Flood insurance in South Carolina: cost by ZIP code and county
South Carolina counts 111,552 single-family flood policies; on July 31, 2026 the median yearly bill was $951, below the national $1,081.
Median single-family flood bill, South Carolina
$951
111,552 policies in force on July 31, 2026, premium and fees included.
| Median full-risk price, same policies | $1,099 |
| Policies still below their full-risk price | 45 % |
| Median paid in August 2023 | $714 |
| Increase left from the median | 1 renewal at 18 % |
| Next five bills, added up | $5,495 |
| Median claim paid, 2016 to 2025 (10,030 claims) | $15,212 |
Compiled by Radif Partners · Where the numbers come from · 229 ZIP codes and 44 counties of South Carolina in FEMA's tables · not a quote
On July 31, 2026, the typical single-family flood policy in South Carolina had a total yearly cost of $951, premium plus the Reserve Fund Assessment, the HFIAA surcharge and the Federal Policy Fee. The state has 111,552 such policies, and FEMA rated 90 % of its 2023 single-family policies as exposed to storm surge. Charleston County alone holds 43,945 of them. The statewide picture is calmer than that exposure suggests. Priced at full risk, the same policies would have a median of $1,099, not far above today, and only 45 % still pay less than their full-risk premium. The real gap sits on the front row. A V zone policy cost $2,250 at the median, with a full-risk median of $4,263, while X zone homes paid $704.
A coastal state with a modest median
With 90 % of its policies carrying surge exposure in FEMA's tables, South Carolina still has a median bill lower than the country's. Two features of the data explain part of it. First, 50,789 policies are rated X, B or C, a large block of homes outside the mapped high-risk area whose median bill is $704. Second, the A zone median itself is moderate, $1,103, because Risk Rating 2.0 can weigh each building's first floor height and cost to rebuild, not only the zone letter.
Horry County, home to Myrtle Beach, shows the effect clearly. Its 17,737 policies had a median of $643 on July 31, 2026, with a full-risk median of $649: the yearly increases there are nearly done. Georgetown County, which borders Horry to the south, is another story, at $1,168 against $2,053.
Median South Carolina bill by type of flood zone
Median yearly cost, V zones, South Carolina
$2,250
| Same zone type, whole country | $1,796 |
| A zones in South Carolina | $1,103 |
| X, B, C zones in South Carolina | $704 |
The front row pays for velocity
V zones are FEMA's coastal high hazard areas, flooded by tidal water with velocity. South Carolina has 1,499 single-family policies rated there, few in number but far from their final price: the median full-risk bill is 1.9 times the median paid today. At 18 % a year on a main home, that distance takes several renewals to close. A second home in a V zone moves at 25 % a year instead.
Three storms in three years
Hurricane Matthew in 2016 produced 4,317 paid single-family claims, the most of any event in the state's 2016 to 2025 records. Hurricane Florence followed in 2018 with fewer claims, 1,144, but $89,193,162 in payments, a larger amount per house. Across the whole period, 10,030 claims were paid at a median of $15,212. Claims rated in X zones had a higher median, $21,515, than those in A zones, $13,813.
Where the largest gap hides
The county with the widest distance between FEMA's 2023 current and full-risk medians is Colleton County, which borders both Charleston and Beaufort counties, with 1,526 policies. Beaufort County, around Hilton Head, is closer to balance at $956 paid against $1,191. The flood zone guide explains how the letters on a map change the rate.
The South Carolina counties with the most policies
| County | Policies | Median bill | Full-risk median | Still below full risk | Renewals left at 18 % | Median bill, August 2023 | Median claim 2016-2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston County | 43,945 | $1,020 | $1,289 | 49 % | 2 | $750 | $14,517 |
| Beaufort County | 25,744 | $956 | $1,191 | 48 % | 2 | $706 | $9,462 |
| Horry County | 17,737 | $643 | $649 | 31 % | 1 | $647 | $25,059 |
| Berkeley County | 5,527 | $858 | $916 | 41 % | 1 | $680 | $16,283 |
| Georgetown County | 4,872 | $1,168 | $2,053 | 52 % | 4 | $791 | $14,107 |
| Dorchester County | 2,530 | $815 | $831 | 25 % | 1 | $689 | $19,978 |
| Jasper County | 1,778 | $811 | $821 | 27 % | 1 | $693 | $17,365 |
| Richland County | 1,660 | $912 | $955 | 39 % | 1 | $738 | $8,071 |
Full-risk prices of South Carolina homes, band by band
| Full risk-based price a year | Policies | Share | Median rebuild value |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 to $1,000 | 60,013 | 48.0 % | $418,468 |
| $1,000 to $2,000 | 35,546 | 28.4 % | $489,904 |
| $2,000 to $3,000 | 12,879 | 10.3 % | $554,316 |
| $3,000 to $4,000 | 6,203 | 5.0 % | $591,432 |
| $4,000 to $5,000 | 3,577 | 2.9 % | $578,974 |
| $5,000 or more | 6,845 | 5.5 % |
The floods that paid the most South Carolina claims since 2016
| Event (FEMA name) | Year | Paid claims | Paid in total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Matthew | 2016 | 4,317 | $126,466,177 |
| Hurricane Florence | 2018 | 1,144 | $89,193,162 |
| Hurricane Irma | 2017 | 1,754 | $43,844,280 |