Best Homeowners Insurance in San Francisco (2024) (2024)

These are the top home insurance providers in San Francisco based on our extensive research.

• Nationwide: Best for natural disaster damage
• Liberty Mutual: Best for finished basem*nts
• Progressive: Best for bundling home and auto
• Farmers:Best for eco-friendly homeowners
• Hippo: Best for quick quotes

San Francisco homeowners pay an average of $1,121 per year for homeowners insurance, which is lower than the national average of $2,728. California residents enjoy below-national-average rates due to the state’s moderate weather.

California has a relatively low risk for property damage due to severe storms and tornadoes and the state’s highest risk factors, such as earthquakes, are not covered by most homeowners insurance policies. San Francisco residents who live in areas with high earthquake risks may want to purchase a separate policy or endorsem*nt to cover earthquake damage.

San Francisco homeowners insurance rates vary depending on a variety of factors:

• Location: Location factors, such as how close your property is to water, local wildfire risks and the crime rate in your neighborhood can affect your rates. The more likely you are to experience a covered loss, the higher your annual premiums will be.
• Property value: San Francisco’s average home value is over $1.2 million, according to Zillow. The more your home is worth, the higher your premiums will be because the potential value of any claim you may have is higher.
• Age and condition: Older homes can have higher risks for damage due to electrical fires or plumbing failures due to outdated electrical and plumbing systems. Insurance companies may charge higher rates for homes that have older roofs.

You can reduce your cost by updating the systems in your older home. Additionally, homes that are in poor condition tend to have more claims. Repairing and maintaining your home can lower your insurance premiums.

• Claims history: Insurance companies predict the likelihood that policyholders will submit claims based on their claims history. People who have filed claims in the past five years usually pay higher rates.
• Unique risks: Risks that are unique to your household can affect your insurance premiums. For example, if you own a dog that has bitten someone before, you may pay a higher premium because of your increased liability risk. Property, such as swimming pools and trampolines, can also increase your premiums due to the elevated risk that a guest may suffer an injury.
• Deductible: Your deductible is the amount of any claim you must pay before the insurance company pays anything. The higher your deductible is, the lower your premium will be because the insurance company will pay less for each claim you submit.

Earthquake damage is one of the top risks San Francisco homeowners face. Most home insurance policies do not cover earthquake damage. You can protect yourself from this risk by purchasing a separate earthquake policy or endorsem*nt.

Changing weather patterns put San Francisco homeowners at risk of wildfires. According to a recent wildfire risk assessment by the First Street Foundation, San Francisco homeowners’ wildfire risk may double in the next 30 years.

Homeowners can protect their homes from wildfire damage by installing or replacing their roofs with a Class A-rated roof with noncombustible coverings and making other modifications to their homes to reduce the risk of wind-blown embers. Additionally, you can reduce your risk by removing flammable vegetation in the area 30 feet around your home, regularly removing debris from your roof and gutters, enclosing your foundation and installing sprinkler systems.

Rainfall-induced landslides are also a risk for some San Francisco homeowners due to naturally occurring geologic phenomena. Earthquakes can also cause landslides in areas with weak soil and rock on sloping terrain. Most homeowners insurance does not cover damage from landslides. You may be able to buy a difference-in-conditions policy to protect your home from landslide damage.

Recommended Home Insurance Coverage in San Francisco

A standard HO-3 policy provides dwelling coverage to pay for damage to your home from a covered cause of loss. Other structures coverage pays for damage to unattached structures, such as sheds or fences. Personal property coverage pays for damage to personal belongings, such as your furniture and clothing.

Loss-of-use coverage pays the additional living expenses you have if you can’t live in your home due to damage from a covered cause of loss. Personal liability coverage pays for your legal defense costs, medical payments and any settlement you owe because you accidentally injured someone or damaged their property.

The HO-3 policy typically covers damage due to fire, theft, vandalism, lightning, wind, hail, explosions, falling objects and the weight of snow or ice. Coverage for floods, earthquakes and landslides is typically excluded.

We recommend San Francisco homeowners purchase an endorsem*nt or separate policy to add the following coverages:

• Earthquake
• Flood
• Landslides
• Replacement cost coverage for personal property
• Inflation protection
• Building ordinance or law

You can obtain flood insurance from a private insurance company or the National Flood Insurance Program. The California Earthquake Authority offers earthquake insurance.

Our team surveyed dozens of home insurance providers and created a scoring system to assess and compare each company’s quality and service. Here are the factors that account for our provider scores according to our home insurance rating methodology:

• Coverage (28%): We analyze the comprehensiveness of each provider’s standard home insurance policy and compare optional policy endorsem*nts to determine the quality of coverage.
• Cost (27%): We compare cost data for homes nationwide to assess how competitively priced each provider is. We also consider each company’s available discounts when determining its overall cost of coverage.
• Availability and ease of use (25%): We evaluate each company’s customer service options, such as live chat, a customer support phone line, and multiple channels for filing claims and generating quotes. Similarly, we score providers based on their digital resources, such as a mobile app or online customer portal.
• Brand trust (20%): We gauge reputation by evaluating consumer reviews and third-party financial strength and customer experience ratings, including from J.D. Power, AM Best and customer review aggregators.

Companies with the best customer service exhibit 24/7 availability, useful digital tools and a quick claims-filing process. Providers that offer extensive discount options, endorsem*nts, customizable coverage options and unique features score significantly higher than those that don’t, putting them toward the top of our recommendations to readers.

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