Charleston, WV Homeowners Insurance

(How to connect with a local independent agent)

Written by Candace Jenkins
Written by Candace Jenkins

Candace Jenkins is a licensed insurance advisor with over a decade of experience. She is also a writer and loves to write on all things insurance. Candace writes for TrustedChoice.com on a continuous basis and is here with the facts about all your insurance inquiries.

Updated
Charleston West Virginia homeowners insurance

Home to Daniel Boone, and a 23-karat gold dome, Charleston, WV, is an exciting place to see. Charleston is an upscale, cultural city with many recreational attractions. 

When you own a home in this historic town, you'll need proper protection. An independent insurance agent can help find the coverage you need for a fair price. You can connect with a local agent in seconds.

How Property Crimes Impact Your Charleston, WV, Insurance Rates

Property crimes anywhere will affect your home insurance premiums. The more crime an area has, the worse your rates will be impacted. Let's look at the numbers:

  • Number of burglaries per 100,000 households in the US: 376
  • Number of burglaries per 100,000 households in WV: 296.5
  • Number of burglaries per 100,000 households in Charleston: 1,390

Charleston may be higher on the burglary list, but that doesn't mean your insurance will be astronomical. There are a variety of things that will determine your premiums. Your Charleston homeowners insurance will respond if you're a victim of a break-in the following ways:

  • It will replace or repair any damaged or stolen property
  • It will pay for medical expenses if a household member is injured
  • It will pay for a hotel or rental home if the house needs to be repaired or is unlivable

Whether your house is a 5,000 square foot mini-mansion or a mobile home, you'll want adequate coverage. Connect with your independent agent to discuss. 

How Catastrophes Affect Your Charleston, WV, Home

Homeowners insurance is essential when a natural disaster or catastrophe strikes. When you find yourself in the middle of a claim, you want to have enough coverage. 

Frequent catastrophic events in West Virginia:

  • The average number of tornadoes: 2
  • The most common natural disaster: Severe storms
  • The number of claims paid in 2016: 244,752,000
  • The number of federally declared catastrophes since 1953: 73

All the what-ifs that could occur in West Virginia need to be protected. The most frequent occurrences in Charleston, WV, are the following:

#1   Floods

#2   Storms

#3   Landslides

#4   Winter storms

#5   Hurricanes

Flood insurance in Charleston, WV:

Flood insurance is state regulated and is excluded from your home policy. To have coverage, you'll need separate flood insurance. Floods are the number one exposure in Charleston, which means insurance is necessary. Let's see what getting a flood quote looks like: 

  1.   Connect with an independent agent in Charleston to start the quoting process.

   2.  Your agent will pull your elevation certificate to determine your property's flood zone.

   3.  Once you know the flood zone, your agent can start running quotes with FEMA-approved carriers.

   4.  Next, you can buy flood insurance through one of the options your independent agent presents.

Speak with your local agent on how to cover all of Charleston's risk exposures with your insurance.

Liability Insurance for Your Charleston Home

If you or a member of your household damage or injure another person or property, liability insurance will provide coverage. Every homeowners insurance policy has liability automatically included. Some instances that liability insurance will cover:

  • Injury caused to a guest on your property
  • Slander, libel, or bullying caused by you or a household member
  • Injury or property damage caused by a pet
  • Injuries or property damage that occur while away from home

Another coverage your home may want is umbrella insurance. Umbrella insurance will supply an additional limit of liability above and beyond your underlying home and auto policies. Once a larger claim has exhausted your primary insurance, your umbrella policy would apply. Contact your local agent to discuss more liability options.

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The Price to Insure Your Charleston, WV, Home

Each premium is customized to you and your home specifications. When you consider your individualized criteria, your costs will look a lot different from your neighbors. Take a peek at some rating factors for home insurance:

  • Local crime rates
  • Your insurance score
  • Your claims history
  • Coverage selected
  • Year, construction type, and square footage of your home
  • The replacement cost of your home

What West Virginia and the nation pay on average will let you know where your premium stands. Let's take a look at the average home insurance premiums:

  • National average: $1,211
  • West Virginia average: $940

West Virginia is ranked number thirty-nine in most expensive places to purchase home insurance. These are some pretty good odds that your home insurance costs will be on the lower end. Whether you're insuring a condo or single-family dwelling, speak with your independent agent. 

How to Insure a Charleston, WV, Airbnb

Charleston is a tourist destination, and it makes sense to own a short-term rental property there. Since you do not occupy an Airbnb or a seasonal residence 100% of the time, your home policy will look a bit different.

Different homeowners insurance policy types:

  • Landlord insurance: This policy will provide coverage for the structure, liability, and occupancy. If you have a short-term or long-term rental, your landlord policy will protect your interests as the owner.
  • Secondary home insurance: This will pay for your vacation home. Because the property will remain vacant for a good portion of the year, the carrier charges accordingly.

Work with an Independent Insurance Agent in Charleston, WV

When you work with an independent insurance agent, you'll find the best coverage at a reasonable price. They have access to multiple carriers, giving you options.

A Charleston, WV, independent agent is local and knows what risks to account for in the area. Connect with an agent on TrustedChoice.com to get started. 

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