Landlord Insurance for San Diego Rental Property Owners

Maybe you rent out a condo in Mission Valley, a duplex in North Park, or the Chula Vista house your family moved out of. In each case, your old homeowners policy is probably the wrong fit. Landlord insurance in San Diego is its own product. It is priced differently from homeowners insurance, and 2026 has brought real changes: State Farm’s rental dwelling rates were finalized at 32.8% higher, and a 29.1% average FAIR Plan increase begins October 15.

This guide covers five things: what a landlord policy covers, what it realistically costs, how wildfire, earthquake and flood fit in, which California and City of San Diego rules affect your coverage, and how to shop without leaving gaps. All figures are based on publicly available information as of September 21, 2026. Rates, rules and products can change at any time.

Quick Answer: Landlord insurance, usually sold as a “dwelling fire” or DP policy, covers three things: the rental building, your liability as the owner, and lost rent after a covered loss. It does not cover your tenant’s belongings, earthquake damage or flood damage. The Insurance Information Institute puts landlord policies at roughly 25% more than a comparable homeowners policy. Actual San Diego quotes vary widely with rebuild cost and wildfire exposure. In 2026, State Farm’s rental dwelling increase was finalized at 32.8%, and the California FAIR Plan’s average 29.1% increase applies to new and renewing policies from October 15. A licensed agent or broker can tell you which forms and limits fit your property.

What Landlord Insurance Covers, and Why a Homeowners Policy Stops Working

A homeowners policy is built around an owner who lives in the home. According to the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I), once you lease a home to a tenant for a longer term, such as six months or a year, you will likely need a landlord or rental dwelling policy instead. Your standard homeowners coverage may not respond to losses while the home is rented out.

The difference is more than paperwork. A tenant-occupied home carries different risks. Nobody who owns the place is there every day to notice a slow leak, and a tenant’s guests are on the property. You also have an income stream that stops if the unit becomes unlivable. Landlord policies are designed around those facts.

The core coverages

Most landlord policies are built from the same blocks, even if insurers name them differently:

• Dwelling (Coverage A) and other structures. This pays to repair or rebuild the house or building, plus detached structures like a garage or fence, after a covered loss.
• Fair rental value, or loss of rent. This replaces rent you cannot collect while the unit is being repaired after covered damage. Triple-I notes this coverage is generally provided for a specific period of time.
• Liability. This covers legal costs and damages if a tenant or visitor is hurt and you are held responsible. Triple-I describes liability as part of landlord policies. However, Hippo notes that on dwelling fire forms, personal liability is often added to the policy rather than built in. Check your declarations page rather than assuming it is there.
• Landlord-owned property on site. Triple-I says this can include appliances or maintenance equipment you leave for tenant use, such as a refrigerator or a lawnmower.

What it leaves out

Your tenant’s furniture, clothes and electronics are not covered by your policy. Triple-I points out that many landlords require tenants to carry renters insurance to avoid disputes over damaged belongings.

Earthquake and flood are the two big exclusions. Hippo lists both as typical exclusions on dwelling forms, and FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) confirms that most property policies do not cover flood. Damage from poor maintenance is also generally excluded. A roof that fails from age is a maintenance cost, not an insurance claim.

DP-1, DP-2 or DP-3: Choosing a Policy Form

Most small rentals (one to four units) are insured on one of three standard “dwelling property” forms. According to Hippo’s explanation of the forms, they climb in breadth and price.

DP-1 (basic form) covers a short list of named perils, typically around nine, such as fire, lightning and internal explosion. It pays claims at actual cash value (ACV), which subtracts depreciation.

DP-2 (broad form) covers a longer named-peril list, typically about 17 perils. These include falling objects, weight of snow, discharge of water or steam, and sudden electrical damage. It settles dwelling claims at replacement cost, while personal property is paid at ACV.

DP-3 (special form) covers the dwelling on an open-peril basis. Everything is covered except what the policy specifically excludes. Personal property stays on a named-peril basis. Dwelling losses are paid at replacement cost.

In California there is a fourth path for owners who cannot find coverage elsewhere. It is the California FAIR Plan’s dwelling fire policy, usually paired with a separate “difference in conditions” (DIC) policy.

