and caused damage to the home. Home insurance does not cover all instances of water damage to a home. However, it may cover some of the damage caused by a hot water heater that was properly maintained and an unavoidable instance occurred. For example, your policy may cover damage to the home if the water heater was properly maintained, but the pipes froze anyway, leading to a rupture. Most home insurance policies will not cover the replacement of the water heater itself – though it may cover the damage repair. Generally, this is considered a normal step in maintaining your home.

What Should You Do Now?

If you have damage to your home from a damaged water heater that leaked throughout the area, call your agent at Cross Creek Insurance. We’ll help you determine if your existing home insurance policy covers the damage or not. More so, we can help you make any claims that you may qualify for. Every situation is different. There’s no reason not to give us a call.

We can also help you update your home insurance to provide comprehensive support. We serve clients in Hope Hills, NC and the surrounding area. Ask us for a quote on a more thorough home insurance policy to fit your home’s specific risks.   

 

Winter is coming to a close in Hope Hills, NC. If you are like most people, then you can’t wait for things to warm up outside so you can enjoy the spring awakening. Before you do that, though, you need to do a few things around your home to get it ready for the season. Use this list of things from Cross Creek Insurance to get you started.

• Clean around your home. You don’t have to go crazy with spring cleaning, but you should take some time to clean around your home. Even dusting can make a huge difference.
• Get your A/C checked. You may not need it quite yet but you will before you know it so go ahead and have some maintenance on it. The last thing you want is to try to use it and find out it needs a repair. Get ahead of that now.
• Plant some spring flowers. There are so many flowers that bloom in the spring, and if you have the room outside for some, you may want to consider planting some. You can even opt for flowers that will bloom year after year. If you do not have space outside, you can get some flowers for the inside of your home. You will be happy you did this in a few weeks when they start blooming because it will make a huge difference for the spring.

Other than these things, the other thing you need to look at is your home insurance policy. If you do not already have a policy, you should contact Cross Creek Insurance, serving Hope Hills, NC, for a  free quote. If you do have a policy, they can check it to make sure you do not have any gaps in coverage.

There are many different types of insurance policies that the average person buys and owns. Two of the most common are home insurance and auto insurance policies. If you are in the market for one or both of these types of insurance, you may find yourself wondering if you should bundle them. Bundling the policies is typically beneficial. Here are a few of the benefits you may experience by bundling home and auto insurance policies.

Bundling Discount

One of the biggest benefits associated with bundling your home and auto insurance policy is a bundling discount. Typically, insurance companies will give you a discount when you bundle two or more of their insurance policies. This shows brand loyalty and insurers will reward you for this in the form of discounts. The amount of the discount varies from company to company, but generally the discount is significant enough to make bundling well worth it.

Working With One Insurance Company

The other benefit to bundling your home and auto insurance policy is that you only have to work with one insurance company. You don’t have to worry about paying multiple premiums to multiple companies or trying to remember which insurer to call when you need service. You can build a repertoire with one company and work with one agent or broker for all of your insurance needs. This is beneficial to both you and the insurance company, as you can both learn more about each other with this type of close business bond.

If you are looking to start a new home insurance policy, auto insurance policy or bundle both in the greater Hope Hills, NC area, give Cross Creek Insurance a call. Let us help you find the right insurance policies for you at a price you can afford.