California Homeowners Insurance Guide
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Homeowners Insurance in California
Explore California Homeowners Insurance State Guides, Laws and Regulations before You Buy Insurance
No law in California requires homeowners to insure their property. However, if you have a mortgage, the contract likely states that you must keep the property insured.
Many California homeowners choose to insure their home even if they own it outright, because homeowner’s insurance protects your financial investment from many perils, including some types of lawsuits.
The California homeowner’s insurance market has been volatile in recent years. Droughts, wildfires and economic uncertainty have played a role in this situation. In 2023, several major insurers stopped accepting new risks in California, leaving many homeowners scrambling to find new, affordable home insurance.
This article answers the most common questions we hear from homeowners shopping for insurance in CA, such as:
- What is covered by a California homeowner’s insurance policy?
- How much home insurance should one buy?
- How can I get the best price on home insurance?
- What is the California Fair Plan?
- A list of homeowner’s insurance companies in CA
What is Covered by a California Homeowner’s Insurance Policy?
A homeowner’s insurance policy in California begins with fire coverage. If your home burns down, or if there is a fire that damages part of your home, it will be covered. Smoke damage is also covered.
Other Perils Covered by California Homeowner’s Insurance
A homeowner’s insurance policy in CA covers many other perils that could affect your home. These include damages from:
- Wind
- Hail
- Lightning
- Explosions
- Air plane or vehicle crashes
- Civil unrest or riot
- Malicious mischief / vandalism
- Broken tree limbs falling on a home
- Some equipment breakdowns that could damage your home
You can read the list of covered perils on your homeowner’s insurance policy. Notably absent from the list are earthquakes and floods. If you need earthquake coverage, or if your mortgagee — the bank or lender to which you pay a mortgage — requires that you carry flood insurance, it must be added to your policy or bought separately.
How Much Home Insurance Should One Buy in California?
Every residence is different. So, insurance agents use a formula to figure the cost to rebuild a home after a covered loss, like a fire.
When getting quotes for homeowner’s insurance in California, be prepared to describe your home’s square footage, building materials, roofing and foundation. The agent will be able to tell you how much it will cost to rebuild your home.
Your mortgagee will likely require that you carry enough insurance to pay off the loan in case of a total loss. Put plainly, if you owe $250,000 for a home, the bank may require that you carry $250,000 worth of insurance. This can become a challenge in California.
The Challenge with CA Mortgages, Home Valuations and Insurance
The housing market in California, particularly in the major coastal cities like San Diego, has a reputation for being extremely expensive compared to much of the US. Homeowner’s insurance is designed to protect the homeowner from financial loss, but never covers things like the land on which a home is built, or the beautiful ocean view. This presents a unique challenge to CA insurers.
For example, a 1,000-square foot, one bedroom, one bathroom seaside cottage might sell for $3 million in California. The home buyer is paying for convenient beach access and a gorgeous view. The mortgagee wants the homeowner to carry enough funds to pay off the mortgage if the home burns down. But the actual replacement cost of this small home may be closer to $300 per square foot, or $300,000.
This is one reason insurance companies are becoming reluctant to do business in CA. They are under constant pressure to insure homes at incredibly high valuations.
Wildfire Claims Have Also Been Challenging for Homeowner’s Insurance Companies in California
California endured a decade of difficult drought, which ended in 2023. Coupled with the increasing population and new homes encroaching on wildfire-prone areas, insurers have paid tens of billions of dollars in fire claims in recent years. In 2017 alone, for instance, insurers paid $12 billion in fire losses to California home owners.
Now that you know why homeowner’s insurance companies are leaving CA or raising their rates, you’re wondering how to get the best prices on California homeowner’s insurance.
How Can I Get the Best Price on Homeowner’s Insurance in California?
The best way to get a good price on CA homeowner’s insurance is to shop around with as many insurers as possible. Some insurance companies will be reluctant to take on new risks in CA, so they’ll offer an unattractive price. Keep trying, however. You may find an insurer ready to earn your business.
If you’re struggling to find affordable homeowner’s insurance, you may need to do business with the California Fair Plan.
