N.C. Building Code Could Affect Insurance Rates

Some North Carolina coastal residents could see a spike in their insurance rates because of a recent decision by the North Carolina Building Code Council.

The council toughened the coastal housing code for wind-borne debris. The code now extends the zone for stronger wind requirements to all areas east of the Intracoastal Waterway between South Carolina and Beaufort Inlet, and all barrier islands between the inlet and Virginia.

But the changes fall short of requirements set by the International Code Council. As a result, residents in Wrightsville Beach and other local communities would lose their flood insurance discounts.

Council members said the change will balance safety and affordability. But Wrightsville Beach Planning Director Tony Wilson called the council’s decision “disappointing.”

The decision also falls short of what the insurance industry has recommended. Insurers have urged the council to require stronger hurricane resistant construction standards for all areas of the coast vulnerable to hurricane-force winds.