Home Insurance in Plains, Montana
Homes in Plains carry a median value of $248,300 - 31% lower than the Sanders County median.
Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing. The typical home in Plains was built around 1978. About 23% of homes were built before 1960, about 3 points above Sanders County's 19%.
The housing stock in Plains is 52% single-family homes, 1% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 29% mobile or manufactured homes. The rest are 2-4 unit or other housing types. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
55% of owner-occupied homes in Plains carry a mortgage, and mortgage lenders require hazard insurance for as long as the loan is active.
About 53% of occupied homes in Plains are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 11%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
Homes heated with propane, fuel oil and wood can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies. 33% of homes in Plains are primarily heated with propane.
Sanders County had 27 active NFIP flood policies as of September 2026. Its top FEMA-rated hazard is wildfire (Relatively Moderate). See the full Sanders County home insurance overview for all FEMA hazard ratings and flood coverage details.
According to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data), a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in Montana carries a statewide average premium of $1,768 per year.
Key figures
| Median home value | $248,300 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1978 |
| Owner-occupied share | 53% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 55% |
| Top county hazard | Wildfire (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP policies in Sanders County | 27 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,768 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Nearby towns
Sources
Data last updated: 2026-09-29
- 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)