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.