Hawaii insurance works differently from anywhere else. The laws are different, and so are the risks — that’s why you need a guide written for Hawaii.
When it rains hard, or a storm hits, the power goes out. It happens a lot here.
Outages are a real Hawaii risk. In August 2026, Hurricane Lala knocked out power for more than 40% of Hawaiian Electric customers at the peak of the storm (HEI CEO Scott Seu, Q3 2026 earnings).
Planning for the next outage?
Home insurance guide → · Home generator guides →
Simple 1-minute estimate
Did you know? Hawaii is a no-fault state — your own PIP ($10,000) pays first, no matter who caused the crash.
Also, Hawaii law bans insurers from setting your premium by age, driving experience, credit score, or marital status (HRS §431:10C-207).
Read the auto insurance guide →
Hawaii is the only state that requires employers to provide health insurance — and it shapes everything from Medicare to Med-QUEST.
When the power goes out, what does it cost?
A power outage is more than an inconvenience. Spoiled food costs about $200 on average — the food a typical household throws out of the fridge after an outage. Damage to appliances and electronics from an outage can run $500 to $25,000. (EnergySage, September 2025.)
$200
Average spoiled food thrown away
$500–$25,000
Appliances and electronics damaged by the outage
For a business, an outage is not an inconvenience — it is lost sales. Among small businesses hit by a disaster, 84% lost sales from business interruption. (Federal Reserve, 2024 Small Business Credit Survey.) For a restaurant, that means spoiled food in the fridges plus a day of sales gone. For any shop that cannot open, it is a full day of revenue lost while the bills keep coming.
Just an inch of water can run $25,000
Just an inch of flooding in a home can mean about $25,000 in repairs (FEMA FloodSmart). The 2020–2024 NFIP average flood claim was $63,691, the median $20,272 (FEMA NFIP Media Toolkit, July 2025). Averaged federal disaster assistance added up to just $2,704, and standard home insurance paid $0 for flood damage.
$25,000
The cost of one inch of flooding
$63,691
Average NFIP flood claim (2020–2024)
$2,704
Average federal disaster assistance
Do you need flood insurance in Hawaii? · Flood cost by your zone
The 3-policy stack
Most Hawaii homeowners need three policies, not one: a core HO-3 homeowners policy, a stand-alone hurricane policy, and a flood policy (NFIP or private). Combined, they run about $2,650–$4,850 a year for a $500k home and $3,600–$6,500 for a $750k home. (How to Live in Hawaii, 2026 cost table.)
Cost calculators
Two free estimators: the 3-policy total-cost estimator and the workers’ comp premium estimator. Both run entirely in your browser — nothing you enter is sent anywhere or stored.
Not sure what you’ll pay? Run the numbers in under a minute.
Find your insurance
Home insurance
Hurricane, flood, renters, condo, and short-term rental — what Hawaii homeowners actually pay.
Auto insurance
No-fault, 2026 minimums, and coverage worth buying — from $425 a year.
Health insurance
Medicare, HMSA vs Kaiser, the ACA marketplace, and Med-QUEST — why Hawaii is different.
Last verified: 12 November 2026. General information only — not insurance advice. Confirm your coverage with a licensed Hawaii insurance agent.