The Best Home Insurance in California for 2025

Amica, Chubb and USAA are the best home insurance companies in California, according to our analysis.

California has fewer home insurance options than it used to due to recent wildfires, but homeowners still have some top-rated options to choose from. To help you find the best home insurance in California, we gathered and analyzed data from more than 30 insurance companies across the state. These are the insurers that earned 4.5 stars or more in our analysis.

Rates are based on a sample homeowner with no recent claims, $300,000 of dwelling coverage, $300,000 of liability coverage and a $1,000 deductible.

Below are more details about the best homeowners insurance companies in California.

Note: Some insurance companies included in this article may have made changes in their underwriting practices and no longer issue new policies in your state.

Amica stands out for its broad range of coverage options. You can customize your policy with extra coverage above your dwelling limit, in case your house costs more to rebuild than expected. You may also want to add coverage for damage from water backups, high-value items like art or jewelry, or recovery from identity theft.

The company has drawn far fewer consumer complaints to state regulators than expected for an insurer of its size, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, or NAIC.

» READ MORE: Amica home insurance review

Chubb generally serves affluent policyholders with high-value homes, offering lofty coverage limits and plenty of perks. The company covers water damage from backed-up sewers and drains, and will pay to bring your home up to the latest building codes during reconstruction after a claim. Chubb also offers extended replacement cost coverage, which is useful in case it costs more than your dwelling limit to rebuild after a disaster. (Many insurers charge more for these types of coverage.)

Chubb policyholders in California can sign up for free Wildfire Defense Services. These services include personalized recommendations for protecting your home and deployment of firefighters to your house if a wildfire is approaching.

» READ MORE: Chubb home insurance review

Cincinnati Insurance sells homeowners policies through independent agents, with various options for standard and high-value homes. You may be able to add coverage for things like identity theft or personal cyber attacks.

You can pay your bills, schedule future payments and view policy documents on Cincinnati’s website. The insurer also offers an app for both Apple and Android that lets you report claims, manage payment options and find your agent’s contact information.

» READ MORE: Cincinnati Insurance home insurance review

Farmers stands out for its lengthy list of discounts, including ones for paying your premium on time, not smoking, and installing protective systems like fire alarms and dead bolts.

Add-on options include personal property replacement cost coverage, which will fully reimburse you for the cost of replacing a stolen, damaged or destroyed item. You may also want to buy water backup coverage, which applies if sewer lines or sump pumps back up and damage your home.

Californians can buy earthquake insurance issued by the California Earthquake Authority through Farmers agents.

» READ MORE: Farmers home insurance review

We like Nationwide for its wide variety of coverage options. For example, its standard homeowners insurance policy generally includes ordinance or law coverage, which can help pay to bring your home up to current building codes after a covered claim. You can add coverage for things like identity theft and damage from backed-up sewers and drains. Nationwide also sells flood and earthquake insurance.

Depending on how much personal assistance you need, you can get a quote for homeowners insurance on the Nationwide website or work with a local agent instead. You can also use the website to pay bills, file claims or check claim status.

» READ MORE: Nationwide home insurance review

With an average annual rate of $995, Travelers is the best cheap home insurance company in California, according to our analysis.

Travelers stands out for its coverage offerings. You may be able to add extra coverage in case the dwelling limit on your home isn’t enough to rebuild your house after a disaster. One unique option is Travelers’ green home coverage, which pays extra if you want to use eco-friendly materials when repairing or rebuilding your home after a covered claim.

The insurer also offers a robust online experience. You can use the website to get a homeowners insurance quote, file and track claims, make payments, and learn about insurance basics.

» READ MORE: Travelers home insurance review

USAA sells homeowners insurance to veterans, active military members and their families. If that description fits you, take a look at USAA. That’s because the company’s homeowners insurance includes coverage that other insurers charge extra for.

For example, USAA automatically covers your personal belongings on a replacement cost basis. Many companies pay only what your items are worth at the time of the claim, which means you may not get much for older items. USAA pays enough to buy brand-new replacements for your stuff.

The average cost of homeowners insurance in California is $1,335 per year, or about $111 per month. That's 37% less than the national average of $2,110.

Those rates are for homeowners with no recent claims on their record. In California, policyholders with one recent claim pay an average of $1,470 per year — an increase of 10%.

Here are the average annual rates for the best home insurance companies in California for a range of dwelling coverage limits.

The amount you pay will vary depending on where you live in the state. For example, the average cost of homeowners insurance in Los Angeles is $1,570 per year, while San Jose homeowners pay $1,090 per year, on average.

» MORE: What’s the average cost of homeowners insurance?

Here are the insurers we found with average annual rates below the California average.

» MORE: The cheapest homeowners insurance

Homeowners in California face unique circumstances that factor into decisions about home insurance.

Wildfires

Under new 2025 regulations, insurance companies will be required to give discounts to California homeowners who make efforts to reduce the risk of wildfire on their property, according to the California Department of Insurance[1]. Such efforts could include things like redoing your roof with fire-resistant materials and limiting vegetation near your home.

You can use this website from the U.S. Forest Service to see the level of fire risk in your community and get ideas for hardening your home.

Learn how to protect your home from climate change, including wildfires.

Earthquakes

A standard home insurance policy doesn’t cover earthquake damage, so California residents should consider adding a separate earthquake insurance policy. Homeowners can get one through a private insurer or turn to the California Earthquake Authority for coverage. Read our guide to earthquake insurance.

Flooding

California is prone to flooding throughout the state, and homeowners insurance won’t cover flood damage. To cover costs related to flooding, homeowners can purchase flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program or a private insurer. Here's how to choose the best flood insurance company.

To check your flood risk, start by looking up your address on the Federal Emergency Management Agency's flood maps. However, FEMA’s maps can be outdated and don’t always capture all types of flood risk. Another source to check is First Street, a private company that models climate hazards. Enter your address at the top of the page to see your home’s flood risk rating on a scale of 1 to 10.

Most homeowners policies cover fire and smoke damage, but insurers may be reluctant to cover homes in high-risk areas. If you have trouble finding a policy, you can turn to the California FAIR Plan, the state’s insurer of last resort.

To apply for a policy, you’ll need to find a licensed insurance broker who is registered to work with the FAIR Plan. You can do this on the FAIR Plan website.

FAIR Plan coverage is limited, paying only for damage due to fire, lightning, smoke and internal explosions. A “difference in conditions” policy can help fill the coverage gaps. Work with an independent insurance agent to find one.

If you want to file a complaint against your insurance company or get more information about your rights as a policyholder, the California Department of Insurance may be able to help. The department’s website has useful resources such as a home insurance finder tool and a list of companies offering difference in conditions policies. Assistance is available in English and Spanish at 800-927-4357.