What is California Fair Plan (CFP)?
The California Fair Plan is the state’s answer to insurance issues like this. In short, the state requires all major property insurance companies to take part in this program as a group. Together, they cover California’s most difficult property risks. CFP will not refuse your business (though the prices may be high depending on your neighborhood.)
CA Fair Plan policies cover most of the perils associated with a traditional home policy, like fire, lightning, smoke and so on. They do not, however, cover liability issues. In short, you may need to buy a separate, stand-alone liability policy to protect you from potential lawsuits should someone get injured on your property.
California consumers cannot contact CFP directly for a quote. You must deal with an insurance agent who has completed training, and they will sell you a Fair Plan policy.
To help you on this endeavor, we’ve supplied a list of insurers who are — at the time of writing — still doing business in CA. This list is provided by the California Department of Insurance and is subject to change.
Or, if you’d like to save time and effort, use our helpful home insurance quoting tool to find affordable home insurance in California.
List of Homeowner’s Insurance Companies in CA
| Company Name | Phone Number |
| 21st Century Premier Insurance Company3 | 900-974-6755 |
| Aegis Security Insurance Company | 844-207-4339 |
| AIG Property Casualty Company | 888-978-5371 |
| Affiliated FM Insurance Company | 800-343-7722 |
| AFH Insurance Company4 | 800-543-2644 |
| American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida | 800-852-2244 |
| American Family Connect Property and Casualty Insurance Company | 888-239-9953 |
| American Modern Home Group | 800-543-2644 |
| American Modern Property & Casualty Insurance Company | 800-543-2644 |
| American National Property and Casualty Company | 800-899-6519 |
| American Reliable Insurance Company | 800-535-1333 |
| American Security Insurance Company | 800-852-2244 |
| Amguard Insurance Company | 800-673-2465 |
| Amica Mutual Insurance Company | 800-652-6422 |
| Armed Forces Insurance Exchange | 800-255-6792 |
| ASI Select Insurance Corporation | 866-274-8765 |
| Aspen American Insurance Company3 | 800-548-1616 |
| Bankers Standard Insurance Company | 866-324-8222 |
| California Automobile Insurance Company (Mercury Group) | 800-956-3728 |
| California Capital Insurance Group | 800-682-9255 |
| California Casualty Indemnity Exchange | 866-680-5143 |
| California Mutual Insurance Company | 800-310-5824 |
| Catlin Insurance Company Inc | 833-922-6266 |
| Century-National Insurance Company | 800-462-2123 |
| Cincinnati Insurance Company | 888-242-8811 |
| Civil Property and Casualty Company3,5 | 800-974-6755 |
| Civil Service Employees Ins Group | 800-282-6848 |
| Clear Blue Insurance Company | 844-890-6640 |
| Coastal Select Insurance Company1 | 800-774-1012 |
| Constitution Insurance Company | 844-385-1650 |
| Crestbrook Insurance Company | 877-669-6877 |
| CSAA Fire & Casualty Insurance Company5 | 844-810-6077 |
| CSAA Insurance Exchange (AAA Northern California) | 844-810-6077 |
| CSE Safeguard Insurance Company | 800-282-6848 |
| DB Insurance Co., LTD (U.S. Branch) | 866-662-5752 |
| Eagle West Insurance Company | 800-682-9255 |
| Electric Insurance Company | 800-342-5342 |
| Encompass Insurance Company | 800-897-9678 |
| Exact Property and Casualty Company Inc | 800-974-6755 |
| Falls Lake National Insurance Company | 800-780-7454 |
| Farmers Direct Property and Casualty Insurance Company | 800-974-6755 |
| Farmers Group | 800-974-6755 |
| Federal Insurance Company/Chubb | 866-324-8222 |
| Fidelity & Deposit Company of Maryland | 800-548-1616 |
| Fire Insurance Exchange | 800-974-6755 |
