Homeowners insurance in North Carolina: premium by ZIP code
North Carolina insurers declined to renew 2.09% of policies in the median ZIP code in 2022, ranked 3 of 51.
Independent site, not an insurer or a broker. Treasury figures cover 2018 to 2022 only.
Premium per policy in 2022, North Carolina (median ZIP code)
$1,319
Average paid per HO-3 or HO-5 policy, inflation-adjusted as published by the Treasury. At September 2026 prices: about $1,757.
| Change from 2018 to 2022, after inflation | +6.8% |
| Premium per policy in 2018 | $1,235 |
| Premium per policy in 2022 | $1,319 |
| 2022 premium carried to September 2026 (BLS index) | $1,757 |
| Policies not renewed by the insurer, 2022 | 2.09% |
| Claims paid per 100 policies, yearly average | 5.3 |
| Average claim paid, 2018 to 2022 (adjusted) | $12,487 |
| Cancelled for nonpayment, 2022 | 2.28% |
Treasury data stop in 2022. The September 2026 figure applies the national BLS price index to the 2022 value, read as 2022 dollars: an estimate, not a quote.
Compiled by Radif Partners · Where the numbers come from · 725 ZIP codes in 100 counties of North Carolina in the Treasury file · not a quote
North Carolina's median homeowners premium per policy was $1,319 in 2022 in the Treasury file, ranked 34 of 51 and below the national $1,551, after a rise of +8.3% after inflation. The numbers that stand out are renewals: insurers declined to renew 2.16% of policies in the median ZIP code in 2018, the year of Hurricane Florence, fell back, then reached 2.09% in 2022, and in 49% of the state's ZIP codes the 2022 rate was above the national top-tenth line. Wake County, Raleigh, rose +13.1% to $1,613; Mecklenburg, Charlotte, +9.1% to $1,562. Oddly, the cheapest ZIP codes were on the coast in Carteret County, 28553 at $761, most likely because the beach plan carries much of the wind risk there. Two state plans cover homes private insurers decline. The data stop in 2022.
Raleigh, Charlotte and the Triad
Wake County had 30 ZIP codes in the file and a median of $1,613 in 2022; Mecklenburg had 29 and $1,562. Guilford County, Greensboro, paid $1,241 after +10.1%. These metro counties rose faster than the state as a whole, with fast growth and rising construction costs. The dearest ZIP code in the state was 28207 in Charlotte, Myers Park, at $3,558. The mountains follow: 28646 in Avery County, around Linville, paid $3,489, and Buncombe County, Asheville, $1,285. The file ends two years before Helene flooded western North Carolina in 2024.
The coast and the beach plan
The low figures in Carteret County, 28553 at $761 and 28511 at $778, are not cheap insurance. In the beach and coastal territories, many homes buy wind and hail coverage from the North Carolina Insurance Underwriting Association (Coastal Property Insurance Pool), and the private policy covers the other perils at a lower price. The full cost is the private premium plus the beach plan premium, which is not in the Treasury file.
North Carolina: odds of a nonrenewal ahead
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Chance of at least one nonrenewal in 5 renewals, North Carolina
10.0%
| Median ZIP rate in 2018 | 2.16% |
| National median ZIP, 2022 | 0.85% |
| Same horizon at the national rate | 4.2% |
| North Carolina rank, 51 = lowest | 3 of 51 |
Renewals after the hurricanes
The median nonrenewal rate went 2.16%, 0.77%, 0.85%, 1.35%, 2.09% from 2018 to 2022. Florence in 2018 and Dorian in 2019 hit the coast; the 2022 rise was broader, reaching inland ZIP codes. Claims ran at 5.3 per 100 policies a year, highest in 2018 at 6.1, at a modest $12,487 on average. Cancellations for nonpayment were above the national median, 2.28%. The nonrenewal page explains what to do with a notice.
The two plans and the regulator
Besides the beach plan, the North Carolina Joint Underwriting Association is the FAIR plan for the rest of the state, writing dwelling and homeowners forms. North Carolina sets homeowners rates through a rate bureau that files for the whole market, which the North Carolina Department of Insurance reviews; insurers can also charge more than the bureau rate with the policyholder's written consent.
North Carolina, year by year
| Year | North Carolina median ZIP | National median ZIP | Nonrenewal rate | Claims per 100 policies | Paid loss ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | $1,235 | $1,445 | 2.16% | 6.1 | 45% |
| 2019 | $1,261 | $1,469 | 0.77% | 4.6 | 39% |
| 2020 | $1,298 | $1,491 | 0.85% | 4.9 | 41% |
| 2021 | $1,309 | $1,521 | 1.35% | 3.7 | 35% |
| 2022 | $1,319 | $1,551 | 2.09% | 4.5 | 41% |
The North Carolina counties with the most ZIP codes in the file
| County | ZIP codes | Median 2018 | Median 2022 | Change | Nonrenewal 2022 | Average claim |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wake County | 30 | $1,436 | $1,613 | +13.1% | 2.86% | $14,642 |
| Mecklenburg County | 29 | $1,435 | $1,562 | +9.1% | 4.45% | $13,409 |
| Guilford County | 22 | $1,138 | $1,241 | +10.1% | 3.10% | $11,236 |
| Buncombe County | 15 | $1,173 | $1,285 | +11.0% | 1.34% | $12,581 |
| Forsyth County | 14 | $1,116 | $1,227 | +8.7% | 2.50% | $11,376 |
| Gaston County | 14 | $1,128 | $1,189 | +8.3% | 3.37% | $12,192 |
| Columbus County | 13 | $1,873 | $1,912 | +3.0% | 2.40% | $13,647 |
| Cumberland County | 12 | $1,661 | $1,834 | +9.7% | 3.91% | $11,100 |
Highest and lowest premiums per policy, North Carolina ZIP codes, 2022
| ZIP code | County | Premium per policy | Change since 2018 | Nonrenewal 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28207 | Mecklenburg County | $3,558 | +16.9% | 0.92% |
| 28646 | Avery County | $3,489 | +24.0% | 0.94% |
| 28717 | Jackson County | $3,113 | +23.8% | 0.23% |
| 27927 | Currituck County | $3,019 | -13.5% | 0.13% |
| 28480 | New Hanover County | $2,779 | +13.3% | 2.04% |
| 28553 | Carteret County | $761 | -16.5% | 0.00% |
| 28511 | Carteret County | $778 | +10.3% | 1.41% |
| 28524 | Carteret County | $779 | -12.4% | 0.00% |
| 28531 | Carteret County | $786 | +10.9% | 1.61% |
| 28529 | Pamlico County | $847 | -8.2% | 2.80% |