San Diego Homeowners Insurance

More than 1.4 million people call the city of San Diego home. If you are among the proud property owners in this diverse and vibrant Southern California city, you can protect your investment with a good homeowners insurance policy.

When you are looking for the right coverage for your home, a local independent agent can help. These agents are free to work with a variety of highly rated insurance companies to find you the best and most affordable policy.

Contact an insurance agent near you to start comparing customized homeowners insurance quotes.

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

Home insurance rates in the state of California are lower than the national average. This is great news for area homeowners who are looking for affordable coverage.

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

Your actual home insurance costs are likely to differ from the average rate listed above because they are based on the following several factors. 

• The type of home you are insuring (e.g., single-family detached, condo, rental property, vacation house, etc.)
• The size of your home, the year it was built, and the materials used in its construction
• The crime rate and weather risks in your ZIP code
• Your claims history and credit score
• Whether you are bundling your homeowners coverage with another policy like car insurance or boat insurance

Every insurance company has its own method for calculating rates. Reviewing a variety of customized quotes lets you choose the homeowners insurance policy that offers the coverage you want at the most affordable price. Independent agents make comparison shopping easy.

What Kinds of Risks Does San Diego Homeowners Insurance Cover against?

Your home insurance policy is designed to cover against most of the damaging risks you are likely to face as a homeowner in San Diego. It can protect you against financial losses related to hazards like the following.

• Property crimes, such as burglary, vandalism, and arson
• Fires, including accidental fires, explosions, and in some cases, wildfires
• Severe weather events, such as thunderstorms, windstorms, bomb cyclones, and hail

You will want to make sure that you have sufficient coverage to enable you to repair or rebuild the structure of your house (dwelling insurance) and to repair or replace all of your personal property (contents insurance) in the event that your home is destroyed in a catastrophic event like a fire.

What about Coverage against Floods, Earthquakes, and Wildfires in San Diego?

Although homeowners insurance coverage is pretty comprehensive, it does not include coverage against floods, earthquakes, and, in some cases, wildfires.

Floods

Flood damage can be very expensive. According to FEMA, just one inch of water in your home can cause as much as $25,000 in damage.

Fortunately, only about 2% of homes in the San Diego area are at risk for flood damage. If yours happens to be one of them, you can supplement your homeowners insurance with an affordable flood insurance policy through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Earthquakes

The risk of earthquake activity in the San Diego area is high. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), there is a 69.81% chance that a major earthquake (5.0 or higher) will occur within 30 miles of San Diego in the next 50 years.

A major earthquake can damage the foundation of your home and destroy your property. The only way to get coverage against this risk is through an earthquake insurance policy. These policies tend to be rather expensive with very high deductibles so it is a good idea to shop around before purchasing.

Wildfires

In most cases, homeowners insurance policies cover against fires regardless of how they originated. However, in many parts of California, including some parts of San Diego, the wildfire risk is very high and many insurance companies have started dropping this coverage.

If your home insurance policy does not cover wildfires and does not offer a wildfire endorsement, you can get coverage through the California FAIR Plan. A local insurance agent will understand the risk that wildfires pose where you live and will be able to help you find the coverage you need.

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What Is Loss of Use Insurance?

Sometimes, disasters like accidental fires and lightning strikes can cause major damage to homes. If the damage is extensive, it can render your house inhabitable until repairs are made. Loss of use insurance, which is included in every homeowners insurance policy, is designed to help in this situation.

If you must seek alternate accommodations due to damage caused by a covered event, your loss of use insurance can cover the following types of miscellaneous expenses.

• Hotel or other temporary accommodation costs
• Meals, if your accommodations do not include a kitchen
• Moving and storage fees
• Pet boarding, if needed

This coverage can continue until your house has been brought back up to code and it is safe to move back in or until you have purchased a different home.

How Can Liability Insurance Protect San Diego Homeowners?

Sometimes, accidents and errors in judgement can end up causing harm to someone else. Fortunately, in addition to covering your house and property, your homeowners insurance provides personal liability protection.

If you or someone in your household unintentionally cause someone else to experience an injury, property damage, financial loss, or other harm, your homeowners liability insurance can cover court costs, legal fees, settlements, judgements, and other related expenses

Most home insurance policies offer between $250,000 and $500,000 worth of liability protection. If you want more coverage than your home insurance can provide, you can also purchase an umbrella insurance policy. This is an affordable way to significantly boost all of your personal liability coverage.

Does San Diego Homeowners Insurance Cover against Burglaries?

The burglary rate in California is higher than the national rate; however, in San Diego, the rate is lower. This is not to say the risk does not exist. Residents of city report more than 3,500 burglaries a year.

• 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 Diego: 2.46

If you discover that you have been the victim of a burglary, the first thing you should do is ensure that you and your family are safe, and then contact the authorities to report the crime.

While property crimes can cause a lot of stress, it may give you a bit of comfort to know that your homeowners insurance can reimburse you for your lost property as well as for any associated damage to your home. You will need a copy of the police report when you file your claim.

How Can an Independent Insurance Agent in San Diego Help?

Independent insurance agents make it easy to find an ideal homeowners policy to cover your San Diego home. These local agents can save you time by comparison shopping for you. That way, you can be certain that you are getting the coverage you want at a competitive price.

Arrange an obligation-free consultation with an insurance agent near you to learn more and to start comparing customized quotes from some of the best homeowners insurance companies in California.