Key takeaway: A standard Hawaiʻi homeowners policy usually doesn’t cover hurricanes, so most owners need a separate hurricane policy or endorsement on top of it (Hawaii Life). Premiums statewide rose 13.4% in 2024, the biggest jump in a decade (Insurance Business). Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. Numbers checked October 30, 2026.
What a policy costs
Published averages are low and probably misleading. NerdWallet put the average Hawaiʻi homeowners premium at $1,095 a year in March 2026, for a $500,000 home with a $1,000 deductible, but that likely leaves out separate hurricane coverage (NerdWallet). A CNBC figure used in the state data book is $1,808 (DBEDT Data Book Table 14.26). Get real quotes for both policies before you buy.
| Recent change | Detail | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Total homeowners premiums statewide | $562.2 million in 2024, up 13.38% from 2023 | Insurance Commissioner report |
| State Farm hurricane, wind and hail rates | +28.5% on average, up to +48.4%, for about 99,000 policyholders | Approved Nov 2025 |
| Rate increases approved in 2025 | At least 20, most double-digit | 2025 |
Source: Insurance Business, Jan 2026.
Hurricane deductibles
Hurricane deductibles are a percentage of the insured value of the home, not a flat dollar amount. Hawaii Life says they’re usually 1% to 5%. On a home insured for $500,000, 5% is $25,000 out of pocket (Hawaii Life, Jul 2026). Most insurers stop writing new hurricane coverage once a hurricane watch or warning is issued, so buy before a storm is on the map (Hawaiʻi Insurance Division FAQ). The 2026 Central Pacific outlook called for a 70% chance of an above-normal season (NWS Honolulu).
Condos
Many condo associations saw master policy premiums triple or more in a single year starting in 2024, and those costs went straight into monthly maintenance fees (Hawaii Business Magazine, Aug 2024). The state reopened the Hawaiʻi Hurricane Relief Fund in 2025. By April 2026 it had written 97 condo association policies covering about $2.6 billion in property (The Garden Island, Apr 2026).
Lava zones on Hawaiʻi Island
In lava zones 1 and 2, mostly in Puna, few private insurers will write a policy. The Hawaiʻi Property Insurance Association, the insurer of last resort, is often the only option, and residents reported increases of several hundred percent after a private insurer left in 2023 (Hawaii Tribune-Herald, via InsuranceNewsNet).
Flood insurance
Only about 4% of Hawaiʻi properties have flood insurance, about 60,000 federal policies (KHON2, citing FEMA). New flood maps for Oʻahu took effect June 10, 2026, which can change whether a lender requires it.
Sources
- NerdWallet: Hawaiʻi home insurance
- DBEDT Data Book Table 14.26
- Insurance Business: Hawaiʻi homeowners face double-digit rate hikes
- Hawaii Life: home insurance is changing in Hawaiʻi
- Hawaiʻi Insurance Division: hurricane FAQ
- NWS Honolulu: 2026 Central Pacific hurricane outlook
- The Garden Island: Hurricane Relief Fund use grows
- InsuranceNewsNet: lava zone insurance options
- Hawaii Business: condo insurance crisis
- KHON2: only 4% of homes have flood insurance