ZIP 78520 · Cameron County

Brownsville, TX Homeowners Insurance

According to U.S. Treasury FIO 2022 filings, homeowners insurance in ZIP 78520, Brownsville, Texas averages $1,671/yr.

19.2%
Loss ratio
#1373 of 1504
Texas rank
627
Policies

The verdict

Brownsville, TX (ZIP 78520) averages $1,671/yr for homeowners insurance, 6% below the U.S. ZIP-code average, placing it in the 58th percentile nationally.

$1,671
Avg premium (2022)
-6%
vs U.S. ZIP-code average
-8.3%
since 2018
58th
national percentile

According to U.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office data. How we calculate the percentile and national comparison: methodology.

Insurance Livability Score

F
PlainInsure Livability Score
18/100
78520 - Brownsville, TX

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.

Affordability D
$1,671/yr
Avg premium, 42nd cheapest nationally (Treasury FIO)
Market Stability N/A
N/A
Nonrenewal rate -- insurers dropping coverage (Treasury FIO)
Disaster Risk F
97.3
County FEMA National Risk Index score
Community Resilience F
6.3
County FEMA NRI community-resilience score

Where ZIP 78520's premium sits nationally

Average annual homeowners premium across 25,593 tracked ZIP codes, as of 2022

$1,671 Around the middle lower than 42% 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

Avg Premium (2022)
$1,671/yr
Near-median premium
-8.3% since 2018
Loss Ratio
19.2%
Below-median loss ratio
Claim Frequency
2.77%
Avg severity: $11,600
Nonrenewal Rate
N/A

Data Snapshot: ZIP 78520 (Brownsville, TX)

For 2022, the average cost of homeowners insurance in ZIP 78520 (Brownsville, TX) runs $1,671 per year, based on U.S. Treasury FIO's ZIP-level tracking across approximately 627 reported policies. Against a national average of $1,776 per year, ZIP 78520 comes in 6% below, the 58th percentile among all tracked ZIPs. The Texas statewide average is $2,349 per year; this ZIP sits 29% below that figure, ranking #1373 of 1504 tracked ZIPs in Texas by premium. The closest-priced peer within Texas is Austin (ZIP 78752) at $1,670, essentially matching this ZIP's rate.

At a loss ratio of 19.2%, insurers retained a working margin after claims in this ZIP. Claim frequency, the share of policies with at least one claim, is 2.77%, and the average claim severity (amount paid per claim) is $11,600.

Across 5 years (2018–2022), premiums in ZIP 78520 have fallen by 8.3%, ranging from $1,671 to $1,822 with a five-year average of $1,719, an annualized rate of -2.1% per year.

FEMA NRI places Cameron County in the upper risk band at 97.3 (Relatively High): national 97th percentile, #9/245 inside Texas, and 93% above the 50.5 state mean. Top hazard on the map is Hurricane. Social Vulnerability Index 91.7 · Community Resilience 6.3. NRI does not price policies; it situates the county.

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 78520 Compares

vs National Average
$1,671 vs $1,776
6% below national avg
vs Texas Average
$1,671 vs $2,349
29% below state avg
National Percentile
58th percentile
Above median cost

Premium History

Average premium in ZIP 78520, 2018–2022

$1,650$1,700$1,750$1,800$1,850 20182019202020212022 $1,671
Average homeowners premium per year in ZIP 78520.
Year Avg Premium YoY Change
2018 $1,822 -
2019 $1,739 -4.5%
2020 $1,677 -3.6%
2021 $1,686 +0.5%
2022 $1,671 -0.9%

Softening premium path for ZIP 78520 (5 years)

5-Year Avg Premium
$1,719
Premium Range
$1,671 - $1,822
Annual Change Rate
-2.1% per year
Years of Data
5 (2018-2022)

Elevated FEMA NRI in Cameron County

County National Risk Index joined to ZIP 78520 via FIPS 48061. Hazard and vulnerability context from FEMA, not a premium driver and not a quote.

County risk score
97.3
Relatively High · 97th national percentile
In-state county rank
#9
of 245 Texas counties · state mean 50.5
Top mapped hazard
Hurricane
Expected annual loss $84,054,211

Social Vulnerability Index 91.7 · Community Resilience 6.3

County hazard ratings

Wildfire
Relatively Low
Flooding
Relatively Moderate
Earthquake
Very Low
Hurricane
Very High
Tornado
Relatively Moderate
Hail
Relatively High
Winter weather
Relatively High

Source: FEMA National Risk Index · state rollup: Texas NRI context · top counties by NRI score.

Out-of-state ZIPs near ZIP 78520's premium and nonrenewal (high-NRI county)

Cross-state peers for ZIP 78520: nearest FIO ZIPs by premium and by nonrenewal, drawn outside Texas. County hazard context (Cameron, NRI 97.3) is separate from these price peers.

Similar average premium

Nearest other-state ZIPs by average homeowners premium ($1,671/yr here).

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 78520?
Homeowners insurance in ZIP 78520 (Brownsville, TX) averages $1,671 per year as of 2022, close to the national median at the 58th percentile, #1373 of 1504 ZIPs in Texas. Premiums have changed -8.3% over the past 5 years.
What affects homeowners insurance costs in Brownsville, TX?
In ZIP 78520, insurers report a 19.2% loss ratio, a 2.77% claims frequency, and a N/A nonrenewal rate, the 58th national percentile for cost.
Is homeowners insurance expensive in ZIP 78520 compared to the national average?
Nationally, ZIP 78520 lands in the 58th percentile: its $1,671/yr average is 6% below the U.S. figure of $1,776/yr.
What is the nonrenewal rate in ZIP 78520?
ZIP 78520 shows a nonrenewal rate of N/A in Texas.
How have premiums trended in ZIP 78520 over 5 years?
Over 5 years (2018-2022), premiums in ZIP 78520 have ranged from $1,671 to $1,822, with a 5-year average of $1,719. The annualized change rate is -2.1% per year.
How does ZIP 78520 compare to the Texas state average?
ZIP 78520 runs 29% below the Texas state average ($2,349/yr vs this ZIP's $1,671/yr), ranking #1373 of 1504 tracked ZIPs in Texas by premium.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for ZIP 78520?
FEMA NRI for the county containing ZIP 78520 (Cameron) is 97.3 - #9/245 in Texas, 97th national percentile, top hazard Hurricane. It does not replace the FIO premium figures on this page.

What to do with ZIP 78520

This ZIP's premiums run at the 58th national percentile, but a single number is not a quote.

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.