Home Insurance in Horry County, South Carolina
The median home value in Horry County is $287,700, 11% higher than the South Carolina median.
The typical home in Horry County was built around 1999. Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing. About 4% of homes were built before 1960, about 8 points below South Carolina's 12%.
Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy. The housing stock in Horry County is 58% single-family homes, 25% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 13% mobile or manufactured homes.
In Horry County, about 55% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
The vacancy rate is 27%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 77% of occupied homes in Horry County are owner-occupied.
Most homes in Horry County - 86% - are primarily heated with electricity.
The top hazards for Horry County, per FEMA's National Risk Index, are hurricane (Very High), tornado (Relatively High) and earthquake (Relatively Moderate). Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake, so separate coverage is usually needed.
Horry County had 51,979 active National Flood Insurance Program policies as of September 2026. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy.
In South Carolina, the statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy is $1,753 per year (NAIC, 2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $287,700 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1999 |
| Owner-occupied share | 77% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 55% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Hurricane (Very High), Tornado (Relatively High), Earthquake (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 51,979 |
| 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)