San Antonio's big losses come from the sky and the creeks. The April 12, 2016 hailstorm dropped hail up to 4.5 inches across a swath north of downtown, and the June 12, 2025 flash flood on Beitel Creek killed 13 people. The city also has a large military population that moves on orders and often rents out the house it leaves. Short-term rentals need a city permit, with separate permit types for homes the owner or operator lives in and homes they do not.
San Antonio homes, military families and a tourism economy
San Antonio's housing runs from the 19th-century stone and frame houses of King William and the early 20th-century homes of Monte Vista and Tobin Hill to the large subdivisions on the north and far west sides. North of Loop 1604, many newer homes sit on the rocky edge of the Hill Country, with brick or stone veneer and wide, low roofs that take the brunt of hail. Historic homes can cost more to repair than a tract house of the same size, which is why replacement cost and ordinance-or-law coverage are worth reading on an older homeowners policy.
Joint Base San Antonio brings a steady flow of service members and their families. Many buy a house while stationed here and keep it as a rental when they are transferred, which turns a homeowners policy into a landlord policy and sometimes leaves a house sitting empty between tenants.
The economy is built on the military, health care, tourism and manufacturing. The River Walk, the Alamo and the convention center fill hotels and restaurants downtown, the South Texas Medical Center anchors the northwest side, and plants and logistics firms work out of the south side and Port San Antonio.
What underwriters weigh in San Antonio
Most San Antonio claims come from storms: hail on the roof, water in the creeks and pipes that freeze when the grid struggles. These are the exposures I go through with San Antonio clients.
- Large hailThe National Weather Service's summary of the April 12, 2016 storm reports hail of 2 to 3 inches across a swath just north of downtown, with the largest stone, 4.5 inches, about 3 miles southeast of Helotes, and insured losses estimated around $1.36 billion. Roofs and cars are the claim; a separate wind and hail deductible is common on home policies, and comprehensive coverage pays for hail on a car.
- Flash floodingOn June 12, 2025, a flash flood swept vehicles into Beitel Creek near Loop 410 and Perrin Beitel, and 13 people died across the city. Water from rising creeks is flood, which standard home and renters policies exclude; flood insurance is a separate policy, usually with a 30-day wait.
- Winter freezeThe February 2021 winter storm (Uri) brought a federal disaster declaration that included Bexar County. Burst pipes were the common claim. Sudden pipe bursts are generally covered; long-term leaks and an unheated vacant house are treated differently.
- Vacant homes between tenants or ordersA house left empty after a military move or between renters can fall outside a standard policy's vacancy terms. The Texas Department of Insurance says most companies stop coverage once a house has been vacant for 60 days or more, though liability coverage usually continues. A vacant home policy or landlord form written for the situation closes that gap.
- Older and historic constructionOlder wiring, plumbing and roofs in the city's historic districts can narrow carrier choices. Ordinance-or-law coverage helps pay for upgrades a code requires during a repair, and limits vary by carrier.
Texas and San Antonio rules that change the coverage
- Car insurance minimums (30/60/25)Texas requires at least $30,000 per injured person, $60,000 per accident for injuries and $25,000 for property damage. Every Texas auto policy includes personal injury protection unless you reject it in writing, and insurers must offer uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, which you also have to turn down in writing. Texas is an at-fault state. See auto insurance.
- Workers' comp is optional for most private employersMost private Texas employers can choose whether to carry workers' compensation. Employers that go without it are called non-subscribers. They must post a notice of no coverage in English and Spanish, give new hires written notice, and file a notice with the Texas Division of Workers' Compensation between February 1 and April 30 each year. A worker hurt at a non-subscriber can sue the employer for negligence, so I walk owners through both sides before they decide.
- Short-term rental permitsSan Antonio requires a permit for each short-term rental unit, issued as Type 1 when the owner or operator lives there and Type 2 when they do not. Permits are valid for three years and do not transfer to a new owner, and once the density limit on a blockface is reached a new permit needs a special exception from the Board of Adjustment. A homeowners policy usually excludes or limits rentals, so permitted hosts need short-term rental insurance.
