Best home insurance in California: Travelers

The best home insurance company in California for is Travelers, followed by Allstate and Auto Club Enterprises. Since Allstate doesn't write new policies in California, Travelers is your best bet for new coverage.

Our rating is based on price, NAIC complaints, and AM Best financial ratings. The total Insurance.com score is calculated out of five using these factors.

Best home insurance companies in Alaska
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Best home insurance in California
CompanyAM BestAverage annual rateNAIC complaint ratioInsurance.com score
TravelersA++$1,1030.914.86
AllstateA+$1,1661.264.74
Auto Club Enterprises (AAA)A+$1,3351.034.72
State FarmA+$1,7171.154.67
CSAA Insurance (AAA)A$1,4431.314.6
NationwideA$1,7251.344.56
Mercury InsuranceA$1,6451.594.55
FarmersA$1,9260.894.55
USAAA++$1,6140.464.82

Travelers

Travelers landed at No. 1 and is the only company among the top three that is currently offering new homeowners insurance in California. Rates are the cheapest among companies surveyed at $1, a year, and it also has the top AM Best rating of A++.

Allstate

Allstate has also suspended new policies in California, but current customers enjoy the second-cheapest rates among the companies we compared at an average of only $1,1 a year. Allstate is also financially stable with an A+ AM Best rating, so it's a good company to stay with.

Auto Club Enterprises

The only regional carrier in the top three, Auto Club Enterprises is a AAA company with low rates and solid customer service scores. It ranks well among regional carriers in our annual best home insurance companies list.

Cheapest home insurance in California: Allstate

Based on our analysis, Travelers offers the cheapest home insurance across all five coverage levels, ranging from $766 for $200,000 in coverage to $2,948 for $1 million in dwelling coverage, followed by Allstate. USAA offers cheaper rates but is only available to military members.

Below are California home insurance rates by company for five different levels of dwelling coverage, each with $300,000 in liability and a $1,000 deductible.

Cheapest home insurance rates in California by coverage level
Company$200,000$300,000$400,000$600,000$1,000,000
State Farm$1,281$1,717$2,238$3,315$4,373
Farmers$1,360$1,926$2,617$4,091$6,255
Allstate$845$1,166$1,488$2,148$3,270
Nationwide$1,348$1,725$2,104$3,081$4,281
Travelers$766$1,103$1,421$2,010$2,948
Auto Club Enterprises (AAA)$906$1,335$1,765$2,687$4,253
CSAA Insurance (AAA)$1,022$1,443$1,822$2,502$3,152
Mercury Insurance$1,204$1,645$2,080$2,967$4,098
USAA$1,330$1,614$1,845$2,517$3,611

* USAA only provides coverage to military members, veterans and their families.

** Currently not writing new policies in California

What is the average home insurance cost in California?

The average cost of home insurance in California is $1,616 per year or  $135 a month. These rates are based on the following coverage amounts:

  • $300,000 dwelling 
  • $300,000 liability
  • $1,000 deductible

PEOPLE ASK

I live in a wildfire-prone area in California. Will it make it more difficult for me to get homeowners insurance?

Yes, it's more difficult to get homeowners insurance in wildfire-prone parts of California, and it will also be more expensive. You can increase your insurability and earn discounts with wildfire mitigation efforts in and around your home.

California homeowners insurance rates by ZIP code

Enter your ZIP code in the search box and choose the desired coverage level to see the average home insurance rate for that area. You will also see the highest and lowest premiums fielded from major insurers. Comparing home insurance rates will give you an idea of how much you can save.

Home insurance rates can vary widely depending on where the home is located. We compared home insurance rates by ZIP code in California to see which areas are the most and least expensive.

Home insurance calculator by ZIP code

Average home insurance rates in Texas
Please enter valid zip code

Most & least expensive ZIP codes for homeowners insurance in Texas

ZIP codeCityHighest rate
77550Galveston$10,164
77586El Lago$9,906
77551Galveston$9,536
77554Galveston$9,358
ZIP codeCityLowest rate
78559Iglesia Antigua$1,956
78593Santa Rosa$1,999
79915El Paso$2,008
79905El Paso$2,009

The California Insurance Department says...

In addition to the discounts and credits to the rate that may apply for each individual company, many insurers also apply a surcharge to the premium for homes located in areas with a comparably higher risk for wildfires.

- The California Insurance Department

The most expensive ZIP codes in California for home insurance 

California homeowners insurance rates are the most expensive for ZIP code 91364 (Woodland Hills) with an average annual cost of $2,628

CityZIP codeAverage Annual Premium
Woodland Hills91364$2,628
Tarzana91356$2,531
Crestline92325$2,492
Running Springs92382$2,485
Wrightwood92397$2,430

The least expensive ZIP codes in California for home insurance

The cheapest ZIP code for home insurance in California is 95051 (Santa Clara) at $1,073 a year on average.

CityZIP codeAverage Annual Premium
Santa Clara95051$1,073
Sunnyvale94086$1,078
Mountain View94043$1,085
Mountain View94040$1,092
Cupertino95014$1,101

California homeowners insurance rates by county

At $1,217 a year, Santa Clara is the cheapest county in California for home insurance. On the other hand, Alpine County is the most expensive at $2,003.

Home insurance rates in California vary by county. Take a look at the average rates by county in California below to see how costs compare.

