Review The Zebra's expert tips on how to find cheap homeowners insurance in the Bay Area.
Among the most important aspects of owning a home is homeowners insurance. Along with your personal belongings, homeowners insurance covers your dwelling against many perils, including wind damage, fire, and vandalism. Given the relatively frequent occurrence of these incidents and the significant cost of replacing a home, having a home insurance policy is a solid investment.
The cost of home insurance depends on many factors. This can include the overall value of your house, the value of your personal belongings, and the materials that were used when building your home. The location of your dwelling can also play a large role in how much you pay for home insurance. Some geographic areas are susceptible to perils such as hail, wildfires, pipe freezes, volcanoes, and other hazards. These perils can lead to more expensive homeowners insurance rates. Discover more about the specifics of home insurance coverage.
Finding affordable home insurance in San Francisco starts with shopping around and comparing policies. Take a look at the summary below showing average San Francisco homeowners insurance costs to ensure you start your search with as much background info as possible. One thing to note is that the yearly cost of homeowners coverage is determined based on your chosen coverage limits as well as a number of other rating factors.
Homeowners insurance rates in San Francisco vary from one insurance company to another. The most inexpensive home insurance in San Francisco comes from Mercury, which offers average annual rates of just $542 per year. This is more favorable than the city’s average home insurance premium of $851.
Below you'll find a list of the cheapest home insurance companies in San Francisco, California to help you start your search.
| Company | Average Annual Rate |
| Mercury | $542 |
| Allstate | $662 |
| State Farm | $673 |
| Nationwide | $729 |
| USAA | $750 |
Your chosen amount of homeowners coverage impacts the insurance premiums you pay. In San Francisco, carrying $200K dwelling coverage costs an average of $544, while carrying additional coverage up to $400K costs $1,239/year.
| Coverage Level | Average Annual Rate |
| $100K Dwelling | $394 |
| $200K Dwelling | $544 |
| $250K Dwelling | $825 |
| $400K Dwelling | $1,239 |
Depending on which part of San Francisco you live in, you might see vastly different home insurance costs. Policies are often priced on local variables such as the number of claims filed in the immediate area, meaning the neighborhood in which you live could have a major impact on how much you pay to insure your home.
The cheapest home insurance rates in San Francisco are available in 94128. In 94128, the typical home insurance policy costs $868 per year — $-17 less than the citywide average in San Francisco. Find the best places to live in San Francisco for cheap home insurance by looking at the table below.
| ZIP Code | Average Annual Home Insurance Rate |
| 94128 | $868 |
| 94129 | $890 |
| 94188 | $904 |
Some parts of San Francisco, however, are prone to homeowners insurance rates that are higher on average. These areas might face a higher probability of perils such as severe weather and fires. Similarly, they may also have a higher rate of crimes such as burglary or vandalism. With an annual average premium of $974, 94108 comes in as the most expensive ZIP code in San Francisco for homeowners insurance.
| ZIP Code | Average Annual Home Insurance Rate |
| 94108 | $974 |
| 94105 | $967 |
| 94103 | $961 |
Looking for insights on homeowners insurance in a specific city? Check out our analysis of populous California cities:
Homeowners have a lot of choices to make when deciding on a policy, including how high or low to set their deductible. A deductible is the total dollar amount that the insured must contribute toward a covered loss. Where you choose to set your homeowners deductible is directly related to how much you will pay for insurance.
In short, a higher deductible translates to cheaper insurance premiums. Therefore, if you are aiming for lower home insurance rates, it pays to keep your deductible higher. It's worth noting that a homeowners deductible should only be as high as you can reasonably pay if you actually suffer a loss.
The chart below outlines the average premiums affiliated with deductibles offered by most home insurers.
| Deductible Level | Average Annual Homeowners Insurance Rate |
| $500 | $928 |
| $1,000 | $825 |
| $1,500 | $783 |
| $2,000 | $702 |
| $5,000 | $588 |
If you’re seeking ways to save on your overall insurance costs, consider purchasing your home and auto policies from the same insurance company. Bundling home and auto insurance can be a good money-saving option. In fact, bundling policies in San Francisco leads to average annual savings of 12%.
| Company | Avg. Annual Auto Insurance Rate (With Bundle) |
| GEICO | $1,312 |
| Mercury | $1,454 |
| Farmers | $1,799 |
| State Farm | $1,890 |
| Allstate | $2,246 |
A great way to save on insurance is to bundle your home and auto policies with the same insurance company.
