# Landlord Insurance Cost in California: $1,341–$2,513 (2026) > Published 2026 averages for California landlord insurance start near $1,341/yr and reach $2,513. Why they disagree and what really moves your rental's price. Source: https://awaninsurance.com/blog/landlord-insurance/how-much-does-landlord-insurance-cost-in-california/ Jump to: [Published costs](#cost) [Why they disagree](#disagree) [DP-1 vs DP-3](#forms) [Price drivers](#drivers) [Rents & liability](#rents) [FAIR Plan](#fair) [Earthquake & umbrella](#extras) [Lowering cost](#lower) By the **Awan Insurance Team** · Reviewed by ** Shahbaz Awan**, Licensed California Insurance Agent (CA Lic #0H95098) 10 min read Updated October 2026 California How much does landlord insurance cost in California? Published 2026 figures run from about $1,341 to $2,513 a year, and the gap tells you more about how those numbers are made than about your rental. Here's what each figure assumes, and what actually sets the price on your building. Quick Answer The published 2026 **landlord insurance cost in California** starts around **$1,341 a year** (Simply Insurance) and reaches **$2,513** (RentalRealEstate.com), with Policygenius at $1,728 in 2024. The ** cost** figures disagree because each may price a different rental — dwelling value, ** DP-1 vs DP-3** form, liability limit and ZIP mix — and no California regulator publishes a landlord average. Your price turns on fire zone, roof, units, occupancy and the limits you choose. Maybe you've moved out and kept the house as a rental, or you're running the numbers on a duplex. Either way, the insurance line in your spreadsheet matters, and the figures online are all over the place: published 2026 figures for California landlord insurance start around **$1,341 a year** and run past **$2,500**. That spread isn't chaos. It's every publisher pricing a different imaginary building. Here's what sits under each figure, and what sets the price on yours. 30-second rate check See your rate Two fields to start. No obligation. A licensed California agent reviews every quote personally. Auto Home Auto + Home bundle Renters Condo Landlord Life Business SR-22 Recreational (RV, boat, motorcycle) Prefer to call? [(909) 864-3200](tel:9098643200) Please add a valid 5-digit ZIP and pick a coverage type. Almost done Where should we send it? Your quote will land in your inbox within 1 business hour. By clicking **Send Me My Free Quote**, I give Awan Insurance Agency my prior express written consent, by electronic signature, to contact me about my request, my insurance quote, and related insurance products and services by calls and text messages — including calls and texts made with automated technology or an artificial or prerecorded voice — at the number I provided, even if it is on a Do Not Call list. My information is never sold or given to lead buyers; it is shared only with the insurers and brokerage that quote my request and with service providers working for Awan. Consent is not a condition of purchase; I can call [(909) 864-3200](tel:9098643200) instead. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. I agree to the [Privacy Policy](https://awaninsurance.com/privacy) and [Terms of Use](https://awaninsurance.com/terms), including the [arbitration clause](https://awaninsurance.com/terms#arbitration) and [E-SIGN consent](https://awaninsurance.com/terms#esign). Please complete all fields with a valid phone and email. ✓ You're all set A licensed California agent will reach out within 1 business hour with your free quote review. Don't want to wait? [Call Awan Insurance · (909) 864-3200](tel:9098643200) Mon–Fri 9am–5pm PT ## How Much Does Landlord Insurance Cost in California? Published 2026 figures for California landlord insurance start around **$1,341 a year** (Simply Insurance) and reach **$2,513** (RentalRealEstate.com) — and neither one describes your building. These are the named, dated California figures we could find. We left out numbers published by insurers that sell landlord policies. | Publisher | California figure | Dated | Profile stated? | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | **Simply Insurance** | $1,341/yr (about $112/mo) | Updated July 2026 | No | | **Simply Insurance (same page, FAQ)** | $1,516/yr (about $126/mo) | Updated July 2026 | No | | **Policygenius** | $1,728/yr | March 2024 | No — derived from a homeowners average | | **RentalRealEstate.com** | $2,513/yr (2026 estimate) | July 2026 | Partly — modelled from 2021–22 NAIC HO-3 data, trended forward; $300k–$400k DP-3-style dwellings, not