Is homeowners insurance required in California?

While home insurance isn't required by the state, California mortgage lenders require homeowners to have insurance.

Does homeowners insurance include wildfire coverage in California?

Yes, wildfires are covered by a standard homeowners insurance policy with Kin.

California Homeowners Insurance

Q: How much is homeowners insurance in California?

The average cost of California homeowners insurance is $1,008 a year.

California homeowners insurance costs $1,188 a year on average from Kin. Our HO3 policies cover your home, belongings, other structures, personal liability, loss of use, medical payments, and more. We know California's wildfire seasons are a big concern, and we've designed our coverage to be there for you no matter what.

More than 2 million California homes are at high or extreme wildfire risk, and many insurance companies are dropping customers, leaving homeowners with wildfire exposure in the lurch. Cost matters, but don’t settle for a policy that leaves you unprotected for wildfire damage.

Let’s look at what it takes to offer the best homeowners insurance in California. And if you want to see what it means firsthand, apply now for a home insurance quote from Kin.

Insurance claims from the Camp, Hill, and Woolsey fires totaled more than $12 billion.

– Insurance Information Institute

Best California Homeowners Insurance: What to Expect with Kin

Kin’s California home insurance is backed by Falls Lake Fire and Casualty Company, which is rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best. That indicates the financial stability to pay out claims even after widespread disasters. So now that you know your claims are covered, let’s talk specifics.

Our California homeowners insurance covers the essentials:

Your home
Your belongings
Other structures (like a garage, fence, greenhouse, etc.)
Loss of use (when a covered incident means you have to rent a place while repairs are underway)
Personal liability (when Fido gets his bite on)
Medical expense payments (when your guest takes a spill and has a small injury)

But it’s the customization that makes Kin’s policies special.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Wildfires?

Yes. Kin’s HO3 policy protects your home against a variety of losses, including wildfires. It can cover damage for all perils except those explicitly excluded in the policy, such as damage from earth movement (think: earthquakes, sinkholes, and mudslides). That said, in most cases, you can add on coverage for excluded losses. For example, if you need earthquake insurance, just ask us for details.

Additionally, our California homeowners insurance offers green home increased cost coverage (so you can rebuild with green-certified materials).

“The absolute best insurance company I have ever worked with in my life without exception. I will never again use another insurance company.” – Vicki O.

How Much Is Homeowners Insurance in California?

The national average for homeowners insurance is $1,211 a year, but our average premium for California is $1,188 a year. Your cost may vary depending on your home’s location, its replacement cost, its age and size, the type of personal property you have, and other characteristics of your home.

The best way to find out how much your homeowners insurance will cost? Get a quote today.

Company	Average Premium
Kin	$1,188
Allstate	$1,304

Where you live also impacts your premiums. Here's a look at our California average premiums by county.

While you can’t control some factors that impact the price of your home coverage, like your home's age or its location, you can reduce your insurance costs in other ways.

California Homeowners Insurance Discounts

Kin offers premium discounts for homeowners who:

Have ember resistant venting
Have an annual brush removal contract for their property
Comply with defensible space regulations
Have a LEED certified home
Have smart home safety and security devices
Belong to a homeowners association
Are new homebuyers
Have a clean claims history
Have homes built by an accredited builder

And remember, you can adjust your deductible to save some money, too. Typically, the higher your deductible, the lower your premium. Just make sure you only choose a deductible you can reasonably cover when it’s time to make a claim.

Do You Have to Have Homeowners Insurance in California?

You are not legally required to have homeowners insurance in California, but if you have a mortgage, your lender will require it. Your mortgage lender requires you to have homeowners insurance for two reasons:

To protect their investment. Your policy ensures you can pay your remaining mortgage even if your home is completely destroyed in a natural disaster like a wildfire.
To keep you from paying for a destroyed home you can’t repair. The requirement is good for you, too – imagine repaying a mortgage for a home you can’t afford to rebuild.

Defaulting on a mortgage for a home is one thing – it can always be repossessed and resold. But if the home is completely destroyed and you don’t have insurance, your mortgage company would have to pay to rebuild it. No lender wants that.

Top Risks for California Homeowners

The risks your home faces depend on your location and your home's characteristics. However, in California, these are the biggest risks most properties face.

Top Risks for California Homeowners
Risk	Reason
Wildfires	More than 2 million California homes at high or extreme wildfire risk, and the fire and lightning claims average $68,322 per incident.
Floods	California is prone to riverine flooding, which happens when extended rainfall causes rivers to exceed their capacity.
Earthquakes	Eight of the ten costliest US earthquakes in the last century all occurred in California.

Making California Safer 100 Trees at a Time

We’re proud to partner with One Tree Planted to plant 100 trees in California for every friend or family member you send our way. Once they get a policy, we’ll plant 100 local tree species to:

Reduce the impact of wildfires. Young, healthy forests help suppress future wildfires.
Protect the water supply. Two-thirds of California’s water supply comes from its forests.
Reduce carbon emissions. One mature tree sequesters 48 pounds of carbon each year.

Tell your friends about Kin, and let’s work together to help California's forests thrive.

California Homeowners Insurance Tips

Always make sure your home insurance policy offers wildfire coverage, even if you’re in an area that hasn’t been impacted by wildfires before.
Review your policy with us every year – it’s a great opportunity to see if you qualify for additional discounts and to make sure your home, structures, and belongings are still adequately covered.
Understand how claims work. We acknowledge all claims made in 15 days or fewer. California law allows us 40 days to accept or deny a claim after receiving and verifying the proof of loss. All accepted claims are paid within 30 days of the settlement (if not sooner).