South Carolina Hurricane Insurance
Get cost and coverage information about South Carolina hurricane insurance.
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Ann Herro has been writing about insurance and employee benefits for over 15 years. She has covered topics as easy as insuring a car, and as difficult as transparency in healthcare costs.
Find the Best Hurricane Insurance Options in South Carolina
The South Carolina coastline is vulnerable to hurricanes and tropical storms. These storms form over the Atlantic Ocean and occasionally make landfall before dying out as they move further inland. Coastal towns, such as Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head, stand to lose a lot when one of these storms blows through, but those who live further from the shore can experience significant damage, as well.
Unfortunately, the prevalence of hurricanes makes insuring your South Carolina home more complicated and, often times, more expensive.
Read on to find out more about hurricane insurance in South Carolina and how an independent insurance agent can make sure you're getting the coverage you need for your South Carolina home.
What Are the Best Hurricane Insurance Companies in South Carolina?
Hurricane insurance in South Carolina is part of your homeowners insurance policy. It's important to discuss your hurricane coverage with your insurance company. How do you find the right insurer for your needs?
Here are some of the best home insurance companies in South Carolina. They offer a mix of valuable coverage offerings and competitive pricing.
- Progressive: Progressive is based in Ohio but offers home insurance across all 50 states, including South Carolina. South Carolina residents can look to Progressive for most of their personal insurance needs.
- Stillwater Insurance Group: Stillwater is a national personal and commercial lines carrier with rock-solid financial stability. The company can help you with your home insurance needs in South Carolina.
- Travelers: Travelers offers highly rated home insurance in South Carolina. It can meet your additional personal insurance needs with a full line of products, including auto, boat, identity theft, umbrella, and other coverages.
- Foremost Insurance Company: Foremost was founded in 1952 and offers a wide range of coverage, including home insurance, in 50 states.
- Safeco: Safeco has been protecting individuals and families since 1923. The company offers home insurance in South Carolina, as well as a comprehensive range of other personal insurance policies. Working through independent agents, Safeco makes it easy to get the best mix of coverage and pricing.
An independent insurance agent in your area can help you learn more about these and other South Carolina home insurance companies. A local agent can help you get competitive quotes for the coverage that fits your needs.
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What Does Hurricane Insurance Cover in South Carolina?
Hurricanes can cause a variety of different types of damage to your dwelling. The most common damages to your home from a hurricane or tropical storm are caused by the following perils:
- Wind
- Heavy rainfall
- Flooding
- Storm surge
- Tornadoes
- Sewer backup
In general, you need hurricane insurance for property damage caused by wind and water. With a combination of homeowners insurance and flood insurance, you will have protection for some of the damage caused by a hurricane.
How does hurricane insurance cover wind damage?
South Carolina homeowners insurance usually covers windstorm damage caused by a hurricane.
Some South Carolina homeowners insurance policies may include a hurricane deductible or a wind deductible. A hurricane deductible is separate from your primary home insurance deductible and is a percentage of your home’s insured value rather than a pre-determined flat dollar figure.
Hurricane deductibles apply only when your home has been damaged by a hurricane. They are typically 1% to 5% of the home’s insured value, so if your home is insured for $250,000 and you have a 2% hurricane deductible, you would have to pay the first $6,250 to repair damage to your home before your insurance coverage kicks in.
How does hurricane insurance cover flood damage?
Flooding is not a covered peril under your South Carolina home insurance. This includes flooding caused by hurricanes.
You can get flood insurance offered by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a federal program created by Congress in 1968 to help homeowners protect themselves from the financial devastation of floods. Homeowners, renters, condo owners, and business owners can buy NFIP flood insurance.
Keep in mind that there are a few private insurance companies in South Carolina that sell flood insurance. Here are a few that you can check out:
A local independent insurance agent can help you decide whether NFIP or private flood insurance is best for your needs.
How Much Does Hurricane Insurance Cost in South Carolina?
To get the best coverage for hurricane damage in South Carolina, you'll need a combination of homeowners insurance and flood insurance.
South Carolina has the 8th most expensive home insurance in the nation, with an average annual cost of $1,432. Of course, the cost of insuring your unique home will depend on many factors, such as its size, age, location, and more.
Flood insurance in South Carolina costs around $699 per year, on average. Again, many factors determine your cost for flood insurance — most importantly, the flood risk for your home's location.
An independent insurance agent in South Carolina can help you review your home and flood insurance options and help you find the most affordable coverage that also meets your needs.
Save on Hurricane Insurance
Our independent agents shop around to find you the best coverage.
South Carolina Hurricane Insurance FAQs
To get the best coverage for hurricane damage in South Carolina, you'll need a combination of homeowners insurance and flood insurance.
South Carolina has the 8th most expensive home insurance in the nation, with an average annual cost of $1,432. However, the cost of each person's home insurance plan will depend on factors like its size, age, location, and more.
Flood insurance in South Carolina costs around $699 per year, on average. Again, many factors determine your cost for flood insurance — most importantly, the flood risk for your home's location.
Hurricane insurance in South Carolina is part of both home insurance and flood insurance, two separate types of policies. Your South Carolina home insurance provides windstorm coverage, which covers damage to your dwelling and belongings caused by hurricanes and other windstorms.
Home insurance excludes coverage for flood damage. Since hurricanes are a real threat in South Carolina and typically cause flood damage, it's a wise idea to purchase separate flood insurance for your South Carolina home.
Independent insurance agents in South Carolina can help you be sure that your property is sufficiently protected from hurricanes and other damaging wind events. A local agent can help you compare policies and costs from numerous insurance companies.
Find an independent insurance agent near you to get more information and start reviewing quotes for South Carolina hurricane insurance.
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