The short answer: a non-renewal notice is not a cancellation, and it does not mean you’re uninsurable. South Carolina law requires your insurer to give you at least 60 days’ written notice before a non-renewal takes effect, and the notice has to state the actual reason. That window is your time to act: fix what you can, and have an independent agent shop the rest of the market before your current policy runs out.
Here is what the notice actually means, and the order to work through it in.
What does South Carolina law require?
South Carolina Code Section 38-75-740 sets the rule: an insurer that decides not to renew your policy must mail or deliver written notice at least 60 days before your policy’s expiration date, and the notice must state the precise reason for the non-renewal. That’s a flat 60 days across the board. An older seasonal version of this rule, 60 days for part of the year and 90 for the rest, was removed by a 2021 amendment and no longer applies. If you’ve seen “90 days” mentioned anywhere, that’s outdated.
There’s a second protection specific to homeowners policies. Under Section 38-75-790, an insurer cannot non-renew your homeowners policy solely because you filed a claim for damage caused by an act of God, meaning a single weather-related claim, on its own, isn’t allowed to be the whole reason on the notice. If wind or hail damage is the only claim on your record and the notice cites that claim by itself, it’s worth having an agent or the SC Department of Insurance take a second look.
Why did this happen to me?
Usually one of a few things: your claims history, your roof’s age or condition, your credit-based insurance score, or the carrier pulling back from a type of risk or a whole area altogether, sometimes with no complaint about your house specifically. Recent non-renewal waves in South Carolina have been concentrated on the coast, the Grand Strand and the broader coastal counties, where carriers are still working through losses from 2024’s Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Debby and pulling back on new and renewal business. Sumter and the inland Midlands are seeing a smaller version of that pressure, nowhere near what coastal homeowners are dealing with right now.
One more thing worth knowing if you’re inland: the South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association, the state’s insurer of last resort for wind and hail, only covers specifically defined coastal zones in five counties: Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Georgetown, and Horry. Sumter isn’t one of them, and inland homes aren’t eligible for it either way. That’s actually good news. It means the regular voluntary market, the same 40+ carriers an independent agent already shops every day, is where your next policy is almost certainly going to come from, not a last-resort program.
What should I do, in what order?
- Read the notice for the actual reason. The carrier is required to state it. If it’s unclear, call and ask them to explain it in plain terms, or ask your agent to pull it apart.
- Note your dates and use the window. You have at least 60 days from the notice, and your current policy stays in force until its stated expiration date. Don’t wait until the last two weeks to start shopping.
- Fix what’s fixable. An old roof, a lapsed inspection, an outstanding claim that needs to be closed out, these are the kinds of things that can change how the next carrier sees your home. Ask your agent what would actually move the needle before you reapply anywhere.
- Have an independent agent shop the whole market. This is the real advantage of working with an agency instead of one carrier’s captive agent: when one company says no, an independent agent can go to dozens of others in the same afternoon, including carriers that specifically write previously non-renewed homes.
Will I be able to find coverage?
Most inland South Carolina homes that get non-renewed find a new policy without much trouble, often at a similar price, because the standard voluntary market has room for most risks that aren’t coastal wind exposure. It’s not automatic and every home is different, but with 40+ carriers to shop, there is almost always a path. What matters most is starting the search early instead of waiting for the deadline to make the decision for you.
Trying to gauge a fair price once you’re back in the market? Our guide to what homeowners insurance actually costs in South Carolina breaks down what drives the number. If the roof is part of the story here, our guide to roof replacement claims explains what a carrier will and won’t pay for. Griffin Insurance shops non-renewed homes across the Midlands and the coast every week.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice does my insurance company have to give me in South Carolina? At least 60 days’ written notice before your policy’s expiration date, under South Carolina Code Section 38-75-740, and the notice has to state the actual reason for the non-renewal. That’s a flat 60-day rule; an older version of the law had a seasonal 60/90 day split, but that was removed in 2021 and no longer applies.
Can my insurer drop me for filing one storm claim? Not solely for that. South Carolina Code Section 38-75-790 says an insurer cannot non-renew a homeowners policy only because you filed a claim for damage caused by an act of God, like a single wind or hail claim. Non-renewal can still happen for other stated reasons, but that one claim can’t be the whole story on its own.
Is a non-renewal the same as a cancellation? No, and the difference matters. A non-renewal means your insurer chooses not to offer you a new term when your current one ends, and your coverage stays in force until then. A mid-term cancellation, ending a policy before its term is up, is a different action with its own, more limited set of allowed reasons. If you’ve received either notice, it’s worth having an agent confirm exactly which one you’re looking at.
Will a non-renewal raise my rates or follow me? It can affect your options and pricing with some carriers, since insurers ask about prior non-renewals on new applications. It doesn’t automatically mean higher rates everywhere. Plenty of carriers specifically write homes that were non-renewed elsewhere, and an independent agent who works with many of them can usually find one that will look at your home on its own merits.
What if no standard carrier will take my home? For most inland South Carolina homes, including Sumter, this is rare, since the regular voluntary market covers the great majority of risks here. Coastal homes in defined wind pool zones have a state-backed option, the South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association, as a true last resort. Either way, the first move is having an independent agent shop as many carriers as possible before assuming there’s no option left.
Received a non-renewal notice? Call or text 803-848-0089 today. A local agent at Griffin Insurance will read your notice with you and start shopping your home the same day.