You don’t have to be married to your insurance agent to love one. And we don’t need a card or a big bouquet of flowers on Valentine’s Day – or the anniversary of your current policy. But, if we do say so ourselves, there are plenty of reasons to love your North Carolina independent insurance agent, now and all year long.

No one wants to imagine the worst happening to their home or business. Whether a big storm, accidental fire, or major theft, anything can happen. Creating an inventory of your possessions or equipment is important for both individuals and businesses.

When you have an inventory list of exactly what’s in your home or business, you can help settle your insurance claims faster and for the correct amount. An inventory can also help you make sure you have the right amount of insurance.

The day job is okay, but it’s not your dream. Your dream is to sit on the beach and take calls or maybe create art in your home office all day. Until then, you’ve got the side hustle. It earns extra money and gives you a goal to work for – whether it’s extra cash or a new career.

Have you also imagined the day you get into an accident with a customer in the car? Or your advice to a client is wrong and they lose serious money? It might be a side hustle to you, but the work you’re doing is still a business, and when things go wrong, you could be liable for damages, legal fees, and lawsuit settlements.

If you’ve got any of these side hustles going on, you’re going to need special insurance.

Maybe you’ve got a property you’re not living in anymore but don’t want to sell. Maybe you’ve got extra room in your own home or you travel a lot and want to earn some extra cash from your empty space. Home sharing websites like AirBnB and HomeAway have caught your attention. You know people who make good money by renting out their home or a room, and you like the sound of extra cash.

Getting distracted while we’re driving – we’re all guilty of it at some point – but it’s more serious than you may realize.

Of the 15 to 19 year-olds involved in fatal crashes, 10 percent were distracted at the time. Twenty-three percent of drivers in fatal crashes are in their 20s, but they account for 27 percent of all distracted drivers and 38 percent of the distracted drivers using cell phones.

Life can hit hard at a moment’s notice. A lost job, no money, and hard choices have hit us all at some time or another in our lives. The 2008 housing crash and recession are a prime example. Several years later, some people are still recovering from the financial devastation from those years.

Maybe North Carolina doesn’t have to worry about blizzards like Minnesota or North Dakota does, but that doesn’t mean we don’t get cold around here. Through the winter, heaters are churning, jackets are out, and chimneys are smoking in an effort to keep everyone warm.

As a result, energy costs can go up in the winter, right when you could really use a break on your expenses. Check out these tips on how to use less energy while trying to stay warm this winter and lower your costs as a result.

For most rideshare drivers, especially those who work with Uber and Lyft, finding affordable personal auto insurance that covers you when you’re working has been nearly impossible. Most insurance companies didn’t offer anything to fit your needs or if they did, it was too expensive.

Here at Charlotte Insurance, we’re happy to announce we can now offer personal auto insurance to cover you when you’re waiting on a fare, while you’ve got a ride, and when you’re using your vehicle for personal use.

It’s that time of year again. Time to plan for the future, see if you accomplished your goals from last year, and set new ones for the coming year.

Most of us focus on fitness, jobs, income, relationships, and other parts of our life. One thing that is forgotten, but you should review from the past year and plan for the next one, is your insurance. An annual insurance review takes a look at the changes in your life from the previous year and will make sure you don’t have a gap in coverage – and that you’re getting all the discounts you qualify for.

Here are some of the things to go over with your insurance agent for your annual insurance review.

Happy Holidays to all