Home Insurance in Highlands County, Florida
Homes in Highlands County carry a median value of $187,900 - 48% lower than the Florida median.
The typical home in Highlands County was built around 1987. About 7% of homes were built before 1960, about 3 points below Florida's 10%. Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them.
In Highlands County, the housing stock is 65% single-family homes, 5% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 24% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
In Highlands County, about 38% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
Highlands County has an owner-occupancy rate of 79% and a vacancy rate of 20%; unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form.
93% of homes in Highlands County are primarily heated with electricity.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists strong wind (Very High), hurricane (Relatively High) and wildfire (Relatively Moderate) as the leading hazards for Highlands County.
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy. As of September 2026, Highlands County has 984 active NFIP flood policies on file.
In Florida, the statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy is $2,779 per year (NAIC, 2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $187,900 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1987 |
| Owner-occupied share | 79% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 38% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Strong Wind (Very High), Hurricane (Relatively High), Wildfire (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 984 |
| 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)