Homeowners Insurance in Irmo, South Carolina

Located off the shore of Lake Murray, the charming town of Irmo, South Carolina, may not stay small forever. Though its population is just over 10,000, its proximity to Columbia makes it an attractive option for people who want to move near the city while maintaining a small-town atmosphere.

Since you’re likely required to have South Carolina home insurance, you should take your time to choose the right policy. We break down everything you need to know about homeowners insurance in Irmo, including average rates, coverages, and cost factors.

On average, home insurance in Irmo, South Carolina, costs about $1,578 annually. The average rate in this city is pretty representative of the average rate in the state, which rests at about $1,641 annually, or just 4% higher than Irmo’s average. There are many reputable providers in the area, and getting home insurance in Irmo shouldn’t be too hard. Getting it at a good price, though, is a different story.

Home insurance premiums vary based on many factors beyond home value that we’ll go into further later on. But, just know that there may be certain things about you and certain actions you can take to lower your premiums. 

For example, two factors that influence home insurance rates in Irmo are the construction type of your house and the age of your house. Each of these factors directly relates to how well your home may hold up in severe weather. Older homes with a frame build aren’t as sturdy as newer, masonry homes and, thus, may have higher premiums due to their risk. 

Keep in mind, you’re required to have homeowners insurance as long as you have a mortgage. If you leave the choice of coverage up to your lender, you’ll be force-placed suboptimal home insurance with high premiums. But, if you choose the provider you want, you’ll find that homeowners insurance can be a great benefit at a reasonable cost. 

We’ve gone over some major factors that affect home insurance rates, like ages, sizes, and construction styles of houses. But, there are a few more risks to know about. Some are related to the weather, while some are more personal.

Location: The location of your house affects premiums in a few ways. Your home’s susceptibility to natural disasters is a major one. If your house is in an area that’s prone to severe weather that can cause serious property damage, then an insurer takes this into account and often charges more for home insurance. 

In Irmo, the threat of hurricanes is low, but South Carolina is at risk every season overall, so it may not be something insurance companies in the area overlook completely. Tornadoes in the Midlands are also a possibility, with a few spawning just last year from the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred. Sinkholes are also known to form in South Carolina, and insurers may factor in the possibility of these, too, when determining your home insurance rate.

Attractive Nuisances: Attractive nuisances in and around your house can impact your premium, too. Insurance companies consider certain features that can increase your home’s value can also increase your insurance risk, such as pools, playgrounds, treehouses, and trampolines. Homes with attractive nuisances tend to have higher premiums.

Claims history: When you’re looking for a home insurance policy, providers usually ask you if you’ve filed any recent home insurance claims. If you’ve filed a claim in the past 3-5 years, insurers believe you’re more likely to file again than someone who has never filed one. You may pay a higher rate for insurance as a result.

Homeowners insurance is a type of property insurance designed for personal residences, specifically single-family homes. The home insurance rates in Irmo we discussed above are for HO3 policies, the most common type of homeowners insurance. People who live in condos, duplexes, or mobile homes would need a different type of policy – not an HO3.

HO3 policies have different areas of coverage, meaning different parts of the plan protect you and your property in different ways. A typical HO3 policy should have the following areas of protection:

Dwelling coverage: Dwelling coverage financially safeguards the main structure of your home. This structure includes the floor, windows, walls, roof, balcony, and porch. The amount of dwelling coverage you have is based on either the replacement cost of your home or the market value of your home.

Other Structures: Other structures coverage protects the features on your property that aren’t attached to the main house. These could include sheds, fences, decks, gazebos, and more. Usually, the amount of other structures coverage you have is a percentage of your dwelling coverage.

For instance, if you have $350,000 of dwelling coverage, a normal amount of other structures coverage would be $35,000, or 10% of your dwelling coverage.

Personal Property: Personal property coverage protects your belongings inside your house. This includes furniture, electronics, clothes, art, jewelry, and more. There are some limits involved, but you generally decide how much personal property coverage you want based on the value and quantity of your items. 

Loss of Use: Also sometimes called additional living expenses, loss of use coverage is a part of your plan that’s designed to cover expenses you can incur if you’re forced to move out of your house due to a covered peril. Your loss of use coverage enables your provider to reimburse you for things like a hotel stay, food, and gas when you have to relocate while your house is being rebuilt or repaired.

Liability: Liability coverage protects your financial well-being in case someone gets injured on your property and decides to pursue you for damages. If you’re found liable for the injury, your insurance can cover the related medical expenses and legal fees. Standard home insurance policies typically come with $100,000 in liability coverage, but many people opt for $500,000 or more. 

An offshoot of your liability coverage, called medical payments coverage, is specifically designed to cover the costs that could arise from minor injuries. Your liability protection can come in for more serious issues, like if someone gets laid up in the hospital from a slip and fall or costly litigation after a dog bite.

Home insurance doesn’t cover damage from flooding. Irmo residents don’t have to worry about coastal flooding, but the area does experience heavy rains, and flash floods aren’t uncommon. Even if you don’t think you’re at risk, you’re required to get flood insurance by your mortgage provider if your house is in a federally designated flood zone.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has determined the flooding risk of nearly every area in the United States. They maintain and update flood zone maps, and lenders and local governments use these maps for safety, building codes, and more. If you’re in a high-risk flood zone, you’ll need flood insurance.

Historically, flood insurance was only available from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) through FEMA and is still the largest flood provider in the nation. 

But, the private flood insurance market is growing steadily, and many companies are beginning to offer better flood coverage than the NFIP at competitive rates. NFIP figures in 2024 report that the number of NFIP policies has decreased slightly in South Carolina, but they still cover around 8% of all residential properties in the state.

If you’re looking for flood insurance in Irmo, we can help with that, too. We partner with the NFIP and several private flood insurers. Our flood quote form is easy to fill out, and once you submit it, you’ll see your options promptly.

Most of Irmo is in an X flood zone, the lowest risk designation FEMA has for flooding. Some properties along Rawls Creek and Kinley Creek are in AE flood zones, which are high-risk, and homeowners here may be required to get a policy in these areas.

However, you’re not completely out of danger in a low-risk flood zone. FEMA reports that over 25% of their NFIP claims come from houses outside of high-risk flood zones. Floods are one of the most costly forms of property damage you can endure, so you always want to think about flood insurance.

There are plenty of insurance agencies and companies in Irmo, South Carolina, for you to choose from. Here at Clovered, we’re an insurance agency that can help you find the right policy for your needs while remaining in your budget. To do so, we partner with top providers to ensure you get the policy that best aligns with your needs. 

Some of the leading providers in the state are national insurers who have a large footprint all over the country. For example, Allstate insurance in Irmo is quite popular, as Allstate is one of the largest insurance companies in the country. They offer coverage in Irmo, and depending on some details about you and your policy, they may have some of the lowest average premiums for your coverage needs. 

Nationwide insurance in Irmo, South Carolina, is also quite popular, as Nationwide is another extremely large provider in the United States. In Irmo, their coverage may be exactly what you need, plus you may find their discounts, like their bundling discount, are just what you need to get the coverage you deserve at a great price. 

If you’re looking for a homeowners insurance quote in Irmo, we’d love to help. Clovered is an independent insurance agency that operates in 19 states. We partner with many of the country’s top insurance providers to offer people the coverage they’re looking for. Use our free quoting tool to get a quote for your policy in minutes.

We want to help you find the coverage you need at the price you want. If you want to speak to a licensed agent on the phone, just call 833-255-4117 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Or, you can email us anytime at agent@clovered.com with questions, and an agent will get back to you soon.