Charleston Home Insurance 101: Q&A Highlights with Angela Herndon (Abri Insurance)

Coffee & Conversations with TMB Living, filmed at Coastal Coffee in Summerville.

Buying your first home—or your next—comes with a lot of “what ifs.” In this episode, I sat down with Angela Herndon of Abri Insurance to cover what homeowners policies usually include, when you might want flood or earthquake coverage, how deductibles work, and simple ways to keep premiums in check. Here are the highlights.

What a standard homeowners policy typically covers

• Fire, theft, wind/hail, hurricanes/tornadoes, burst pipes, and similar losses.

• Not automatically covered: flood (rising water from the ground up) and earthquake—these are separate add-ons.

Flood insurance (even outside high-risk zones)

• Required if you’re in a lender-mandated flood zone; optional elsewhere but still worth pricing.

• Flood = ground-up water. Hurricane rain through a roof opening or an interior pipe leak is not a “flood” claim.

• Timing matters:

  • FEMA/NFIP policies usually have a 30-day wait unless purchased at closing.

  • Private flood options can often start quickly and may offer extras like replacement cost on contents and loss of use (temporary housing)—features FEMA doesn’t include.

Replacement Cost vs. Actual Cash Value (ACV)

• ACV pays today’s depreciated value (that 20-year-old fridge might be worth $50 on paper).

• Replacement Cost pays the amount to replace with new, up to limits.

• Ask your agent to confirm replacement cost on contents, roof, and dwelling; some policies default to ACV on roofs.

Deductibles & hurricane deductibles

• Higher deductibles = lower premiums, and vice versa.

• Hurricane/wind deductibles are often a separate line item. You typically cannot lower them when a storm is incoming—changes are usually only at renewal.

What impacts your premium

• Credit-based insurance score (varies by carrier/state)

• Age of home and especially age/type of roof (architectural shingles, metal, etc.)

• Construction details (slab vs. crawl, elevation)

• Chosen deductibles

Easy ways to improve/earn credits

• Roof upgrades and wind-mitigation features (straps, nails, bracing)—ask your roofer and request a mitigation report for credits.

• Updating the “big four” in older homes—roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC—and documenting with a Four-Point inspection can materially reduce premiums.

Buyer & seller timing tips

• Buyers: start your insurance quote process while you’re under contract. If you’re pinching pennies at closing, know that many changes (deductibles/endorsements) are only adjustable at renewal—plan ahead with your agent.

• Sellers: big system updates? Keep the paperwork; your buyer’s insurer may use it for credits.

Broker vs. captive agent

• A broker can shop multiple carriers for you—helpful in the Lowcountry where homes vary widely.

• Annual review: if you renovate or add on, update your agent so the home isn’t underinsured.

Want to talk through your situation?

• Insurance: Contact Angela Herndon, Abri Insurance at 843-628-5588 (website/email as provided by Angela).

• Real estate & design: I’m Trudy Mercy Brown with TMB Living & ERA Wilder Realty—here to help you love where you live.

Educational only; not legal or insurance advice. Coverage and availability vary by carrier and home—speak with a licensed insurance professional about your specific property.