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FAQs

MANAGING YOUR POLICY

INSURANCE PRICING AND SHOPPING

  • What factors does Northern Neck Insurance consider for my property or home insurance?

    • Geographic location and correlating risk
    • Construction details
    • Age of insured
    • Age of your home

  • What does Northern Neck insurance consider when determining my rate for car insurance?

    • Age
    • Driving experience
    • Car make and model
    • How your car is used on a daily basis
    • Driving history
    • Claims history
    • Geographic location
    • Credit history

  • Where is Northern Neck Insurance available?

    We are a Virginia-only insurance company by choice. We offer personal coverages throughout the commonwealth with the help of Virginia’s best independent insurance agents. Our local roots are complemented by the fact that our company is owned by and operated for the benefit of our members and fellow Virginians. We believe that our community-based mutual business model elevates us above other insurance companies.  Everyone in the Northern Neck family – members, agents, and staff – has a need for the products and services we provide so we put extra care into everything we do. Our primary motivation is taking care of our Virginia neighbors, not shareholder profits.

  • How do you calculate the cost of a Northern Neck homeowners policy?

    Homeowner premiums are calculated individually for each policyholder and are based on a number of different factors, including the age, value, condition, and construction quality of your home, as well as your insurance history, previous claims and more.

    Here are things that could affect your homeowners price:

    • The more coverage you add the higher your premium.
    • The higher deductible you choose, the lower the premium, the higher your out-of-pocket for a claim.
    • Better maintained home in localities with municipal fire services cost less to insure.
    • Insurance history and claims will increase your price and may even prevent us from being able to cover you.
    • Protective devices such as deadbolts, burglar alarms, and smoke alarms will get you a discount.
    • Bundling with other Northern Neck Insurance products, such as auto insurance, will get you a generous discount.

    Paying your auto insurance premium in full annually will reduce your premium. 

  • Can I switch to Northern Neck if I already have an active homeowners insurance policy?

    Yes, you can! Switching your homeowners insurance isn't as difficult as it may seem. First, you should buy your new policy before canceling your current insurance. You can request for your prior policy to be cancelled on or after your new policy's effective date. This prevents any lapses in coverage. If you have an escrow account, then you also need to inform your lender that you're switching home insurers. You may also receive a refund check from your prior homeowners insurance company if you cancel your policy before it expires, reimbursing you for the coverage you already paid for.

  • Should I bundle home and auto insurance?

    Bundling insurance products is one of the best ways to save money when buying personal property insurance. When you consider all your family's assets and insurance needs together, you can find just the right combination of protection. That's why we specially design our pricing to reward households with two or more policies. When you get a quoteand purchase NNINS policies within 60 days of one another, you get:

    • A 25% discount on your Car Insurance with an existing homeowners policy.
    • An extra 10% off your Home Insurance or Renters Insurance with that auto policy.

    You also qualify for an additional 5% credit for an Umbrella Insurance policy. Umbrella insurance can protect you with extra liability coverage for you and members of your family after your home, renters, and auto policy limits tap out, up to $1,000,000.

  • You say you have great prices? Why did I get a quote that's higher than my old insurer!?

    When we say we have great prices, we mean it. While our Virginia insurance prices tend to be lower than many other insurance companies, that won’t always be the case. That’s especially true when it comes to stand-alone auto insurance. Insurers use different models and data sets to establish prices, and on occasion, our rates will be higher than another company’s. It may be complicated, but that’s the way statistics and insurance works. The good news is we have really great ways to save. We give up to a 25% discount just for bundling home and auto insurance!

COVERAGES

  • What coverages are included in my home insurance policy?

    A few standard coverage types come with our home insurance policy. Here's a breakdown of each type and what they include:

    • Dwelling—This coverage protects the structure of your home and pays for the costs to rebuild or repair it after a covered peril. The dwelling coverage limit is typically equal to your home's estimated value.
    • Other structures—This covers the costs of rebuilding or repairing extra structures or buildings on your property separate from your house, such as a fence or storage shed.
    • Personal property—This covers your belongings if they get stolen, damaged, or vandalized. You can also choose between replacement cost coverage, which replaces your items for new ones, or actual cash value coverage, which offers money during a claim for the depreciated value of your items.
    • Loss of use —This coverage protects you if you are displaced from your home after a covered event, such as a fire or natural disaster. Hotel fees and other living expenses can quickly add up to thousands of dollars, and this coverage pays for those expenses while your home is being repaired or rebuilt.
    • Personal liability—Personal liability claims pay for legal fees or medical bills that arise when you are responsible for an accident or injury to someone else on your property.
    • Medical payments to others—If someone gets injured on your property and you're not at fault, we can pay their medical costs up to the policy limit.
    • Homeowners Enhancement Endorsement—For a nominal annual fee with our superior Homeowners product, you add coverages for:
      • Credit card, fund transfer card, forgery, and counterfeit money (increase limit up to $2500)
      • Earthquake damage, sinkhole collapse, special debris removal coverage, loss caused by water that backs up through sewers or drains (personal property sublimit of $25,000 applies)
      • Refrigerated property damage
      • Personal injury
      • An additional $1000 in medical payment to others
      • Ordinance or law: coverage for the increased costs known or estimated by the insured for materials and labor to repair or replace the damaged property, demolish the undamaged portion of damaged property, and clear the site of resulting debris according to the ordinance or law.
      • Most of our add-on coverages too

  • Do you have any other coverages I can add to my home insurance policy?

