Homeowners Insurance in Greer, South Carolina (2024)

Located just outside Greenville, Greer is a small, family-friendly city in upstate South Carolina. Its classic scenery and affordable living attract many to the area. The city has planned for sustainable population growth since the 1990s. And the planning has paid off thus far, as the city’s population has steadily grown while maintaining its small-town feel.

If you own or want to own a home in Greer, you’ll need homeowners insurance. We analyzed some of the popular home insurance companies in Greer and broke down their average premiums, taking several factors into account.

Home insurance in Greer, South Carolina, should cost you about $1,696 yearly for a $200,000 house, and $2,657 on a $350,000 house. You must have a home insurance policy on your house if you have a mortgage. 

You can let your lender choose your coverage for you, called force-placed insurance, but this is almost always a bad idea. Force-placed insurance is often the bare minimum coverage at above-average rates.

If you must get a policy, you might as well get a good one. Having the proper home insurance plan is the best way to protect yourself and your property from the worst-case scenarios we don’t like to think about. In a time of need, you want your policy to work for you in every way possible. You don’t want it to be an obstacle with missing coverages and unknown details that hinder your way to recovery.

Below, we’ve come up with an in-depth guide on homeowners insurance in Greer, South Carolina. In addition to analyzing average rates, we’ve outlined common coverages, cost factors, and possible discounts to paint a solid picture of what you can expect for insurance in Greer.

The rates in this article are sourced from the South Carolina Department of Insurance. The top 25 insurer groups by national premium volume were required to submit their annual rates, while other companies opted to do so voluntarily. The sample rates are for a homeowner with no insurance claims in the past five years and an average credit score.

Based on our list above, Universal Property & Casualty has the lowest average rates in Greer, South Carolina, for both a $200,000 house and a $350,000 house. The numbers are different at both price points because the amount of insurance you need varies based on your home value. 

Foremost was the most expensive on the list, but this doesn’t mean it’s the hands-down most costly provider. Insurance rates vary due to many factors, some of which we go over later, and what may be the most costly for another person may not be the most expensive for you. Also, different policies may provide different types of coverage that can add or subtract from the overall premium.

Thus, the best home insurance policy is the one that has the coverages you need at a price that works for you. That’s why it’s so important to compare quotes from multiple providers when looking for homeowners insurance. These average rates can still provide valuable insight, though.

For instance, the list below further breaks down the average rates for $200,000 houses by taking construction type into consideration. You’ll see that masonry homes, typically built with brick or concrete, tend to have lower premiums on average than frame (wooden) houses. 

Based on the numbers above, Nationwide had the largest average increases between policies based on home age. The Nationwide average premium increased over $700 on old houses, just over 41%. 

UPCIC and State Farm had minimal increases relatively. Both increased by under $200. Older homes typically cost more to insure because they tend to have features that are not as easy to replace due to their age or unique make. For example, older houses could feature building materials like siding that have been discontinued. Also, older homes may not be up to the latest building codes, making them less resistant to severe weather and less safe.

Housing has become more expensive as the Upstate grows for a few reasons, such as increased building costs and inflation. While insurance replacement cost isn’t the same as market value, more costly homes require more insurance coverage. So, look at more Greer rates for $350,000 worth of coverage.

The most common type of homeowners insurance policy is called an HO3 policy. HO3 policies contain different areas of coverage that protect you and your property beyond just the structure of your house. A typical HO3 policy has the following coverages:

Dwelling coverage and other structures coverage protect your home itself and your property’s different structures and features. Your windows, walls, roof, floor, and porch fall under dwelling coverage. Detached garages, fences, sheds, gazebos, and more fall under other structures.

Personal property coverage financially protects your belongings. Furniture, clothes, electronics, and even jewelry and art fall under your personal property coverage. This coverage applies if your items ever get damaged by a covered peril, like a hurricane or a fire, or if your items ever get stolen.

Liability coverage and medical payments coverage kick in when someone sustains an injury on your property and they pursue you for damages. Liability coverage can cover your legal fees and the injured party’s medical expenses. Liability coverage often starts at $100,000 in a home insurance policy, but you may want to increase it if you have a lot of personal wealth or assets. Medical payments coverage is designated for smaller injuries and usually has limits of a few thousand dollars.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) designates flooding risk for properties throughout the country by maintaining and updating flood zone maps. You can access city maps and other floodplain information on the Greer website.

Greer doesn’t have many high-risk flood zones. But, that doesn’t fully negate the need for flood insurance. FEMA reports that over 25% of flood insurance claims they see come from properties outside of high-risk flood zones. Additionally, flooding from heavy rains is a possibility in Greer. 

Unfortunately, home insurance won’t cover damages from floods. A flood insurance policy is the only way to protect your home and belongings from flooding damage sufficiently. We can help you find flood insurance, too. We partner with the National Flood Insurance Program, the nation’s largest flood insurer, as well as several private flood insurance companies. So, we’ll help you find the option best for you.

Beyond home age, size, and construction style, many factors affect insurance premiums. The location of your property is important.If your home is susceptible to severe weather, insurance companies have to consider this. They usually charge higher premiums to offset the increased chance of a payout due to storm damage. 

Greer isn’t in much danger of hurricanes, but tornadoes hit the Upstate fairly regularly. Also, just last year, remnants of Tropical Storm Fred spawned tornadoes in the area, so the effects of hurricane season can still be felt.

Decisions you make about your policy can directly influence how much you pay for coverage, too. Choosing a higher deductible can lower your premium and vice versa. Adding riders or endorsements to your policy to upgrade protection in certain areas will increase the cost of your insurance. Additionally, personal choices like owning certain dog breeds, like pit bulls, can raise premiums. 

If you’re looking for a home insurance quote in Greer, we’re here to help. Clovered is an independent insurance agency that operates in 19 states with a dedicated team of agents looking to help you find insurance for any of your needs – including homeowners insurance.

We’d love to help you get a quote. You can use our online quoting platform, or you can speak to a licensed agent on the phone by calling 833-255-4117 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can also email us anytime at [email protected] with any questions you might have.