Across coastal South Carolina, homeowners with no missed payments and no prior claims are receiving non-renewal notices from their insurers. In most cases, the stated reason is the roof, an issue increasingly highlighted in homeowner guidance resources such as the Linta Roofing website.

In counties like Horry, roof age and condition have become the most common grounds for non-renewal. South Carolina families are now paying roughly 17 percent more for home insurance than they did three years ago, an average of $400 more per year, and about 9 percent have dropped coverage entirely.

What Homeowners Are Running Into

Many carriers flag roofs at 15 years for review. By 20 years, non-renewal is nearly automatic regardless of visible condition.

Many coastal policies now exclude wind and hail coverage for roofs older than 15 years. In a state where hurricane deductibles run between 1 and 5 percent of a home’s insured value, that exclusion means storm damage may produce no payout at all.

The pressure is also moving earlier. Industry data from 2025 shows the premium gap between newer roofs and those just 11 to 15 years old widened substantially as carriers tightened underwriting. In coastal counties, that shift has changed from pricing into eligibility.

Why Insurers Are Drawing the Line Here

By the end of 2024, South Carolina’s combined ratio for homeowners’ insurance had reached nearly 144 percent, meaning insurers paid out $1.44 for every $1 collected in premiums.

The state now averages five billion-dollar weather events per year, up from 1.5 in the 1990s and 2000s, pushing multiple insurers out of the state and reducing competitive pressure on rates.

Carriers have expanded their use of satellite imagery, drones, and AI tools to assess roof condition remotely.In coastal markets, where it matters more than elsewhere, salt corrosion, UV exposure, and wind stress can shorten a roof’s functional lifespan by three to five years compared to inland properties. 

What the Law Covers

South Carolina law requires insurers to provide at least 60 days’ written notice before a non-renewal takes effect and to state the specific reason. Insurers sometimes misidentify roof age or damage through drive-by inspections, making that reason worth verifying.

State law also prohibits non-renewal solely because a homeowner filed a claim for storm or weather damage. Roof age falls outside that protection. Homeowners who allow a coverage gap risk triggering force-placed insurance from their mortgage lender, typically more expensive and with narrower terms.

What the State Is Doing About It

House Bill 4817, the “Insurance Rate Reduction and Policyholder Protection Act”, is currently before the General Assembly, a direct response to rising rates, insurer departures, and homeowners who say they cannot get fair treatment from the companies they pay.

Among its provisions, the bill proposes to restrict residential contractors from representing homeowners in insurance claim negotiations connected to roofing work, and would increase penalties for insurance fraud violations. The legislation is currently in the Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance.

Separately, the SC Department of Insurance reopened its Safe Home grant program in February 2026 with expanded funding, enabling qualifying roof projects to earn dual designations through a partnership with the IBHS FORTIFIED Roof Program.

What Homeowners Can Do

The SC Safe Home grant portal reopened in February 2026 with expanded funding. Qualifying roof projects can now earn dual designations through a partnership with the IBHS FORTIFIED Roof Program, potentially unlocking additional insurance discounts.

For homeowners who receive a non-renewal notice, Linta Roofing, a GAF Master Elite certified contractor serving coastal South Carolina since 1948, identifies three immediate priorities: verify the insurer’s stated reason against actual roof documentation; contact an independent insurance agent before the 60-day window shortens; and schedule a professional inspection with written findings, which gives carriers and prospective insurers something concrete to evaluate.

Seventeen insurers in South Carolina currently offer discounts of 10 to 35 percent off the wind portion of premiums for homes with a FORTIFIED Roof designation. For homeowners whose coverage is already at risk, the SC Department of Insurance’s Insurance Locator Service connects coastal residents directly with agents actively writing policies in high-risk counties.