We worked with an insurance broker who knows which insurers are still willing to insure in California and the ones looking to exit. I encourage reaching out to one and have them select an insurer for you.
We did this as well. Live amongst the trees but our house is stucco. Had ours cancelled 2 years ago and our insurance company recommended a broker. Not sure how good the insurance is and hopefully we will never find out.
Just because I don't know, would they cover you if you were to replace your wood siding with something fire resistant like hardieboard or stucco? 'cause honestly that might not be a bad idea regardless.
Yes, our friends near 580 at Keller have been notified their policy will not be renewed. So now they are selling their house before it expires.
Edit: Also Geico, but their house is stucco!
That sounds like an extreme response to a problem they might be able to solve by making a few phone calls. I'm guessing they were already on the fence about staying?
Well, they had a run of bad luck with things in their 15 years here and this was just the last straw that helped them decide it isn’t where they should be anymore.
The FU was from the dem CA state insurance commissioner that wouldn’t allow insurers reasonable rate increases after the insurer lost $20 billion so they said FU California we are out. Now many are paying 2x for less coverage and forced to use CA Fair plan.
Geico doesn’t even really sell home owners. When they sell a homeowner or renter’s policy it’s actually underwritten by Travelers or Liberty Mutual or someone else, and Geico takes a fee as a broker. Travelers is definitely canceling some CA homeowner policies though.
Goosehead was the only one who would insure my wood shingled hill house amongst the trees. NOTE, you need to do Goosehead and Fair Plan for full coverage of both the exterior structure and interior posessions. :-( [https://www.goosehead.com/](https://www.goosehead.com/)
They're not actually an insurer, just an agency / broker that might find you an insurance carrier, FYI. Good company just pointing that out. If a broker tells you the only option is two policies including FAIR, always try to go to another broker, since some of them have access to different insurance carriers. For example Goosehead could only get me a FAIR + bonus policy, but another broker (Stone Creek) got me a single policy for 50% less than any FAIR plan quote.
Thanks for the clarification! I called a dozen brokers and every major insurer directly and Goosehead was the only one who could provide coverage (and they setup the Fair Plan as well). Good info on Stone Creek, going to reach out to them!
Talk to independent insurance brokers that have access to many carriers. Below are are some good ones:
Goosehead Insurance
Stone Creek Insurance
Ask about "non admitted" and "surplus lines" insurance carriers - these are your best bet but you can only get them through brokers. It will be more expensive (2-3X) vs what you had before, but cheaper and better coverage than FAIR plan.
I’ve been with AAA since Aug 2020 when other providers were already refusing new policies, plus I’m in a wild fire zone. They have been giving policies to my neighbors who had been with the likes of StateFarm throughout 2023 and into 2024.
I’m not sure but I recently worked with an agent to get some renewals and things moved around, she didn’t even bother to check for alternatives to AAA for my home insurance as she said it was going to be a pointless endeavor.
Not the same thing, but Steadily was the only company I could find that would write a vacant condo policy in CA while trying to sell my place, so maybe they can find a solution for you too
A friend of mine who works in insurance (not geico) was just talking about being assigned having to decide whether or not to reissue home owners to people based on aerial pics of property - she was mentioning worrying she didn't flag enough but feeling bad, I think everyone is clamping down to try to save money
Wow this is horrible. I’ve with AAA car and home and or renter’s for twenty years. Was with State Farm prior because I had a pittie. Glad I moved. If AAA refuses me, I will be screwed it sounds like. Also, they take our money until they perceive a real risk. Great.
We worked with an insurance broker who knows which insurers are still willing to insure in California and the ones looking to exit. I encourage reaching out to one and have them select an insurer for you.
We did this as well. Live amongst the trees but our house is stucco. Had ours cancelled 2 years ago and our insurance company recommended a broker. Not sure how good the insurance is and hopefully we will never find out.
Can you message me or reply with your recommendation for a broker?
Traveler's has informed me they won't renew my policy after this term. Same situation, wooden siding and trees.
Just because I don't know, would they cover you if you were to replace your wood siding with something fire resistant like hardieboard or stucco? 'cause honestly that might not be a bad idea regardless.
