Home Insurance in Bay County, Florida
Homes in Bay County carry a median value of $310,500 - 14% lower than the Florida median.
The typical home in Bay County was built around 1993. About 9% of homes were built before 1960, about 2 points below Florida's 10%. Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild.
In Bay County, the housing stock is 56% single-family homes, 27% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 10% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
About 57% of owner-occupied homes in Bay County have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
About 67% of occupied homes in Bay County are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 27%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
Most homes in Bay County - 87% - are primarily heated with electricity.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists hurricane (Very High), tornado (Relatively High) and coastal flooding (Relatively Moderate) as the leading hazards for Bay County.
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy. As of September 2026, Bay County has 31,103 active NFIP flood policies on file.
According to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data), a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in Florida carries a statewide average premium of $2,779 per year.
Key figures
| Median home value | $310,500 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1993 |
| Owner-occupied share | 67% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 57% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Hurricane (Very High), Tornado (Relatively High), Coastal Flooding (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 31,103 |
| Home insurance premium | $2,779 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer Files (2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (2024)
- FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025)
- FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (2026)
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owner-Occupied, and Homeowners Tenant and Condominium/Cooperative Unit Owners Insurance: Data for 2023 (published 2026) (2023)