Home Insurance in Des Moines, Washington
With a median home value of $597,000, Des Moines is 31% lower than the King County median.
The typical home in Des Moines was built around 1974. About 22% of homes were built before 1960, in line with King County (23%). Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them.
In Des Moines, the housing stock is 58% single-family homes, 32% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 2% mobile or manufactured homes.
70% of owner-occupied homes in Des Moines carry a mortgage, and mortgage lenders require hazard insurance for as long as the loan is active.
Des Moines has an owner-occupancy rate of 61% and a vacancy rate of 5%; unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form.
Homes heated with fuel oil can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies. 54% of homes in Des Moines are primarily heated with electricity.
King County's top FEMA-rated hazard is earthquake (Very High), per FEMA's National Risk Index. King County had 6,820 active NFIP flood policies as of September 2026. See the full King County home insurance overview for all FEMA hazard ratings and flood coverage details. Earthquake damage is excluded from a standard homeowners policy.
In Washington, the statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy is $1,232 per year (NAIC, 2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $597,000 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1974 |
| Owner-occupied share | 61% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 70% |
| Top county hazard | Earthquake (Very High) |
| Active NFIP policies in King County | 6,820 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,232 - 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)