Home Insurance in Lake County, Montana
The median home value in Lake County is $421,800, 12% higher than the Montana median.
The typical home in Lake County was built around 1986. Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild. About 19% of homes were built before 1960, about 6 points below Montana's 26%.
Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy. The housing stock in Lake County is 80% single-family homes, 4% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 10% mobile or manufactured homes.
About 52% of owner-occupied homes in Lake County have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
The vacancy rate is 24%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 75% of occupied homes in Lake County are owner-occupied.
Homes heated with propane and wood can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies. In Lake County, 56% of homes are primarily heated with electricity.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists winter weather (Relatively High), wildfire (Relatively Moderate) and earthquake (Relatively Moderate) as the leading hazards for Lake County. Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake, so separate coverage is usually needed.
As of September 2026, Lake County has 31 active NFIP flood insurance policies. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy.
The statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in Montana is $1,768 per year, according to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $421,800 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1986 |
| Owner-occupied share | 75% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 52% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Winter Weather (Relatively High), Wildfire (Relatively Moderate), Earthquake (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 31 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,768 - 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)