California home insurance, shopped by a licensed local broker
Homeowners, condo, renters, landlord, and mobile home coverage across California - plus real answers for homes in wildfire country.
Coverage we place
- Homeowners (HO-3 and similar) for single-family homes
- Condo and townhome (HO-6) unit-owner coverage
- Renters (HO-4) for tenants
- Landlord and rental-dwelling policies
- Dwelling fire for non-owner-occupied and seasonal homes
- Mobile and manufactured home coverage
- Wildfire and FAIR Plan wrap solutions for hard-to-insure homes
The California home insurance market, plainly
California's home insurance market has tightened sharply. After years of major wildfire losses, several large carriers paused new business or non-renewed policies in higher-risk areas. The result is that many homeowners - even with no claims - have been dropped or can only find the FAIR Plan. An independent broker helps because we are not tied to one company's appetite; when one market retreats, we know which others are still writing.
What a standard homeowners policy covers
The core parts of a policy
- Dwelling - the structure itself, rebuilt to current cost
- Other structures - detached garages, fences, sheds
- Personal property - your belongings, often at replacement cost
- Loss of use - living expenses if your home is uninhabitable after a covered loss
- Personal liability - if someone is injured or you damage others' property
- Medical payments - minor injuries to guests regardless of fault
Two numbers matter most in California: your dwelling limit (is it enough to actually rebuild at today's construction costs?) and your deductibles, including any separate wildfire or wind deductible.
Admitted vs non-admitted (surplus lines) carriers
California homes are written in two different kinds of market, and the difference matters. Admitted carriers are licensed by the state; non-admitted (surplus lines) carriers are not, but they can write risks the admitted market declines. See our full guide to admitted vs surplus lines insurance.
| Feature | Admitted carrier | Non-admitted (surplus lines) |
|---|---|---|
| State licensed | Licensed by the California DOI | Not licensed, but must be a state-approved surplus lines insurer |
| Guarantee fund | Protected by CIGA if the insurer fails | Not protected by the California Insurance Guarantee Association |
| Rate and form regulation | Rates and forms filed with the state | More flexible; forms and pricing are not state-approved |
| Typical use | Standard and preferred homes | Wildfire-exposed, non-renewed, older, or hard-to-place homes |
| Availability | Shrinking in higher-risk areas | Often available when admitted carriers decline |
We shop admitted markets first because of the guarantee-fund protection, and turn to surplus lines when the admitted market will not write your home.
Replacement cost vs actual cash value
How a policy values a loss is as important as the limit. Replacement cost pays to rebuild or replace without deducting for age and wear; actual cash value (ACV) subtracts depreciation, so you receive less at claim time. Roofs in particular are increasingly settled on an ACV or scheduled basis. Confirm which applies to your dwelling, roof, and personal property. Our guide compares replacement cost vs actual cash value in detail.
Your dwelling limit and reconstruction cost
Your dwelling limit should reflect what it costs to rebuild your home today - not its market price and not what you paid. Reconstruction cost is driven by local labor and materials, your home's size and quality, and features that are expensive to rebuild. Underinsuring the dwelling is the most common and most damaging mistake in a California home policy, especially after a total wildfire loss. Ask us to check your limit against current reconstruction costs and to explain extended or guaranteed replacement-cost options that add a cushion above the stated limit.
Exclusions and deductibles to check
Two homes with the same limit can offer very different protection once you read the exclusions and deductibles.
- Standard exclusions - flood and earthquake are almost always separate policies, not part of a homeowners policy
- Water damage - sudden pipe bursts are usually covered; gradual leaks, seepage, and flood are not
- Wildfire and wind deductibles - some policies apply a separate, often percentage-based, deductible for fire or wind
- Roof settlement - check whether roof losses are paid at replacement cost or actual cash value
- Sub-limits - jewelry, cash, and business property often have low caps unless scheduled
A percentage deductible (for example 1 to 5 percent of the dwelling limit) can be far larger than a flat dollar deductible, so read it before you compare prices.
What underwriters and inspections look at
California home underwriting has tightened, and many carriers inspect before or shortly after binding. Knowing what they weigh helps you prepare and often improves your options.
