Insurance Frequently Asked Questions in Lancaster SC

Not all insurance agents are the same! Choosing the right one can make a big difference – in price, in the way we serve, and our knowledge.

With other agencies, you get one company that sells one brand of insurance. With an independent insurance agency like HFC Insurance you get choices. That’s why you need an independent insurance agent in Lancaster, SC. Why? Because independent insurance agencies, like HFC Insurance, represent a number of different insurance companies, and can compare coverage and prices to find the best possible value for your individual circumstances. As independent insurance agents, we are members of the Lancaster SC and Pawleys Island community, and we’re committed to doing business face-to-face and being your advocate in times of need.

Serving Lancaster SC, Pawleys Island and everywhere in the Carolinas, here are a few reasons why HFC Insurance should be your first and last top when looking for insurance.

• You are our client. Webster defines a client as, “one that is under the protection of another.”
• We work for you when you have a claim.
• We are not beholden to any one company. This means you don’t have to change agencies as your insurance and service needs change.
• We are your consultants, working with you as you determine your needs.
• We are value-hunters who look after your pocketbook in finding the best combination of price, coverage, and service.
• We offer one-stop shopping for a full range of products, including home, renters, auto, business, life, health, and employee benefits.
• We can periodically review your coverage to keep up with your changing insurance needs.
• We are committed to client satisfaction – it’s the key to our livelihood.
• We treat you like a person, not a number.
• We are licensed independent insurance agent professionals with strong customer and community ties.

There is a difference. To find out how our independent insurance agents can help you find the right insurance coverage, please contact HFC Insurance today. Call our Lancaster SC office at 803-286-1161 or our Pawleys Island, SC location at  803-429-3322. Visit our YouTube Channel on everything insurance.

Sometimes we long for the simpler days of old in Lancaster SC. One thing I’m glad has changed is how we purchase things. The internet, specifically, Amazon, has made purchasing some things, a whole lot easier. Just because it’s easy doesn’t mean you should do it. Insurance shouldn’t be one of those. This is why you should be careful on how you purchase insurance. Below, I will explain why you shouldn’t purchase your insurance online and why you should use a local independent insurance agent.

Insurance is a Specialized Product

Have you ever taken the time to read your insurance policy? I can say most people haven’t. If you need to draw up a Will, most of the time you will go see an attorney. Most of us did not go to college to become a lawyer. Contract verbiage can be confusing and intimidating. So, would you go online to purchase a Will to protect your estate? What is Insurance? Insurance is coverage by contract whereby one party undertakes to indemnify or guarantee another against loss by a specified contingency or peril. You have worked too hard to acquire assets over your lifetime. Without the proper coverage or the understanding of the coverage someone sold you, can set you up for a huge liability down the road. Since most people have not read their homeowners insurance policy, purchasing insurance should never be more than just checking an item off your to do list.

Insurance is a Personalized Product

Everyone’s life and risk tolerance are different. When someone starts their first job or just gets married, they may not have lots of assets, “things”, to insure. As life goes on, we accumulate “things” that need to be protected in the case of loss. Primary residence, second homes, cars, RV’s, jewelry, antiques, or materials within the home or just protecting your assets from a lawsuit, are items you should consider when reviewing your options for insurance.

Some questions to consider are: Do you own or rent? Do you have a second home? How many cars do you own? Do you have a teenage driver? Is your teenage driver an honor roll student? How many miles do you drive in a year? Do you work from home? As you can see, there are a lot of questions to consider. Carriers like to bundle for better pricing and provide discounts to students and employees who work from home.

Insurance Should Be Relational

As I mentioned earlier, the internet has made shopping much easier. If you order from Amazon and you don’t like your purchase, you can just return it. When you purchase an insurance product from an online insurance carrier, you just can’t return it, especially when you have a claim. The claim is yours to have. Having to file a claim is the worst time to realize you’ve made the wrong decision on an insurance policy.

The idea that you can just check a few boxes online and purchase a policy that protects you, is not the way to go about this. You need peace of mind. The peace of mind that a local insurance agent can bring you.

A local insurance agent’s role is to advise, educate and be an advocate for each individual client. It’s our role to advise you that people with assets like you have these types of insurance policies. A local independent insurance agent can give you choices and options. An online only carrier or a captive insurance carrier like State Farm, can only provide you with options and not choices. By options I mean, variations of “their” product. An independent insurance agent has access to many different carriers (choice) and can provide several options within each carrier.