Policy option	How perils are covered	Dwelling claim settlement	Liability	Often considered by
DP-1 (basic)	Short named-peril list (about 9)	Actual cash value	Usually an add-on	Owners of older, lower-value rentals focused on cost
DP-2 (broad)	Longer named-peril list (about 17)	Replacement cost	Can be added	Owners wanting more perils without open-peril pricing
DP-3 (special)	Open perils on the building, minus exclusions	Replacement cost	Can be added or included, depending on insurer	Owners of higher-value or recently renovated rentals
FAIR Plan dwelling + DIC	FAIR Plan covers fire, lightning, internal explosion and smoke; DIC adds other perils and liability	Depends on options chosen	Only through the separate DIC or liability policy	Owners who cannot get a standard policy, often in wildfire zones

Sources: Hippo (DP forms); California FAIR Plan (dwelling policy). Individual insurers’ forms vary, so read the actual policy.

The practical difference between ACV and replacement cost is large in San Diego, where labor and materials are expensive. The worked examples later in this article show how the same claim can pay out very differently depending on the form.

Landlord Insurance San Diego Costs: What the 2026 Numbers Show

No public source publishes a clean, current average landlord premium for the city of San Diego. What exists are statewide estimates, San Diego homeowners averages, and a widely used rule of thumb. Here is how they fit together, and why they disagree.

The 25% rule of thumb

Triple-I says landlord policies generally cost about 25% more than a standard homeowners policy on the same home. That extra reflects the added protections, mainly loss of rent and the different liability profile.

Policygenius applied that rule to California. In a page published in March 2024, it took an average California homeowners premium of about $1,383. It added 25% and arrived at an estimated average landlord premium of $1,728 per year. That figure is an estimate built on an older homeowners average, not a survey of actual landlord policies.

Why San Diego averages disagree

Two aggregators publish San Diego homeowners averages that are more than $500 apart:

• Policygenius reports $1,333 per year for a San Diego home with $300,000 of dwelling coverage. Its methodology page says the figure uses Quadrant Information Services rates from March 2022. The priced profile is a 40-year-old homeowner with good credit and no claims, a $1,000 deductible, $150,000 personal property and $300,000 liability.
• Insurify reports $1,896 per year, or $158 a month, updated August 31, 2026. It priced $300,000 of dwelling coverage, $25,000 personal property, $300,000 liability, a $1,000 deductible, a home built in 1980, no prior claims and good credit.

The gap is mostly about timing. Policygenius uses 2022 rates, before several years of large California increases. Insurify’s figure reflects rates current as of late August 2026. The coverage baskets also differ.

A third reference point comes from the California Department of Insurance (CDI). Its market snapshot put the average California homeowners premium at $1,571, against $1,512 nationally. Those figures are based on National Association of Insurance Commissioners data, and the page was last updated July 1, 2025. That is an average of policies actually sold statewide, not a quote for a set profile, so it measures something different again.

Source	What it measures	Profile / limits priced	Figure	Rough landlord estimate at +25%*
Policygenius (San Diego)	Average quoted homeowners premium	$300K dwelling, $300K liability, $1,000 deductible; 2022 rate data	$1,333/yr	about $1,666/yr
Insurify (San Diego)	Average quoted homeowners premium	$300K dwelling, $300K liability, $1,000 deductible, 1980 build; Aug 2026 data	$1,896/yr	about $2,370/yr
CDI market snapshot (California)	Average homeowners premium paid statewide	All policies (NAIC data)	$1,571/yr	about $1,964/yr
Policygenius (California landlord)	Estimated landlord premium	Derived from $1,383 homeowners average + 25%	$1,728/yr	already a landlord estimate

*The +25% column is our own arithmetic using Triple-I’s rule of thumb. It is an illustration, not a quote. Real San Diego rentals often need more than $300,000 of dwelling coverage, which raises premiums.

A reasonable reading is this: a modest San Diego rental with a $300,000 rebuild cost and no wildfire exposure might price somewhere around the high-$1,000s to mid-$2,000s a year. Larger rebuild costs, older roofs, prior claims or brush-zone locations can push quotes well above that.

2026 rate changes that hit rental owners directly

State Farm rental dwelling policies. In March 2026, CDI announced a settlement between the department, Consumer Watchdog and State Farm General over its emergency rate request. The interim 38% increase on rental dwelling policies was reduced to 32.8%. Affected policyholders will receive refunds with 10% interest back to June 1, 2025. CDI said the agreement also extends the moratorium on non-renewals and cancellations of homeowners, rental dwelling, condo and renters policies for at least one more year.

