Walton County is located on the western end of the Florida Panhandle. As the county spans the north to south borders of the panhandle, it offers both the popular beaches to the south and prosperous farmland to the north.
Walton County is among the less densely populated regions in the area, and as of 2019, the county has just 74,071 residents, according to the US Census Bureau. Additionally, Walton County households had a median income of $53,785, roughly $10,000 below the national equivalent.
Home Insurance Premiums in Walton County
In addition to having high listing prices, homes near the coastline can also come with high home insurance premiums. That’s doubly true for homes that are built without wind mitigation features that can lower premiums quotes insurance companies will offer.
New construction is built up to current building codes and includes standard wind mitigations features, but homes that were constructed before 2001 can vary. If you’re considering a property in Walton County, you’ll need to know its construction type to know what you can expect to pay for a home insurance policy. As you can see from the table below sourced from Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation, the costs can vary significantly revealing an overall average of $2,365 for homeowners residing in the county.
Average Homeowners Premiums in Walton County
| Construction Type | Home Value | Average Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-2001 (No Wind Mitigation) | $150,000 | $2,933.93 |
| Pre-2001 (With Wind Mitigation) | $150,000 | $1,505.48 |
| New Construction | $300,000 | $2,657.04 |
| Overall Average | $2,365.48 |
When looking for a new home insurance policy in FL, shopping around is always a good idea because the lowest price you can find can be a lot cheaper than the average price, especially in an area like Walton where high-end beachfront properties with a higher risk of damage can drive up the average insurance cost. The following companies have had the lowest average premiums in recent years:
For $150,000 homes built before 2001 without wind mitigation, the average premium is $2,934.
Find below-average rates from the companies below:
- Stillwater – $1,680
- Security First – $1,977
- First Protective – $2,240
- Tower Hill Prime – $2,286
List of Companies & Rates for Home Valued at $150,000, Pre-2001 Construction Without Wind Mitigation Rate in Walton, FL
| Company | Annual Premium |
|---|---|
| Stillwater | $1,680 |
| Security First | $1,977 |
| First Protective | $2,240 |
| Tower Hill Prime | $2,286 |
| FedNat | $2,344 |
| Family Security | $2,420 |
| Universal | $2,444 |
| Florida Peninsula | $2,488 |
| Tower Hill Signature | $2,611 |
| American Traditions | $2,626 |
| Southern Fidelity | $2,633 |
| Florida Family | $2,792 |
| Tower Hill Preferred | $2,818 |
| Tower Hill Select | $2,855 |
| People's Trust | $2,902 |
| State Farm Florida | $2,977 |
| ASI | $2,991 |
| First Community | $3,049 |
| Citizens | $3,097 |
| Florida Farm Bureau | $3,141 |
| Universal | $3,215 |
| American Integrity | $3,535 |
| Castle Key | $3,596 |
| Liberty Mutual | $3,751 |
| Auto Club of Florida | $3,894 |
| St. Johns | $4,235 |
| Southern Oak | $4,619 |
| Average | $2,933.93 |
For $150,000 homes built before 2001 with wind mitigation, the average premium is $1,505.
Find below-average rates from the companies below:
- FedNat – $1,063
- Universal – $1,106
- Citizens – $1,204
- People’s Trust – $1,258
List of Companies & Rates for Home Valued at $150,000, Pre-2001 Construction With Wind Mitigation Rate in Walton, FL
| Company | Annual Premium |
|---|---|
| Stillwater | $990 |
| FedNat | $1,063 |
| First Protective | $1,067 |
| Tower Hill Prime | $1,093 |
| Florida Farm Bureau | $1,102 |
| Universal | $1,106 |
| Citizens | $1,204 |
| People's Trust | $1,258 |
| Tower Hill Select | $1,381 |
| Security First | $1,382 |
| Family Security | $1,384 |
| American Integrity | $1,397 |
| American Traditions | $1,413 |
| Universal | $1,466 |
| Tower Hill Signature | $1,477 |
| Tower Hill Preferred | $1,521 |
| First Community | $1,534 |
| Castle Key | $1,556 |
| St. Johns | $1,593 |
| Florida Peninsula | $1,671 |
| Florida Family | $1,678 |
| ASI | $1,780 |
| Southern Fidelity | $1,873 |
| Auto Club of Florida | $1,972 |
| Southern Oak | $2,022 |
| State Farm Florida | $2,054 |
| Liberty Mutual | $2,611 |
| Average | $1,505.48 |
For $300,000 homes with new construction, the average premium is $2,657.
Find below-average rates from the companies below:
- Florida Farm Bureau – $2,101
- Southern Oak – $2,101
- Tower Hill Select – $2,178
- Family Security – $2,208
List of Companies & Rates for Home Valued at $300,000, New Construction in Walton, FL
| Company | Annual Premium |
|---|---|
| Stillwater | $1,314 |
| First Protective | $2,056 |
| Tower Hill Prime | $2,089 |
| Florida Farm Bureau | $2,101 |
| Southern Oak | $2,101 |
| Universal | $2,159 |
| Tower Hill Select | $2,178 |
| Family Security | $2,208 |
| FedNat | $2,227 |
| American Traditions | $2,241 |
| Security First | $2,319 |
| People's Trust | $2,456 |
| Tower Hill Preferred | $2,655 |
| Universal | $2,678 |
| Castle Key | $2,694 |
| St. Johns | $2,740 |
| Florida Peninsula | $2,763 |
| Citizens | $2,767 |
| Tower Hill Signature | $2,771 |
| American Integrity | $2,807 |
| ASI | $2,816 |
| First Community | $2,973 |
| Florida Family | $3,055 |
| Auto Club of Florida | $3,132 |
| State Farm Florida | $3,580 |
| Southern Fidelity | $3,716 |
| Liberty Mutual | $5,144 |
| Average | $2,657.04 |
Population Centers in Walton
As it’s sparsely populated compared to other counties, Walton County doesn’t have a centrally located population center. The county’s largest towns are fairly small relative to those in the rest of the state.
Walton County’s largest towns, which include Defuniak Springs, Santa Rosa Beach, Freeport, and Miramar Beach, are mostly located along the Gulf Coast. The beach towns, which tend to draw tourists during the summer months, comprise a significant part of the county’s economic activity.
Home Values in Walton
The median home value in Walton County is relatively expensive compared to other counties in the Florida Panhandle, at $374,000. Most of the high-end property values are found among the county’s beachside properties.
Flood Insurance in Walton
When researching and budgeting for your annual home insurance costs, don’t forget that a home in Walton County will need flood insurance coverage. The damage that homes in the region are likely to suffer during hurricane season won’t be eligible for coverage under your standard home insurance policy.
To keep this additional cost affordable and your insurance payments simpler, you should consider purchasing both policies from First Protective. This company underwriters the affordable flood insurance policies offered by the federal government’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFRIP), but remember these policies have an upper limit of $250,000. If you need higher coverage than that, you’ll need an additional private flood insurance policy.
