Home Insurance in Seattle, Washington
With a median home value of $938,600, Seattle is 9% higher than the King County median.
The typical home in Seattle was built around 1976. About 38% of homes were built before 1960, about 16 points above King County's 23%. Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them.
Housing in Seattle breaks down to 43% single-family homes and 51% apartments in buildings with 5+ units.
In Seattle, about 71% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
Seattle has an owner-occupancy rate of 44% and a vacancy rate of 8%; unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form.
In Seattle, 61% of homes are primarily heated with electricity.
FEMA rates King County's overall risk as Very High, led by earthquake (Very High). 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 | $938,600 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1976 |
| Owner-occupied share | 44% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 71% |
| 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
- Hunts Point
- Clyde Hill
- Yarrow Point
- Beaux Arts Village
- Bainbridge Island
- Kirkland
- Bellevue
- Shoreline
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)