Conway is Horry County's county seat, about 15 miles inland from Myrtle Beach along the Waccamaw River. It's a city with a genuinely distinct insurance profile from the beach communities to its east. Conway doesn't face the same direct hurricane wind exposure as oceanfront properties on the Grand Strand, but it has its own significant risks — specifically flood exposure from the Waccamaw River and Black River systems that drain through and around the city.

Getting homeowners insurance right in Conway means understanding the difference between what a standard HO-3 policy covers, what the Waccamaw River means for your flood risk, and how Conway-specific factors affect your rate compared to both inland South Carolina and the coastal communities nearby.

Why Conway homeowners insurance differs from Myrtle Beach

Conway's position inland removes the direct beachfront storm surge risk that makes oceanfront Myrtle Beach properties so expensive to insure. You're not dealing with the same proximity to coastal VE flood zones or the SCWHUA wind and hail pool requirements that apply to properties closer to the Atlantic. For standard wind coverage, Conway homeowners typically qualify for standard market carriers at lower rates than beachfront communities.

What Conway has instead is inland flood risk that many homeowners underestimate. The Waccamaw River, which runs along Conway's western edge and through downtown, flooded significantly in 2018 (Hurricane Florence) and 2019 (Hurricane Dorian), inundating parts of the city that hadn't flooded in recorded memory. Some downtown areas and properties near the riverbanks remained flooded for weeks. The inland flooding risk in Conway is a real and documented hazard that standard homeowners insurance doesn't cover.

FEMA flood maps show significant portions of Conway in Zone AE and Zone X-shaded areas that reflect the Waccamaw and Black River drainage systems. If you're within a few miles of either river or in a low-lying area of the city, your flood risk deserves a specific assessment — not a general assumption that you're far enough from the beach to be safe.

Average home insurance costs in Conway

Conway homeowners typically pay below the Myrtle Beach average for homeowners insurance, reflecting the lower coastal wind exposure. South Carolina's statewide homeowners insurance average runs roughly $2,000 to $2,800 per year depending on coverage level and home value. Conway properties tend to fall toward the middle of that range — below coastal beachfront properties but subject to the flood-adjusted underwriting that applies across Horry County.

Specific Conway rates depend on your home's location relative to the Waccamaw River and its flood zones, your home's age and construction, roof age and type, and the carriers currently writing in your specific area of Conway. Older homes in the historic downtown area may face different underwriting considerations than newer construction in the newer subdivisions southeast of town.

One consideration specific to Conway: properties that were affected by the 2018 and 2019 flooding events may have claims history that affects their insurability or pricing on the standard market. If your property was flooded and you filed claims, those claims appear in the CLUE database that insurers check when underwriting new or renewal policies.

Flood risk and the Waccamaw River

The Waccamaw River flood events of 2018 and 2019 were the defining insurance events for many Conway homeowners. Hurricane Florence in September 2018 caused the Waccamaw to rise to its highest level in recorded history. The flooding affected properties far from the riverbank that had never flooded before. Hurricane Dorian caused another significant rise the following year before the floodwaters from Florence had fully receded.

Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flooding from any source. The damage from the Waccamaw overflowing its banks is classified as flooding, not wind or rain damage — and only a flood insurance policy covers it. For Conway homeowners near the river, this isn't a hypothetical risk. It's a documented, recurring one.

NFIP flood insurance for Conway properties in Zone AE typically costs $1,000 to $3,000 or more per year depending on the property's elevation relative to the base flood elevation. Properties with favorable elevation can reduce their flood premium significantly with an elevation certificate. For properties in Zone X (moderate risk), flood insurance often runs $400 to $800 per year through private carriers — a manageable cost relative to the potential loss.

Wind and hail considerations

Conway sits far enough inland that standard homeowners carriers typically include wind and hail coverage in the policy without the exclusions that apply to beachfront properties. Most Conway homeowners policies include wind and hail under the standard coverage structure, though a separate percentage-based wind and hail deductible may apply. Confirming whether your policy includes wind coverage and what the deductible structure looks like is worthwhile — not all policies in Horry County are structured identically.

Conway does experience significant hail events associated with spring and summer thunderstorms that track through the Carolinas. The Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge and the open lowcountry terrain around Conway don't provide much obstruction to storm systems. Roof age and condition affect both your insurability and your settlement terms after a hail event.

How to choose the right Conway insurance agent

Working with an agent who understands Conway's specific geography — the Waccamaw River floodplain, the distinction between riverine flooding and coastal storm surge, the difference in carrier availability between Conway and Myrtle Beach — produces better outcomes than working with a generalist who treats all of Horry County as a single market.

Moore & Associates serves Conway and the surrounding Horry County area with homeowners insurance coverage built around local conditions. For a free quote and a review of your flood risk profile, visit our Conway service area page or call (843) 839-5076. We serve Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet, Surfside Beach, Conway, Pawleys Island, Litchfield, and Georgetown.