Vacation and Vacant Home Insurance for Coastal South Carolina

Vacation homes, second homes, rental properties, and vacant homes can be more complicated to insure than a primary residence. Some insurance companies may have additional underwriting requirements for homes that are vacant, unoccupied for part of the year, rented to others, located near water, or situated in areas with elevated coastal weather concerns.

Lowcountry Insurance works with individuals and families in Pawleys Island, Georgetown, Murrells Inlet, Surfside Beach, Myrtle Beach, Conway, North Myrtle Beach, Little River, and across coastal South Carolina to review insurance options for vacation homes, second homes, rental homes, vacant homes, and landlord properties.

Whether you own a beach house in Pawleys Island, a second home near Murrells Inlet, a rental property in Georgetown or Myrtle Beach, a vacation home used part of the year, or a vacant property awaiting sale or renovation, our local independent agents can help you compare policies from multiple insurance companies.

We can help review options for:

• Second Home Insurance
• Vacation Home Insurance
• Vacant/Unoccupied Home Insurance
• Rental Property Insurance
• Landlord Insurance

Our agents can walk through underwriting questions, property use, location, occupancy, rental activity, coastal exposure, and budget considerations to help you review available insurance options for your second home or rental property.

Request A Second Home Insurance Quote

Do I Need Vacant or Unoccupied Home Insurance?

Insurance rates for unoccupied homes may differ from rates for homes occupied year-round. Vacant or unoccupied homes may involve a greater risk of theft, vandalism, fire, water damage, weather-related damage, or delayed discovery of a loss.

If your vacation home, second home, or rental property sits empty for part of the year, you may need a policy that accounts for vacancy or seasonal use. Standard homeowners insurance may not apply the same way when a home is vacant or unoccupied for an extended period.

There are also steps that may help reduce risk at a vacant or unoccupied property:

• Use Working Window Locks And Door Locks
• Install Light Timers
• Keep Fire And Carbon Monoxide Alarms Operating
• Replace Alarm Batteries On A Regular Schedule
• Ask Someone Nearby To Check On The Property Each Week
• Schedule Lawn Care Or Exterior Maintenance
• Turn Off The Pilot Light For Gas Fireplaces When Appropriate
• Unplug Portable Heaters And Small Appliances
• Install A Water Leak Detection Or Shut-Off Device
• Consider A Monitored Alarm System

When buying or reviewing insurance for a second home, be aware that newer homes, updated homes, properties in lower-risk areas, and homes with certain safety or security features may receive different underwriting consideration than older, remote, or less frequently occupied properties. If the property is in a low-lying area, near water, or in a coastal flood zone, a separate flood insurance policy may also be needed.

Ask About Vacant Home Insurance

Do I Need Rental Property Insurance?

If you rent out your vacation home, even for part of the year, you may have additional property and liability risks. A policy written for your primary home may not apply to rental activity or to a second property used by paying guests.

Rental property insurance may be important if your property is listed through rental platforms, leased seasonally, used for short-term stays, or rented to tenants at certain times of the year.

Before requesting quotes, it is helpful to discuss:

• How Often The Property Is Rented
• Whether Rentals Are Short-Term Or Long-Term
• Whether Guests Have Access To Pools, Docks, Boats, Golf Carts, Kayaks, Grills, Fire Pits, Or Recreational Items
• How Keys, Locks, And Access Codes Are Managed
• Whether The Property Has Security Cameras, Alarms, Or Smart Devices
• Whether Rental Agreements Include Liability Waivers Or Property Rules

If renters have access to recreational items, ask your agent whether those items are included in the policy or whether a separate policy may be needed. If guests use a computer, Wi-Fi network, or smart home device at the property, it may also be helpful to consider guest logins, passwords, and basic data security practices.

Do I Need Landlord Insurance?

If you own a rental property, landlord property and liability insurance should be part of the conversation. These policies may help address certain property damage, liability claims, and tenant-related situations, depending on the policy.

Landlord property insurance may help with damage to the rental structure caused by certain events listed in the policy. It may also include loss of rental income after a qualifying property loss, depending on policy terms.

Landlord liability insurance may help respond if a tenant, guest, or visitor alleges injury or property damage connected to the rental property.

It is also important to keep a current inventory of items stored at the rental or vacation property. Update the list regularly and keep photos, receipts, serial numbers, and model numbers when available. This can be useful if you need to report a claim.

Contact Lowcountry Insurance

Speak with an Independent Insurance Agent

Whatever your vacation home, second home, vacant home, or rental property insurance needs may be, Lowcountry Insurance can help you review available options.

As a local independent agency serving Pawleys Island and surrounding coastal communities, our agents can help you compare policy options from multiple insurance companies for second homes, vacation homes, rental properties, landlord properties, and vacant homes.

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