Fall in Love with Western North Carolina: A Guide to Fall Travel

by Penny Insurance Agency | Oct 27, 2022 | Insurance

The Carolinas are one of the most diverse and beautiful regions in the United States, offering opportunities for people of all ages to experience their fair share of fun and adventure throughout the year. It’s one of the main reasons that Penny Insurance calls this area home—with office locations in both Hendersonville and Tryon, North Carolina.

With this area offering a wide variety of places to visit, you have the opportunity to explore many areas and find your perfect fall experience. With this guide to fall in our own backyard, you will be sure to make the most of your time enjoying all that our area has to offer in this beautiful season of autumn.

Drive the Blue Ridge parkway

If seeing the fall colors and changing leaves is top of your “to do” list, one of the best (and easiest) things to do is to drive The Blue Ridge Parkway. This scenic, four-lane highway runs for 469 miles through the Appalachian Mountains, connecting Shenandoah’s Skyline Drive to the Cherokee National Forest near Gaffney, South Carolina. With incredible views all the way, this winding, remote path is great for adventuresome souls looking to explore.

Fortunately, the drive can be completed in less than a day if you’re looking for a quick getaway, although you can see plenty with picnic spots and a few hours in North Carolina’s section of the drive. If you decide to drive it, make sure you check out Clingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park—the highest point on the parkway at 6,643 feet.

Pick some apples

Fall means apples, and apple picking is an excellent way to spend a fall day in Hendersonville, North Carolina. There are plenty of places for apple picking, but some of the most popular—Mountain Fresh Orchard, Justus Orchard and Sky Top—provide incredible experiences surrounding your pick of your favorite fruit.
If you can’t decide where to go, just decide when. Plan to visit the area over Labor Day weekend, when you can attend the Apple festival, and sample apples, ciders, donuts, and other treats from around the state—all within a mile’s stretch of downtown Hendersonville.

Fly through the air

For those looking for adventure and a bit of adrenaline, look no further than The Gorge in Saluda, N.C. This zipline is one of the steepest and fastest ziplines in the nation, and is an adventure like no other. You’ll soar over a picturesque gorge on a suspended cable, and enjoy breathtaking views of the surroundings below.

Once you’re done with your flight, there’s still plenty more to explore. Seek out Green River Adventures for everything from whitewater trips to rappelling down one of the local waterfalls. Whatever you do, you’re sure to have a rush after doing it.

Take a hike

Looking for beautiful sights and a little fresh air? You’re in luck—both North Carolina and South Carolina have some of the prettiest spots to take a hike anywhere in the southeast. Check out the trails at Lake Jocassee, head toward Sassafrass Mountain (right on the NC and SC border), or head out toward Caesar’s Head, Flat Rock, or any number of gorgeous locations. If waterfalls are your thing, check out the Carolina Mountain Club’s WC100—a list of 100 waterfalls in the region that are “must sees”.

In short, Western North Carolina is the best place to hang out in the fall. The mountains and the lakes are breathtaking, and it’s a great place for outdoor recreation and exploration. Fall means that all the leaves are changing colors and falling from the trees, so there are photo opportunities a plenty for nature lovers. Even better: there are lots of events happening during this time, too—like festivals, arts fairs and live music.

We fell in love with Western North Carolina, and we know you will, too. And whether you’re new to the area, looking to buy a second home in the mountains, or just stopping in, we’d love to help you with any of your insurance needs – home, auto, life, business, equine, premium and more. If you’d like to schedule a consultation or get a quote for any of your needs, please contact us and let us know.

Why Equine Insurance is Important (And How to Get the Best Coverage)

by Penny Insurance Agency | Oct 5, 2022 | Equine Insurance

Horse owners have known the importance of equine insurance for decades; those who don’t often discover it the hard way. Whether you own one horse or an entire stable, it’s important to make sure you and your animals are protected in case they fall ill or sustain an injury while you’re away from home. The best horse insurance policy can cover all of your most valuable assets at reasonable prices, so if you aren’t sure where to start looking, consult this guide on why equine insurance is important and how to get the best coverage possible.

What is Equine Insurance?

Equine insurance is a type of insurance that covers horses and their owners against injuries and other losses. There are two main types of equine coverage: liability insurance, which pays for any damage done by your horse, and property insurance, which covers anything your horse damages while in your care. There are many more types of equine insurance policies available today than there were decades ago; it’s important to read up on the differences between these policies before deciding which one is right for you.

Why should I have insurance on my horse?

It’s a sad reality that we live in a world where accidents can happen at any time, but if you own a horse, it’s important for you to have equine insurance, which can help cover veterinary costs and lost earnings due to injury. Having coverage will also help you avoid going into debt if your horse needs expensive medical treatment. But more than anything, you want to have peace of mind that if something does happen, your horse will be taken care of, and your financial investments will be well-protected.

Our Policy Solutions

At Penny Insurance, we always want to find the best solution to the daily challenges that our clients face. For our equestrian clientele, it was important to us to find coverage that not only protected the animal themself but also reinforced the relationships that most owners have with their animals.

For this reason, we have recently expanded our policy coverage for horses and their owners—and include options in both areas of life and health insurance through Core Specialty Equine. We truly believe that we can offer some of the best insurance options through this new program. Here’s a quick download on what makes these policies so great:

Major Medical Coverage

If you own a horse and have bought health insurance before, you may be aware that not only do you have to consider the deductible for each visit, but typically will also have a percentage-based co-pay as well—something that can quickly add up in the case of a problem. But with our policies, you don’t have to worry about that sneaking up on you; we can offer plans with no co-pay requirements at all.

In-House Claims

When you purchase an equine policy through Penny Insurance, you don’t have to worry about claims taking forever or being “farmed out” to other claims departments. With Core Specialty, the claims department is all in-house, allowing them to respond quickly. And not only that, but they are in the same space as underwriting, allowing them to know each policy and its benefits intimately.

Loss of Use; Not Loss of Horse

If your horse is an income generator—whether riding, breeding or racing—then a loss of use policy is a must-have, and will protect you in case something happens to your major breadwinner. But should the worst happen, you don’t want your only option to be euthanization—something that most other policies require in order to gain your payout. With Penny Insurance, you have options: either rehab the horse in an adoptive scenario for the full payout, or keep your four-legged friend for half. Either way, your loss of use doesn’t have to mean the end of an era.

If you’re looking for a new policy for your equine companion, you’ll want to take a look at our new policies immediately. If you’d like to schedule a consultation or get a quote for any of your home, family or business needs, please contact us and let us know.