Consumer Watchdog reported that Commissioner Ricardo Lara signed the final order on July 23, 2026. It also reported that State Farm must return for another rate review no later than 2027.

The FAIR Plan. KQED reported that the FAIR Plan’s rates will rise by an average of 29.1% starting October 15, 2026, for its more than 675,000 customers. The plan had asked for 35.8%. The increase is an average. KQED noted that some policyholders in high-risk wildfire areas could see their wildfire premiums double, while some lower-risk urban policyholders may see reductions.

Signs of a thaw. CDI’s Sustainable Insurance Strategy requires insurers to write more policies in wildfire-distressed areas. In exchange, it lets insurers use catastrophe modeling in rate-setting. KQED also reported that FAIR Plan new business in 2026 is down 25% from the prior year, and brokers describe new private markets opening. For a rental owner, that means re-shopping at each renewal is more likely to turn up options than it was two years ago.

Wildfire, Earthquake and Flood: San Diego’s Three Big Gaps

Wildfire and the FAIR Plan route

Owners of rentals in the county’s brush-adjacent areas, such as parts of East County, the backcountry and canyon-rim neighborhoods, are the most likely to face non-renewals or high quotes. When standard carriers say no, the California FAIR Plan is the state’s insurer of last resort.

The FAIR Plan offers dwelling policies for rentals. It defines these as one-to-four-unit dwellings rented to a tenant for at least one year. Seasonal rentals of less than a year are a separate category. The dwelling fire policy is a named-peril policy covering fire and lightning, internal explosion and smoke. Vandalism and malicious mischief are available at extra cost.

The FAIR Plan says your broker must search the traditional market first. If regular coverage is available, the FAIR Plan is not the right fit. To fill the gaps, the FAIR Plan points owners to a separate DIC policy arranged through a broker. For rental owners, the DIC is usually where liability, water damage and loss-of-rent protection come from.

The FAIR Plan also offers premium discounts for wildfire mitigation work on the home, its immediate surroundings and the community. Documented hardening, such as roof and vent upgrades and defensible space, can reduce the wildfire portion of the premium. With the October increase landing mostly on that wildfire portion, those discounts matter more than before.

Earthquake

Standard landlord policies exclude earthquake. Insurify, citing the Earthquake Country Alliance, notes that most homes in San Diego County sit within 15 miles of a fault capable of damaging shaking. It also cites Triple-I research estimating a magnitude 6.9 quake on the Rose Canyon Fault could cause $38 billion in damage.

The California Earthquake Authority (CEA) sells policies only through participating residential insurers. Only customers of those insurers are eligible. Deductibles are 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% or 25% of the dwelling limit. Homes insured for more than $1 million, and pre-1980 homes on raised foundations without a verified retrofit, can choose only 15%, 20% or 25%. CEA offers premium discounts of up to 25% for properly retrofitted older houses.

If your rental is on the FAIR Plan, the FAIR Plan offers CEA earthquake coverage for one-to-four-unit dwellings, but only alongside an in-force FAIR Plan dwelling fire policy. There is no standalone FAIR Plan earthquake policy.

For landlords, one detail deserves a direct question to your agent: whether the earthquake policy you are offered covers lost rent, not just repairs. Private earthquake insurers are another route. The CEA lists other providers on its website.

Flood

Flood is excluded from landlord policies, so it needs its own coverage. The NFIP insures residential buildings up to $250,000 of flood damage. According to FloodSmart, the NFIP’s consumer site, coverage generally starts 30 days after purchase, with four exceptions:

• No waiting period when the policy is bought while making, increasing, extending or renewing a mortgage.
• No waiting period when you change coverage at renewal.
• A one-day wait if your property is newly mapped into a high-risk zone and you buy within 12 months of the map update.
• A one-day wait if flooding is caused or worsened by a wildfire on federal land and you buy within 60 days of containment.

For rental owners there is a catch. FloodSmart lists financial losses caused by business interruption, along with temporary housing costs, among the things NFIP policies do not cover. In practice, an NFIP policy repairs the building but will not replace lost rent. Owners in low-lying areas near rivers and creeks, or downhill from recent burn scars, often ask agents about private flood options that include rent loss or higher limits.