California-specific | Source: [Simply Insurance →](https://www.simplyinsurance.com/best-landlord-insurance-california/) · Source: [Policygenius →](https://www.policygenius.com/homeowners-insurance/landlord-insurance-california/) · Source: [RentalRealEstate.com →](https://rentalrealestate.com/data/landlord-insurance-cost/) Two of those numbers come from the same page: Simply Insurance gives $1,341 in its body (labelled a national average) and both $1,516 and $1,341 in its FAQ. We lead with the lower one because our rule is to lead with the lowest published figure — but you should know the page disagrees with itself. How to read these numbers **Simply Insurance ($1,341 / $1,516, July 2026)** publishes no sample profile, data source or method for either figure. ** Policygenius ($1,728, March 2024)** says its figure is built from Insurance Information Institute research and its own rate data, applied to a California homeowners average of about $1,383; it's over two years old. ** RentalRealEstate.com ($2,513, July 2026)** is a modelled estimate, not market quotes: it starts from NAIC homeowners (HO-3) premium data, adds a 25 percent landlord adjustment and compounding annual trend factors, and says its averages cluster around $300,000–$400,000 dwellings on DP-3-style coverage. None of them is a California regulator figure, because there isn't one. The Department of Insurance's premium comparison tools cover auto and homeowners — including condo, renters and earthquake — but list nothing for landlord or dwelling fire policies. Source: [California Department of Insurance →](https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/9-compare-prem/) And the NAIC's 2026 homeowners market data call counts dwelling fire policies only for owner-occupied homes, "not policies written for tenant-occupied dwellings." Source: [NAIC →](https://content.naic.org/sites/default/files/industry-data-call-property-ho-definitions.pdf) ## Why Do the Published Figures Disagree So Much? Because each publisher is pricing a different imaginary rental — a different dwelling value, policy form, liability limit and ZIP code mix — and calling the result a statewide average. A published average quietly fixes every input. Change one and the "average" moves: * **Dwelling value.** RentalRealEstate.com's figure is anchored in $300,000–$400,000 dwellings; plenty of California rentals rebuild for far more. * **Policy form.** A named-perils DP-1 and an open-perils DP-3 cover very different things, and most averages don't say which they used. * **Liability limit.** None of the four figures above states one. A landlord carrying $100,000 and one carrying $500,000 are buying different protection. * **ZIP code mix.** A statewide average blends coastal rentals with homes in high fire hazard areas. In our experience, location moves a California property premium more than almost anything else on the application. * **Method.** Two of the four figures above are derived from homeowners averages using a rule of thumb rather than collected from landlord policies. That rule of thumb does have a named source: the Insurance Information Institute says landlord policies cost about 25 percent more than a standard homeowners policy on the same property. Source: [Insurance Information Institute →](https://www.iii.org/article/coverage-for-renting-out-your-home) If you know what a homeowners policy on the building would cost, that's a rough starting point — our guide to [what homeowners insurance costs in California](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/home-insurance/how-much-is-homeowners-insurance-in-california/) walks through those published averages and the same profile problem. ## How Do DP-1, DP-2 and DP-3 Change What You're Paying For? The form decides which causes of loss the policy pays for — a DP-1 and DP-2 list named perils, while a DP-3 covers everything not specifically excluded — so the same building is buying different protection on each. Here's how the NAIC defines the three dwelling forms in its 2026 market data definitions. Source: [NAIC →](https://content.naic.org/sites/default/files/industry-data-call-property-ho-definitions.pdf) | Form | How it covers the building | Open perils? | | --- | --- | --- | | **DP-1 (Basic)** | Specific named perils, such as fire, lightning and windstorm | No | | **DP-2 (Broad)** | The DP-1 perils plus more named perils, such as falling objects, weight of snow and vandalism | No | | **DP-3 (Special)** | "All-risks" — everything except what the policy explicitly excludes, such as flood or earthquake | Yes | Check the form first: a lower number on a DP-1 isn't a better price on the same coverage — it's a smaller policy. What a DP-3 covers in detail is in our [California landlord insurance guide](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/landlord-insurance/california-landlord-insurance-guide-dp-3-liability-and-lost-rent/); this one stays on cost. 30-second rate check See your rate Two fields to start. No obligation. A licensed California agent reviews every quote personally. Auto Home Auto + Home bundle Renters Condo Landlord Life Business SR-22 Recreational (RV, boat, motorcycle) Prefer to call? [(909) 864-3200](tel:9098643200) Please add a valid 5-digit ZIP and pick a coverage type. Almost done Where should we send it? Your quote will land in your inbox within 1 business hour. By clicking **Send Me My Free Quote**, I give Awan Insurance Agency my prior express written consent, by electronic signature, to contact me about my request, my insurance quote, and related insurance products and services by calls and text messages — including calls and texts made with automated technology or an artificial or prerecorded voice — at the number I provided, even if it is on a Do Not Call list. My information is never sold or given to lead buyers; it is shared only with the insurers and brokerage that quote my request and with service providers working for Awan. Consent is not a condition of purchase; I can call [(909) 864-3200](tel:9098643200) instead. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. I agree to the [Privacy Policy](https://awaninsurance.com/privacy) and [Terms of Use](https://awaninsurance.com/terms), including the [arbitration clause](https://awaninsurance.com/terms#arbitration) and [E-SIGN consent](https://awaninsurance.com/terms#esign). Please complete all fields with a valid phone and email. ✓ You're all set A licensed California agent will reach out within 1 business hour with your free quote review. Don't want to wait? [Call Awan Insurance · (909) 864-3200](tel:9098643200) Mon–Fri 9am–5pm PT ## What Drives the Price of a California Rental Policy? Six things do most of the work: where the property sits, its roof and age, how many units it has, how it's occupied, whether it's ever vacant, and the limits you choose. 🔥 ### Fire hazard zone Wildfire exposure shapes price and whether a carrier will write it at all. Look up your address on [CAL FIRE's fire hazard severity zone map](https://osfm.fire.ca.gov/what-we-do/community-wildfire-preparedness-and-mitigation/fire-hazard-severity-zones) before you shop. 🏠 ### Roof and building age Underwriters ask about roof age and material, and older wiring and plumbing, on almost every rental we place. Dated upgrade receipts help. 🏘️ ### Number of units One to four units is dwelling territory. The FAIR Plan, for example, writes apartment buildings of five or more units on its commercial policy instead. 📆 ### Vacancy Empty buildings carry different risks. The FAIR Plan's dwelling form drops vandalism coverage once a property has been vacant or unoccupied for more than 30 consecutive days. 🧳 ### Short-term rentals Renting to a stream of different guests is treated as a business, and a standard policy may not respond to it. Disclose it before it matters. ⚖️ ### Limits and deductible Dwelling, liability and loss-of-rents limits and the deductible are all choices that move the premium. The units and vacancy points come from the FAIR Plan's own materials. Source: [California FAIR Plan →](https://www.cfpnet.com/) The short-term rental point is the Insurance Information Institute's: regular rentals to various guests are treated as a business. Source: [Insurance Information Institute →](https://www.iii.org/article/coverage-for-renting-out-your-home) ## What Do Loss of Rents and Liability Add to the Cost? They're the two coverages that turn a fire policy into a landlord policy, and they're the last two to cut when you're trying to hit a price. **Loss of rents** — also called fair rental value — pays the rent you lose while the property can't be lived in after a covered loss. The Insurance Information Institute notes that most landlord policies include it, for a specific period. ** Liability** pays legal fees and medical costs if a tenant or guest is hurt on the property and you're held responsible. Source: [Insurance Information Institute →](https://www.iii.org/article/coverage-for-renting-out-your-home) The limit and period you choose on each are part of what you're paying for. Illustrative scenario — how a lost-rent limit actually pays On the FAIR Plan's dwelling form, fair rental value is an optional coverage: you can use up to **10% of your Coverage A limit**, paid at no more than **1/12 of that amount per month**. Source: [California FAIR Plan dwelling policy →](https://www.cfpnet.