Flood Insurance in South Carolina: How Many Homes Are Covered in Your County
FEMA data as of August 2026. Reviewed by Mauldin Insurance Group, Lexington, SC.
Most South Carolina homeowners don't have flood insurance, and a standard homeowners policy doesn't cover flood damage. We pulled FEMA's public data for all 46 counties to show how many homes carry flood coverage and how often claims happen, including outside the high-risk zones.
About 1 in 80
homes in Lexington and Richland counties has federal flood insurance.
$67.7 million
paid on 1,157 flood claims in Richland and Lexington from the October 2015 flood.
1 in 4
of those 2015 Midlands claims came from homes outside FEMA's high-risk flood zones.
What the October 2015 flood showed the Midlands
In early October 2015, record rain fell across the Midlands. In Richland County, 794 flood insurance claims were filed for that month, with about $55.8 million paid. In Lexington County, 363 claims were filed, with about $11.9 million paid.
That one storm accounts for more than half of all the federal flood claims ever filed in both counties. About 30% of the Richland claims and 15% of the Lexington claims came from properties outside FEMA's high-risk flood zones. Those were homes where flood insurance wasn't required by the lender.
The takeaway: those numbers only count people who had flood insurance. Thousands of other Midlands homes were damaged without it, and their owners paid out of pocket or relied on disaster aid, which is often a loan.
Flood insurance by county
This table shows federal flood insurance (NFIP) policies on homes, the total number of homes, and the share covered. Claims are the total since FEMA's records began in 1978. Tap a column to sort. Midlands counties are highlighted.
| County | Homes insured | Total homes | Share covered | Claims since 1978 |
|---|
Statewide, about 121,000 homes carry federal flood insurance, roughly 6% of all homes. Charleston, Beaufort and Horry counties hold almost 8 of every 10 of those policies.
Why inland homes still flood
- Heavy rain, not just hurricanes. Slow-moving storms can drop more water than storm drains, creeks and ponds can handle.
- Flood maps change. A home that was outside a high-risk zone years ago may be closer to one today, and new building nearby changes how water drains.
- Small creeks and dams. Several Midlands dams failed in 2015, sending water into neighborhoods that had never flooded before.
- Statewide, about 1 in 5 flood claims since 1978 came from outside the high-risk zones.
Questions people ask
Does homeowners insurance cover flooding?
No. Standard homeowners policies exclude flood damage from rising water. You need a separate flood policy, either through the National Flood Insurance Program or a private flood insurer.
Is there a waiting period for flood insurance?
Yes. A new federal flood policy usually takes 30 days to start. There are exceptions, such as when coverage is required to close on a home loan. You can't wait until a storm is in the forecast.
Do I need flood insurance if I'm not in a flood zone?
Your lender usually won't require it, but the risk isn't zero. Coverage outside high-risk zones often costs less because the risk is lower. We can look up your flood zone and give you options.
How much does federal flood insurance cover?
A federal flood policy covers up to $250,000 for the building and up to $100,000 for your belongings. Private flood policies may offer higher limits or different terms.
What does this data leave out?
FEMA's numbers only count federal flood policies. Private flood policies aren't included, so the true share of covered homes may be somewhat higher.
Want to know your flood zone and options?
Send us your address and we'll look up your flood zone and compare flood coverage with your homeowners policy. When you call or text, you get Ben, not a call center.
How we counted
Policies and homes come from FEMA's NFIP Residential Penetration Rates dataset, as of August 3, 2026. Claims come from FEMA's NFIP Redacted Claims dataset (49,622 South Carolina claims, 1978 through 2026). "Outside high-risk zones" means claims rated in flood zones other than A or V. October 2015 claims are those with a date of loss in October 2015. Dollar amounts add building, contents and increased cost of compliance payments and are not adjusted for inflation.
Sources: FEMA NFIP Residential Penetration Rates; FEMA NFIP Redacted Claims; FloodSmart.gov. This page is general information, not a coverage recommendation. Mauldin Insurance Group is a licensed independent insurance agency based in Lexington, SC.
