South Carolina FAIR Plan: there isn't one; what to do if you're non-renewed in South Carolina

Does South Carolina have a FAIR Plan?

No separate inland FAIR Plan. South Carolina does have a coastal wind-and-hail residual market — the South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association (SCWHUA), www.scwind.com ↗ — but it covers wind and hail only, in Beaufort and Charleston and Colleton and Georgetown and Horry, so it isn't a general insurer of last resort. For a hard-to-insure inland home that's been declined, there is no FAIR Plan: the route is the standard admitted market and then the surplus-lines (E&S) market via a licensed broker.

What does it cover?

SCWHUA (the Wind Pool): a limited-peril policy covering direct loss from WIND and HAIL only -- it does NOT cover fire, theft, liability, water damage, or flood. Optional add-ons (post-Jan 1, 1995, at the insured's request): actual loss of business income, additional living expense, and fair-rental-value loss. Because SCWHUA is wind/hail-only, a coastal SC owner must also carry a separate 'ex-wind' homeowners/dwelling policy from an admitted carrier (for fire/theft/liability) and, if in a flood zone, an NFIP or private flood policy. For inland (non-coastal) SC there is no FAIR Plan to describe; a hard-to-insure inland home is written by the standard market or, failing that, by an E&S/surplus-lines carrier whose form and perils vary by carrier.

How much will it cover?

The current cap on a single dwelling policy is SCWHUA (the Wind Pool): up to $1,300,000 of protection (structure + contents + loss of use + increased cost of construction, combined) for personal/residential risks -- dwellings, mobile homes, townhouses and condo units; up to $2,500,000 (structure + contents + loss of business income) for commercial risks. There is no separate inland-FAIR-Plan dwelling cap because South Carolina has no separate inland FAIR Plan. (South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association, verified 2026-05-11).

Who is eligible?

SCWHUA (the Wind Pool): the insured property must be in the statutorily defined coastal territory (Zone 1 or Zone 2 within Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Georgetown and Horry counties); the property must meet SCWHUA underwriting/condition standards (e.g. roof in good condition; building-code and federal-flood-zone compliance); and the applicant must be unable to obtain wind/hail coverage in the standard market. Any agent/broker holding a valid South Carolina insurance or broker license may submit -- no special SCWHUA appointment is required. There is no eligibility rule for an 'inland FAIR Plan' because none exists; an inland owner unable to get an admitted-market policy uses the SC DOI Insurance Locator and/or, via a licensed surplus-lines broker (after a diligent search of the admitted market), an approved non-admitted (E&S) insurer.

How do you apply?

SCWHUA (the Wind Pool): through any agent/broker holding a valid South Carolina insurance or broker license -- no special SCWHUA appointment required. Submit a completed, signed and dated application, property photos, and full payment of the annual premium; coverage is NOT bound until all three are received, after which a 15-day waiting period applies. An online eligibility check is at scwind.com/eligibilitycheck.asp. There is a flat $8 policy fee per policy and a 10% agent commission. For an inland (non-coastal) hard-to-insure home: contact the South Carolina Department of Insurance (doi.sc.gov) -- ask for the free 'Insurance Locator' program, which sends you a list of participating agents/companies in your area -- and/or work with a licensed agent who can place coverage with an approved surplus-lines (non-admitted) insurer after a diligent search of the admitted market. SC DOI consumer line: 1-800-768-3467 (1-803-737-6160 in Columbia).

Need a broker who writes the SC FAIR Plan? →

How much does it cost?

SCWHUA (the Wind Pool): typically more expensive than private-market wind coverage for many coastal risks, and it carries large hurricane percentage deductibles -- standard 2% of insured value in Zone 2 and 3% in Zone 1, with higher deductibles available for premium credits; the full annual premium must be paid upfront. As of 2024-2025 the SCWHUA book is shrinking (consumers are finding better deals in the admitted market), and coastal SC insureds saw improved pricing into 2025 renewals after a rate increase implemented June 1, 2024 driven by higher reinsurance costs. For an inland (non-coastal) hard-to-insure SC home there is no FAIR Plan benchmark -- such homes typically end up with a surplus-lines (E&S) carrier at a premium to the admitted market and often on narrower terms (higher wind/hail deductibles, ACV roof settlement).

What is changing right now?

SCWHUA (the Wind Pool) is shrinking. Grand-total in-force policies were ~16,047 at April 30, 2024 and ~16,402 at January 31, 2025; total in-force insured limits ~$7.00 billion at April 30, 2024 and ~$7.11 billion at January 31, 2025; in-force premium ~$53.4 million at April 30, 2024 and ~$58.0 million at January 31, 2025 (Aon SCWHUA 2025 Exposure & Reinsurance overview, eff. May 31, 2025). The SC DOI's 2025 Coastal Property Insurance Market status report notes SCWHUA exposure fell about $346 million over the year, mid-term cancellations at the insured's request frequently exceed new submissions, and the count of condo associations in the pool fell from 20 (175 buildings) at Jan 31, 2025 to 7 (23 buildings) by Aug 1, 2025 -- those associations found cheaper wind coverage in the admitted market. A rate increase took effect June 1, 2024 (higher reinsurance costs); pricing improved into 2025 renewals. The SC DOI extended the expanded Wind Pool territory (the Zone 2 area, in the pool since 2007) by regulatory order, most recently for another two years (2023). South Carolina has no inland FAIR Plan, so there is no inland-FAIR-Plan policy-count series.

Do you also need a wrap (DIC) policy?

Required in practice for SCWHUA policyholders -- a wind-only SCWHUA policy must be paired with a separate 'ex-wind' homeowners/dwelling policy (fire, theft, liability) from an admitted carrier, plus an NFIP/private flood policy if the property is in a flood zone. There is no inland-FAIR-Plan 'wrap/DIC' construct in South Carolina because there is no inland FAIR Plan; an inland hard-to-insure home is written on a full (often broader) E&S form rather than wrapped over a narrow residual base policy.

What to do this week if you just got a non-renewal notice

1. Read the notice fully. Note the cancellation date — that's your runway.
2. Call your current agent and ask why. Some non-renewals are reversible (a minor issue, a missed inspection); most aren't.
3. Get quotes from at least three other admitted carriers before going to the FAIR Plan. If you're rural / WUI / coastal you may strike out; that's normal.
4. If admitted carriers decline, contact a broker who writes the surplus-lines market in South Carolina. They can submit on your behalf the same week.
5. Don't let coverage lapse. A lapse triggers force-placed insurance from your lender — much more expensive and worse coverage.

For the full playbook see I just got a non-renewal notice →