Taylor County sits along the Gulf coastline where peninsular Florida connects with the panhandle, an area known as the Big Bend. This region of the state is largely rural, and Taylor County is no exception. According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a population of only 22,098 as of 2018, and many of the beaches in the county are largely “undiscovered.”
Living in Taylor County
Over 90 percent of Taylor County’s residents live in Perry, the county seat, with less than 2,000 living in Steinhatchee. A portion of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, a nationally-protected area is also located in the county.
The wealth of undisturbed tracts of land in the county has earned Perry, FL the title of the “Tree Capital of the South,” and each fall the county celebrates the annual Florida Forest Festival, which features fireworks, a carnival, parades, pageants, and other family-friendly activities.
The median home value in Taylor County costs $93,100, which is in line with the county’s 2018 median household income of $36,934 – about 60% of the national equivalent. However, despite the low overall cost-of-living in the county, Taylor County homeowners have to pay relatively high home insurance premiums each year.
Home Insurance Premiums in Taylor County
Home insurance in Taylor County is likely high relative to the median home value and household income because of its vulnerability to tropical storms coming from the Gulf of Mexico. Insurance companies will factor in the likelihood of damage to a home located in high-risk areas, which makes premiums go up for everyone who lives there.
Fortunately, there are a number of ways to keep your Florida home insurance reasonable. On top of bundling your plan with auto insurance, making sure your credit score stays strong, and other measures, you can also make sure to either purchase a home with wind mitigation feature or add them to your home, as they can make a big difference in what you’ll pay for home insurance.
As you can see in the chart below sourced from Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation, homeowners in Taylor County that have homes worth $150,000 built before 2001 will pay about $700 less on average if their home has wind mitigation. The table also revealed the overall average premium for this county to be $1,675.
Average Homeowners Premiums in Taylor County
| Construction Type | Home Value | Average Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-2001 (No Wind Mitigation) | $150,000 | $1,868.00 |
| Pre-2001 (With Wind Mitigation) | $150,000 | $1,186.04 |
| New Construction | $300,000 | $1,972.00 |
| Overall Average | $1,675.35 |
Another way you can make sure you’re getting the best deal on your home insurance costs is to comparison shop between insurance companies. Different insurers will each have their unique formula for determining the policy quote they offer you, so don’t be hesitant to keep looking if you’re not happy with the offers you’ve gotten.
In Taylor County, the companies with the lowest average insurance offer policies well below the county averages, as you can see in this list.
For $150,000 homes built before 2001 without wind mitigation, the average premium is $1,868.
Top companies with lower-than-average rates:
- Security First – $1,220
- Stillwater – $1,1224
- Citizens – $1,262
- St. Johns – $1,303
List of Companies & Rates for Home Valued at $150,000, Pre-2001 Construction Without Wind Mitigation Rate in Taylor County
| Company | Annual Premium |
|---|---|
| Security First | $1,220 |
| Stillwater | $1,224 |
| Citizens | $1,262 |
| St. Johns | $1,303 |
| First Protective | $1,453 |
| FedNat | $1,483 |
| Southern Fidelity | $1,538 |
| Universal | $1,604 |
| First Community | $1,624 |
| Tower Hill Select | $1,644 |
| American Integrity | $1,644 |
| People's Trust | $1,736 |
| Tower Hill Signature | $1,771 |
| Family Security | $1,783 |
| Tower Hill Prime | $1,796 |
| American Traditions | $1,800 |
| Tower Hill Preferred | $1,804 |
| Florida Farm Bureau | $1,854 |
| Florida Family | $1,936 |
| ASI | $1,985 |
| Castle Key | $2,207 |
| Florida Peninsula | $2,300 |
| Liberty Mutual | $2,443 |
| Universal | $2,601 |
| Southern Oak | $2,701 |
| Auto Club of Florida | $2,783 |
| State Farm Florida | $2,937 |
| Average | $1,868.00 |
For $150,000 homes built before 2001 with wind mitigation, the average premium is $1,186.
Top companies with lower-than-average rates:
List of Companies & Rates for Home Valued at $150,000, Pre-2001 Construction With Wind Mitigation Rate in Taylor County
| Company | Annual Premium |
|---|---|
| First Protective | $625 |
| St. Johns | $668 |
| Universal | $720 |
| FedNat | $824 |
| Citizens | $833 |
| Stillwater | $836 |
| Tower Hill Select | $884 |
| Florida Farm Bureau | $886 |
| Tower Hill Preferred | $990 |
| American Integrity | $1,011 |
| People's Trust | $1,059 |
| Security First | $1,074 |
| Southern Fidelity | $1,095 |
| Florida Family | $1,112 |
| American Traditions | $1,145 |
| First Community | $1,163 |
| Tower Hill Signature | $1,201 |
| Tower Hill Prime | $1,208 |
| Family Security | $1,237 |
| Universal | $1,316 |
| Southern Oak | $1,416 |
| ASI | $1,424 |
| Florida Peninsula | $1,496 |
| Liberty Mutual | $1,665 |
| Castle Key | $1,737 |
| Auto Club of Florida | $1,888 |
| State Farm Florida | $2,510 |
| Average | $1,186.04 |
For $300,000 homes with new construction, the average premium is $1,972.
Top companies with lower-than-average rates:
- Stillwater – $1,075
- St. Johns – $1,091
- First Protective – $1,236
- Tower Hill Select – $1,380
List of Companies & Rates for Home Valued at $300,000, New Construction in Taylor County
| Company | Annual Premium |
|---|---|
| Stillwater | $1,075 |
| St. Johns | $1,091 |
| First Protective | $1,236 |
| Tower Hill Select | $1,380 |
| Universal | $1,404 |
| Security First | $1,439 |
| FedNat | $1,590 |
| American Integrity | $1,603 |
| Florida Farm Bureau | $1,614 |
| American Traditions | $1,678 |
| Southern Oak | $1,684 |
| People's Trust | $1,694 |
| Citizens | $1,706 |
| Tower Hill Preferred | $1,732 |
| Family Security | $1,841 |
| First Community | $1,890 |
| Florida Family | $2,056 |
| Southern Fidelity | $2,163 |
| Tower Hill Signature | $2,198 |
| Tower Hill Prime | $2,252 |
| ASI | $2,277 |
| Universal | $2,297 |
| Florida Peninsula | $2,489 |
| Castle Key | $2,520 |
| Auto Club of Florida | $2,732 |
| Liberty Mutual | $3,366 |
| State Farm Florida | $4,237 |
| Average | $1,972.00 |
Flood Insurance in Taylor
In addition to finding the right home insurance policy, you’ll need to purchase a flood insurance policy as well. Standard home insurance doesn’t cover water damage due to flooding, so get quotes from companies like FedNat and First Protective, which offer price-controlled flood insurance policies from the federal National Flood Insurance Program.
