Home Insurance in Berkeley County, South Carolina
The median home value in Berkeley County is $310,300, 20% higher than the South Carolina median.
The typical home in Berkeley County was built around 2002. Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them. About 4% of homes were built before 1960, about 8 points below South Carolina's 12%.
The housing stock in Berkeley County is 70% single-family homes, 13% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 14% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
About 64% of owner-occupied homes in Berkeley County have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
About 75% of occupied homes in Berkeley County are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 7%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
In Berkeley County, 77% of homes are primarily heated with electricity.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists hurricane (Very High), earthquake (Relatively Moderate) and wildfire (Relatively Moderate) as the leading hazards for Berkeley County. Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake, so separate coverage is usually needed.
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy. As of September 2026, Berkeley County has 7,048 active NFIP flood policies on file.
According to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data), a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in South Carolina carries a statewide average premium of $1,753 per year.
Key figures
| Median home value | $310,300 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 2002 |
| Owner-occupied share | 75% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 64% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Hurricane (Very High), Earthquake (Relatively Moderate), Wildfire (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 7,048 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,753 - 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)