ZIP 18701 · Luzerne County
Wilkes Barre, PA Homeowners Insurance
According to U.S. Treasury FIO 2022 filings, homeowners insurance in ZIP 18701, Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania averages $1,408/yr.
- 19.7%
- Loss ratio
- #197 of 1517
- Pennsylvania rank
- 2,490
- Policies
The verdict
Wilkes Barre, PA (ZIP 18701) averages $1,408/yr for homeowners insurance, 21% below the U.S. ZIP-code average, placing it in the 39th percentile nationally.
- $1,408
- Avg premium (2022)
- -21%
- vs U.S. ZIP-code average
- +13.4%
- since 2018
- 39th
- national percentile
According to U.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office data. How we calculate the percentile and national comparison: methodology.
Insurance Livability Score
PlainInsure's own composite of Treasury FIO premium/market data and FEMA National Risk Index hazard data, each dimension percentile-ranked against the full national corpus. Not an official government score, and not a substitute for an actual insurance quote.
Where ZIP 18701's premium sits nationally
Average annual homeowners premium across 25,593 tracked ZIP codes, as of 2022
$1,408 Lower than most lower than 61% of 25,593 ZIP codes
tracked ZIP codes, bucketed by value
Each bar is a $0.25K-wide band; taller bars hold more ZIP codes. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office · 2022
Data Snapshot: ZIP 18701 (Wilkes Barre, PA)
Homeowners in ZIP 18701 (Wilkes Barre, PA) pay an average of $1,408 per year for insurance as of 2022, according to U.S. Treasury FIO ZIP-level data across approximately 2,490 reported policies. That is 21% below the national average of $1,776 per year, placing this ZIP in the 39th percentile nationally. Against Pennsylvania's average of $1,131, ZIP 18701 is 24% above, ranking #197 of 1517 tracked ZIPs in Pennsylvania by premium. The closest-priced peer within Pennsylvania is Portland (ZIP 18351) at $1,407, essentially matching this ZIP's rate.
With a loss ratio of 19.7%, insurers retained a working margin after claims in ZIP 18701. 4.84% of policies in ZIP 18701 file at least one claim in a given year, and the average claim severity (amount paid per claim) is $5,742.
Since 2018, premiums here have risen by 13.4% through 2022, ranging $1,182 to $1,408 with a 5-year average of $1,303, an annualized rate of +3.2% per year.
Luzerne County carries a FEMA National Risk Index score of 91.6 (Relatively Moderate), 92nd percentile nationally and #10 of 67 Pennsylvania counties - 36% above the state mean of 67.4. Dominant mapped hazard: Cold Wave. Companion scores: Social Vulnerability Index 67.8 · Community Resilience 78.1. This is hazard context from FEMA, not a premium formula.
How to read these numbers
The figures on this page come from the U.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office, which collects homeowners insurance premium and claims data directly from the largest property insurers in the country. Because the data is aggregated at the ZIP-code level and averaged across many policies, it describes the typical cost in an area rather than a quote for any single home. Two houses on the same street can pay very different premiums depending on their age, construction type, roof condition, prior claims, and the specific coverage limits and deductibles the homeowner selects. The loss ratio shows how much of every premium dollar insurers paid back out as claims; a ratio above one means carriers lost money locally, which often precedes rate increases or carrier exits. Rising nonrenewal and claim frequency reveal how stressed the local market has become. Use these figures to gauge the direction and scale of costs in your area, then request quotes from several licensed carriers before buying or renewing a policy. FIO data aggregates voluntary reporting from the 40 largest homeowners insurers, covering roughly 80% of the U.S. market, so figures represent market averages rather than individual policy quotes; your own premium will vary with dwelling value, deductible, coverage limits, construction type, and insurer-specific underwriting. This page is educational research only and is not insurance advice, homeowners should request quotes from multiple licensed carriers or an independent agent before purchasing or renewing coverage.
How ZIP 18701 Compares
Premium History
Average premium in ZIP 18701, 2018–2022
| Year | Avg Premium | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | $1,241 | - |
| 2019 | $1,182 | -4.7% |
| 2020 | $1,289 | +9.0% |
| 2021 | $1,397 | +8.4% |
| 2022 | $1,408 | +0.8% |
Multi-year FIO trend for ZIP 18701 (5 years)
Similar ZIP Codes in Pennsylvania
These Pennsylvania ZIP codes carry similar average premiums to 18701.
One of 1,516 ZIP codes with premium data in Pennsylvania, 9 are shown here.
Elevated FEMA NRI in Luzerne County
County National Risk Index joined to ZIP 18701 via FIPS 42079. Hazard and vulnerability context from FEMA, not a premium driver and not a quote.
Social Vulnerability Index 67.8 · Community Resilience 78.1
County hazard ratings
- Wildfire
- Very Low
- Flooding
- Relatively High
- Earthquake
- Relatively Low
- Hurricane
- Relatively Moderate
- Tornado
- Relatively Moderate
- Hail
- Relatively Low
- Winter weather
- Very High
Source: FEMA National Risk Index · state rollup: Pennsylvania NRI context · top counties by NRI score.
Out-of-state ZIPs near ZIP 18701's premium and nonrenewal (high-NRI county)
Two FIO peer sets for ZIP 18701 in Luzerne County (NRI 91.6, hazard Cold Wave), both outside Pennsylvania. Population floor ≥1,000 matches the rate rankings.
Similar average premium
Nearest other-state ZIPs by average homeowners premium ($1,408/yr here).
Background guides for ZIP 18701
Compare ZIP 18701, Pennsylvania, and national rankings
Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Federal Insurance Office (FIO) Homeowners Insurance Data (2018-2022). Premiums are ZIP-level averages and may not reflect individual policy costs
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is homeowners insurance in ZIP 18701? ▼
What affects homeowners insurance costs in Wilkes Barre, PA? ▼
Is homeowners insurance expensive in ZIP 18701 compared to the national average? ▼
What is the nonrenewal rate in ZIP 18701? ▼
How have premiums trended in ZIP 18701 over 5 years? ▼
How does ZIP 18701 compare to the Pennsylvania state average? ▼
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for ZIP 18701? ▼
What to do with ZIP 18701
This ZIP's premiums run at the 39th national percentile, but a single number is not a quote.
- See how Wilkes Barre, PA compares to every other ZIP in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania overview
- Check the ZIPs ranked highest and lowest nationwide before assuming this one is typical. View rankings
- Look up a different ZIP code to compare rates directly. Search ZIP codes
These figures are Treasury FIO aggregates for this ZIP, not a personal insurance quote.
Every figure on PlainInsure is rendered directly from U.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on U.S. Treasury FIO data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.