The South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association covers wind and hail for 8 coastal counties — including Charleston, Beaufort, Horry, and Jasper — where private insurers have largely stopped writing wind coverage. Here's what SCWHUA covers, what it costs, and how to file a claim in 2026.
Get Free Roof Inspection →The South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association (SCWHUA) is the state's residual market insurer for wind and hail coverage in South Carolina's 8 designated coastal counties. Established by the SC Legislature, SCWHUA ensures that property owners in these counties can obtain wind and hail coverage when private insurers decline to write it. All licensed South Carolina property insurers are required to participate in SCWHUA, sharing in its losses proportionally.
SCWHUA has seen significant growth in recent years as major national insurers have stopped writing new wind policies in coastal South Carolina counties — particularly in the Charleston metro area and along the Grand Strand. Non-renewals have become common in the most exposed ZIP codes, pushing more homeowners into SCWHUA territory.
Beaufort · Berkeley · Charleston · Colleton · Dorchester · Georgetown · Horry · Jasper
These 8 counties cover South Carolina's entire coastal zone — from Myrtle Beach and Pawleys Island in the north through Charleston, Edisto, Beaufort, and Hilton Head in the south. Charleston and Beaufort county shorelines face 130–150 mph design wind speeds. Horry County includes the highly exposed Grand Strand barrier islands.
If you have a mortgage on a property in one of the 8 SCWHUA counties, your lender almost certainly requires wind and hail coverage as a loan condition. If your private insurer stops covering wind and you don't replace that coverage with a SCWHUA policy, your lender can force-place coverage — which is typically more expensive and less comprehensive than a SCWHUA policy.
SCWHUA policies cover direct physical loss from wind and hail. Coverage includes the dwelling structure and, depending on the policy form, other structures and personal property. Coverage limits are set based on the replacement cost value of the dwelling.
SCWHUA policies carry two deductible levels: a named-storm deductible (typically 2–5% of insured value) that applies when damage is caused by a storm officially named by the National Hurricane Center, and a standard all-perils deductible (flat dollar amount) that applies to all other covered wind and hail events. A severe thunderstorm with 90 mph straight-line winds would trigger the all-perils deductible, not the named-storm deductible.
SCWHUA claims are handled through your licensed South Carolina insurance agent — not filed directly with SCWHUA as a consumer. Contact your agent immediately after storm damage to open the claim. Document all damage with dated photos before any repairs. SCWHUA has a 12-month filing deadline from the date of loss. Emergency tarping and temporary repair costs are generally reimbursable. If the settlement offer is insufficient, South Carolina provides appraisal rights for disputed SCWHUA claims.
A free inspection documents storm damage and supports your SCWHUA claim with licensed contractor estimates.
Get Free Inspection →Complete guide to storm roof damage, SCWHUA claims, and licensed roofers across SC's 8 coastal counties.
How windstorm coverage works across all 13 Gulf and Atlantic states with all major wind pool details.
North Carolina's Beach Plan — 18 eligible counties, the annual deductible rule, and claims process.
Named-storm vs. all-perils deductible triggers — and what the difference means for your claim payout.
2026 cost ranges for all 13 coastal states including South Carolina Lowcountry and Grand Strand pricing.
What SC law requires insurers to do before non-renewing your policy and your options to fight back.