- Inland wind and the FAIR PlanTWIA writes wind coverage only along the coast, so Bexar County homes carry wind and hail on the regular home policy. If no company will write a house, the Texas FAIR Plan Association is the fallback after at least two insurers decline. Statewide details are on insurance in Texas.
Business insurance for San Antonio hotels, restaurants and contractors
Tourism drives a lot of San Antonio's small business. Hotels near the River Walk need hotel coverage with liability and property limits a lender will accept, and Tex-Mex restaurants, bars and caterers need restaurant insurance with liquor liability when they serve alcohol.
Growth on the north and west sides keeps home builders, roofers and remodelers busy, and hail seasons add roofing demand. Contractors need general liability, commercial auto and, where they hire, a decision about Texas workers' comp; I also place contractor packages for trades that work on base housing and government projects, where certificate requirements are strict.
What San Antonio clients call me about
- PCS orders and a house to rent out. Service members moving on orders need the homeowners policy converted to a landlord policy before the first tenant moves in, plus coverage for any stretch the house sits empty.
- Hail claim and a roof that's now too old. After a hail claim, some carriers non-renew or settle older roofs at actual cash value. I look for carriers that will write the house as it is or after replacement.
- Flood insurance after June 2025. Many people near creeks asked about flood coverage after the June 2025 flood. Most flood policies take 30 days to start, so it has to be bought before the next storm.
- Historic home repairs. Owners in King William and Monte Vista ask how a policy pays for older materials and code upgrades. I compare replacement cost and ordinance-or-law limits.
- Permitted STR, unpermitted coverage. Hosts with a city permit sometimes still have a homeowners policy that excludes rentals. I move them to a policy written for short-term rental use.
Working with me from San Antonio
I don’t have an office in San Antonio. I work with San Antonio clients from my office in Beverly Hills, California: quotes, applications and policy changes are handled by phone, email and the online quote form, and I shop each request across admitted carriers and specialty markets. Saman Alishahi holds a Texas nonresident insurance producer license (NPN 21022298) and a California license (#4348151). Call (424) 552-4545, answered 24/7, or send a quote request.
San Antonio insurance, answered
Does homeowners insurance cover hail in San Antonio?
Hail is generally a covered peril, usually with a wind and hail deductible. Some carriers settle older roofs at actual cash value, so the age of the roof matters.
Do I need flood insurance in San Antonio?
Standard home and renters policies exclude flood. San Antonio's creeks rise fast in heavy rain, as the June 12, 2025 flood showed, and flood coverage is a separate policy that usually takes 30 days to begin.
I'm military and moving; what happens to my home insurance if I rent the house out?
A homeowners policy is written for an owner who lives there. Once a tenant moves in, you generally need a landlord policy, and the tenant needs their own renters insurance for belongings.
Do I need a permit to run an Airbnb in San Antonio?
Yes. The city issues a permit for each unit, Type 1 if you live there and Type 2 if you don't, valid for three years, with density limits by blockface.
What car insurance is required in San Antonio?
Texas law requires 30/60/25 liability. PIP and uninsured motorist coverage are included or offered and have to be rejected in writing if you don't want them.
Sources
- Texas Department of Insurance: Auto insurance guide
- Texas Department of Insurance: Workers' comp coverage for employers
- Texas Department of Insurance: Information for non-subscribers
- Texas Department of Insurance: Homeowners insurance guide (TWIA, FAIR Plan, flood)
- FEMA: Texas Severe Winter Storms (DR-4586-TX)
- NWS Austin/San Antonio: San Antonio hail, April 12, 2016 (event summary)
- Texas Public Radio: All 13 people killed in early June flash flood in San Antonio identified
- City of San Antonio Development Services: Short-term rental permits
General information about insurance in San Antonio as of October 2026, not legal advice. State rules, local ordinances, hazard maps and carrier appetite change; check the current rules with the Texas insurance regulator and your city. Coverage depends on underwriting and the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policy actually issued.