As a state with over 187 miles of coastline, South Carolina homeowners face higher risks for home insurance claims. The South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association, or the Beach Plan, commonly referred to South Carolina FAIR Plan, was put in place to help residents in the state who have had trouble finding insurance after filing claims or simply due to their location. This allows homeowners to obtain wind and hail insurance to cover their property.
South Carolina experiences a humid subtropical climate. Upstate is mostly hills, forests, and even some mountains. Residents of the Northern part of the state face many risks to their properties. Homeowners often experience freezing pipes and water damage due to the cold climate. Freezing rains and ice are more common than snow in the state causing hazardous conditions for homeowners leading to a high claim volume. Policy holders in these areas are strongly encouraged to winter proof their homes as mitigation.
The low county or often referred to as the coastal part of the state faces multiple conditions of weather raising the risk of damage to homeowners for large, often catastrophic property claims. Hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30. The state has seen many hurricanes in its history. As the storm moves inland and loses its momentum, it brings strong winds and hail. In 2015 Hurricane Joaquin, along with a separate storm system lead to a “1000 Year Storm” that lead to over 16 inches of rainfall in a single day and causing over $2 billion in damage.
Homeowners in the state of South Carolina are unable to avoid many types of high risk issues simply due to the natural geography. Over time the insurance market will continue to respond to the events that cause insurance claims and mitigating the potential for loss will continue to become more important.