ZIP 35234 · Jefferson County
Birmingham, AL Homeowners Insurance
According to U.S. Treasury FIO 2022 filings, homeowners insurance in ZIP 35234, Birmingham, Alabama averages $2,000/yr.
- 20.2%
- Loss ratio
- #133 of 544
- Alabama rank
- 684
- Policies
The verdict
Birmingham, AL (ZIP 35234) averages $2,000/yr for homeowners insurance, 13% above the U.S. ZIP-code average, placing it in the 75th percentile nationally.
- $2,000
- Avg premium (2022)
- +13%
- vs U.S. ZIP-code average
- +4.3%
- since 2018
- 75th
- 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 35234's premium sits nationally
Average annual homeowners premium across 25,593 tracked ZIP codes, as of 2022
$2,000 Around the middle lower than 25% 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 35234 (Birmingham, AL)
Homeowners in ZIP 35234 (Birmingham, AL) pay an average of $2,000 per year for insurance as of 2022, according to U.S. Treasury FIO ZIP-level data across approximately 684 reported policies. The U.S. average sits at $1,776 per year, so this ZIP runs 13% above that mark and lands in the 75th national percentile. The Alabama statewide average is $1,931 per year; this ZIP sits 4% above that figure, ranking #133 of 544 tracked ZIPs in Alabama by premium. The closest-priced peer within Alabama is Mobile (ZIP 36618) at $2,002, essentially matching this ZIP's rate.
At a loss ratio of 20.2%, insurers retained a working margin after claims in this ZIP. The claim frequency here, the share of policies with at least one claim, stands at 5.52%, and the average claim severity (amount paid per claim) is $7,315.
Premium data spanning 5 years shows ZIP 35234 costs have risen 4.3% since 2018, from a low of $1,854 to a high of $2,000, an annualized rate of +1.1% per year.
High-band NRI for ZIP 35234's county (Jefferson): score 97.6, rating Relatively High, hazard Tornado. That is #2 of 67 Alabama counties and the 98th national percentile (59% above the 61.5 state mean). Social Vulnerability Index 56.2 · Community Resilience 80.0. Source: FEMA National Risk Index.
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 35234 Compares
Premium History
Average premium in ZIP 35234, 2018–2022
| Year | Avg Premium | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | $1,919 | - |
| 2019 | $1,881 | -2.0% |
| 2020 | $1,854 | -1.4% |
| 2021 | $1,925 | +3.9% |
| 2022 | $2,000 | +3.9% |
Multi-year FIO trend for ZIP 35234 (5 years)
Similar ZIP Codes in Alabama
These Alabama ZIP codes carry similar average premiums to 35234.
One of 543 ZIP codes with premium data in Alabama, 9 are shown here.
Elevated FEMA NRI in Jefferson County
County National Risk Index joined to ZIP 35234 via FIPS 01073. Hazard and vulnerability context from FEMA, not a premium driver and not a quote.
Social Vulnerability Index 56.2 · Community Resilience 80.0
County hazard ratings
- Wildfire
- Relatively Low
- Flooding
- Relatively High
- Earthquake
- Relatively Moderate
- Hurricane
- Relatively Low
- Tornado
- Very High
- Hail
- Very Low
- Winter weather
- Relatively Moderate
Source: FEMA National Risk Index · state rollup: Alabama NRI context · top counties by NRI score.
Cross-state FIO peers for a higher-NRI ZIP (Jefferson County)
Two FIO peer sets for ZIP 35234 in Jefferson County (NRI 97.6, hazard Tornado), both outside Alabama. Population floor ≥1,000 matches the rate rankings.
Similar average premium
Nearest other-state ZIPs by average homeowners premium ($2,000/yr here).
Insurance Guides
Next steps for an above-median premium ZIP
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 35234? ▼
What affects homeowners insurance costs in Birmingham, AL? ▼
Is homeowners insurance expensive in ZIP 35234 compared to the national average? ▼
What is the nonrenewal rate in ZIP 35234? ▼
How have premiums trended in ZIP 35234 over 5 years? ▼
How does ZIP 35234 compare to the Alabama state average? ▼
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for ZIP 35234? ▼
What to do with ZIP 35234
This ZIP's premiums run at the 75th national percentile, but a single number is not a quote.
- See how Birmingham, AL compares to every other ZIP in Alabama. Alabama 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.