Map
Table
Average annual premium
$1,217
$2,003
CountyAverage annual premiumAverage monthly premium
Alameda$1,381$115
Alpine$2,003$167
Amador$1,751$146
Butte$1,838$153
Calaveras$1,954$163
Colusa$1,446$120
Contra Costa$1,356$113
Del Norte$1,502$125
El Dorado$1,891$158
Fresno$1,483$124
Glenn$1,488$124
Humboldt$1,451$121
Imperial$1,801$150
Inyo$1,843$154
Kern$1,665$139
Kings$1,302$109
Lake$1,747$146
Lassen$1,952$163
Los Angeles$1,792$149
Madera$1,797$150
Marin$1,330$111
Mariposa$1,873$156
Mendocino$1,527$127
Merced$1,269$106
Modoc$1,701$142
Mono$1,958$163
Monterey$1,315$110
Napa$1,347$112
Nevada$1,856$155
Orange$1,667$139
Placer$1,708$142
Plumas$1,794$149
Riverside$1,802$150
Sacramento$1,348$112
San Benito$1,375$115
San Bernardino$1,952$163
San Diego$1,688$141
San Francisco$1,301$108
San Joaquin$1,421$118
San Luis Obispo$1,317$110
San Mateo$1,221$102
Santa Barbara$1,452$121
Santa Clara$1,217$101
Santa Cruz$1,480$123
Shasta$1,909$159
Sierra$1,809$151
Siskiyou$1,780$148
Solano$1,346$112
Sonoma$1,242$103
Stanislaus$1,309$109
Sutter$1,471$123
Tehama$1,700$142
Trinity$1,806$151
Tulare$1,586$132
Tuolumne$1,989$166
Ventura$1,507$126
Yolo$1,382$115
Yuba$1,798$150

What’s affecting home insurance in California? Here’s what you need to know.

  • According to reporting from the San Francisco Chronicle, California regulators have approved rate insurance for insurance companies Safeco and Mercury General. Approximately 579,300 Mercury General homeowners, condo, and dwelling renters insurance policyholders can expect average rate increases of 12% beginning in late March. Mercury General is the fifth-largest insurer in California.
  • About 86,700 Safeco homeowners insurance policyholders can expect average rate increases of 7.2% beginning in May. Safeco is a subsidiary of Liberty Mutual, the fourth-largest insurer in California, per the same Chronicle report
  • State Farm's request for an emergency rate increase of 22% has been denied, OC Register reports. The company requested a rate increase to stabilize the business following the California wildfires. State Farm has already paid $1 billion in claims.
  • California's insurance commissioner has announced that areas affected by the current wildfires in the Los Angeles area will be protected from having their home insurance canceled for 12 months after the fires.

Home insurance cost in California by city

The cost of home insurance in California also depends on where you live. Some cities have higher average rates than others due to crime, wildfire prevalence, and home values. The table below includes the average cost of home insurance in California’s largest cities, based on the most recent Insurance.com data, for a policy with $300,000 in dwelling and liability coverage, with a $1,000 deductible.

CityAnnual insurance premium
Anaheim
$1,594
Bakersfield
$1,437
Fresno
$1,396
Long Beach
$1,591
Los Angeles
$1,876
Oakland
$1,498
Sacramento
$1,329
San Diego
$1,546
San Francisco
$1,298
San Jose
$1,262

California homeowners insurance discounts

There are several ways to reduce your California home insurance costs. Here are some of the most common home insurance discounts that you may be able to qualify for:

  • Installing smoke detectors, a burglar alarm or dead-bolt locks: 2% to 4%
  • Installing a sprinkler system and a fire and burglar alarm: 2% to 4%
  • Loyalty discounts: about 5%
  • Bundling a home and auto insurance policy: up to 11%.

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Home insurance Q&A :
Q : How much is homeowners insurance in California per month?
A : The average cost of home insurance in California is $117 a month, but rates vary by location.
Q : How much is home insurance in Los Angeles?
A : The average cost of homeowners insurance in Los Angeles is $1,604 a year or $134 a month.
Q : Is home insurance required in California?
A : Homeowners insurance is not required by law in California, but your mortgage company will require it.

Insurance.com worked with Quadrant Information Services to field homeowners insurance rates in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. We analyzed 37,973,840 insurance quotes from 134 insurance companies across 34,595 ZIP codes to determine the average premiums.

The insurance rates are based on a sample profile of a homeowner with good credit and the following coverage level:

  • $300,000 dwelling coverage
  • $300,000 liability protection
  • $1,000 deductible
  • 2% hurricane deductible where appropriate.

To rank insurance companies, we used three important factors: average annual cost, NAIC complaint ratio and AM Best financial stability rating. Find the full best insurance companies rating methodology here. The quoted insurance rates are for comparison purposes, and your rates will vary.

FAQ: California home insurance

What are the common risks faced by California homeowners?

Wildfires are one of the biggest risks in California. Earthquakes, floods and mudslides are also risks.

Do home insurance rates increase in California after flood or earthquakes?

Since floods and earthquakes are not covered by standard home insurance, they don't generally impact rates. However, if you carry earthquake coverage as an endorsement on your home insurance policy, your rates might go up. Flood insurance polices are separate from home insurance, with most written by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Which home insurance companies have pulled out of California?

Homeowners insurance companies that have pulled out of the California home insurance market include State Farm, Allstate, AIG, Chubb, Tokio Marine, AmGUARD, Falls Lake Insurance and Trans Pacific. Many of these companies are still operating in the state but have stopped writing new home insurance coverage and have nonrenewed policies in some areas.

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