Short answer: The South Carolina wind pool is the SC Wind and Hail Underwriting Association, a state-created insurer of last resort for wind and hail in the coastal area, and all of Hilton Head Island is inside its territory (SC Code 38-75-310). Insurers writing homes there may include wind coverage or exclude it; if they exclude it, the owner can buy a wind and hail policy from the Association through a licensed agent and keep a separate policy for everything else. Most homeowners policies in the territory still include wind, so the wind pool is a fallback, not a requirement.
Key facts
- Official name: South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association (SCWHUA), created by the General Assembly in 1971.
- Territory: by statute includes all of Beaufort County east of the west bank of the Intracoastal Waterway, which takes in all of Hilton Head Island (SC Code 38-75-310(5)(a)).
- Covers: wind and hail only; other perils (fire, theft, liability) need a separate policy (SC Department of Insurance).
- Who can apply: anyone with an insurable interest, through a licensed agent or broker; a denial can be appealed to the Director of Insurance (38-75-350).
- Not insurable: a structure started on or after September 15, 1971 that wasn't built in substantial compliance with the building code or NFIP rules (38-75-310(4)).
- Size: 16,377 policies at December 31, 2024, down from 47,366 at its August 2011 peak (SC Department of Insurance, 2024 status report).
- Private market share: in September 2024, 83.7% of admitted-market homeowners policies in the wind pool territory included wind (same report).
- Rates: set to be self-sustaining and, by law, not intended to compete with private insurers; dwelling rates rose 20% on June 1, 2024 (same report).
What is the SC wind pool?
It's the Wind and Hail Underwriting Association, a residual market that the state created so that coastal property owners can always buy wind and hail insurance. State law gives its purpose as "to assure an adequate market for wind and hail insurance in the coastal areas of this State." Every admitted property insurer licensed in South Carolina is a member and shares in its results. If a storm's losses exceed the Association's funds and reinsurance, member insurers are assessed for the difference.
The Association is regulated by the SC Department of Insurance, which approves its rates, forms and plan of operation.
Is Hilton Head in the wind pool area?
Yes, all of it. SC Code 38-75-310(5)(a) defines the coastal area to include all of Beaufort County and Colleton County east of the west bank of the Intracoastal Waterway. Hilton Head Island is east of that line. That doesn't mean every Hilton Head home is insured by the wind pool. It means the Association is available if the private market won't cover wind on the home.
How does a split wind policy work?
Outside the territory, South Carolina requires property policies to include wind unless the Department approves an exclusion. Inside the territory, an insurer can choose to include wind or exclude it. When wind is excluded, the owner ends up with two policies:
- A homeowners or dwelling policy from a private insurer, with a wind and hail exclusion, covering fire, theft, liability and the other usual perils.
- A wind and hail policy from the Association, covering damage from wind and hail.
Add a separate flood policy (wind policies don't cover flood or storm surge), and a Hilton Head home can carry three policies with three deductibles. After a hurricane, the wind and flood adjusters each decide how much damage their policy covers. Flood insurance matters here: the Association's own manual says a claim is settled on an actual cash value basis if no flood policy is in force, which we could see only in a search excerpt of that manual, so confirm it with your agent.
How many Hilton Head homes use the wind pool?
The Association's share has shrunk. The Department of Insurance's 2024 status report says the Association had 16,377 policies at the end of 2024, down about two-thirds from its 2011 peak, and that Beaufort County lost 8,253 Association policies over that period. In the private (admitted) market in the territory, 83.7% of homeowners policies in force in September 2024 included wind. The Department reads this as a sign that most coastal buyers can find wind coverage in the private market.
That can change with the reinsurance market and after a major storm. For a particular house, the only real answer is what an agent can quote today.
How do I get a wind pool policy?
Through a licensed insurance agent or broker; you can't apply directly. State law lets anyone with an insurable interest in insurable property apply, and an applicant who's turned down can appeal to the Director of Insurance. The statute doesn't require you to show a private insurer turned you down first, though the Association's manual (seen only in a search excerpt, because its website blocks automated checks) encourages agents to try the private market first.
Two things can make a home ineligible. A building started on or after September 15, 1971 that wasn't built in substantial compliance with the building code, or with NFIP construction and zoning rules, isn't insurable by the Association. The Association's manual also excludes some newer buildings in federal Coastal Barrier Resources Act zones, which we saw only in a search excerpt; your agent can confirm.
Is the wind pool more expensive?
It's meant to be. State law says the Association isn't intended to offer rates competitive with the private market, and its rates must keep it self-sustaining. Its dwelling rates went up 20% on June 1, 2024, after a Department review. We don't quote typical wind premiums: the price depends on the building, its location, its roof and its deductible. Ask your agent to quote both a policy that includes wind and a split policy, if both are available.
Mitigation features help either way. South Carolina requires coastal rating plans to include discounts or surcharges for storm shutters, roof tie-downs, construction standards and building codes, elevation and other factors (SC Code 38-73-1095(C)). Ask for a wind mitigation inspection and the list of credits. See also the SC Safe Home grant.
What should I ask when buying a Hilton Head home?
| Ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Does the seller's homeowners policy include wind, or is there a separate wind policy? | Tells you what kind of quotes to ask for and how many deductibles you'd carry |
| What are the wind or named storm deductibles? | A percentage deductible can mean a large out-of-pocket cost; see hurricane deductibles |
| When was the roof replaced, and is there a wind mitigation report? | Roof age and features drive wind pricing and credits |
| Any wind or hail claims? | Ask for a CLUE report; past claims affect eligibility and price |
| For a villa or condo: does the association's master policy cover wind? | The owners association may insure the building, including wind, with its own deductible; ask how a deductible would be paid if there's a claim |
How we help
We'll ask the seller how the home is insured now, request the roof age and any wind mitigation report, and for villas, get the owners association's master policy summary. That way your agent can quote wind early in your due diligence period, not the week of closing.
Questions
Do I have to buy wind pool insurance on Hilton Head?
No. The wind pool is a fallback. Most homeowners policies in the territory include wind; you'd use the Association only if the private policy you buy excludes wind. If you have a mortgage, ask your lender what wind coverage it requires.
Does the SC wind pool cover flood or storm surge?
No. The Association covers wind and hail only. Flood, including storm surge, needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy. See flood insurance on Hilton Head.
Where do I find the wind pool's rules and forms?
The Association publishes its manual and forms at scwind.com, and the SC Department of Insurance publishes a yearly status report on the coastal market. Your agent submits the application.
Sources
- SC Code Title 38 Chapter 75 (38-75-310 to 38-75-460, Wind and Hail Underwriting Association), SC Legislature (checked October 2026)
- 2024 Status Report on the South Carolina Coastal Property Insurance Market, SC Department of Insurance (checked October 2026)
- SC Code Title 38 Chapter 73 (38-73-1095, coastal mitigation discounts), SC Legislature (checked October 2026)
- Coastal Insurance, SC Department of Insurance (checked October 2026)