How does my home insurance deductible work in Nashville, NC?

When choosing a mortgage to protect your Nashville, SC home, you have many choices. One of the most important choices you have is which deductible you want. Understanding what a deductible is and how it can potentially affect you and your family is important. Hedgepeth-Hutson Insurance Services Inc. can answer all your questions and give you the information you need to make an informed decision.

What Is a Deductible?

When you file a claim, you are responsible for paying your part. That part is the deductible. A common deductible might be $500 or $1,000. 

Say, for instance, that you file a claim that a storm damaged your roof, and it will cost $5,000 to repair the damages. If your deductible is $500, you will pay $500 and your insurance company will pay $4,500. 

Choosing a Deductible

When you are already facing a crisis, it can be even more stressful when you have to come up with part of the money to pay for the damages. You want to find a deductible you are comfortable with. However, the lower your deductible, the more your premiums will probably cost.

You will need to pay more per month to have a smaller deductible. You probably shouldn’t file a claim if your damage is less than the deductible.

Choose a Deductible In Nashville, SC That You Can Afford

If anything should happen to your home, you will depend on your insurance to help you recover and get back to normal. If your deductible is too high, you may have trouble making the payment. At the same time, you don’t want to pay more for your premium than necessary. If you have questions or want to compare different policies, please call Hedgepeth-Hutson Insurance Services Inc. today.

Hanging Holiday Lights? Avoid These Mishaps That Can Damage Your Home

At Hedgepeth-Hutson Insurance Services Inc, serving the greater Nashville, NC area, we want to help all of our customers have a very merry holiday season. Unfortunately, homeowners make common mistakes when they are hanging holiday lights that can negatively impact your home or be damaging to it. Here are two common mishaps homeowners make when hanging holiday lights that can damage your home.

Avoid Overloading Your Electrical System

Hanging a ton of lights on your home may seem like a good idea in theory, but most homes do not have the electrical system to support all of those lights. As such, if you are hanging holiday lights and putting up decorations, you should keep it simple to avoid overloading your electrical system. If you want to do something extravagant, hire an electrician before the holiday season to help ensure your electrical system can support your big ideas. 

Never Use Nails on Your Roof or Gutter

Secondly, you should avoid using nails or staples to hang holiday lights on your roof or gutters. Nails and staples can leave tiny holes behind, which can cause water issues once the lights have been removed. Always use light hooks to ensure you do not damage your roof or gutter when hanging lights. 

Damaging your home can lead to costly repairs and may cause other issues to your home. Unfortunately, if you cause the damage, home insurance will not likely pick up the tab for the repairs. As such, you want to learn what you should avoid doing so your bright decorating ideas do not wind up costing you money. At Hedgepeth-Hutson Insurance Services Inc., serving the greater Nashville, NC region, we are here to help you year-round with your insurance needs, including homeowners insurance. Reach out to us today if you are looking to obtain a new homeowners insurance policy. 

Is Home Insurance Required in North Carolina?

Homeownership in Nashville, NC is a great personal accomplishment; North Carolina is one of the best places you can buy a home, settle down, start a career, raise a family, and enjoy all the things the state has to offer. The team at Hedgepeth-Hutson Insurance Services Inc. understands the process of purchasing home insurance and we’re here to help you through every step. 

While home insurance in North Carolina is not required by law, it’s the best way to maintain peace of mind about the biggest financial investment in your life. You pinched pennies, you made sacrifices, you traveled less and cooked at home more, all so you could afford the home of your dreams. Don’t risk financial hardship by not investing in proper quality insurance to protect your home and the personal property inside! 

If you worked with a lender to secure your home loan, they most likely require you to hold a home insurance policy in the event of any damage to the home that requires repairs or replacing. Insurance covers the majority of these costs, so you don’t have to dip into savings to fix the damage. 

At Hedgepeth-Hutson Insurance Services Inc., we have some of the best insurance agents in the business, and they’re happy to help you select the best insurance policy for your home, personal belongings inside the home, and structures on your property. It’s difficult to predict what could happen, but with the unpredictable weather patterns in North Carolina, we can safely say that you’re better off with a home insurance policy you can count on. 

Nashville, NC is a wonderful place to live. Invest in a home insurance policy that suits your lifestyle, and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with it! 

Who needs to get home insurance?

The St. Bunn and Nashville, NC area continues to be one of the fastest-growing areas in the state of North Carolina. Due to this, it is also a great place for anyone to purchase a home. If you decide to buy a property here, you will want to make sure that you always get proper insurance protection. There are several situations when someone here will need to get proper home insurance for their property. 

Those with a Mortgage

One situation when people need to get home insurance is when they have taken out a mortgage. Any mortgage lender will have mortgage requirements that need to be met. To ensure no lapse in coverage, it is also common for a lender to escrow your payments each month. This helps to ensure that your home, and its collateral, stay covered and protected.

Those Wanting to Protect Home

You will also want to get home insurance so you can protect your property. A home is going to be the largest asset that most people will ever own. When you get home insurance, it will ensure that you have coverage to repair or replace it. If there is ever a storm or fire, it will prove to be a great investment. 

The Nashville, NC area will continue to be a great place for anyone to buy a home. As you are looking for a new home insurance policy, you will want to ensure that you receive appropriate guidance. A great resource to rely on is the team at Hedgepeth-Hutson Insurance Services Inc. When you call Hedgepeth-Hutson Insurance Services Inc., you can learn more about how this insurance can protect you. The team can then help you build a policy that will offer the right type and level of coverage. 

Tips to Prepare Your North Carolina Home Against Winter Weather

As the winter months approach, homes in North Carolina should prepare for the weather that comes with the season. While it is mild compared to other states, there are still weather dangers that could cause damage to your home. Below are some tips to help protect your home from winter weather such as ice, heavy snow, and frigid temperatures brought to you by Hedgepeth-Hutson Insurance Services, Inc. 

Cover your pipes

Before the weather becomes too cold, you should wrap your water pipes to protect them from the freezing temperatures. In this weather, they can freeze due to the weather and burst, causing significant damage throughout your home. Also, you will want to drain any outdoor hoses and pipes, also. Although they are not used as much in the winter, if they are not drained properly, they can also burst and amplify damages both internally and externally. 

Clean your gutters

Before the snow and ice make their way to Nashville, NC, you should take an afternoon to remove any fall foliage and debris from your gutters. Pinecones, straw, leaves, and excess water from the last rainfall can add some weight to your gutters. If snow or ice fall into your gutters, and they are already full of this debris, they will become too heavy and fall, causing exterior damage to your home. 

Time for window insulation

You will want to keep the heat inside your home in the winter, so add window insulation to keep your home warm and minimizing the use of your heat during the winter. This protects your utility bill through the winter months and overall home protection because the heating unit is not being overworked.

At Hedgepeth-Hutson Insurance Services, Inc., we want our customers in or around Nashville, NC to have the best options in home insurance. Contact us today for more information.