SOUTH CAROLINA CLAIM GUIDES

Guides

• Property insurance claim deadlines in South Carolina
• Insurance appraisal in South Carolina
• Insurance bad faith in South Carolina
• What to do after a denied property claim
• Underpaid property claims
• Wind vs flood claim disputes
• Hurricane and named storm deductibles
• Proof of loss
• Suing your insurance company in South Carolina
• Filing a complaint with the SC Department of Insurance
• SC wind pool (SCWHUA) claims
• Hurricane Helene claims and Tropical Storm Debby claims
• For South Carolina public adjusters

Filing a complaint with the South Carolina Department of Insurance

The Department of Insurance Office of Consumer Services takes complaints about insurers. Phone 803-737-6180 or toll-free 1-800-768-3467, email consumers@doi.sc.gov, or mail 1201 Main Street, Suite 1000, Columbia, SC 29201. The Department asks consumers to contact the insurer first. Details: doi.sc.gov/Consumer.

In 2025 the Department received 1,101 homeowners insurance complaints and confirmed 141 of them, according to its 2025 South Carolina Homeowner Complaints Summary.

The coastal wind pool

The South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association is the state’s “residual market mechanism” for wind and hail coverage in the coastal area, for owners who cannot buy that coverage from a regular insurer (S.C. Code § 38-75-310 and -330). Under § 38-75-1230, an insurer may not exclude wind and hail from a homeowners policy unless the property is in the wind pool’s area or the Director of Insurance approves the exclusion.

Hurricane and named storm deductibles

South Carolina regulation 69-56 limits when a named storm deductible applies: only to a hurricane, tropical storm or tropical depression named, designated or identified by the U.S. National Weather Service or the National Hurricane Center. A winter storm named by the media does not trigger it. Policies must show a $100,000 example of how the deductible works, and if the deductible is added or increased at renewal, the named insured must sign or initial a disclosure.

What your insurer must disclose

Under S.C. Code § 38-75-755, at issue and at each renewal an insurer must disclose whether flood and mold are covered and whether NFIP flood coverage is available; replacement cost versus actual cash value, depreciation and repair-time limits; how to give notice of a loss; and any separate hurricane, wind or named storm deductible.

Homeowners complaints by insurer, 2025

The Department of Insurance publishes homeowners complaints each year for insurers with more than $100,000 in South Carolina premium. The largest writers in its 2025 summary:

• State Farm Fire & Casualty: $698.6 million premium, 358 complaints, 43 confirmed.
• Allstate Vehicle & Property: $186.1 million premium, 86 complaints, 6 confirmed.
• Travelers Personal: $137.0 million premium, 35 complaints, 4 confirmed.
• Homesite Insurance Co. of the Midwest: $136.7 million premium, 32 complaints, 7 confirmed.
• Universal Property & Casualty: $60.1 million premium, 44 complaints, 8 confirmed.
• Homeowners of America: $31.3 million premium, 14 complaints, 10 confirmed.

A confirmed complaint is one the Department found had merit. Source: 2025 South Carolina Homeowner Complaints Summary.

Public adjusters in South Carolina

A public adjuster is a licensed adjuster who works for the policyholder, not the insurer, and is paid a share of the recovery (S.C. Code § 38-48-80(b)). The contract must state in bold that hiring a public adjuster is not necessary, and you may cancel until the close of business on the fifth business day after signing (§ 38-48-110). A public adjuster cannot give legal advice or represent you in court; when a claim needs a lawsuit, a lawyer handles it.

SC Safe Home grants

The Department of Insurance’s SC Safe Home program gives grants to strengthen homes against wind: up to $7,500 non-matching or $6,000 matching for resilient mitigation, up to $5,000 or $4,000 for sustainable mitigation, and up to $3,000 for shutters and protective barriers. Awards depend on household income. As of October 2026 the program page says it is not accepting applications. Source: doi.sc.gov.

Storm and claim records by city

Each of our area pages lists NOAA hail, wind and tornado reports near the city, FEMA disaster declarations and flood claims for the county, and the court where a case would be heard.

Questions about a claim? Call 843-284-5790 or request a case review.

This page is general information about South Carolina law, not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every claim depends on its own policy and facts.