California’s home insurance market is a mess right now. Seven of the state’s largest insurers have either stopped writing new policies or capped how many they’ll take on. Last year alone, California homeowners had better than a one in 100 chance of getting dropped by their carrier.
That’s not a scare tactic. That’s the reality you’re dealing with.
What you need is an insurance agent who can shop multiple carriers on your behalf. Not just one company’s rates, but real options from insurers still writing policies in California. You need someone who understands wildfire risk, knows how to structure coverage that actually pays out when you file a claim, and won’t disappear when the market gets tight.
You also need competitive rates. The average cost of homeowners insurance in California is around $135 a month, but that number means nothing if you can’t find coverage in the first place. Or worse, if you get a policy that leaves you underinsured when disaster hits.
We work as an independent insurance broker, which means we’re not tied to one carrier. We work with multiple A-rated insurance companies, so when one stops writing new business or nonrenews policies in certain areas, we have other options ready.
We’ve been helping California homeowners navigate this volatile market through wildfire seasons, carrier exits, and regulatory changes. We know what the California FAIR Plan is, when it makes sense, and when there are better alternatives. We know how the state’s new Sustainable Insurance Strategy is bringing some carriers back into the market.
Riverglen homeowners are dealing with the same challenges as the rest of California—rising premiums, limited carrier availability, and wildfire risk that affects rates even if you’re not in a high-risk zone. We help you find coverage that fits your property, your budget, and your actual risk profile.
First, we talk about your property. Square footage, age, roof condition, construction type, any upgrades you’ve made. We also look at your location and what risks apply—wildfire zones, proximity to fire stations, whether you’re in a FAIR Plan area.
Then we shop your coverage across multiple carriers. Not every insurer uses the same underwriting criteria, so one company might decline you while another offers competitive rates. That’s the advantage of working with an insurance broker instead of a single-carrier agent.
We present you with real insurance quotes—actual numbers with coverage details spelled out. Dwelling coverage limits, personal property protection, liability, loss of use, deductibles. You’ll know exactly what you’re getting and what it costs.
Once you choose a policy, we handle the paperwork and make sure everything is filed correctly with your lender if you have a mortgage. If you ever need to file a claim, we’re there to help you through the process and make sure you’re getting what your policy covers.
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Your home insurance policy covers your dwelling—the physical structure of your house. If it burns down, gets damaged by wind, or suffers covered losses, your dwelling coverage pays to rebuild or repair it. This is the biggest number on your policy, and it needs to be high enough to actually replace your home at today’s construction costs.
Personal property coverage protects what’s inside your home. Furniture, electronics, clothing, appliances. Most policies cover personal property at 50-70% of your dwelling coverage, but you can adjust that if you need more.
Liability protection covers you if someone gets hurt on your property and sues you. It also covers damage you accidentally cause to someone else’s property. In California, where lawsuits are common and expensive, you want at least $300,000 in liability coverage, though $500,000 or $1 million is smarter.
Loss of use coverage pays for your living expenses if your home becomes uninhabitable due to a covered loss. Hotel bills, restaurant meals, storage costs—it all adds up fast, especially in California where everything costs more. This is the coverage people forget about until they actually need it.
In Riverglen and throughout California, wildfire coverage is included in standard policies unless you’re in an extremely high-risk area. But even if it’s included, your coverage limits and deductibles matter. After the Los Angeles fires in early 2025, California’s FAIR Plan ran out of money for the first time since 1994. That should tell you something about how important it is to have adequate coverage from a stable carrier.
California’s insurance market has been losing carriers because of wildfire losses and state regulations that limited how much insurers could charge. When claims from wildfires started costing billions and companies couldn’t raise rates enough to cover those losses, they stopped writing new business or pulled out entirely.
Seven of California’s largest home insurance providers by market share have either stopped accepting new policies or severely limited how many they’ll write. Companies like State Farm, Allstate, and Farmers all pulled back at various points over the last few years.
The good news is that California recently implemented its Sustainable Insurance Strategy, which is slowly bringing some carriers back. Farmers just announced they’re removing their cap on new homeowners policies and expect to cover roughly 300,000 new customers in previously distressed areas. But the market is still tight, which is why working with an independent insurance broker who has access to multiple carriers matters more than ever.
The California FAIR Plan is the state’s insurance program of last resort. It provides basic fire coverage for homeowners who can’t get insurance through the regular market, usually because they’re in high-risk wildfire areas.
FAIR Plan coverage is more expensive and provides less protection than standard homeowners insurance. It typically only covers fire damage, so you’d need a separate policy for theft, liability, and other perils. The coverage limits are also lower than what most people need.
After the Los Angeles fires in 2025, the FAIR Plan actually ran out of money for the first time since 1994 and had to be bailed out by private insurers to the tune of $1 billion. That’s why you want to avoid the FAIR Plan if possible and get coverage through the standard market. We can help you find carriers still writing policies in your area before you have to resort to the FAIR Plan.
The average cost of homeowners insurance in California is about $1,616 per year or $135 per month. But your actual rate depends on your specific property, location, coverage limits, deductible, and which carrier you’re with.
Factors that affect your rate include your home’s age, square footage, roof condition, construction type, distance from a fire station, and whether you’re in a wildfire risk zone. Your credit score, claims history, and whether you bundle with auto insurance also play a role.
California homeowners actually pay less on average than homeowners in storm-prone coastal states, but rates have been climbing due to wildfire risk and market instability. The best way to get an accurate number is to request insurance quotes based on your actual property details. We can shop multiple carriers at once so you can compare real rates instead of guessing.
California has one of the highest nonrenewal rates in the country. If your insurer decides not to renew your policy, they have to give you at least 75 days notice before your renewal date.
Once you get that notice, you need to start shopping immediately. Contact us and we can check with multiple carriers on your behalf. Different insurers have different risk appetites and underwriting guidelines, so one company might decline you while another offers coverage.
If you can’t find coverage through the standard market, you may need to use the California FAIR Plan temporarily while continuing to shop for better options. Some homeowners are also making improvements to their properties—upgrading roofs, clearing defensible space, installing fire-resistant materials—to make themselves more insurable. California recently introduced programs to help homeowners pay for fire-resistant roofs, which can improve your chances of getting coverage.
No. Standard homeowners insurance policies in California do not cover earthquake damage. You need a separate earthquake insurance policy if you want that protection.
Earthquake insurance is available through the California Earthquake Authority or through private insurers. It covers damage to your home’s structure, personal belongings, and additional living expenses if your home becomes uninhabitable after an earthquake.
Whether you need earthquake insurance depends on where you live and your risk tolerance. If you’re in an area with significant earthquake risk and you couldn’t afford to rebuild your home out of pocket, earthquake insurance makes sense. If you have a mortgage, your lender might require it depending on your location. We can help you evaluate your earthquake risk and get quotes if you decide you want coverage.
An independent insurance agent works with multiple insurance companies, while a captive agent only sells policies from one carrier. In California’s current market, working with an independent agent gives you more options.
If you go directly to one insurance company and they decline you or offer high rates, you have to start over with another company. We can check with multiple carriers at once, compare coverage and rates, and find you the best option without you having to repeat the process over and over.
This matters even more right now because so many carriers have limited availability. We know which companies are still writing new business, which ones have better rates for your specific situation, and which ones have the most stable track record in California. You get access to more insurance quotes, better coverage options, and someone who actually understands California’s complicated insurance landscape.
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