Edgartown, MA Home Insurance: Seasonal Homes, Whaling-Era Houses, Coastal Flood Zones and High-Value Homes

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Seasonal Homes · Katama, Harbor and Chappy Flood Zones · Named-Storm Deductibles · Village Historic District · Rentals and Boats · Edgartown, MA

Key takeaways
  • Close to two of every three Edgartown housing units are held for seasonal use, so most policies here are written for a house that sits empty for months.
  • All of Dukes County sits in the strictest tier of the FAIR Plan’s named-storm rules, and private carriers set their own island wind deductibles.
  • FEMA maps effective July 20, 2016 put parts of Katama, the harbor front and Chappaquiddick in Zones AE and VE. Flood and erosion are outside a homeowners policy.
  • The village historic district reviews exterior work visible from a street or the harbor, which shapes how a damaged captain’s house is rebuilt.
  • Edgartown homes are served from our Portsmouth, NH office. We compare 40+ carriers, charge no fees and answer at (603) 431-4020.

Edgartown covers the eastern end of Martha’s Vineyard, from the whaling-port village on the harbor to the Katama plains, the south shore and Chappaquiddick. The county’s 2015 hazard mitigation plan calls it the largest Dukes County town by land area, at 27 square miles. In the Census Bureau’s 2020–2024 survey, 3,173 of Edgartown’s 5,047 housing units were kept for seasonal or occasional use, against fewer than one in 25 statewide. Only about a third were someone’s usual home, and about nine in ten are single-family houses. The stock is younger than the village suggests: about two in five units date from the 1970s and 1980s, and roughly one in nine predates 1940.

Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance was founded in 2005 as a family-owned independent agency. We are licensed in 10 states, including Massachusetts, and we are New Hampshire’s highest-rated agency on Google, with 1,000+ Google reviews and over 2,000 testimonials. Most Edgartown owners live elsewhere much of the year, so one agent by phone or email for the island house, the primary home, the cars and the umbrella works well. We compare 40+ carriers and charge no fees. See our Massachusetts homeowners insurance page and our Massachusetts second-home guide for statewide basics.

What should you plan for when an Edgartown house sits empty all winter?

A supply line that splits in January can run for days before anyone opens the door, so insurers ask how many months someone lives in the house, who checks on it, how it is heated and whether the water is shut off. In the widely used standard homeowners form, freeze damage to plumbing is excluded unless you used reasonable care to keep the heat on or to shut off and drain the water, and vandalism coverage drops once a dwelling has been vacant more than 60 consecutive days. Wording varies by carrier. The Division of Insurance (DOI) winter checklist fits most island houses:

  • Closed all winter. Have the water shut off at the street, drain the supply and heating lines, shut off gas at the meter and have the house checked weekly.
  • Used now and then. Keep the thermostat at 60 degrees or higher, with a low-temperature alarm and, for oil heat, a low-oil alarm.
  • Caretakers and sensors. A caretaker log, leak sensors and an automatic water shutoff help with underwriting and with showing reasonable care after a loss. Our seasonal home insurance page and vacant home guide cover longer gaps, such as a renovation.

How do named-storm and wind deductibles work on Martha’s Vineyard?

Edgartown’s south shore faces the open Atlantic, and the hazard plan lists the 1938 hurricane, Carol and Edna in 1954 and Bob in 1991 among the storms that hit southern New England. The DOI explains that many insurers apply a mandatory wind or hurricane deductible, either a fixed amount or a share of the dwelling limit, based on distance to the coast. On a $3 million house, even a small share of the dwelling limit reaches five figures, so we show every quote’s deductible in dollars.

The Vineyard is coastal from end to end. The FAIR Plan quick reference uses one named-storm table for all of Dukes and Nantucket counties, with no half-mile distinction, and its dwelling limit is far below what most larger Edgartown homes cost to rebuild. Private carriers file their own rules, so two quotes on the same Katama house can treat a named storm very differently. Shutters, high-wind roofing and gable-end bracing are the mitigation steps the DOI encourages. Our coastal Massachusetts high-value page details the deductible tiers.

Where does Edgartown flood: Katama, the harbor or Chappaquiddick?

