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Home insurance costs & natural hazards in South Carolina

Plain facts for South Carolina homeowners: what coverage has cost across the state, what flood insurance runs, and which natural hazards matter in each county.

See the numbers

Historical averages, not a quote. Updated Oct 2026.

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South Carolina at a glance

Four numbers most homeowners ask about first.

$1,460
Typical home premium

Median ZIP code, per policy per year in 2022 (inflation-adjusted).

$1,111
Avg. flood policy

Single-family NFIP policies that took effect in 2025.

2.18%
Nonrenewal rate

Median ZIP in 2022. Typical U.S. ZIP: 0.81%.

4 of 46
Counties rated high

Counties FEMA rates relatively high or very high on its overall National Risk Index.

South Carolina in numbers
5.1M
residents (2020 Census)
4.0%
of policies had a paid claim (2022, median ZIP)
$11,371
average paid claim (2022, median ZIP)
115,489
single-family NFIP flood policies (2025)

What homeowners in South Carolina pay

Each block pairs a short explanation with the data behind it.

Homeowners insurance

U.S. Treasury FIO, HO-3/HO-5 policies, 2018–2022

The typical South Carolina ZIP code saw homeowners premiums of $1,460 per policy in 2022, 6% below the typical U.S. ZIP code ($1,551). After adjusting for inflation, that figure held roughly steady between 2018 and 2022. The figures come from 367 South Carolina ZIP codes in Treasury's data.

Premiums by county

Typical premium per policy

Inflation-adjusted dollars, median across ZIP codes
South CarolinaU.S. typical ZIP

Flood insurance

FEMA NFIP single-family policies, 2022–2025

Standard home policies don't cover floods. 115,489 single-family NFIP policies took effect in South Carolina in 2025, at an average full cost of $1,111, compared with $853 in 2022. About 54% of those policies are for homes in high-risk A or V zones.

Flood costs by county

Average flood policy cost

Full cost incl. fees, by year the policy took effect

Policies by flood zone, 2025

115,489 policies
A zones 52%X/B/C zones 46%V zones 1%

Natural hazards

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025

Bars count how many of South Carolina's 46 counties FEMA rates relatively high or very high for each hazard. The most widespread are ice storm, lightning and hurricane. Open any county for its full hazard profile.

How the ratings work

Hazards across South Carolina's counties

Counties FEMA rates relatively high or very high

South Carolina counties

All 46 counties: typical premium (2022), average flood policy (2025) and FEMA's overall risk rating.

CountyPremiumFloodFEMA rating
Abbeville County$1,187$1,440Relatively Low
Aiken County$1,310$900Relatively Moderate
Allendale County$1,700—Very Low
Anderson County$1,300$1,112Relatively Moderate
Bamberg County$1,371$922Relatively Low
Barnwell County$1,417—Relatively Low
Beaufort County$2,921$1,096Relatively High
Berkeley County$1,912$864Relatively High
Calhoun County$1,653$864Very Low
Charleston County$3,279$1,181Relatively High
Cherokee County$1,198$1,040Relatively Low
Chester County$1,297$1,092Relatively Low
Chesterfield County$1,311$751Relatively Low
Clarendon County$1,584$780Relatively Low
Colleton County$1,808$1,626Relatively Moderate
Darlington County$1,538$1,051Relatively Low
Dillon County$1,597$957Relatively Moderate
Dorchester County$1,783$885Relatively Moderate
Edgefield County$1,424$1,404Very Low
Fairfield County$1,395$1,403Very Low
Florence County$1,617$860Relatively Moderate
Georgetown County$2,781$1,892Relatively Moderate
Greenville County$1,408$1,036Relatively Moderate
Greenwood County$1,336$1,079Relatively Low
Hampton County$1,643$938Relatively Low
Horry County$1,880$897Relatively High
Jasper County$1,724$864Relatively Low
Kershaw County$1,362$1,123Relatively Low
Lancaster County$1,345$1,020Relatively Low
Laurens County$1,232$1,230Relatively Low
Lee County$1,581$732Very Low
Lexington County$1,294$984Relatively Moderate
Marion County$1,614$983Relatively Low
Marlboro County$1,315$1,008Relatively Low
McCormick County$1,150$1,225Very Low
Newberry County$1,275$1,158Relatively Low
Oconee County$1,382$1,163Relatively Moderate
Orangeburg County$1,452$889Relatively Moderate
Pickens County$1,262$1,102Relatively Low
Richland County$1,491$962Relatively Moderate
Saluda County$1,287$1,110Very Low
Spartanburg County$1,225$1,006Relatively Moderate
Sumter County$1,462$712Relatively Moderate
Union County$1,129—Relatively Low
Williamsburg County$1,714$1,194Relatively Moderate
York County$1,322$906Relatively Moderate

ZIP codes with the most flood policies

Practical next steps

Simple things South Carolina homeowners can do with this information.

Check your flood zone. Look up your address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center (msc.fema.gov). Standard home policies don't cover flood damage, and flood insurance usually has a 30-day waiting period, so it's worth sorting out before storm season.
Ask about wind mitigation credits. Features like hurricane straps, a newer roof and impact-rated windows or shutters can lower premiums. Ask your insurer which upgrades earn a discount and what paperwork it needs.
Know that earthquake damage is separate. Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquakes. If shaking is a concern where you live, ask about a separate earthquake policy or endorsement and its deductible.
Prepare for freezing weather. Burst pipes are a common winter claim. Insulating exposed pipes, keeping heat on while away and knowing where your main water shut-off is all help.

Historical averages, not a quote. Homeowners figures are inflation-adjusted averages from the U.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office "Supporting Underlying Metrics" (2018–2022, published January 2025). They cover HO-3/HO-5 policies from participating private insurers and exclude state residual-market plans (such as FAIR plans and Citizens), surplus-lines and flood coverage. Treasury notes that individual ZIP codes can contain data anomalies. Your price depends on your home, coverage and insurer.

Sources: U.S. Treasury FIO; FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (data as of Sep 8, 2026); FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); U.S. Census Bureau ZCTA-to-county relationship file (2020) and county adjacency file; GeoNames place names. How we calculate these numbers.

This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API and National Risk Index data, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). SafeHomeFacts is independent and not affiliated with the U.S. Treasury, FEMA or any insurer.