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Dwelling-Fire-Policy_effective-3-17-26.pdf) On a **$500,000** dwelling limit, that's a lost-rent pool of up to **$50,000**, capped near **$4,167** a month. A rental bringing in **$3,000** a month would draw that pool down over roughly 16 to 17 months. If the box isn't checked on the declarations page, the pool is zero. Figures are illustrative and used to show how the pieces interact. They are not a quote, an estimate for your situation, or a promise of what any policy would cost or pay. Actual terms depend on underwriting and the policy issued. No landlord policy pays for your tenant's stuff. The Insurance Information Institute is plain: your tenant's personal possessions are not covered under your policy, and many landlords require renters insurance before signing a lease. Source: [Insurance Information Institute →](https://www.iii.org/article/coverage-for-renting-out-your-home) It costs you nothing. Point tenants to our [guide to renters insurance in California](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/renters-insurance/california-renters-insurance-guide-cost-coverage-and-companies/) if they've never bought it. ## What If Only the FAIR Plan Will Write Your Rental? The California FAIR Plan does write one-to-four unit rentals, but its dwelling policy is a named-peril fire policy with no liability, so the realistic cost is the FAIR Plan premium plus a Difference in Conditions (DIC) policy. The FAIR Plan's dwelling policy is open to owner-occupied homes, seasonal rentals rented for less than a year, and one-to-four unit dwellings rented to a tenant for at least a year. It covers fire, lightning, internal explosion and smoke, with options such as vandalism available at an additional cost. Source: [California FAIR Plan →](https://www.cfpnet.com/policies/dwelling/) The Department of Insurance lists the FAIR Plan's residential limit as **$3 million**. Source: [California Department of Insurance →](https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/200-wrr/California-FAIR-Plan.cfm) What it leaves out matters most to a landlord. The sample dwelling policy carries no personal liability coverage — the only liability item is up to $500 for fire department charges you've agreed to by contract. Source: [California FAIR Plan dwelling policy →](https://www.cfpnet.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Dwelling-Fire-Policy_effective-3-17-26.pdf) A DIC policy is designed to fill those gaps, adding coverages such as water damage, theft and liability, and the FAIR Plan itself does not sell DIC. Source: [California FAIR Plan →](https://www.cfpnet.com/difference-in-conditions-dic/) Price the pair, not the piece A FAIR Plan quote on its own isn't the whole bill. For a rental, compare the FAIR Plan premium **plus** the DIC premium against any standard-market DP-3 you can get, and check that fair rental value is actually selected on the FAIR Plan side. How the two policies fit together, and where people leave gaps, is in our [step-by-step guide to building a FAIR Plan + DIC package](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/home-insurance/how-to-build-a-fair-plan-plus-dic-home-insurance-package/). ## What Do Earthquake and Umbrella Coverage Add to the Total? Both are separate purchases on top of the landlord policy, and both belong in your total if you're comparing what it really takes to protect the property. **Earthquake** is excluded on a DP-3 just as it is on a homeowners policy. If the rental is on a California FAIR Plan dwelling policy (1–4 units), the FAIR Plan can attach a California Earthquake Authority policy. Source: [California FAIR Plan →](https://www.cfpnet.com/policies/earthquake/) Otherwise, ask whether your landlord carrier offers a CEA policy or an endorsement, and if not, earthquake goes to the private market. The CEA side is in our [guide to CEA and private earthquake insurance](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/home-insurance/california-earthquake-insurance-guide-cea-vs-private-market/). **Umbrella** coverage sits over the liability on your landlord and auto policies, paying after those limits are used up, and it requires minimum underlying limits. Our [personal umbrella insurance guide](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/umbrella-insurance/california-personal-umbrella-insurance-guide/) explains how those layers work together. ## How Can You Lower the Cost Without Leaving Gaps? Get the inputs right, compare the same form and limits across markets, and keep the coverages that hold a rental together after a loss. * **Insure the rebuild cost, not the market value.