ZIP 78521 · Cameron County
Brownsville, TX Homeowners Insurance
According to U.S. Treasury FIO 2022 filings, homeowners insurance in ZIP 78521, Brownsville, Texas averages $1,701/yr.
- 43.8%
- Loss ratio
- #1358 of 1504
- Texas rank
- 389
- Policies
The verdict
At $1,701/yr, Brownsville, TX (ZIP 78521) sits in the 60th percentile nationally for homeowners insurance costs, 4% below the U.S. ZIP-code average.
- $1,701
- Avg premium (2022)
- -4%
- vs U.S. ZIP-code average
- -15.6%
- since 2018
- 60th
- 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 78521's premium sits nationally
Average annual homeowners premium across 25,593 tracked ZIP codes, as of 2022
$1,701 Around the middle lower than 40% 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 78521 (Brownsville, TX)
Homeowners in ZIP 78521 (Brownsville, TX) pay an average of $1,701 per year for insurance as of 2022, according to U.S. Treasury FIO ZIP-level data across approximately 389 reported policies. The U.S. average sits at $1,776 per year, so this ZIP runs 4% below that mark and lands in the 60th national percentile. Against Texas's average of $2,349, ZIP 78521 is 28% below, ranking #1358 of 1504 tracked ZIPs in Texas by premium. The closest-priced peer within Texas is Buda (ZIP 78610) at $1,699, essentially matching this ZIP's rate.
The loss ratio for ZIP 78521 is 43.8%, meaning insurers retained a working margin after claims. 3.18% of policies in ZIP 78521 file at least one claim in a given year, and the average claim severity (amount paid per claim) is $23,427.
Since 2018, premiums here have fallen by 15.6% through 2022, ranging $1,701 to $2,015 with a 5-year average of $1,841, an annualized rate of -4.1% 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 78521 Compares
Premium History
Average premium in ZIP 78521, 2018–2022
| Year | Avg Premium | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | $2,015 | - |
| 2019 | $1,876 | -6.9% |
| 2020 | $1,826 | -2.6% |
| 2021 | $1,787 | -2.2% |
| 2022 | $1,701 | -4.8% |
Softening premium path for ZIP 78521 (5 years)
Similar ZIP Codes in Texas
A look at Texas ZIP codes with comparable premium levels.
One of 1,503 ZIP codes with premium data in Texas, 9 are shown here.
Elevated FEMA NRI in Cameron County
County National Risk Index joined to ZIP 78521 via FIPS 48061. Hazard and vulnerability context from FEMA, not a premium driver and not a quote.
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.
Nationwide insurance peers outside Texas for ZIP 78521
Two FIO peer sets for ZIP 78521 in Cameron County (NRI 97.3, hazard Hurricane), both outside Texas. Population floor ≥1,000 matches the rate rankings.
Similar average premium
Nearest other-state ZIPs by average homeowners premium ($1,701/yr here).
How to read premiums, nonrenewals, and loss ratios
More ways to read ZIP 78521's FIO filings
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 78521? ▼
What affects homeowners insurance costs in Brownsville, TX? ▼
Is homeowners insurance expensive in ZIP 78521 compared to the national average? ▼
What is the nonrenewal rate in ZIP 78521? ▼
How have premiums trended in ZIP 78521 over 5 years? ▼
How does ZIP 78521 compare to the Texas state average? ▼
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for ZIP 78521? ▼
What to do with ZIP 78521
This ZIP's premiums run at the 60th national percentile, but a single number is not a quote.
- See how Brownsville, TX compares to every other ZIP in Texas. Texas 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.