San Diego and California Rules That Change Your Insurance Math

SB 610: no rent during mandatory evacuations

SB 610 was signed in 2025 as Chapter 547, Statutes of 2025. According to its author, Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, the law does four things:

• Clarifies that tenants are not obligated to pay rent during a mandatory evacuation order.
• Makes landlords responsible for repairing disaster damage, including smoke and ash.
• Creates a presumption that disaster debris makes a unit uninhabitable.
• Requires the state to coordinate with lenders and servicers on mortgage forbearance for financially affected homeowners.

This matters for insurance because loss-of-rent coverage is usually triggered by covered physical damage. An evacuation that leaves your building untouched may not trigger it. Some policies include “civil authority” coverage for access restrictions, and some do not. Ask your agent how your policy would treat an evacuation with no damage, and how long rent coverage lasts if smoke or ash cleanup keeps a unit uninhabitable.

City of San Diego Rental Unit Business Tax

This is not insurance, but it is part of the cost of being a landlord inside city limits. The City Treasurer charges an annual Rental Unit Business Tax to anyone who owns, operates or manages residential rentals in the city.

Property type	Base fee per parcel	Per-unit fee
Single-family or condo, or 2–10 units	$50	$5
11–100 units	$57	$9
101 or more units	$150	$8

The city can bill retroactively for up to three years. Late payments carry a penalty of $25 or 10% of the tax due, whichever is greater, plus 1% per month on past-due amounts. Owners in Chula Vista, Oceanside, Escondido and other cities should check their own city’s rules.

Short-term rentals are a separate world, with different city licensing and different insurance forms. A standard long-term landlord policy is not designed for nightly guests.

Renters insurance and your lease

Because your policy does not cover tenant belongings, Triple-I notes that many landlords require tenants to buy renters insurance before signing a lease. Many owners consider adding a clause requiring proof of coverage at move-in and at each renewal. A licensed attorney can confirm how to word it under current California law.

Tax treatment

The IRS lists insurance among the common deductible rental expenses in Publication 527 (2025). One timing rule applies: if you prepay a premium for more than one year, you can deduct only the portion that applies to each year of coverage. A tax professional can confirm how this carries through to your Schedule E and your California return.

Setting Your Limits: Rebuild Cost, Lost Rent and Liability

Insure to rebuild cost, not purchase price

In San Diego, land is a large share of what a property sells for. That is why purchase price is a poor guide to how much dwelling coverage you need. The number that matters is what it would cost to rebuild the structure at today’s labor and material prices.

Premiums climb with the dwelling limit. Policygenius’s San Diego homeowners data shows an average of $1,333 at $300,000 of dwelling coverage and $1,995 at $500,000. The same principle applies to landlord forms. Being underinsured saves a little each year. It can cost a great deal after a total loss, especially on an ACV form.

How many months of lost rent?

Loss-of-rent limits are usually set as a dollar amount or a number of months. Think through a realistic rebuild timeline: permitting, contractor availability after a regional disaster, and inspections. SB 610 also adds obligations around remediation. Many owners compare their monthly mortgage, tax and HOA costs with the rent at risk to decide how long a gap they could carry on their own.

Liability and umbrella policies

Insurify notes that many property policies start with $100,000 of liability, which can usually be raised to $300,000 or $500,000. Umbrella policies can add $1 million or more on top.

Rental owners face a steady stream of liability exposure: trip-and-falls on stairs, dog bites from a tenant’s guest, habitability disputes. Whether higher limits make sense depends on your assets and how the property is held. If the rental is owned by an LLC or trust, confirm the named insured on the policy matches the owner on title.

Worked Examples: Two San Diego Rental Owners

These examples use assumptions to illustrate the math. Premiums shown are not quotes. Your own numbers will differ.

Example 1: A Clairemont single-family rental (ZIP 92117)

Maria owns a three-bedroom house in Clairemont that rents for $4,200 a month. A contractor estimates the rebuild cost at $520,000. She carries a DP-3 policy with these features, which are assumed for illustration:

• A $520,000 dwelling limit
• $500,000 of liability
• 12 months of fair rental value coverage
• A $2,500 deductible
• An annual premium of $3,100

A kitchen fire causes $88,000 of damage and leaves the house unlivable for five months.