** Land doesn't burn. * **Compare like for like.** Same form (DP-1, DP-2 or DP-3), same dwelling limit, same liability limit, same deductible — or the cheaper quote is just a smaller policy. * **Document upgrades.** Keep dated receipts and photos for roof, electrical, plumbing and wildfire mitigation work. * **Tell us about vacancies and short-term stays.** An undisclosed occupancy change can put a claim in dispute. * **Require renters insurance in the lease**, with a named minimum liability limit. * **Never drop loss of rents or liability to hit a price.** They're what helps keep the mortgage paid after a fire. Farmers is our primary carrier, with Foremost, Bristol West and Hagerty alongside it, and through Kraft Lake — the brokerage available to Farmers agents — we can also place rental properties with a broad panel including Mercury, Progressive, Safeco, Bamboo, SageSure, Aegis and National General. Appetite for rentals varies by fire zone, building age and occupancy, so several markets to try can be the difference between a standard DP-3 and the FAIR Plan. Ready to price it properly? Our [California landlord insurance page](https://awaninsurance.com/landlord-insurance) explains how we place rental properties. For background on when the state's insurer of last resort makes sense, see [the California FAIR Plan explained](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/home-insurance/the-california-fair-plan-explained-when-to-use-it-when-to-avoid-it/). ## The Bottom Line Published 2026 figures for California landlord insurance run from about $1,341 to $2,513 a year, and no regulator publishes a landlord average to settle it. Treat each one as a description of somebody else's rental. Your price turns on the fire zone, the roof, the units, the occupancy, and the form and limits you pick. Compare quotes on the same form and limits, keep loss of rents and liability, and if only the FAIR Plan will write it, price it with the DIC. Want us to price your rental across our markets, or just read the declarations page you have? That review is free. 30-second rate check See your rate Two fields to start. No obligation. A licensed California agent reviews every quote personally. Auto Home Auto + Home bundle Renters Condo Landlord Life Business SR-22 Recreational (RV, boat, motorcycle) Prefer to call? [(909) 864-3200](tel:9098643200) Please add a valid 5-digit ZIP and pick a coverage type. Almost done Where should we send it? Your quote will land in your inbox within 1 business hour. By clicking **Send Me My Free Quote**, I give Awan Insurance Agency my prior express written consent, by electronic signature, to contact me about my request, my insurance quote, and related insurance products and services by calls and text messages — including calls and texts made with automated technology or an artificial or prerecorded voice — at the number I provided, even if it is on a Do Not Call list. My information is never sold or given to lead buyers; it is shared only with the insurers and brokerage that quote my request and with service providers working for Awan. Consent is not a condition of purchase; I can call [(909) 864-3200](tel:9098643200) instead. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. I agree to the [Privacy Policy](https://awaninsurance.com/privacy) and [Terms of Use](https://awaninsurance.com/terms), including the [arbitration clause](https://awaninsurance.com/terms#arbitration) and [E-SIGN consent](https://awaninsurance.com/terms#esign). Please complete all fields with a valid phone and email. ✓ You're all set A licensed California agent will reach out within 1 business hour with your free quote review. Don't want to wait? [Call Awan Insurance · (909) 864-3200](tel:9098643200) Mon–Fri 9am–5pm PT ## Related Questions ### Is landlord insurance required in California? No California law requires a landlord to carry insurance on a rental. If the property has a mortgage, though, the lender will require property coverage on it, and a standard homeowners policy is written for a home you live in. Once you rent the place out, tell your agent so the policy matches how the property is actually used. ### Is landlord insurance more expensive than homeowners