How to Choose the Best Hurricane Shutter Company in Myrtle Beach: A 2025 Buyer’s Guide

You’ve typed in `hurricane shutter companies near me` or `hurricane shutter installation companies near me`. This is a high-intent, “bottom-of-the-funnel” search. It means you’ve made the smart decision to protect your Myrtle Beach or Grand Strand home. You’re past the “plywood” debate, and you’re ready to make a permanent investment in your property’s safety and your family’s peace of mind.

But this search opens a new, confusing set of questions. Your search results are a flood of national chains, local “handymen,” and new companies you’ve never heard of. Who can you *trust*? A hurricane shutter is a life-safety device. The *company* you choose to install it is **more important than the product itself**.

You’ve come to the right place. At American Hurricane Shutters, we are not just a `hurricane shutter company`; we are your **local, insured, 24/7, family-owned expert**. We have been serving the *entire* Grand Strand, from Little River to Pawleys Island, **since 2007**.

As local, E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) authorities, we’ve created this “buyer’s guide” to help you. This is the **5-point, non-negotiable checklist** you must use to vet *any* company you’re thinking of hiring. We’ve built our entire 15+ year reputation on being able to answer “YES” to every single item.

The “Buyer’s Guide” Checklist: 5 Questions to Ask ANY `Hurricane Shutter Company`

Before you sign a contract or hand over a deposit, you *must* ask these five questions. If a company hesitates, stumbles, or says “no” to *any* of them, **walk away**.

1. Is your company **fully insured** with General Liability, Workers’ Comp, *and* an Umbrella Policy? (Can you prove it?)
2. Do you have a **real, local office** and a long history (10+ years) *in my area*?
3. Are you an **approved SC Safe Home Contractor**?
4. Do you use **your own in-house employees** or subcontractors?
5. Do you offer **24/7 local service** *after* the sale?

A true professional will be *excited* to answer these questions. A “fly-by-night” crew will run. Let’s break down why each one is a non-negotiable.

Checklist #1: “Are you fully insured? PROVE it.” (The “Liability” Test)

This is the most important question. It’s not about protecting the *company*; it’s about protecting *you*.

H3: The “Handyman” & “Storm Chaser” Liability Trap

If you hire a “guy with a truck” or an uninsured “handyman” to save a few hundred dollars, you are taking a *massive* personal risk. If that worker, who is not insured, falls from a 20-foot ladder on your property, **you, the homeowner, are personally and financially liable for their medical bills.** Your “cheap” install just turned into a six-figure lawsuit that your homeowner’s insurance will not cover.

H3: What to Demand (Our “Authoritative” Answer)

A professional `hurricane shutter company` must carry, at minimum, three policies. When you ask us, our answer is:

“Yes. We are fully insured. We carry **General Liability**, **Commercial Auto**, and, most importantly, **full Workers’ Compensation** for *all* of our employees. We also carry a **$2,000,000 Umbrella Policy** for total protection. We will provide our Certificate of Insurance (COI), naming you as an additional insured, with your free quote.”

This is the *only* acceptable answer. It’s the “Trustworthy” guarantee. It’s also required by 99% of HOAs in Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach. We are the low-risk, professional choice.

Checklist #2: “What is your *local* history?” (The “Experience” Test)

Your “near me” search is smart. A “local” company is accountable. A “national” 800-number is not. But “local” isn’t enough. You need “local *and* experienced.”

H3: Why “Local” & “History” Matter

A company that’s only been in business for 2 years hasn’t seen its products through a real storm. A “storm-chasing” crew from Florida has no local reputation to protect and will be gone in 6 months. You need a company that has been *here*, on the Grand Strand, for the long haul.

H3: What to Ask (Our “Experience” Answer)

Ask: “How long have you *personally* been serving Horry and Georgetown counties?”

“Yes. American Hurricane Shutters is a **family-owned, disabled-owned company founded by Matthew Burns in 2007**. We are based right up the road in Wilmington, NC (1200 Castle Hayne Road), and we have been the premier installer for the *entire* Grand Strand‚Äîfrom Little River to Pawleys Island‚Äîfor **over 15 years**. We have thousands of satisfied local customers and are proud members of the Home Builders Association (HBA).”

That is the “Experience” and “Trust” you’re looking for.

Checklist #3: “Are you an approved SC Safe Home contractor?” (The “Authority” Test)

This is a specific, powerful question for any South Carolina homeowner. The **SC Safe Home program** is a state-run grant that helps you pay for your shutters. The state *vets* the contractors on its approved list.

H3: What to Ask (Our “Authoritative” Answer)

Ask: “Are you on the official SC Safe Home Approved Contractor list?”

“Yes. We are a **registered, approved, and experienced SC Safe Home contractor**. We know the grant process inside and out, and we will provide all the necessary, certified paperwork to ensure you get your full reimbursement. This is a *huge* part of our service to SC homeowners.”

This is a third-party, state-level “stamp of approval.” It’s a massive “Authoritativeness” signal that separates the pros from the amateurs.

Checklist #4: “Do you use subcontractors?” (The “Expertise” Test)

This is the “big-box store” trap. You buy an install from a national retailer, and they “sub” the job out to the lowest-bidding, unknown third party. You have *no idea* who is showing up at your home. They are not trained shutter *specialists*.

H3: What to Ask (Our “Expertise” Answer)

Ask: “Will your *own employees* be doing the installation, or will it be subcontractors?”

“This is our **iron-clad ‘no-subcontractor’ guarantee’**. The team that arrives at your Myrtle Beach home will be our *own* in-house, uniformed, trained, and insured American Hurricane Shutters employees. This gives us 100% control over quality, professionalism, and, most importantly, the installation. A rated shutter is only “rated” if it’s installed to the *exact* engineering specs. Our experts do it right, every time. See our process.”

Checklist #5: “Do you offer 24/7 service *after* the sale?” (The “Long-Term” Test)

A shutter is a machine. It needs service. What happens in 5 years when a track is stuck or a motor fails? Is your installer still in business? Will they even answer the phone?

H3: What to Ask (Our “Trust” Answer)

Ask: “What happens if my shutter is stuck at 3 AM before a storm? Do you have a service department?”

“Yes. We are a **24/7, full-service company**. Our local phone number, **(910) 256-1288**, is answered 24/7 for emergency service. We are your long-term partners, and our maintenance and repair teams are on the Grand Strand every week. We service what we sell (and even what we don’t).”

The Answer to Your Search: We Are the Company That Says “Yes”

Your search for `hurricane shutter companies near me` was a search for a company you can trust with your home’s safety. As you’ve just seen, American Hurricane Shutters is the only local company that can confidently, transparently, and provably say “YES” to all five non-negotiable questions.

We are the local, 15+ year expert. We are fully insured with a $2M Umbrella. We are SC Safe Home Approved. We use only in-house, expert installers. And we are here for you 24/7. We have curated the best brands (like **Bertha HV**, **Alutech**, and **Town & Country**) and can help you find the perfect system for your budget, from our “best value” **Accordions ($34/sq ft)** to our premium **Electric Rolldowns ($48/sq ft + $700)**.

Your Next Step: Get Your Free, “Trustworthy” Quote Today

Stop searching. Start protecting. Call the most trusted, authoritative, and experienced hurricane shutter company on the Grand Strand.

Call American Hurricane Shutters today for a 100% free, no-obligation consultation. We’ll come to your Myrtle Beach-area home, show you this checklist in person, and provide you with a transparent, “all-in” quote and a copy of our insurance. Let us earn your business.