Just like having a pastor, lawyer, or an accountant, it’s important for you to have a local insurance agent. Go to someone who is qualified to give you good advice. The internet has a lot of information on it. Having information is one thing. Having knowledge and wisdom is another.

Reach out to HFC Insurance at 803-286-1161 or visit us at 304 North Main St Lancaster SC 29720 if we can help you with your health insurance, Medicare insurance, home insurance or car insurance needs.

Visit our YouTube Channel on everything insurance.

Places to read our reviews for HFC Insurance: Foursquare, Google, Merchant Circle and Bing.

When can you enroll in insurance? That depends on what type of insurance you are looking for.

Medicare Initial Open Enrollment Period

Generally, when you turn 65. This is called your Initial Enrollment Period. It lasts for 7 months, starting 3 months before you turn 65, and ending 3 months after the month you turn 65. Read our Medicare RAQ above.

Medicare Annual Open Enrollment Period

Open Enrollment Period. From October 15 – December 7 each year, you can join, switch, or drop a plan

Enroll in Marketplace Insurance

November 1st through December 15th. The end date has fluctuated the last couple of years so call our office to verify this date.

Enroll in Home & Car Insurance

There is not a open enrollment for this type of insurance. Depending on when you initially purchased your coverage, that will be your renewal date. Some insureds pay their premium yearly, some, every six months. You can either get a quote from another insurance carrier when your renewal date comes around, or do that mid-year. If you pay your premium yearly, check with your carrier to see if they will refund you your used premium if you change carriers before your renewal.

Talk to us today to find out how to get the best price and coverage for your insurance needs. Visit our YouTube Channel on everything insurance. 

Whether it’s car insurance in Lancaster SC or anywhere in the state, car insurance in Lancaster SC requires you to carry a minimum of $25,000 per person for bodily injury and $50,000 for all persons injured in one accident. Claims for bodily injury may include medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. $25,000 for damage to property per accident.

• $25,000 in bodily injury per person
• $50,000 total for everyone injured in the accident
• $25,000 for property damage per accident

What does keeping the state insurance minimums look like if you are in an accident? Let’s look at an example:

Let’s say you are driving down the road and hit a truck pulling a camper. That’s a $70,000 truck pulling a $50,000 camper= $120,000. Remember your property damage is at $25,000. That leaves you $95,000 in the hole. In that truck was a family of four and all four has to go to the hospital- $200,000 total hospital bill. Your total Bodily Injury is capped at $50,000 ($150,000 in the hole). This accident has you in the hole $245,000…how much do you love your house? Insurance limits are important.

Driving is one of those privileges we all enjoy. A privilege always comes with responsibility. The responsibility to protect ourselves, our property and others. Thinking about the minimum car insurance requirements is not the best way to protect your financial security. Car insurance is there to protect you. They are state “minimums” for a reason. If you have assets, never take the state “minimum” car insurance limits. Read our blog post on How Car Insurance Can Cause You to Lose Your Home.

Reach out to HFC Insurance at 803-286-1161 or visit us at 304 North Main St Lancaster SC 29720 if we can help you with your health insurance, Medicare insurance, and home insurance needs. Visit our YouTube Channel on everything insurance.

Car insurance in Lancaster, SC may or may not cost any different than any other nearby cities. But there are things you need to consider.

Things like parking situations, crime rates, and local laws, which are dependent on your address and area you live in, can significantly affect the cost of insurance relative to other cities.

Crime Rates

Crime rates affect the cost of car insurance in Lancaster SC. Criminals like to steal cars. If you home is listed in a higher crime area, the risk of someone stealing your car increases. If they can’t steal your car, maybe they’ll take some parts. Certain car model parts bring in big bucks in many nations “chop shops”.

The Most Popular Stolen Vehicles that Affect Cost of Car Insurance in Lancaster SC

• Chevrolet Pickup.
• Ford Pickup.
• Honda Civic.
• Honda Accord.
• Toyota Camry.
• GMC Pickup.
• Nissan Altima.
• Honda CR-V.

Local or State Laws

As you know, anytime our national or state governments add additional requirements to anything, it makes the cost of anything go up. Drivers are required to carry liability and uninsured motorist coverage with the following limits:

$25,000 Bodily Injury Per Person / $50,000 Bodily Injury Per Accident / $25,000 Property Damage Per Accident.

Always remember, minimum requirements are what they are…the minimum. It’s always wise to never do the minimum.