insurance? Usually, yes. The Insurance Information Institute says landlord policies cost about 25 percent more than a standard homeowners policy on the same property. The gap reflects what changes when tenants live there: landlord liability and loss of rents. Your actual difference depends on the building, its location and your limits. ### Why is there no official average for California landlord insurance? No regulator collects one. The Department of Insurance publishes premium comparison tools for auto and homeowners, including condo, renters and earthquake, but lists none for landlord or dwelling fire policies. The NAIC's 2026 homeowners data call counts dwelling fire policies only on owner-occupied homes, not tenant-occupied ones. Published landlord averages therefore come from private sites using their own methods. ### Does the FAIR Plan cover rental buildings with five or more units? Not on its dwelling policy. The California FAIR Plan's dwelling policy covers owner- or tenant-occupied buildings with up to four units, plus seasonal rentals. Individually owned apartment buildings with five or more units fall under its commercial policy instead. If you own a larger building, ask us how it would be written before comparing prices. ### What happens to coverage when a California rental sits empty? It can shrink. On the FAIR Plan's dwelling form, vandalism and malicious mischief are excluded once the property has been vacant or unoccupied for more than 30 consecutive days before the loss. Standard-market policies carry their own vacancy wording. If a unit will sit empty between tenants, tell your agent before it happens. ### Does a FAIR Plan rental policy pay for lost rent? Only if you add it. Fair rental value is an optional coverage on the FAIR Plan's dwelling policy. When selected, you can use up to 10% of your Coverage A limit for lost rent, paid at no more than one-twelfth of that amount for each month the property is unfit to live in. Check the box is marked on your declarations page. Last reviewed October 2026 by Shahbaz Awan, Licensed California Insurance Agent (CA Lic #0H95098). Published averages from Simply Insurance (updated July 2026), RentalRealEstate.com (July 2026) and Policygenius (March 2024); landlord-vs-homeowners comparison from the Insurance Information Institute; dwelling form definitions from the NAIC 2026 market data call; FAIR Plan eligibility, perils, fair rental value and vacancy terms from cfpnet.com and the FAIR Plan dwelling policy effective March 2026; FAIR Plan limit and comparison tools from the California Department of Insurance. This guide does not quote a price, does not promise savings and does not rank insurance companies. It is general information, not advice about your specific policy. #### Free Coverage Review Own a rental in California? We'll price it across our markets on the same form and limits, so the comparison is real. No obligation. [Get My Free Quote →](https://awaninsurance.com/quote) Or call us direct[(909) 864-3200](tel:9098643200) #### Landlord Cost at a Glance Lowest published 2026 figure$1,341/yr Highest published 2026 figure$2,513/yr Vs homeowners (III)~25% more Official CA landlord averageNone FAIR Plan residential limit$3M Earthquake included?No #### Related Guides * [California landlord insurance](https://awaninsurance.com/landlord-insurance) * [Landlord insurance guide: DP-3, liability and lost rent](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/landlord-insurance/california-landlord-insurance-guide-dp-3-liability-and-lost-rent/) * [Building a FAIR Plan + DIC package](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/home-insurance/how-to-build-a-fair-plan-plus-dic-home-insurance-package/) * [California personal umbrella guide](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/umbrella-insurance/california-personal-umbrella-insurance-guide/) * [California renters insurance guide](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/renters-insurance/california-renters-insurance-guide-cost-coverage-and-companies/) * [How much homeowners insurance costs in California](https://awaninsurance.com/blog/home-insurance/how-much-is-homeowners-insurance-in-california/) #### Visit Our Office 27255 Messina St Highland, CA 92346 Mon–Fri 9am–5pm PT CA Lic #0H95098 --- **Awan Insurance Agency** · 27255 Messina St, Highland, CA 92346 · (909) 864-3200 · Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–5:00 PM Pacific Request a quote: https://awaninsurance.com/quote-request (plain HTML form) or https://awaninsurance.com/quote (guided).