A new report on North Carolina’s insurance crisis ranks Mecklenburg County among the 10 most at-risk counties in the state—where high climate risk (score: 91.85/100) and insurance market stress are converging.
Guardian Service, a Raleigh-based independent insurance agency, analyzed the most recent data from FEMA, the U.S. Treasury, and other sources to map where rising costs, shrinking coverage options, and climate-related risks are hitting the hardest. Here’s what we found for Mecklenburg County:
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In 2025, the average cost of a home insurance policy in Mecklenburg County is $3,137, based on a $350,000 dwelling coverage. That figure is projected to rise to $3,745 in 2026, based on already-approved rate filings.
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The average cost of a home insurance claim in Mecklenburg County increased by 14% over the most recent five-year period. Today, the typical claim cost is $13,637.
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During that same period, the rate at which insurers chose not to renew policies—known as the nonrenewal rate—increased by 1.8%.
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The average rate of claims filed per policy (aka claim frequency) is 6.2%, a 0.6% decrease since 2018.
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The “paid loss ratio” in Mecklenburg County—the percentage of premiums that insurance companies pay back to homeowners in claims—is 50%. That number can reflect how much weather-related damage or other losses are occurring in the area.
Click here for the full report.
