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Home insurance & natural hazards in Beaufort County, SC

Calm, plain facts for homeowners in Beaufort County: what neighbors have paid for coverage, what flood insurance costs, and which weather hazards matter most here.

  • Typical premiums from U.S. Treasury insurance data
  • Flood insurance costs from 26,762 FEMA NFIP policies
  • 15 natural hazards rated by the FEMA National Risk Index
See the numbers

Historical averages, not a quote. Updated Oct 2026.

Illustration of a house on a hill in front of a large shield

Beaufort at a glance

Four numbers most homeowners ask about first.

$2,921
Typical home premium

Per policy per year in 2022, median of 12 ZIP codes (inflation-adjusted).

$1,096
Avg. flood policy

Average full cost of a single-family NFIP policy that took effect in 2025.

6.40%
Nonrenewal rate

Share of policies insurers chose not to renew in 2022, median ZIP. Typical U.S. ZIP: 0.81%.

Rel. high
FEMA risk rating

Overall National Risk Index rating, higher than 97.1% of U.S. counties.

Beaufort County in numbers
186,606
residents (2020 Census)
2.6%
of policies had a paid claim (2022, median ZIP)
$15,914
average paid claim (2022, median ZIP)
26,762
single-family NFIP flood policies (2025)

What homeowners here 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

Typical premiums in Beaufort County were $2,921 per policy in 2022, about 2.0 times the typical South Carolina ZIP code ($1,460) and 88% above the typical U.S. ZIP code ($1,551). After adjusting for inflation, local premiums fell 6% between 2018 and 2022.

Premiums by ZIP

Typical premium per policy

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

Flood insurance

FEMA NFIP single-family policies, 2022–2025

Standard home policies don't cover floods. The average single-family NFIP policy that took effect here in 2025 cost $1,096, compared with $816 in 2022. About 37% of local policies are for homes in high-risk A or V zones and 63% in moderate- to lower-risk zones.

Flood costs by ZIP

Average flood policy cost

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

Policies by flood zone, 2025

26,762 policies
A zones 36%X/B/C zones 63%V zones 0%

Natural hazards

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025

Bars show how Beaufort compares with every U.S. county for each hazard (100 = highest). Hurricane, lightning and coastal flooding rank highest here. A high rank doesn't mean an event is likely in any given year. It shows where preparation and the right coverage matter most.

How the ratings work

Hazard risk, national percentile

Higher than X% of U.S. counties

Compare nearby

Neighboring counties

Typical premium 2022 (Treasury FIO), nonrenewal 2022, avg. flood policy 2025 (NFIP)
CountyPremiumNonrenewalFlood
Beaufort County$2,9216.40%$1,096
Colleton County$1,8081.65%$1,626
Jasper County$1,72412.49%$864
Hampton County$1,6431.50%$938

Flood insurance by ZIP, 2025

FEMA NFIP, single-family homes, ZIPs with the most policies
ZIPPoliciesAvg. cost
29928 Hilton Head Island6,186$1,652
29909 Okatie5,525$726
29926 Hilton Head Island4,859$973
29910 Bluffton3,975$740
29920 Saint Helena Island2,498$1,440
29907 Beaufort1,756$963
29902 Beaufort1,304$996
29906 Beaufort898$824

ZIP code pages in Beaufort County

Practical next steps

Simple things Beaufort 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.