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. 

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.

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.

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.

Working with a Raeford, NC insurance agency can help you find the best policy for your situation and the assets that you own. An agency is an independent company that helps you compare your rates and provides the professionals that you need to find the best policy for your goals.

Ways of Finding Policies

Depending on the insurance policy that you are considering, the method of finding out more information and comparing your options can vary. For a house or car, you can quickly compare quotes and policies by using online tools. You can also talk to an agent over the phone if you are not comfortable with the online tools or if you want to ask questions.

For other forms of insurance, talking to an agent over the phone can help you find the policy that you need. An agent will ask a variety of questions to understand the policy that is most appropriate.

Saving on Coverage

The key reason that an agency can help is by providing the information that you need to make an educated decision. Your assets can have a variety of coverage options available, but the plan that is best for your situation and your goals can depend on several factors. Recognizing your options can help you narrow down the choices so that you can get the best rates.

Saving on your coverage can take two forms: finding the lowest rates and providing information about discounts that may apply to the asset. The information is just as important, since discounts and promotions can vary.

An agency gives you an edge when you are looking for a policy. Compare the options that are provided and select a plan that focuses on your goals. Call today to talk to an agent and learn more about insurance policies that can protect your belongings.

North Carolina has one of the most ecologically diverse areas to travel through, with ocean front, mountains, and near tropical biomes. When you’re driving around and enjoying all of the sights that North Carolina has to offer, you want to keep the state’s requirements in mind for auto insurance coverage. Otherwise, the North Carolina insurance rules mean that you get points on your licenses or a fine if you don’t have it.

North Carolina requires you to hold liability insurance on your car to meet the legal requirements of the state. Liability insurance means that if you have liability financially in an accident, the insurance pays for your costs instead of you trying to pay tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket because of an accident. Likewise, the person who hits you in North Carolina would have their insurance pay out due to their liability in the accident.

Liability insurance often comes with a rider that accounts for uninsured motorists as well. While it’s legally required to have insurance in North Carolina for your car, some people will drive around without it and only deal with the issue when they get caught. Your liability insurance has uninsured motorist riders that help to pay for the damages, both physical and medical, caused by these drivers.

Looking for insurance in North Carolina? One of the best ways to find out what options you have available is by getting in touch with an independent agent and using their online quote system so you get all the quotes you need without spending a lot of time on the process. There’s nothing quite like finding out how much insurance is going to cost you when you don’t even have to get out of bed or pick up a phone to start the process.

Choosing a term life insurance policy for yourself or your loved one in Hope Mills, NC gives you the opportunity to explore a wide variety of options. With a little help from one of our independent agents, you can easily find the right type of coverage from a variety of carriers at reasonable and competitive prices. When choosing your next life insurance plan, you may be asked which premium mode you’d prefer.

Premiums for term life insurance policies can be paid in monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual installments. These payment types are known as “premium modes” and, in most cases, you’ll be given an opportunity to choose one as you set up your life insurance coverage. The term is also used by some insurance providers to describe available payment options such as automatic electronic funds transfer, credit cards and checks.

Each premium mode has its own set of unique benefits and drawbacks. For instance, choosing an annual premium mode may not only be cheaper in the long run, but it also allows you to pay off the yearly amount in one go. Monthly and quarterly premium modes are usually more convenient, but they also come with a slightly higher cost when compared to annual and semi-annual modes. The more frequent the payment schedule, the more it’s likely to cost you over time.

Whichever premium mode you ultimately choose for your term life policy depends largely on your specific circumstances. It’s important to give us a call so that we can best help you find the right payment methods for your plan. You may also be able to find helpful discounts that bring down your payment amounts and benefit from the best policies available.

Finding the right life insurance plan for your needs and family may result in considering a whole life policy in Hope Mills, NC. Depending on your plans and concerns, traditional whole life policies that are appropriate for your needs can vary. Understanding the type of plans that are available can make it easier to select a policy when you are ready to buy life insurance.

Traditional Plans

A traditional whole life policy refers to the basic plan that carries forward as long as you make payments on your premium according to the details of your contract. It will not expire and your family is guaranteed to obtain the funds after you pass away.

In a traditional plan, many insurers may offer a clause that allows you to withdraw from coverage if your circumstances change or you are not able to pay the premium.

Universal Plans

Universal life insurance policies are similar to a basic whole life plan, but it offers a little more flexibility when it comes to your payments and premium. The policy will still carry forward for your entire life and will pay out to your beneficiary when you pass away, but you have the opportunity to make changes to the plan, the amount that you will receive and even the premium that you pay. As a result, it is more flexible when unexpected life events occur. It allows you to limit the cost when times are tough so that you are not struggling to keep up with your policy.

Finding a policy that is appropriate for your goals and needs can be challenging. Contact us to today to talk to an agent for more details about your options and the type of life insurance plans that are available.

If your home in Hope Mills, NC is damage by a covered event, your home insurance is designed to help you make the required repairs. Your insurance deductible is the amount you pay out of your pocket for the repairs. You only need to pay this amount once per any event. The method for how it is paid depends on whether the company pays the contractor directly or reimburses you after the work is completed.

Direct Payment to a Contractor

In many cases, your insurance company will work directly with the contractor you have selected for the repairs. The first step is having the insurance company adjuster determine what the repairs should cost or what the company is willing to pay. You should get a few estimates from reliable contractors and the estimates need to be within the amount the insurance company is offering.

If the company decides that the repairs should cost $3,000, a payment would be made to the contractor for that amount minus your portion. For example, if your deductible is $500, the insurance company would pay $2,500. You would be responsible for paying the balance.

Homeowner Reimbursement

In the same situation, your insurance company might pay you directly. You would pay the contractor the $3,000 and receive a reimbursement from your insurance company for $2,500. However, if you have a mortgage on your home, the reimbursement check may be made out to both your and your mortgage company. Lenders often want to ensure the work actually was completed before the check will be signed over to you.

As your independent agent, we will work with the insurance company on your behalf. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us. We can also help you compare home insurance costs online to ensure that you are getting the best rates.

If you have been in an accident recently you may be wondering about how the insurance will work in regards to your medical bills and other damages. The answer to "Does the liability insurance cover my medical bills?" depends entirely upon the type of insurance that you have, and upon who was responsible for the accident.

Liability insurance is the type of coverage that is designed to cover the medical bills of other people if you were the responsible party for the accident. Thus, if you are hurt in an accident because of another person’s negligence, their liability coverage will pay your medical bills once liability has been firmly established.

On the other hand, if you are the driver responsible for the accident and you incurred medical bills as a result of the accident, your liability coverage will not generally cover your medical costs. While liability is designed to protect other people, comprehensive insurance is designed to protect you.

If you are driving and cause an accident that generates medical bills for both you and the other people involved, your insurance may be involved in a couple of ways. The liability coverage will usually be used to pay the medical costs of the other persons in the accident while the comprehensive coverage will pay the medical costs that you incur.

Having a well rounded auto insurance policy means having several different types of coverage in most cases. Your insurance agent can create a bundle that includes all the insurance you need to be sure to protect both other people and yourself in case of accidents. Check out our live comparative quotes or feel free to give us a call for a free quote today!