No. North Carolina law does not require homeowners insurance. If you have a mortgage, though, your lender will almost always require it, and may require flood coverage too. Even with the house paid off, a homeowners policy is what pays to rebuild after a fire or storm and covers you if someone is hurt.
Pick your town or county to see the typical yearly home insurance premium our own clients pay, from the policies we write and service.
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Typical means the median: half of policyholders pay less, half pay more. The headline number is for a home insured for $250,000 to $400,000; the table shows every size of home. Source: Sizemore Insurance clients' in-force policies as of October 9, 2026, not a survey or national average (how we got these numbers). Not a quote.
The North Carolina Department of Insurance states that homeowners insurance is not required by North Carolina law. That's different from your car. North Carolina requires auto liability coverage on every registered vehicle, but no state law makes you insure your house.
A mortgage changes the picture. The house is the lender's collateral, so the loan documents almost always require you to insure it, show the lender on the policy and keep coverage in force. If the home is in a high-risk flood zone, the lender will usually require flood insurance as well. Your loan documents spell out the exact terms, including what happens if coverage lapses.
A homeowners policy has four main parts: the dwelling, your belongings, liability if someone is hurt on your property, and additional living expenses if a covered loss forces you out during repairs. Without it, a kitchen fire, a fallen oak or a guest's broken ankle comes straight out of your savings. For most families, the house is the largest thing they own, and the liability side protects everything else.
The dwelling limit should match what it would cost to rebuild the house, not the price you paid or what it would sell for. Construction costs, not market value, decide what a rebuild costs. Your belongings limit, liability limit and deductible are choices too, and we can show you how each one changes the price.
If you own a condo or a home in an association, read the governing documents. They often require owners to carry their own policy, and the association's master policy usually covers only part of the picture. A condo policy (HO-6) fills in your unit, belongings and liability.
Even a required homeowners policy leaves gaps. It never covers flood, and near the coast it may exclude wind. Those need their own policies, whether or not anyone requires them.
Every situation is a little different. If you want someone to look at your own policy, call us at (910) 791-1011 or start a quote online. We're an independent, family-owned company founded in 1977, with eight offices in North Carolina, and we're licensed in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Maryland.
This page is general information, not a coverage determination or legal advice. Policies, rules and availability vary and change. Review your own policy or talk to your advisor.