Your Driving Habits

The cost of car insurance, comes down to how you drive. So watch your speed and the drivers around you.

Read our post on Check Insurance Rates Before You Buy a Car.

Car insurance in Lancaster SC is calculated by multiple factors, including things you can’t control like your gender and age, but also factors like your driving record, credit score, address, and marital status affect the car insurance quotes in Lancaster SC.

Gender and Age

Car insurance quotes in Lancaster SC are determined by age and gender. Age of course shows the experience or inexperience of the driver. The more experience a driver has, with no accidents or tickets helps lower car insurance premiums.

Males generally have more wreck and speed more than females. Of course, that is generally speaking. Your daughter may well have a lead foot!

As we get over the age of 65, you can start to see your rates increase. As we get older, the risk of us getting injured or dying in a car accident increases.

Driving Record

Getting tickets or having wrecks does not help lower your car insurance premiums no matter if your young or old.

Credit Score

Companies over time have relied on this score to determine if you are are person who pays their bills. A good credit worthy individual is seen as a good insurance risk for a car insurance carrier.

Address

As I mentioned in a post on Why is Car Insurance in Lancaster Different from Other Neighboring Cities?, where you live within a city is important in determining the cost of your car insurance.

Marital Status

Yep, getting married has an affect on your car insurance. The idea is, if you are married you are more mature. You may question that now that your son is married but marriage brings more responsibility. More responsibility generally means a person is more mature.

There are many factors that car insurance companies take into consideration when calculating the cheapest rate in Lancaster sc. You might pay different rates from person to person. Regardless, there is no one insurance company that will offer the cheapest rate to everybody. Things like your driving record, the number of drivers on the policy, and vehicle make and model, and a handful of other factures are all taken into account.

The cheapest rate in Lancaster SC might not be the best plan. What you need to look for is the best price for the best plan. Car insurance is there to protect you. The worst time to find out you have purchased the wrong car insurance is when you need it. Never fall for we have the cheapest insurance. The old saying is, “you get what you pay for!”

There are many different carriers available in Lancaster, SC, from national to regional carriers. That’s why it is important to use an independent agency in Lancaster SC like HFC Insurance. Independence mean choice. Choice is what we provide. The cheapest rate in Lancaster SC might not be the best plan. Give us a call at 803-286-1161 to get the right coverage for you.

In most cases, yes! Young drivers car insurance in Lancaster SC, is never the least expensive insurance you will ever buy. When you do have a young driver, it’s always a good practice to look for student discounts you can apply to lover that monthly premium.

Let’s talk about two common student discounts:

1. Good Student Discount

Does your student love school and can maintain an A/B honor roll? If so, carriers love to give a good student discount. Each carrier has their own requirement as to when you must provide a copy of their grades and what their GPA must be. Most of the time you must show proof every 6 months to a year. The average discount is around 10%.

2. Drivers Education or Defensive Driving Discount Course

Many insurers will offer a discount or lower rate for teen drivers who complete a driver’s education course, or a defensive driving discount course. Keep in mind that these are two different types of driving courses. Driver’s education is a course of study, generally for high school students, that teaches the techniques of driving a vehicle, along with basic vehicle maintenance, safety precautions, and traffic regulations and laws. Defensive driving courses are designed to improve your existing driving skills so you can better anticipate situations that may cause an accident and drive more safely in general.

We all see the commercials or deal with the calls. Save money by bundling your car insurance and your car warranty is about to expire. What is the difference between car insurance or a car warranty? Is there a difference?

What is Car Insurance?

Car insurance is a contract between you and the insurance company that protects you against financial loss in the event of an accident or theft. In exchange for your paying a premium, the insurance company agrees to pay your losses as outlined in your policy.

Car insurance provides coverage for:

Property – such as damage to or theft of your car.

Liability – your legal responsibility to others for bodily injury or property damage.

Medical – the cost of treating injuries, rehabilitation and sometimes lost wages and funeral expenses

These three categories have minimums that vary by state. Car insurance protects you against a perceived liability.

What is a car warranty?

A car warranty, on the other hand, is defined by Merriam-Webster as “A written guarantee of the integrity of a product and of the maker’s responsibility for the repair or replacement of defective parts.” Most warranties for a new car run for a specific period of time. Usually 36-60 months, with a mileage limit, depending on the manufacture.