• Dwelling claim: $88,000 − $2,500 deductible = $85,500 paid.
• Lost rent: 5 months × $4,200 = $21,000. Policies typically deduct expenses that stop while the unit is empty. If Maria normally pays $180 a month for water and trash, that is $900, so the payment would be about $20,100.
• Without rent coverage: Suppose her mortgage, tax and insurance payment is $3,600 a month. Five months with no rent would cost her $18,000 out of pocket.

Now suppose Maria had chosen a DP-1 form that pays actual cash value. If the damaged cabinets, flooring and fixtures were judged 40% depreciated (an assumption), the ACV of the $88,000 loss would be about $52,800. After the deductible, that leaves $50,300, about $35,000 less than the replacement-cost payout.

Maria’s $3,100 premium is also deductible as a rental expense under IRS Publication 527, which reduces its real cost.

Example 2: An Alpine duplex on the FAIR Plan

James owns a pre-1980 duplex in Alpine with a raised foundation. It has never been retrofitted. The two units rent for $2,600 each, or $62,400 a year. After a non-renewal, he moved to the FAIR Plan with a DIC policy. His situation, assumed for illustration:

• FAIR Plan premium at his last renewal: $3,400
• DIC policy covering liability, water damage and loss of rent: $1,600 a year
• Rebuild cost estimate: $750,000

The October 15 increase. If his change matched the 29.1% average exactly, his FAIR Plan premium would rise to about $4,389 at his next renewal on or after October 15, 2026. His actual change could be higher or lower, because the increase is concentrated in the wildfire portion of premiums. With the DIC, his total is about $5,989 a year, roughly 9.6% of gross rent.

Earthquake. Because James holds a FAIR Plan dwelling policy, he can buy CEA coverage through the FAIR Plan. His house was built before 1980 on a raised foundation with no verified retrofit, so CEA limits him to a deductible of 15% or more. On $750,000, that is $112,500 before the policy pays.

A verified retrofit would open up the 5% deductible option, which is $37,500. It could also qualify him for a CEA premium discount of up to 25%. Retrofit grants may be available through the California Residential Mitigation Program.

Evacuation. Suppose a mandatory evacuation keeps his tenants out for 10 days with no damage to the building. Under SB 610, they would not owe rent for that period, roughly $1,733 based on a 30-day month. Whether his DIC covers that depends on its wording.

How to Shop for Landlord Coverage, Step by Step

1. Pull your current declarations page. Confirm the form (homeowners, DP-1, DP-2 or DP-3), the dwelling limit, the deductible, and whether liability and loss of rent are actually listed.
2. Get a rebuild cost estimate. Use a contractor or a replacement-cost estimator, not the Zillow value.
3. Tell your insurer the property is rented. A homeowners policy on a tenant-occupied home can leave claims in doubt. Triple-I’s first recommendation is to call your agent before renting.
4. Work with an independent broker. Brokers can quote several carriers, and only brokers registered with the FAIR Plan can place FAIR Plan policies. The FAIR Plan’s “Find a Broker” link goes to CDI’s lookup tool.
5. Ask about earthquake and flood separately. Ask whether the earthquake policy covers lost rent, and check your property’s flood zone on FloodSmart.
6. Compare like for like. Line up dwelling limits, settlement basis, liability limits, rent-loss months and deductibles before comparing prices.
7. Update your lease and records. Require tenant renters insurance if you choose to. Keep receipts for upgrades that could earn discounts. Put your renewal date on the calendar so you can re-shop 45 to 60 days ahead.

Common Mistakes and Ways to Pay Less

Mistakes that leave San Diego landlords exposed

• Keeping a homeowners policy after moving out. This is the most common gap. It often surfaces only after a claim.
• Insuring to purchase price or loan amount. Either can badly miss the actual rebuild cost.
• Assuming the FAIR Plan covers liability or water leaks. The base dwelling policy covers fire, lightning, internal explosion and smoke. Everything else comes from optional coverages or a DIC policy.
• Forgetting the NFIP rent gap. Flood coverage repairs the building but does not replace lost rent.
• Missing the city tax. The Rental Unit Business Tax can be billed back up to three years, with penalties on each year.

Ways to lower the premium

Deductible choice. Policygenius’s San Diego homeowners data, based on 2022 rates, shows averages of $1,523 with a $500 deductible, $1,214 with $1,000, and $973 with $2,000. Landlord pricing tends to follow the same direction. A higher deductible only saves money if you can comfortably cover it after a loss.