- Roof - age, material, and condition; older or worn roofs are a common reason for decline or ACV settlement
- Plumbing - material and age; older galvanized or polybutylene systems can be a problem
- Electrical - panel type and wiring; certain panels and knob-and-tube wiring are frequently excluded
- Vegetation and defensible space - brush clearance and ember-resistant zones in fire-prone areas
- Access and location - road access for fire apparatus, and distance to a fire station and hydrant
- Inspections - be ready for an exterior, and sometimes interior, inspection; unresolved items can trigger non-renewal
If your home was non-renewed or is in a fire zone
You are not out of options. We offer a wildfire home product placed through surplus lines and can pair difference-in-conditions coverage with a California FAIR Plan policy to fill the gaps a bare FAIR Plan leaves. Read our wildfire and FAIR Plan pages for how these fit together, then get a quote and we will map your situation to the right markets.
Your non-renewal or failed-renewal action plan
- Do not let coverage lapse - a gap can raise costs and complicate your mortgage; keep the current policy until the last day if you can
- Read the notice - note the exact non-renewal date and any stated reason, such as fire risk, roof, claims, or inspection
- Fix what you can - roof repairs, brush clearance, and defensible space can change eligibility
- Start shopping early - begin 45 to 60 days out so there is time to place admitted, surplus lines, or FAIR Plan plus DIC coverage
- Talk to us - we map your home to the markets still writing it and coordinate a FAIR Plan and difference-in-conditions wrap if needed
For a deeper walkthrough, read your California home was non-renewed: what to do.
Your mortgage company and your insurance
If you have a mortgage, your lender requires you to keep the home insured and is usually listed as the mortgagee, so it receives notices and is named on claim checks for structural damage. Lenders typically require dwelling coverage at least equal to the loan balance or the reconstruction cost, and if you let coverage lapse they can buy costly force-placed insurance and bill you for it. This is general information, not legal or lending advice - confirm your specific obligations with your loan servicer and read your loan documents.
What to collect before you request quotes
Gather these so every quote is based on the same facts and is genuinely comparable:
- The property address, square footage, year built, and construction type
- Roof age and material, and the age of plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems
- Recent upgrades or renovations, and any home-hardening or defensible-space work
- Your current declarations page - limits, deductibles, and premium
- Your claims history for the property, typically the last five years
- Any non-renewal or cancellation notice and its stated reason
- Your mortgage and lender details, if any
A coverage comparison checklist
When you compare offers, price alone is misleading. Line the quotes up against the same points:
- Dwelling limit vs current reconstruction cost, and whether extended or guaranteed replacement cost is included
- Replacement cost vs actual cash value on the dwelling, the roof, and personal property
- All deductibles, including any separate wildfire or wind percentage deductible
- Key exclusions and sub-limits, and whether water damage is covered
- Liability and medical-payments limits
- Whether the carrier is admitted or surplus lines, and the guarantee-fund implication
- Endorsements you need - scheduled jewelry, water backup, ordinance or law, extended replacement cost
Compare with official California data
The California Department of Insurance publishes a homeowners premium comparison tool that estimates costs for hypothetical risk profiles across many insurers. It is a useful reality check, but read it for what it is: the current 2026 comparison states its premiums are effective May 1, 2026 and are illustrations built on standardized sample scenarios - not actual quotes for your home. Your real price depends on your specific address, construction, roof, claims history, and the coverage you choose. Use the tool to understand the range, then let us shop your actual home.
- CDI - compare homeowners premiums
- CDI - home and residential insurance resources
- Check a license (CDI) - verify our license #4445775
Bundle home and auto
If you also drive, bundling home and auto can lower both premiums and simplify billing. We can quote them together - including non-standard auto - so you get one clear picture.
Frequently asked questions
My insurer non-renewed my home. Can you help?
Yes. Non-renewed homes are one of our specialties. We shop admitted carriers still writing your area, and when needed we use surplus lines and FAIR Plan wrap solutions to get you broader coverage than a bare FAIR Plan policy.
Do you cover condos, renters, and landlords?
Yes. We place condo (HO-6), renters (HO-4), landlord, and dwelling-fire policies in addition to standard homeowners and mobile/manufactured home coverage.
What is difference-in-conditions coverage?
It is a wrap policy that sits alongside a FAIR Plan policy to add protections the FAIR Plan does not include, such as liability, water damage, and theft, giving you closer to full homeowners coverage.
Is getting a quote really free?
Yes. We are a broker paid by carriers, so quoting and shopping cost you nothing. If you choose to buy, your final cost may include the insurance premium, carrier or policy fees, taxes, surplus-lines taxes, stamping fees, installment charges, or other amounts shown in the quote and policy documents.
Get your free quote
Tell us what you need and a licensed California broker will reach out with real options. Simple situation or complicated one, we shop it the same way.
Prefer to talk? Call (916) 469-5253.