Most manufactures offer a bumper-to-bumper warranty. This type of warranty is also known as a comprehensive warranty. This kind of warranty, not insurance, is standard with most new car purchases. The idea is that it covers everything that could go wrong with your car, from bumper to bumper. However, there are some exclusions, like items that will fail with normal wear and tear, including, but not limited to: windshield wipers, tires, brake pads, brake rotors, light bulbs, and window glass.

When you live in the Carolinas, you never know what kind of weather we will have. From thunderstorms, snowstorms, ice storms or hurricanes, damage to a home may be inevitable, especially from trees. Will Home Insurance Cover Tree Removal?

Trees provide nice shade and can really enhance your landscape. Something of beauty can wreak havoc on your home if it should fall.

If you are tasked with tree removal, do these things:

1. Call your insurance agent or insurance carrier as soon as it is safe to.
2. Safely secure the site and don’t allow anyone in the home.
3. Remove the tree if you can. If not, hire a professional.
4. If you can safely place a tarp over the opening, do so. If not, hire a professional to do so. The carrier will reimburse you if you need to hire someone.

Remember, if you have not met your deductible, you will have to meet that first.

A few additional tips to minimize property damage:

To Keep from Having Property Damage – Keep trees well maintained and trimmed

Call an Arborist, who is trained in tree trimming, to come out to prune your tree limbs properly. Improperly trimming a tree can cause serious tree damage. Also notify neighbors if you see any overhanging branches on any of theirs. This alone will help to limit property damage.

When You See Property Damage – Take pictures

Photographs can help you show the cause and extent of any storm damage that occurs. With today’s smart phones, it’s easy to take pictures and forward them over to the insurance carrier. Documentation is important.

That sound. Drip, drip, drip. It’s one of those sounds you don’t want to hear hitting your floor. The next thing that comes to mind is, if you purchased your home insurance in Lancaster SC, does it cover a roof leak? It depends.

What does it depend on? What caused it?

A tree sticking through my roof?

Yes. Rain coming through your roof caused by a tree falling during a storm, is a covered. Read our blog on Will Home Insurance Cover Tree Removal?

Hail Damage? Maybe.

Even in the Carolinas, we experience hail storms from time to time. When hail hits, it can damage the roof or covering of your home. Although hailstorms can be destructive, the amount of damage can vary greatly.

Following are some factors that affect the type and degree of damage that may be impacted by a hailstorm:

Size and density

The size of the hailstones can affect the degree of damage, if any, to your property. A hailstone can be as small as a pea, or as large as a softball. Most hailstones do not have smooth edges, which can impact the type of damage they cause.

Building materials

Building materials absorb hail impacts differently. For example, hail can cause dings in aluminum siding, gutters or asphalt shingles, whereas it can crack vinyl siding or wood shakes. Alternatively, softball-sized hailstones can be dense enough and strong enough to puncture a roof. Additionally, the age and condition of a roof could affect the degree of damage.

Other than storm damage, a leaking roof is not covered under a home insurance policy. That falls under general maintenance. That’s why it is important to check the condition of your shingles from time to time or contact a professional. If you are pushing 20 years since you last replaced your shingles, it may be a good idea to get an estimate!

Who is eligible and when can you get Medicare? Medicare eligibility begins for most people at age 65. Individuals who have been entitled to Social Security disability for at least 24 months also qualify.

There are other situations someone can qualify for Medicare under the age of 65:

1. If you are permanently disabled and you have been receiving Social Security disability income benefits for 24 months.
2. End-Stage Renal Disease, which is kidney failure that requires you to get dialysis or you are waiting for a kidney transplant.
3. If you have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig’s disease
4. You can sign up for Medicare 3 months before your birth month, your birth month and three months after your birth month.

Eligibility for Medicare Part A

You are eligible for Medicare Part A at age 65 if you or your spouse has legally worked for at least 10 years or 40 quarters in the U.S.

Eligibility for Medicare Part B

You are eligible for Medicare Part B at age 65 as well. However, you must pay a monthly premium for Part B.  This provides for your outpatient benefits such as doctor visits, lab work, surgery fees, and more. Check out our Part B page for more on what Part B covers.

Eligibility for Medicare Part C

Medicare Part C is another name for the Medicare Advantage program. You can enroll in Part C if you wish to get your benefits through a private insurance company instead of Original Medicare. Usually, these plans have smaller networks than Medicare, but some of them include built-in Part D coverage.

To be eligible for Part C, you must first be enrolled in both Medicare Parts A and B and you must also live in the plan’s service area. Living in the plans “service area” is an important thing to keep in mind when enrolling in Medicare Part C.