Wildfire hardening. FAIR Plan discounts reward documented work on the home, its surroundings and the community.

Seismic retrofit. A retrofit can reduce CEA premiums by up to 25% and open up lower deductible options.

Re-shopping. With State Farm’s rental dwelling increase now final and new markets opening under CDI’s strategy, renewal time is when comparing quotes is most likely to pay off.

Bundling. Policygenius noted in 2024 that Liberty Mutual offered a 5% discount for bundling landlord and home insurance. Ask each carrier what multi-policy discounts it offers now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is landlord insurance required in California?

California law does not require landlord insurance. According to Policygenius, however, most mortgage lenders require property insurance as a loan condition, and an HOA may also have requirements. Even without a loan, a rental with no coverage leaves the building, your rental income and your personal assets exposed to fire, water damage and injury claims.

How much is landlord insurance in San Diego?

There is no official city average. Triple-I says landlord policies generally cost about 25% more than homeowners coverage. Applying that to recent San Diego homeowners averages ($1,333 to $1,896 for $300,000 of dwelling coverage, depending on the source and year) suggests roughly $1,700 to $2,400. Higher rebuild costs and wildfire zones cost more.

Does landlord insurance cover damage caused by tenants?

It depends on the form and the cause. Hippo notes that DP-3 policies commonly exclude neglect and intentional loss. Sudden accidental damage may be covered, subject to exclusions. Vandalism coverage varies, and on the FAIR Plan it is an optional add-on. Ask your agent specifically how the policy treats intentional tenant damage before you need to file a claim.

Does landlord insurance cover earthquakes in California?

No. Earthquake damage is excluded from standard landlord policies and needs a separate policy. The California Earthquake Authority sells coverage through participating insurers, with deductibles from 5% to 25% of the dwelling limit. FAIR Plan dwelling customers can add CEA coverage through the FAIR Plan. Private earthquake insurers are another option.

Can I put a San Diego rental property on the FAIR Plan?

Yes, if no standard insurer will cover it. The FAIR Plan covers one-to-four-unit dwellings rented to tenants for at least one year, and it has a separate category for seasonal rentals. It is a named-peril fire policy. Liability, water damage and rent loss usually come from a separate DIC policy arranged by your broker.

Is landlord insurance tax deductible?

IRS Publication 527 lists insurance among common rental expenses that are generally deductible against rental income on Schedule E. If you prepay more than one year of premium, you deduct only the portion for each year of coverage. A tax professional can confirm how the deduction applies on your federal and California returns.

Do I need landlord insurance for an ADU I rent out?

Tell your insurer before renting it. Triple-I says a longer-term lease generally calls for a landlord or rental dwelling policy, and a homeowners policy may not cover rental-related losses. Some insurers handle a rented ADU with an endorsement on your homeowners policy. Others want a separate dwelling policy. Your agent can confirm which applies.

What happens to rent if tenants are evacuated during a wildfire?

Under SB 610, tenants are not obligated to pay rent during a mandatory evacuation order. Loss-of-rent coverage usually requires covered physical damage, so an evacuation without damage may not be covered unless your policy includes civil authority coverage. Ask your agent how your specific policy handles this situation.

Will State Farm landlord customers get a refund?

According to the California Department of Insurance, the settlement reduced State Farm’s interim rental dwelling increase from 38% to 32.8%. Affected rental dwelling policyholders are due refunds of the difference, with 10% interest, for premiums paid from June 1, 2025. Consumer Watchdog reported the final order was signed on July 23, 2026.

Conclusion: Your Next Step

Landlord insurance in San Diego comes down to matching the policy form, the limits and the add-ons to your actual property. That means knowing its rebuild cost, its wildfire and earthquake exposure, how long a repair could keep it empty, and how much liability risk you carry. The 2026 changes, from State Farm’s final rental dwelling rates to the FAIR Plan’s October increase, make this a good year to look closely rather than simply renew.

A practical next step is to gather your declarations page and a rebuild cost estimate, then ask two or three licensed brokers to quote identical coverage. CDI’s consumer hotline (800-927-4357) can answer questions about your rights. A licensed agent or broker can tell you which options apply to your property.

