Homeowners insurance in California: premium by ZIP code
California's median ZIP code premium rose +21.2% after inflation from 2018 to 2022, the largest rise of any state, to $1,617.
Independent site, not an insurer or a broker. Treasury figures cover 2018 to 2022 only.
Premium per policy in 2022, California (median ZIP code)
$1,617
Average paid per HO-3 or HO-5 policy, inflation-adjusted as published by the Treasury. At September 2026 prices: about $2,154.
| Change from 2018 to 2022, after inflation | +25.4% |
| Premium per policy in 2018 | $1,289 |
| Premium per policy in 2022 | $1,617 |
| 2022 premium carried to September 2026 (BLS index) | $2,154 |
| Policies not renewed by the insurer, 2022 | 1.22% |
| Claims paid per 100 policies, yearly average | 3.3 |
| Average claim paid, 2018 to 2022 (adjusted) | $23,238 |
| Cancelled for nonpayment, 2022 | 1.17% |
Treasury data stop in 2022. The September 2026 figure applies the national BLS price index to the 2022 value, read as 2022 dollars: an estimate, not a quote.
Compiled by Radif Partners · Where the numbers come from · 1,552 ZIP codes in 58 counties of California in the Treasury file · not a quote
California had the steepest premium rise in the Treasury file: the median ZIP code went from $1,289 per policy in 2018 to $1,617 in 2022, +21.2% after inflation, ranked 1 of 51. The level is still middling, ranked 24, because California's 1,552 ZIP codes include many dense urban areas with low exposure. The wildfire years show in the renewals: the share of policies insurers declined to renew nearly doubled between 2018 and 2019, from 0.67% to 1.25%, and stayed there. Claims were rare but large, $23,238 on average, ranked 2 of 51. San Diego County rose +26.7% and Orange County +20.7%. Homes that lose private coverage turn to the California FAIR Plan, whose policies are not in these figures. The data stop in 2022, before the later withdrawals of large insurers.
Rare claims, very large claims
California's insurers paid only 3.3 claims per 100 policies a year in the median ZIP code, ranked 40 of 51, but the average paid claim was $23,238, second only to Alaska. A wildfire destroys whole neighborhoods at once, and rebuilding costs in California are among the highest in the country. The paid loss ratio of the median ZIP code climbed to 49% in 2022. A median of ZIP codes gives little weight to a fire that burns in a handful of them, so the fire years show more in the renewals than in that ratio.
The four big southern counties
Los Angeles County, with 268 ZIP codes, had a median of $1,492 in 2022, up +19.2%. San Diego County paid $1,883, Orange County $1,667 and San Bernardino County $1,376. Within the state the range is wide: the dearest tenth of ZIP codes paid over $2,849, led by 90210 in Los Angeles County at $11,603 and 92067 in San Diego County at $9,347. The cheapest, 92257 in Imperial County, paid $825.
California: odds of a nonrenewal over the next renewals
Example, not your result yet· change a figure to see yours
Chance of at least one nonrenewal in 10 renewals, California
11.6%
| Median ZIP rate in 2018 | 0.67% |
| National median ZIP, 2022 | 0.85% |
| Same horizon at the national rate | 8.2% |
| California rank, 51 = lowest | 11 of 51 |
Nonrenewals after the fires
The jump in 2019 followed the 2017 and 2018 fire seasons. In 23% of California ZIP codes, the 2022 rate was above the line that marks the top tenth of ZIP codes nationally. State law adds protections after a declared wildfire: the California Department of Insurance can order a one-year moratorium on nonrenewals in ZIP codes next to a fire perimeter, and it publishes those orders.
The FAIR Plan and a second policy
The California FAIR Plan writes a basic dwelling policy covering fire, lightning, windstorm and hail. Owners typically pair it with a "difference in conditions" policy from a private insurer for theft, liability and water damage. The combined cost is the real price of insuring a home in many foothill and mountain areas, and it is not in the Treasury figures. The FAIR plan page explains how these plans work across states. Earthquake coverage is separate again, from the California Earthquake Authority or a private insurer.
California, year by year
| Year | California median ZIP | National median ZIP | Nonrenewal rate | Claims per 100 policies | Paid loss ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | $1,289 | $1,445 | 0.67% | 2.9 | 43% |
| 2019 | $1,363 | $1,469 | 1.25% | 3.2 | 42% |
| 2020 | $1,440 | $1,491 | 1.24% | 2.9 | 44% |
| 2021 | $1,549 | $1,521 | 1.20% | 3.3 | 44% |
| 2022 | $1,617 | $1,551 | 1.22% | 3.1 | 49% |
The California counties with the most ZIP codes in the file
| County | ZIP codes | Median 2018 | Median 2022 | Change | Nonrenewal 2022 | Average claim |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County | 268 | $1,230 | $1,492 | +19.2% | 1.18% | $27,738 |
| San Diego County | 96 | $1,476 | $1,883 | +26.7% | 1.38% | $21,161 |
| Orange County | 85 | $1,346 | $1,667 | +20.7% | 1.09% | $22,288 |
| San Bernardino County | 77 | $1,180 | $1,376 | +17.1% | 1.76% | $19,913 |
| Riverside County | 68 | $1,244 | $1,487 | +20.2% | 1.54% | $19,744 |
| Santa Clara County | 55 | $1,129 | $1,365 | +18.4% | 0.60% | $24,784 |
| Sacramento County | 51 | $1,065 | $1,265 | +16.8% | 0.87% | $18,786 |
| Alameda County | 47 | $1,469 | $1,696 | +18.6% | 0.67% | $22,958 |
Highest and lowest premiums per policy, California ZIP codes, 2022
| ZIP code | County | Premium per policy | Change since 2018 | Nonrenewal 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90210 | Los Angeles County | $11,603 | +0.3% | 4.67% |
| 92067 | San Diego County | $9,347 | +47.1% | 3.55% |
| 90020 | Los Angeles County | $9,298 | +24.2% | 1.17% |
| 90077 | Los Angeles County | $8,462 | -8.6% | 4.84% |
| 90265 | Los Angeles County | $8,311 | +4.0% | 3.17% |
| 92257 | Imperial County | $825 | +27.7% | 2.67% |
| 93249 | Kern County | $836 | +12.7% | 1.64% |
| 93227 | Tulare County | $853 | +21.7% | 1.44% |
| 93434 | Santa Barbara County | $856 | +7.3% | 1.05% |
| 92239 | Riverside County | $862 | +1.4% | 0.00% |