San Francisco, CA Homeowners Insurance

San Francisco lies at the tip of a peninsula midway up the coastline of northern California. The Pacific Ocean, San Francisco Bay, and the Golden Gate Straight surround the city on three sides. Aside from the city’s famous cable cars and ethnic communities, San Francisco is the gateway to Silicon Valley. 

San Francisco is also a famously expensive place to live.

Homeowners in San Francisco need a reliable homeowners insurance policy to protect their investment in their homes. Homeowners insurance helps you recover financially when your home or your belongings are damaged.

A local independent insurance agent can help you find the best homeowners insurance in San Francisco for your needs. 

Is Homeowners Insurance Required in San Francisco, CA?

You are not required by law to purchase homeowners insurance in San Francisco.

But it’s important to understand that your mortgage lender will require you to have homeowners insurance, and will require proof that you have it. Why? Well, your lender is technically part owner of your home. If your home is damaged in some way by something like a fire or a storm, home insurance helps you pay for making repairs or rebuilding.

If your home was destroyed and you had no way to pay to rebuild it, would you continue to make your mortgage payments? The home is uninhabitable, and the mortgage would have little to no value, so foreclosure isn’t a great option for the mortgage company to recoup its losses either. So your home insurance protects your mortgage holder from financial losses after a disaster as much as it protects you.

How Much Does Homeowners Insurance Cost in San Francisco, CA?

Home insurance rates in San Francisco are lower than the national average. Comparison shopping can help you find the best policy for your needs and budget.

• National average yearly premium: $1,211
• California average yearly premium: $1,008
• San Francisco average yearly premium: $1,105

When you receive quotes for homeowners insurance in San Francisco, expect your premiums to be more or less than average. Your insurance premiums depend on your home’s unique characteristics (size, location, age, value, etc.) and other risk factors (crime rate, severe weather risk) in your neighborhood.

If your property’s location comes with more hazards than most, expect to pay more. You will also pay more if your home will cost more to repair or rebuild than others.

Comparing quotes from multiple insurance companies and making sure you are maximizing your discounts is the best way to make sure you’re getting the best rate on your home insurance.

A local independent insurance agent can help you do just that, and can guide you through the process to ensure you are getting the coverage you need.

What Does Homeowners Insurance Cover in San Francisco, CA?

Your home insurance policy covers numerous risks that you may face as a San Francisco homeowner, including damage caused by fires, severe weather, theft, and more. Your policy includes the following types of property coverage:

• Dwelling coverage: Pays to repair and replace your damaged home, and will even pay out the value of your home if it is a total loss
• Personal property coverage: Pays for damage to your insured personal property, such as furniture, clothing, artwork, and so on
• Other structures coverage: Covers any detached structures located on your property (sheds, fences, detached garages)
• Temporary living expenses coverage: Pays for additional living expenses (hotel bills, food, etc.) if you are forced to live somewhere else while your home is being repaired

You will want to be sure you have sufficient dwelling coverage to enable you to repair or rebuild your house, and enough contents coverage to fully repair or replace all of your personal property. That way, if your home is destroyed in a catastrophic event like a fire, you will not suffer financially.

Homeowners insurance in San Francisco also includes personal liability coverage. It is designed to protect you when someone claims you have caused an injury or property damage.

It covers court costs, legal fees, and even settlements or judgments levied against you if you are sued.

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What Natural Disasters Are Covered by Homeowners Insurance in San Francisco, CA

San Francisco is no stranger to natural disasters. In fact, certain types of natural disasters are practically yearly occurrences. Take a look at some statistics about natural disasters in the state of California:

• Number of federally declared disasters in CA since 1953: 330
• Top risks for homeowners in CA: Fire, flooding and water damage, earthquakes, and severe storms/lightning
• Average number of tornadoes per year in CA: 11
• Average amount of property damage per year in CA: $4,158,620,000

Home insurance covers a wide range of problems that homeowners can encounter, including fires and storm damage caused by rain, wind, or lightning. But it’s important to recognize that homeowners insurance policies in California do not cover damage from natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods.

Earthquake insurance pays for some, but not all, of the damage that can be caused by earthquakes. While your homeowners insurance does not cover earthquake damage, your homeowners insurance company must offer to you in writing the opportunity to purchase earthquake insurance every other year.

Flooding can also be a problem, but homeowners insurance in San Francisco does not cover flood damage. That’s why it’s a good idea to purchase flood insurance to supplement your home insurance policy.

When you purchase a policy through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) you can affordably get up to $250,000 in structural coverage and $100,000 in contents coverage for your home.

Does Homeowners Insurance in San Francisco, CA Cover Property Crimes?

If you experience a break-in, burglary, or some other type of property crime (e.g., vandalism), it’s good to know that your home insurance in San Francisco can help you repair or replace stolen or damaged property.

It’s also important to understand that the burglary rate in your community can have an impact on your homeowners insurance rates. So while the property crime rate in your neighborhood may make it essential for you to have homeowners insurance, you may also pay more for coverage if burglaries, where you live, are more prevalent than average.

The burglary rate in San Francisco is higher than the national average. This may lead to higher-than-average homeowners insurance rates in some areas of the city.

• Number of burglaries per 1,000 people in the US: 3.76
• Number of burglaries per 1,000 people in California: 4.16
• Number of burglaries per 1,000 people in San Francisco: 6.00

Keep in mind that many insurance companies offer discounts to policyholders who have security features installed in their homes, including things like burglar alarms, video surveillance systems, barred windows, and deadbolt locks. Be sure to ask your insurance agent about any potential home security discounts that you may be eligible for.

Who Are the Best Homeowners Insurance Companies in San Francisco, CA?

It can be simple to find the best homeowners insurance companies in San Francisco, CA. A local independent insurance agent can help you get home insurance quotes from multiple insurance companies, so you can select the best policy for your needs and budget.

How Can an Independent Insurance Agent Help Me Find the Best Homeowners Insurance in San Francisco, CA?

Instead of getting an online quote, find an independent insurance agent now, and get one-on-one consultation and affordable options for the best coverage for your unique needs. Your agent will work with you free of charge, offering you a variety of options so you can make the best choice.  

What’s more, your agent will be there for you when claim time comes. They know the ins and outs of the process and will make sure your claim is handled appropriately.

Contact an agent today for a free, no-obligation consultation.