Home Insurance in Amherst County, Virginia
Homes in Amherst County carry a median value of $212,400 - 45% lower than the Virginia median.
Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing. The typical home in Amherst County was built around 1978. About 23% of homes were built before 1960, about 3 points above Virginia's 19%.
The housing stock in Amherst County is 80% single-family homes, 2% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 11% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
57% of owner-occupied homes in Amherst County carry a mortgage, and mortgage lenders require hazard insurance for as long as the loan is active.
The vacancy rate is 12%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 81% of occupied homes in Amherst County are owner-occupied.
In Amherst County, 86% of homes are primarily heated with electricity.
Per FEMA's National Risk Index, Amherst County's top hazards are hurricane (Relatively Low), strong wind (Relatively Moderate) and earthquake (Very Low). Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake, so separate coverage is usually needed.
As of September 2026, Amherst County has 46 active NFIP flood insurance policies. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy.
According to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data), a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in Virginia carries a statewide average premium of $1,537 per year.
Key figures
| Median home value | $212,400 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1978 |
| Owner-occupied share | 81% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 57% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Hurricane (Relatively Low), Strong Wind (Relatively Moderate), Earthquake (Very Low) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 46 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,537 - 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)