    We have a variety of affordable add-on home insurance coverages:

      • Personal Property Replacement Cost
      • Cyber Protection
      • Equipment Breakdown Coverage
      • Extended Replacement Cost Endorsement
      • Personal Property Replacement Cost Endorsement
      • *Service Line Coverage
      • *Inland Flood- coverage applies to the dwelling, contents, basement personal property, and loss of use. Specific limits apply.

    *Not included in Homeowners Enhancement Endorsement

  • Is my spouse covered under my Northern Neck homeowners policy?

    You'll be happy to know that your policy automatically covers all residents of your household who are related to you by marriage, blood, or adoption. We recommend adding their name to your policy. And make sure you buy enough coverage to cover everyone’s personal property. Take everyone’s laptops, bikes, electronics, jewelry, musical instruments, and clothing into consideration.

  • Is my significant-other or partner covered under my Northern Neck homeowners policy?

    If you’re living with your significant other, we recommend adding their name to your policy. Beyond adding their name, make sure you update your Personal Property coverage to include the stuff they keep in your home as well.

  • What kinds of things are not covered under a Northern Neck home insurance policy?

    Home insurance does not cover every single thing that can happen and that actually keeps your premium down. Homeowners policies do not cover things like your power, water, or heat or A/C going out, a bug infestation, flooding, or damage from lack of home maintenance. Mistakenly lost or broken personal property is not covered either.

  • What kinds of things am I covered for with my home insurance policy?

    Your homeowners insurance policy covers your home against perils (fire, windstorm, or an explosion). Your policy is broken up into six types of coverage:

    • Dwelling Coverage (coverage for your actual house)
    • Other Structures coverage (your driveway, fence, tool shed)
    • Personal Property (your belongings)
    • Loss of Use will help with additional living expenses (like hotel bills) if your place becomes uninhabitable due to a peril like a fire, windstorm, etc.
    • Liability Coverage or personal liability insurance refers to coverage in the case of bodily injury or property damage to other people (or their stuff) as a result of your actions - at your home, and anywhere else
    • Medical Payments that reimburse you for medical bills, up to $5,000 in most cases, that you incur if something happens to guests while in your home.

  • Can I increase or decrease Northern Neck homeowners coverages?

    Of course! Before purchasing a policy, you’ll be able to adjust the coverages you need as well as choose a deductible that works for you. Your local agent can provide valuable guidance! We have maximum and minimum limits to all coverages. Amount of insurance for your home may be adjusted within reason based on the replacement cost.

GENERAL FAQs

  • What is an Independent Insurance Agent?

    Northern Neck Insurance is represented throughout Virginia by a network of independent insurance agents. Independent agents are brokers who are not employed by any specific insurance carrier. Independent agents can sell insurance policies from multiple companies and are paid on commission. We only sell our insurance products through our local independent agent partners. We always get the question: why can't I buy an insurance policy directly from you? The short answer is that we know there's more to insurance than grabbing 15-minute quotes. We have a long answer too. And you can find one for yourself and see the proof!

  • Is it okay for an insurance company to take pictures of my house?

    Not only is it okay, but it's also critical to ensuring your property is covered adequately. Home insurance protects you financially from all kinds of potential damage and liability. This process sometimes requires a home insurance provider to perform an inspection and take pictures of your home. Your participation in the process can help ensure you have adequate coverage, minimize your liability and risk, and help you make smoother claims. We can explain how and you can upload your own on our Member Portal.

  • Do I need earthquake insurance in Virginia?

    Surprisingly, the Commonwealth has averaged one earthquake per month since 1977. Thankfully, the majority are too small to feel or cause damage. Is it worth it? That may depend on where you live. Most seismic activity in Virginia is centered in two zones: one stretching from the Richmond area to Charlottesville and another in the New River Valley in Giles County. And there are always exceptions, like the 2011 earthquake in Louisa, Virginia. That 4.5 quake left an estimated $200 to $300 million in damage in the US. The good news is that earthquake coverage is included in our broadest home insurance product.

  • Is renters insurance required in Virginia?

    You do not have to have renters insurance in Virginia. But you will find many property owners require it when you sign a new lease. Even if they don't, consider the advantages of renters insurance. Every dollar counts, which is why renters insurance should be a no-brainer for most people. For pennies a day, you are protecting yourself against theft, fire, and liability losses that could quickly run into the thousands of dollars. It also protects you and your stuff, not your apartment, so things like your laptop are protected when you travel!

  • Should I buy a house without an inspection?

    The current housing market has precipitated a new trend of skipping the home inspection process to compete with other buyers. If you waive your right to a home inspection on a home purchase, you are not thoroughly investigating the home. You could be blindly purchasing one of the most significant financial investments of your life with a slew of expensive problems and endless repair bills. Learn a lot more from our blog articles on the risk of waiving a home inspection and buying a house as-is!

  • Who is liable when a tree falls on a neighbor's property in Virginia?

    When a tree falls and damages property, whose insurance pays? Boy, we get this question a lot, so we wrote about it. Generally, your damaged property is covered under your homeowners policy, even if someone else's tree causes the damage.There may be exceptions. The best thing is for you and your neighbor to report the damage to your insurance companies and allow adjusters to review the details.

PRIVACY POLICY | LEGAL STATEMENT | ©2022 NORTHERN NECK INSURANCE COMPANY