Jacksonville, North Carolina isn't your typical coastal town. As the home of Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base, it's the youngest city in America with an average resident age of just 22.8 years. With 72,723 residents in the city and over 208,000 in the metro area, Jacksonville blends military readiness with coastal living. That unique combination creates specific insurance challenges—and opportunities—you need to understand.
Whether you're stationed at Camp Lejeune, work in Onslow County, or simply call this area home, your insurance needs are shaped by coastal weather risks, new state requirements, and rising premiums. Here's what you need to know to protect yourself and your assets in 2025 and beyond.
Auto Insurance in Jacksonville: New Requirements You Can't Ignore
North Carolina made sweeping changes to auto insurance requirements on July 1, 2025. If your policy renewed after that date, you're already paying for higher coverage. If not, these new minimums will kick in at your next renewal.
The new minimums are $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for bodily injury liability, plus $50,000 for property damage. That's up from the old $30,000/$60,000/$25,000 limits. You also now need uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage matching those liability limits—and here's the important part: if you're hit by an underinsured driver, you can now stack your UIM coverage on top of their liability payment. Previously, the state capped your total recovery, which meant your UIM coverage was worth less than you paid for.
For military families, there's another wrinkle. If you're active duty and registered your vehicle in another state with lower requirements, you still need to meet North Carolina's minimums when driving here. Don't assume your home-state coverage is enough. And if you're deploying, talk to your agent about storage coverage options that reduce your premium while your vehicle sits unused.
Homeowners Insurance: Coastal Reality Meets Rising Costs
Let's talk about the elephant in the room: homeowners insurance in coastal North Carolina is expensive and getting more so. Onslow County homeowners saw a 16% base rate increase in 2025, with another 15.9% increase coming in 2026. That's on top of already-elevated coastal premiums driven by hurricane risk.
The average North Carolina homeowner pays $3,237 annually for $350,000 in dwelling coverage, but coastal cities like Holly Ridge—just north of Jacksonville—average $7,779 per year. Jacksonville's rates fall somewhere in that range depending on your specific location and distance from the coast.
Here's what's driving those increases: reinsurance costs (what insurance companies pay to protect themselves from catastrophic losses) have skyrocketed after repeated hurricane seasons. Climate change isn't a political debate for insurers—it's a balance sheet reality. When storms cause billions in coastal damage, those costs flow downstream to policyholders.
Your best defense? Shop around aggressively. Different carriers price coastal risk differently. Fortifying your home with storm shutters, impact-resistant roofing, and proper anchoring can qualify you for discounts. And consider raising your deductible if you have emergency savings—jumping from a $1,000 to $2,500 deductible can reduce your premium by 15-25%.
Flood Insurance: Not Optional for Most Jacksonville Residents
Here's something that catches people off guard: your homeowners policy doesn't cover flood damage. Not a drop. If the New River overflows or a hurricane pushes storm surge inland, you're on your own unless you have separate flood insurance.
Jacksonville and Onslow County participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, which means two things: you can buy federally backed flood insurance, and if you're in a Special Flood Hazard Area (any A-zone on FEMA's flood maps), your mortgage lender requires it. New flood maps took effect January 17, 2025, and some properties shifted zones. Check your status at fris.nc.gov or through Onslow County's GIS tool—your premium depends on your zone.
NFIP policies max out at $250,000 for residential structures and $100,000 for contents. If your home is worth more, you'll need excess flood coverage from a private insurer. The good news: Jacksonville is a Community Rating System Class 8, which gives you a 5-10% discount on flood premiums depending on your location. The bad news: there's a 30-day waiting period, so buy coverage before storm season starts.
Special Considerations for Military Families
With Camp Lejeune dominating Jacksonville's economy and demographics, most residents have military ties. That creates unique insurance situations. If you're renting off-base, get renters insurance—it covers your belongings and liability for about $15-25 per month. If you own and get PCS orders, talk to your agent about keeping your policy active while renting out your home. You'll likely need a landlord policy instead.
USAA and Navy Federal offer military-specific policies with deployment flexibility, but don't assume they're always cheapest. Local Jacksonville agents often have access to competitive military rates through multiple carriers and can bundle your auto, home, and umbrella coverage for additional discounts. An independent agent can quote you across 10-15 companies in one conversation.
Finding the Right Agent in Jacksonville
Jacksonville has four established local insurance agencies that understand the market's quirks. A local agent knows which carriers are pulling back from coastal areas, which ones offer the best military discounts, and how to navigate flood zone determinations when you're buying a home.
When shopping for coverage, get quotes from at least three sources: a national direct writer (like GEICO or Progressive), a military-focused carrier (USAA or Armed Forces Insurance), and a local independent agent who can compare multiple companies. Premiums can vary by 40% or more for identical coverage.
Taking Action: Your Next Steps
Start by pulling your current insurance policies—all of them. Check your auto liability limits against the new $50,000/$100,000/$50,000 requirements. Verify whether you have flood coverage if you're near water or in a low-lying area. Calculate whether your homeowners coverage would actually rebuild your house at today's construction costs.
Then get competitive quotes. Give agents identical information so you're comparing apples to apples. Ask about bundling discounts, military discounts, and claims-free discounts. Find out which carriers are writing new coastal policies—some have stopped entirely.
Insurance isn't exciting, but in a coastal military town with changing requirements and rising premiums, getting it right matters. Jacksonville's unique demographics and geography mean one-size-fits-all advice doesn't work. Take the time to understand your specific risks, shop deliberately, and work with professionals who know this market. Your future self—especially after the first hurricane scare—will thank you.