| First National Insurance Company of America | 800-332-3226 |
| Foremost Insurance Company Grand Rapids, Michigan | 800-527-3905 |
| Foremost Property & Casualty Insurance Company2 | 800-527-3905 |
| Garrison Property and Casualty Insurance Company | 800-531-8722 |
| General Insurance Company of America | 800-332-3226 |
| Geovera Insurance Company1 | 800-324-6020 |
| Golden Bear Insurance Company | 209-948-8191 |
| Grange Insurance Association | 800-247-2643 |
| Hartford Insurance Group | 888-413-8970 |
| Homesite Insurance Company of California3 | 800-466-3748 |
| Homesite Insurance Company of the Midwest | 800-466-3748 |
| Horace Mann Insurance Companies | 800-999-1030 |
| Horace Mann Property & Casualty Insurance Company | 800-999-1030 |
| Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Company | 855-436-3467 |
| Incline National Insurance Company | 800-585-0705 |
| Integon National Insurance Company/National General | 800-462-2123 |
| InterInsurance Exchange of the Automobile Club (AAA Southern CA) | 877-222-1445 877-222-1445 877-222-1445 |
| Kemper Independence Insurance Company | 877-252-7878 |
| Knightbrook Insurance Company3 | 855-231-4663 |
| Lemonade Insurance Company | 844-733-8666 |
| Liberty Insurance Corporation | 800-699-3534 |
| Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Company | 800-699-3534 |
| Mapfre Insurance Company | 877-627-3731 |
| Markel American Insurance Company3,5 | 800-236-2862 |
| Merastar Insurance Company | 800-637-2782 |
| Mid-Century Insurance Company | 800-974-6755 |
| Nationwide Mutual Insurance Companies | 877-669-6877 |
| Neighborhood Property and Casualty Company | 800-974-6755 |
| Occidental Fire and Casualty Company of NC | 800-481-0643 |
| Oregon Mutual Insurance Company | 800-888-2141 |
| Pacific Indemnity Company | 866-324-8222 |
| Pacific Specialty Insurance Company | 800-303-5000 |
| Palomar Specialty Insurance Company1 | 844-560-7401 |
| Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company | 800-247-5930 |
| Praetorian Insurance Company | 866-318-2016 |
| Property & Casualty Insurance Company | 888-413-8970 |
| PURE (Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange) | 888-813-7873 |
| QBE Insurance Corporation | 866-318-2016 |
| Residence Mutual Insurance Company | 800-234-2103 |
| Response Indemnity Insurance Company of California2 | 800-488-4096 |
| Safeco Insurance Companies | 800-332-3226 |
| Safeco Insurance Company of Illinois | 800-332-3226 |
| Seaview Insurance Company5 | 866-840-5329 |
| Sentinel Insurance Company | 888-413-8970 |
| Spinnaker Insurance Company | 888-221-7742 |
| Standard Fire Insurance Company | 866-522-1883 |
| Standard Guaranty Insurance Company | 800-852-2244 |
| State National Insurance Company3 | 855-695-3889 |
| Stillwater Insurance Companies | 855-712-4092 |
| Stillwater Property and Casualty Insurance Company | 855-712-4092 |
| Sutton National Insurance Company | 888-846-4238 |
| Tokio Marine America Insurance Company | 800-918-8979 |
| Travelers Commercial Insurance Company | 866-522-1883 |
| Trumbull Insurance Company | 888-413-8970 |
| Twin City Insurance Company | 888-413-8970 |
| Unitrin Auto and Home Insurance Company | 877-252-7878 |
| Unitrin Direct Property & Casualty4 | 800-253-7744 |
| Universal North America Insurance Company | 866-458-4262 |
| USAA Casualty Insurance Company | 800-531-8722 |
| USAA General Indemnity Company | 800-531-8722 |
| USAA (United Services Automobile Association) | 800-531-8722 |
| US Coastal Property and Casualty Insurance Company | 866-896-7233 |
| Vigilant Insurance Company | 866-324-8222 |
| Western Mutual Insurance Company** | 800-234-2103 |
| Wawanesa General Insurance Company | 800-640-2920 |
| Zurich American Insurance Company | 800-905-7550 |
Resources & Governing Agencies
NAIC: A Shopping Tool for Homeowner’s Insurance