All three. FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer shows all 72 Dukes County panels effective July 20, 2016. When we queried it in October 2026, Katama Bay’s shores carried Zone AE with base flood elevations around 10 to 12 feet and Zone VE up to 15 feet, the village harbor front carried Zone VE, and parts of Chappaquiddick’s shore reached VE elevations of 17 feet. Using preliminary map data, the hazard plan counted 267 Edgartown buildings in the 100-year flood zone, 63 of them in the velocity zone, and called the whaling-era waterfront the part of town most exposed to rising water. A Woods Hole Group study for the town, summarized by the Vineyard Gazette, found the March 2018 surge that reached halfway up Daggett Street is close to a typical mid-century high tide.

Norton Point, the 2.5-mile barrier beach between Katama and Wasque, shields the homes around Katama Bay from surge, according to the Trustees of Reservations, and it lost 70 acres between 1994 and 2009. It breaches often: in 1938, 1954, April 2007 (a gap that took about eight years to close) and on New Year’s Day 2026, when a cut about 500 feet wide opened that the MV Times expected to last at least a year. The hazard plan puts erosion on the sandy south shore at 10 to 12 feet a year.

  • Flood is its own policy. Storm surge is flood, and homeowners policies exclude it. Check FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center for your address. New NFIP policies we place go through Selective, we quote flood with every Chubb home policy, and larger homes often add excess or private flood limits. See our flood insurance page.
  • Second homes settle differently. FEMA’s NFIP coverage summary reserves replacement cost on the building for a principal residence insured close to full value. An island second home is generally paid at actual cash value.
  • Erosion is the gap. Homeowners policies exclude earth movement, and flood policies cover erosion-related collapse only in narrow storm-driven cases. Tell us about any bluff, dune or bank up front.

How does the village historic district affect rebuilding a captain’s house?

The Edgartown Village Historic District joined the National Register in December 1983. Its nomination describes about 150 acres on the west side of the harbor with roughly 500 buildings, mostly 19th and early 20th century wood-frame houses, including many Greek Revival homes from about 1830 to 1865. Its landmark, the Old Whaling Church, was built in 1843 by shipwrights for the town’s Methodist whaling captains.

The local district is what controls building. Voters created it in 1987 after efforts dating to 1972, and in 2016 nearly doubled it by a 169 to 48 vote, the MV Times reported. The Historic District Commission reviews any part of a building visible from a public way, including from the harbor, and issues certificates under the state Historic Districts Act before the building inspector signs off. Commissioners have said guidelines favor natural materials, with exceptions, and 2016 reporting said vinyl siding was not allowed.

  • Insure what would be rebuilt. Cedar shingles, wood clapboard, true divided-light windows and custom trim cost more than substitutes; the rebuild estimate should match what the commission is likely to approve.
  • Ordinance or law and time. Most policies do not pay the extra cost of newer codes unless you add this coverage, and review plus island scheduling stretches a rebuild. In a mapped flood zone, a house damaged to half its market value or more, from any cause, generally must meet current floodplain rules. Our historic home insurance guide explains rebuilding in kind.

Can you rent an Edgartown home and keep your homeowners coverage?

Yes, with the right setup. The town counted roughly 1,400 short-term rentals, and as of spring 2026 it was studying the market rather than adopting a registration bylaw, the Vineyard Gazette reported. For insurance, state law governs. Under Chapter 175, Section 4F, an operator needs liability coverage of at least one million dollars for each short-term rental unless the booking platform carries equal or greater coverage, and must notify the homeowners insurer. Insurers may exclude rental claims, and the DOI warns that an insurer kept in the dark may have grounds to cancel.

  • Homeowners or dwelling policy? A family house rented a few weeks between your own stays may fit a homeowners policy with a rental endorsement. A house rented most of the summer usually belongs on a dwelling (landlord) policy; see our landlord insurance page.
  • FAIR Plan limits. Its published rules allow a seasonal property to be rented up to 4 weeks a year, and the DOI notes its rental liability limit falls short of the state minimum.
  • Umbrella. We confirm the umbrella carrier accepts rental exposure before the first booking.

Why can repairs take longer on the island?

