> Source: https://insurancemonster.com/independent-insurance-broker-california/ > InsuranceMonster is an independent, California-licensed insurance brokerage (CA DOI Lic. #6020398) comparing 40+ carriers for auto, home, renters and pet, and specializing in SR-22, non-standard auto, and wildfire-exposed homes. > InsuranceMonster - a brand of Monster Insurance Services, LLC, independent California insurance brokerage (CA DOI Lic. #6020398). # Independent California insurance broker One licensed broker, 40+ carriers, and the specialty markets most agents will not touch. Written by [**Michael Kassing**](https://insurancemonster.com/experts/michael-kassing/), California-licensed insurance broker Reviewed for accuracy on August 5, 2026 - California license #4445775 [About the author](https://insurancemonster.com/experts/michael-kassing/) - [Verify this license](https://cdicloud.insurance.ca.gov/cal/IndividualNameSearch?handler=Search) ## What an independent broker actually is A captive agent works for one insurance company and can only offer that company's products. An independent broker works for you and can place your coverage with any carrier it has access to. When your situation is straightforward, the difference shows up as a better price. When it is not, the difference is whether you can get covered at all. That distinction is worth understanding before you shop - we have written it up in full in [insurance broker vs agent vs direct](https://insurancemonster.com/guides/insurance-broker-vs-agent/). ## Who we are, in checkable facts Everything on this list can be verified independently, and we would rather you did. *InsuranceMonster: entity, licensing, and service details* | | | | --- | --- | | Brand | InsuranceMonster | | Legal entity | Monster Insurance Services, LLC | | California DOI organization licence | #6020398 (Monster Insurance Services, LLC) | | Principal broker | Michael A. Kassing | | California DOI individual licence | #4445775 (Michael A. Kassing) | | Type | Independent brokerage - not captive, not a lead generator | | Address | 2906 1/2 Franklin Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95818 | | Service area | California, all 58 counties | | Carriers compared | 40+ | | Phone | (916) 469-5253 | | Email | hello@insurancemonster.com | | Cost of a quote | Free. We are compensated by the carrier, not by you | You can confirm both licences yourself on the California Department of Insurance [Check a License](https://cdicloud.insurance.ca.gov/cal/LicenseNumberSearch) lookup. Search by licence number and compare the record against the table above. ## What we specialize in Most brokers can place a clean driver with a clean record and a suburban home. The reason to come to us is the part of the market that is harder than that. - **[SR-22 filings](https://insurancemonster.com/sr22-insurance-california/)** - the certificate the DMV requires after a DUI, a lapse, or a suspension. Filed electronically, often the same day the policy binds. - **[Non-standard auto](https://insurancemonster.com/non-standard-auto-insurance-california/)** - drivers with tickets, at-fault accidents, a DUI, no prior coverage, or a foreign licence, where standard carriers decline or price punitively. - **[Wildfire-exposed and non-renewed homes](https://insurancemonster.com/california-wildfire-insurance/)** - admitted carriers still writing your area, surplus lines markets, or a [FAIR Plan](https://insurancemonster.com/california-fair-plan-insurance/) paired with a [difference-in-conditions](https://insurancemonster.com/difference-in-conditions-insurance-california/) wrap. - **[Anything else hard to place](https://insurancemonster.com/hard-to-place-insurance-california/)** - older homes, vacant property, mid-renovation, multiple claims, salvage titles. We also write the everyday lines: [auto](https://insurancemonster.com/california-auto-insurance/), [home](https://insurancemonster.com/california-homeowners-insurance/), [renters](https://insurancemonster.com/california-renters-insurance/), [motorcycle](https://insurancemonster.com/california-motorcycle-insurance/), and [pet](https://insurancemonster.com/california-pet-insurance/). Renters is quoted and bound online in about two minutes. ## Who we are a good fit for We are worth a conversation if one of these describes you: - You have been declined, dropped, or non-renewed and do not know what your options are - You need an SR-22 filed and want it done today rather than next week - Your home is in a wildfire-hazard area and you have been quoted only the FAIR Plan - You have been quoted a price that seems punitive for one incident on your record - You want one person to compare the market for you rather than filling in six quote forms We are probably not the right call if you want the absolute cheapest minimum-liability policy on a clean record with no advice attached. A direct-to-consumer carrier will usually beat us on that, and we will tell you so. ## What we do differently - **We shop the specialty markets, not just the easy ones.** Surplus lines, non-standard auto carriers, and FAIR Plan plus DIC structures are routine work here rather than a referral out. - **We show you the comparison.** On a hard-to-place home you see the admitted quote, the surplus lines quote, and the FAIR Plan plus DIC total side by side, not just the one we would rather sell. - **We source our numbers.** Figures on this site link to the body that published them - the [California Department of Insurance](https://www.insurance.ca.gov/), the [California DMV](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-registration/insurance-requirements/), the California FAIR Plan, and CAL FIRE - and every coverage page carries a review date and a named reviewer. - **One named, licensed person.** You deal with the broker whose licence number is on this page, not a rotating queue. - **No fee to you.