Looking for a Beach House? Check Your Risk First.

A new report from the insurance industry names the historic town of Galveston, Texas as the riskiest place to buy a beach house in the United States.

1 minute read

June 26, 2023, 7:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Aerial view of beach homes in Galveston, Texas

George W Warner/Wirestock Creators / Beach homes in Galveston, Texas

A report from online insurance broker Assurance names Galveston, Texas as the riskiest place to buy a beach house in the nation as insurers reevaluate places with high risk of floods and other disasters, reports Erica Grieder in the Houston Chronicle.

“Galveston stands out, the study notes, because it faces a projected sea level rise of 1.9 feet by 2040 according to Climate Central, a Princeton, N.J.-based policy-neutral nonprofit. That's 58.3 percent higher than the national average, according to Assurance, and the main factor propelling Galveston to the top of this list.”

The historic town was a blossoming port city in 1900, when a devastating hurricane killed more than 8,000 people and led to the construction of a 17-foot seawall. Grieder adds that, while no other Texas towns make the list, “Texas … is the second most expensive state for homeowners insurance in the U.S., trailing only Oklahoma, according to a NerdWallet analysis this year.”

Wednesday, June 21, 2023 in Houston Chronicle

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