Homeowners Insurance in North Carolina
North Carolina is the second stickiest state in the nation. And no, it isn’t sticky due to all the sweet treats made in the area (though there is plenty of it! Krispy Kreme got its start in NC and the state produces over half the country’s sweet potatoes). The reason no one ever wants to leave is because of NC’s low taxes and overall affordability. You can now add home insurance in North Carolina to the list.
When we aren’t chowing down on the sweetest treats in the state, we’re busy working with our North Carolinian neighbors to give them the home insurance protection they need — looking for more information on what protection you need in the Old North State? We’ve got you covered.
What is the average cost of homeowners insurance in North Carolina?
The average cost of homeowners insurance in North Carolina is $1,220, or about 152 dozen Krispy Kreme original glazed donuts (the popular chain started in Winston-Salem, North Carolina). Like its sister-state, South Carolina, both states' home insurance policies are a bit above the national average of $1,200, or about 150 dozen glazed donuts.
What factors influence my home insurance rate?
However, the actual amount you’ll pay for your home insurance premium depends on a variety of factors. The size, cost, age, condition, and location of your home can greatly affect this cost as home insurance providers view fixer-uppers and older homes as riskier to insure. For example, the owners of The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, which is the largest mansion in the U.S., should expect to pay much more for home insurance than someone who owns a smaller home in Raleigh or Charlotte.
North Carolina Home Insurance Premiums
What does homeowners insurance in North Carolina cover?
Homeowners insurance in North Carolina will cover your home, belongings and liability. This means if you buy a brand new bedroom set or couch in High Point, the furniture capital of the world, your purchase will be covered from perils like falling objects, theft and fire. If you have any additional structures on your property, such as sheds, detached garages or fences, those will be covered too.
Outside of the baseline protection, homeowners in North Carolina should consider adding more coverage to their policies due to the nature of their state. According to FEMA data, NC has had 53 declared natural disasters since 1954, including hurricanes, tornados and flooding. This means insurance riders like flood insurance, windstorm protection and hurricane insurance can be especially crucial to life in the coastal plain.
North Carolina Insurance Coverage Options
Traditional coverage
Physical Structure
Living Expenses
Liability Protection
Additional Structures
Personal Possessions
Supplemental coverage
Fire
Earthquake
Flood
How to lower your home insurance premium
While North Carolina resident Nicholas Sparks’ novels are full of drama, not everything in the Old North State is so intense. That means you won’t need to write your insurance company “365 letters...every day for a year” à la Noah in The Notebook just to get your premium down.
Lowering your premium can be as simple as adding new smart home monitoring systems, keeping your roof and HVAC system in premium condition or even just raising your deductible. However, if yourcurrent provider isn’t giving you the deal you want, consider shopping around. Changing insurance providers can seem like a big deal, but companies like us will walk you through every step. Though if you’re changing providers withescrow, you’ll need to notify your mortgage lender throughout the process.
North Carolina home insurance resources
Education is a hallmark of North Carolina’s history. Not only is the state home to The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill — which has the oldest state university building in the nation on campus — but it’s also ranked seventh in the U.S. for higher education. Though once you graduate and purchase your first home, NC doesn’t leave you high and dry.
Thanks to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), Fair Access to Insurance Requirements Plan and the North Carolina Department of Insurance, homeowners from Wilmington to Asheville always have the educational resources they need.
The National Flood Insurance Program
Every year, the United States experiences $10 billion in damages from flooding. While the damage is spread throughout the country, given that flooding is the most common natural hazard in the U.S., it can’t hurt to be protected. Protect your NC home with a flood insurance policy from the NFIP, the government-led program that provides financial assistance to homeowners that experience flooding.
Fair Access to Insurance Requirements Plan
From Panthers to Hurricane fans, everyone in North Carolina deserves home insurance coverage. And the North Carolina Joint Underwriting Association agrees, offering a FAIR plan to those who cannot get coverage in traditional ways. Whether your home is deemed too high risk or you have a relatively long history of claims, you’ll be able to get coverage through FAIR. However, the coverage itself is pretty minimal, so it's best to get coverage through a regular provider if possible.
A state with the motto ”esse quam videri” — to be, rather than to seem — takes every decision seriously. That includes home insurance. So when we set up shop in North Carolina, we knew we’d have to work hard to earn their trust. From a quick quote to in-depth home insurance coverage, Hippo is here to give North Carolinians everything they need to protect their homes and their wallets.