Sources

1. California Department of Insurance, “Department of Insurance, Consumer Watchdog and State Farm reach settlement agreement on State Farm’s prior emergency interim rate request,” https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0400-news/0100-press-releases/2026/release012-2026.cfm, accessed September 21, 2026.
2. California Department of Insurance, “Sustainable Insurance Strategy,” https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/180-climate-change/sustainable-insurance-strategy.Cfm, accessed September 21, 2026.
3. Consumer Watchdog, “State Farm Settlement Saving California Consumers Approximately $530 Million Receives Final Approval,” https://consumerwatchdog.org/in-the-courtroom/state-farm-settlement-saving-california-consumers-approximately-530-million-receives-final-approval/, accessed September 21, 2026.
4. California FAIR Plan Association, “Home page,” https://www.cfpnet.com/, accessed September 21, 2026.
5. California FAIR Plan Association, “Dwelling,” https://www.cfpnet.com/policies/dwelling/, accessed September 21, 2026.
6. California FAIR Plan Association, “Earthquake,” https://www.cfpnet.com/policies/earthquake/, accessed September 21, 2026.
7. KQED, “California FAIR Plan Announces 29.1% Rate Hike for Homeowners This Fall,” https://www.kqed.org/news/12094860/california-fair-plan-announces-29-1-rate-hike-for-homeowners-this-fall, accessed September 21, 2026.
8. California Earthquake Authority, “California Homeowners Earthquake Insurance Policies,” https://www.earthquakeauthority.com/california-earthquake-insurance-policies/homeowners, accessed September 21, 2026.
9. FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (FloodSmart), “What you need to know about buying flood insurance,” https://www.floodsmart.gov/get-insured/buy-a-policy, accessed September 21, 2026.
10. Internal Revenue Service, “Publication 527 (2025), Residential Rental Property,” https://www.irs.gov/publications/p527, accessed September 21, 2026.
11. City of San Diego, Office of the City Treasurer, “Rental Unit Business Tax Fees,” https://www.sandiego.gov/treasurer/taxesfees/btax/rtaxfees, accessed September 21, 2026.
12. Office of Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, “Legislation” (SB 610 summary), https://sd25.senate.ca.gov/legislation, accessed September 21, 2026.
13. Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I), “Coverage for renting out your home,” https://www.iii.org/article/coverage-for-renting-out-your-home, accessed September 21, 2026.
14. Policygenius, “Landlord insurance in California (2024),” https://www.policygenius.com/homeowners-insurance/landlord-insurance-california/, accessed September 21, 2026.
15. Policygenius, “Best homeowners insurance in San Diego, CA,” https://www.policygenius.com/homeowners-insurance/california/san-diego/, accessed September 21, 2026.
16. Insurify, “5 Best San Diego Homeowners Insurance Companies (2026),” https://insurify.com/homeowners-insurance/california/san-diego/, accessed September 21, 2026.
17. Hippo, “What is a DP-2 Home Insurance Policy?,” https://landing.hippo.com/learn-center/what-dp-2-home-insurance-policy, accessed September 21, 2026.

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: This article is for general information and educational purposes only. It is based on publicly available information believed to be accurate at the time of writing, and rates, rules, products and eligibility requirements change frequently. It is not financial, insurance, tax or legal advice, and no advisor-client relationship is created by reading it. We are not licensed financial advisors, insurance agents, tax preparers or attorneys, and nothing here is a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any product, policy or security. Your own situation is different from the examples used here, so please consult a licensed financial advisor, insurance agent, tax professional or attorney before making any decision. We make no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of the information and accept no liability for any loss arising from its use. Some links may be to third-party sites we do not control.

Internal Link Ideas

• Airbnb and Short-Term Rental Insurance in San Diego: Coverage and City Rules (link from the short-term rental note in the city rules section)
• Buying a Rental Property in San Diego: Cash Flow Math That Actually Works (link from the worked examples)
• California FAIR Plan explainer for San Diego homeowners (link from the wildfire section)
• Earthquake insurance in San Diego: CEA vs private policies (link from the earthquake section)
• Renters insurance in San Diego (link from the renters insurance and lease section)

External Authoritative Links

• California Department of Insurance consumer resources: https://www.insurance.ca.gov/
• California FAIR Plan dwelling policies: https://www.cfpnet.com/policies/dwelling/
• California Earthquake Authority homeowners policies: https://www.earthquakeauthority.com/california-earthquake-insurance-policies/homeowners