Lumber, stone and roofing all arrive by ferry. The Steamship Authority requires reservations for commercial vehicles 20 feet or longer and limits truck size, and after a regional storm island builders can be booked well ahead. That argues for extended or guaranteed replacement cost, ample additional living expense and fair rental value coverage if the house earns rent.

Chappaquiddick adds a step. The Chappy Ferry crosses the 527-foot channel year-round from 6:30 a.m. on small On Time ferries that carry up to three vehicles, with a captain on call overnight for emergencies, and with Norton Point breached there is no over-sand route. Its FAQ notes the Edgartown Fire Department keeps a Chappaquiddick firehouse with two trucks staffed by trained residents. Underwriters ask about distance to the fire station and hydrant, so have those details ready. Elsewhere, the hazard plan calls Edgartown outside the village quite vulnerable to wildfire, counts 1,320 buildings in the wildland-urban interface, and recalls brush fires from Edgartown Great Pond to Katama in 1935 and toward the Katama airfield in 1976.

Which carriers fit Edgartown homes at different rebuild values?

Island appetite differs by company, so we confirm which carriers will write an address before quoting. Below a rebuild cost of about $2 million, most of our 40+ carriers can quote. Openly, where we are appointed in Massachusetts, and National General take homes up to roughly $5 million. Cincinnati and Chubb both write homes at any dwelling limit, so we quote both. In Massachusetts, we place Chubb on high-value homes. See our Cincinnati review, Chubb review and high net worth insurance page. After a loss, we help you report the claim and follow up until it is resolved.

What about boats and umbrella coverage in Edgartown?

The DOI notes homeowners policies give only limited coverage for small boats. A boat moored in Edgartown Harbor or Katama Bay belongs on a boat policy, which we write through Progressive, Foremost Specialty, American Modern and others, and an umbrella stacks liability over the house, cars and boat. We also insure homes in Nantucket, Chatham and Falmouth. Call (603) 431-4020 or use the form below.

Get an Edgartown home insurance quote

Tell us about the property and we will compare carriers. Prefer to talk? Call (603) 431-4020.

Frequently asked questions

Does my Edgartown homeowners policy cover a frozen pipe while the house is closed for winter?

Often, if you took reasonable care. Many policies exclude freeze damage in an unoccupied house unless the heat stayed on or the water was shut off and drained. A caretaker log and a low-temperature alarm help.

Is every Edgartown home subject to a named-storm deductible?

Most island policies have one. The FAIR Plan puts all of Dukes County in its strictest named-storm tier, and private carriers set their own. Ask for the deductible in dollars and whether it applies per storm or per season.

Do I need flood insurance in Katama or on Chappaquiddick?

A lender will require it for a Zone AE or VE home with a federally backed mortgage. Even without one, storm surge is flood, which homeowners policies exclude, so compare NFIP and private or excess options.

Does homeowners insurance cover erosion near Norton Point or the south shore?

No. Homeowners policies exclude earth movement, and flood policies cover erosion-related collapse only in narrow, storm-driven cases. Gradual loss of a bank or dune is not insured.

Will the Historic District Commission affect an insurance claim on my village house?

It affects the rebuild. Exterior work visible from a street or the harbor needs approval, which can mean costlier materials and more time, so set the dwelling, ordinance or law and loss-of-use limits accordingly.

Can I rent my Edgartown house on Airbnb under my homeowners policy?

Only if your insurer agrees. State law requires short-term rental liability coverage and notice to your home insurer. Light rental may fit a homeowners policy with an endorsement; heavier rental usually calls for a dwelling policy.

Who writes high-value home insurance in Edgartown?

It depends on rebuild cost and address. Under about $2 million most of our carriers can quote, and Openly and National General go to roughly $5 million. Cincinnati and Chubb both write homes at any dwelling limit, so we quote both.

Do you have a Martha’s Vineyard location, and do you charge fees?

No location on the Vineyard. Edgartown clients work with us from our Portsmouth, NH office by phone or email, and there are no fees for quotes or service.

Sources

This page is general information about homeowners insurance in Edgartown, Massachusetts, and is not a coverage guarantee or legal advice. Coverage depends on each carrier’s policy wording, endorsements and underwriting. Local details on this page are general descriptions; confirm specifics for your property with the town. Flood is a separate policy from homeowners. Call (603) 431-4020 with questions about a specific home.

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