** Quotes are free and carry no obligation. We are compensated by the carrier that writes the policy. ## How to get a quote Two routes, depending on what you need. **Renters** is self-serve: you get a real bindable rate on screen in about two minutes at our [online marketplace](https://insurancemonster.com/marketplace.asp), with no phone call. **Everything else** - auto, home, wildfire and FAIR Plan, motorcycle, pet, and anything hard-to-place - starts with a conversation, because the situation determines which markets to approach. [Send us your details](https://insurancemonster.com/contact.html) or email [hello@insurancemonster.com](mailto:hello@insurancemonster.com), and a licensed broker will come back to you with real options. Our number is in the footer if you would rather talk, but the form gets you a worked answer faster than a voicemail does. ## Where we serve InsuranceMonster is licensed in **California** and writes coverage statewide - all **58 counties** and every major city. Insurance is transacted by Michael Kassing, a licensed California insurance broker, CA DOI licence #4445775. [Quote renters online](https://insurancemonster.com/marketplace.asp) or [send us your details](https://insurancemonster.com/contact.html) for anything else. Frequently served: [Los Angeles](https://insurancemonster.com/california/cities/los-angeles/), [San Diego](https://insurancemonster.com/california/cities/san-diego/), [San Jose](https://insurancemonster.com/california/cities/san-jose/), [San Francisco](https://insurancemonster.com/california/cities/san-francisco/), [Fresno](https://insurancemonster.com/california/cities/fresno/), [Sacramento](https://insurancemonster.com/california/cities/sacramento/), [Long Beach](https://insurancemonster.com/california/cities/long-beach/), [Oakland](https://insurancemonster.com/california/cities/oakland/), [Bakersfield](https://insurancemonster.com/california/cities/bakersfield/), [Anaheim](https://insurancemonster.com/california/cities/anaheim/), [Riverside](https://insurancemonster.com/california/cities/riverside/), [Stockton](https://insurancemonster.com/california/cities/stockton/), [Irvine](https://insurancemonster.com/california/cities/irvine/), [Chula Vista](https://insurancemonster.com/california/cities/chula-vista/), [Fremont](https://insurancemonster.com/california/cities/fremont/). See the [full county and city directory](https://insurancemonster.com/california/). ## Sources Figures and definitions on this page come from the regulator or the body that publishes them. Each link was checked on the review date above. - [List of Approved Surplus Line Insurers (LASLI)](https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/120-company/07-lasli/) California Department of Insurance - [Compare home and auto insurance premiums](https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/9-compare-prem/) California Department of Insurance - [Glossary of Insurance Terms](https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/95-guides/20-Glossary/) California Department of Insurance ## Related coverage and guides - [Insurance Broker vs Agent vs Direct: Which Is Best?](https://insurancemonster.com/guides/insurance-broker-vs-agent/) - [SR-22 Insurance in California](https://insurancemonster.com/sr22-insurance-california/) - [California Non-Standard Auto Insurance for High-Risk Drivers](https://insurancemonster.com/non-standard-auto-insurance-california/) - [California Wildfire Insurance](https://insurancemonster.com/california-wildfire-insurance/) - [Hard-to-Place Insurance in California](https://insurancemonster.com/hard-to-place-insurance-california/) - [California Auto Insurance](https://insurancemonster.com/california-auto-insurance/) - [About InsuranceMonster](https://insurancemonster.com/about.html) - [Meet your broker: Michael A. Kassing](https://insurancemonster.com/experts/michael-kassing/) - [Licensing and disclosures](https://insurancemonster.com/licensing.html) - [California counties and cities we serve](https://insurancemonster.com/california/) [Get your free quote](https://insurancemonster.com/marketplace.asp) ## Frequently asked questions ### Is InsuranceMonster a licensed California insurance broker? Yes. InsuranceMonster is a brand of Monster Insurance Services, LLC, which holds California Department of Insurance organization licence #6020398. Insurance is transacted by Michael A. Kassing, its principal broker, who holds individual licence #4445775. You can verify both on the California Department of Insurance Check a License lookup. ### Is InsuranceMonster an insurance company? No. It is an independent brokerage, not a carrier. We do not underwrite policies or pay claims. We shop the market on your behalf and place your coverage with an insurance company that does, and we are compensated by that carrier rather than by you. ### How many carriers does InsuranceMonster compare? More than 40 for everyday coverage, plus surplus lines and non-standard markets for risks the standard market declines. Which carriers are available for your specific situation depends on the coverage, your location, and your history. ### What states does InsuranceMonster serve? California only, across all 58 counties and every major city. Renters insurance rates are published for 49 states and DC because the underwriting carrier is national, but our brokerage services are California. ### Does it cost anything to get a quote? No. Quotes are free and there is no obligation to buy. Independent brokers are compensated by the carrier that ultimately writes the policy, so there is no fee to you for the shopping or the advice. ### Is InsuranceMonster related to Monster Energy, Monster.com, or Ducati? No. InsuranceMonster is an independent California insurance brokerage and the name is our own brand. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Ducati, Monster Energy, Monster Beverage, or Monster.com. We do write motorcycle insurance in California, including for the Ducati Monster, but that is a coincidence of naming rather than a connection. ### What is the difference between an independent broker and a captive agent? A captive agent represents one insurance company and can only offer that company's products. An independent broker represents you and can place coverage with any carrier it has access to. On a straightforward risk that usually means a better price; on a hard-to-place risk it can be the difference between getting covered and not.