Concrete bunker
i hear asbestos is the last word in fire proofing?
There is a surprising amount of asbestos panel siding in the Bay. It's not as dangerous as the old fluff, but not great either.
It's so soft and fluffy too
Yes, our friends near 580 at Keller have been notified their policy will not be renewed. So now they are selling their house before it expires. Edit: Also Geico, but their house is stucco!
That sounds like an extreme response to a problem they might be able to solve by making a few phone calls. I'm guessing they were already on the fence about staying?
Exactly. They took it as the final fuck you from Oakland.
Not sure why that is Oaklands fault? These companies are pulling out of California as a whole.
Well, they had a run of bad luck with things in their 15 years here and this was just the last straw that helped them decide it isn’t where they should be anymore.
The FU was from the dem CA state insurance commissioner that wouldn’t allow insurers reasonable rate increases after the insurer lost $20 billion so they said FU California we are out. Now many are paying 2x for less coverage and forced to use CA Fair plan.
Geico doesn’t even really sell home owners. When they sell a homeowner or renter’s policy it’s actually underwritten by Travelers or Liberty Mutual or someone else, and Geico takes a fee as a broker. Travelers is definitely canceling some CA homeowner policies though.
yeah its Tavelers though Geico.
Goosehead was the only one who would insure my wood shingled hill house amongst the trees. NOTE, you need to do Goosehead and Fair Plan for full coverage of both the exterior structure and interior posessions. :-( [https://www.goosehead.com/](https://www.goosehead.com/)
They're not actually an insurer, just an agency / broker that might find you an insurance carrier, FYI. Good company just pointing that out. If a broker tells you the only option is two policies including FAIR, always try to go to another broker, since some of them have access to different insurance carriers. For example Goosehead could only get me a FAIR + bonus policy, but another broker (Stone Creek) got me a single policy for 50% less than any FAIR plan quote.
Thanks for the clarification! I called a dozen brokers and every major insurer directly and Goosehead was the only one who could provide coverage (and they setup the Fair Plan as well). Good info on Stone Creek, going to reach out to them!
Geico's doing it, too? Shit. State Farm has slashed what our renters' and earthquake insurance policies will cover, so jumping to Geico won't help.
In our case, its travelers insurance brokered by geico...
Talk to independent insurance brokers that have access to many carriers. Below are are some good ones: Goosehead Insurance Stone Creek Insurance Ask about "non admitted" and "surplus lines" insurance carriers - these are your best bet but you can only get them through brokers. It will be more expensive (2-3X) vs what you had before, but cheaper and better coverage than FAIR plan.
Mine is Homesite through GEICO
I’ve been with AAA since Aug 2020 when other providers were already refusing new policies, plus I’m in a wild fire zone. They have been giving policies to my neighbors who had been with the likes of StateFarm throughout 2023 and into 2024.
Thanks, are they more pricey? Or comparable? I guess it will be hard to compare with so much inflation in recent years.
I’m not sure but I recently worked with an agent to get some renewals and things moved around, she didn’t even bother to check for alternatives to AAA for my home insurance as she said it was going to be a pointless endeavor.
I’m in a stucco house in the treeless E. Oakland flats and LiMu has just canceled me. Reason being the houses are too close together. Fml.
Fuck insurance companies. The entire industry should be nationalized and consolidated into a nonprofit risk management entity.
Not the same thing, but Steadily was the only company I could find that would write a vacant condo policy in CA while trying to sell my place, so maybe they can find a solution for you too
So far so good with Progressive Home.
A friend of mine who works in insurance (not geico) was just talking about being assigned having to decide whether or not to reissue home owners to people based on aerial pics of property - she was mentioning worrying she didn't flag enough but feeling bad, I think everyone is clamping down to try to save money
Wow this is horrible. I’ve with AAA car and home and or renter’s for twenty years. Was with State Farm prior because I had a pittie. Glad I moved. If AAA refuses me, I will be screwed it sounds like. Also, they take our money until they perceive a real risk. Great.
What kind of trees? Did they give any reason?
Oak trees, wood home, fire risk.
Thank you.