Finding homeowners insurance shouldn't be complicated. Compare rates from California by city and insurance company below.
Get Free Quotes
Homeowners insurance is an optional — but important — product that works to keep your belongings safe in the event your house or property suffers damage from common incidents. A home insurance policy defends your house and property against a variety of misfortunes, including wind damage, fire, theft, vandalism, and others.
Unlike auto insurance, home insurance isn't priced based on state laws. Even so, major gaps exist in homeowners insurance rates on a state-by-state basis. Home insurance rates by state may differ depending on the value of — and frequency of — home policy claims lodged across the state, and also on the value of the belongings and home insured on the policy.
The best way to find cheap home insurance in California is to compare rates and consider policies from a variety of insurance companies. Get an idea of typical homeowners insurance rates in California by reviewing the below data. Your rates may vary, depending on your coverage details.
Home insurance prices in California vary based on the insurance company you use. California Automobile sells the cheapest home insurance in California, at just $639 per year. This compares favorably to the state average cost of $1,031, offering a $392 discount on average policy costs statewide.
Begin the hunt for a homeowners insurance policy by reviewing the most affordable California carriers, listed below.
| Company | Average Yearly Rate in California |
| California Automobile | $638.99 |
| Travelers | $762.48 |
| Allstate | $809.73 |
| General | $827.06 |
| Interins Exchange | $830.32 |
Not all California cities have the same home insurance rates. Policies are often priced on city-specific variables, including the number of homeowners claims filed nearby, meaning your ZIP code could have a major impact on how much you pay.
The best home insurance rates in California are in Oxnard. The average home insurance policy in Oxnard costs $722 each year — $309 less than the state average. Reference the below table to see the cheapest cities in California for home insurance.
| City | Average Annual Home Insurance Rate |
| Oxnard | $722.36 |
| Fremont | $813.76 |
| San Diego | $815.83 |
| San Jose | $829.20 |
| Modesto | $841.71 |
If you're looking for savings, consider purchasing both your home and auto insurance policies from one company. Bundling auto and homeowners insurance in California can lead to substantial savings on your auto insurance policy. Bundling policies in California may earn you yearly savings of $200.
| Avg. Annual Auto Insurance Rate (No Bundle) | Avg. Annual Auto Insurance Rate (Bundle) | Annual Bundle Savings | Bundle Savings % |
| $1,815.00 | $1,615.00 | $200.00 | 12% |
One of the best ways to save on auto insurance is to bundle policies. Compare rates today!
Looking for insights on homeowners insurance in a specific city? Check out our breakdown of major California cities:
The state of California will not require you to carry homeowners insurance but your mortgage lender may.
About 10% of California residents currently have earthquake coverage.
Currently, GEICO does offer homeowners insurance in California.
California encounters roughly 257 earthquakes each year, meaning California residents might want to consider attaining earthquake insurance.* However, this coverage is not a regular feature in home policies. Earthquake coverage comes in the form of an added endorsement to your homeowners policy and protects you against damages that result from earthquakes.
Aftershocks pose another serious threat. Aftershocks can be severe, and can wreak havoc for days after the initial earthquake. Luckily, you pay only one deductible for losses resulting from the initial earthquake as well as all related aftershocks that occur inside a period of 72-hours.
If your home is in an area prone to earthquakes, expect higher home insurance rates, especially in the highest-risk locations. Earthquake insurance is not available from most standard insurers, but there are options for those who live in states where earthquakes are a threat. Insurance companies in California may allow you to purchase an endorsement to cover damage from earthquakes. Keep in mind that earthquake insurance deductibles tend to be more costly than standard deductibles. In California, a homeowners insurance endorsement for earthquake coverage carries an additional cost of $373 per year.
Have a look at the best options for earthquake coverage in California listed below. It's important to treat these figures as estimates only, as rates will differ based on your specific property.
| Company | Average Annual Earthquake Insurance Rate |
| AAA | $511 |
| Travelers | $548 |
| Mercury | $559 |
| Liberty Mutual | $587 |
| Allstate | $857 |
*Source: United States Geological Survey (https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/browse/)
Homeowners insurance covers fire damage in California. If your home was damaged or destroyed by a fire, your homeowners insurance company would cover the damage to your property up to your policy limits. The prevalence of wildfires in California reinforces the importance of having sufficient homeowners insurance: 15% of California households are in danger of sustaining damage from a wildfire. In fact, 1, 823, 153 of the state's acres fell victim to fires in the state in 2018.* However, there are some important caveats when it comes to homeowners insurance and wildfires — learn more here.
In addition to covering damages — up to your policy limits — your home insurance would cover additional living expenses if your home is deemed unlivable. Damage occurring via arson — or fire-related damage to a vacant home — will not be covered by a homeowners insurance policy.
*Source: Insurance Information Institute (https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-wildfires)
Damage from flooding, whether from a hurricane or a torrential downpour, is not covered by homeowners insurance policies. To insure your home against flood damage, buy insurance from a private flood insurance company or through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
Flood insurance coverage from private companies may vary, but if you buy through the NFIP you are allotted coverage for:
If the value of your home and personal property exceed these limits, look into acquiring a policy from a private company for additional protection. Flood insurance is a necessity in California, which faced $4, 589, 636 in flood insurance claims in 2016, according to FEMA.
