Home Insurance in South Lake Tahoe, California
Homes in South Lake Tahoe carry a median value of $682,400 - close to the El Dorado County median.
Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing. The typical home in South Lake Tahoe was built around 1973. About 21% of homes were built before 1960, about 9 points above El Dorado County's 12%.
The housing stock in South Lake Tahoe is 68% single-family homes, 17% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 3% mobile or manufactured homes. The rest are 2-4 unit or other housing types. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
In South Lake Tahoe, about 65% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
South Lake Tahoe has an owner-occupancy rate of 51% and a vacancy rate of 43%; unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form.
80% of homes in South Lake Tahoe are primarily heated with natural gas.
What's the biggest home insurance risk near South Lake Tahoe? FEMA's National Risk Index points to wildfire (Relatively High) in El Dorado County and El Dorado County had 269 active NFIP flood policies as of September 2026. See the full El Dorado County home insurance overview for all FEMA hazard ratings and flood coverage details.
In California, the statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy is $1,655 per year (NAIC, 2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $682,400 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1973 |
| Owner-occupied share | 51% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 65% |
| Top county hazard | Wildfire (Relatively High) |
| Active NFIP policies in El Dorado County | 269 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,655 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Nearby towns
Sources
Data last updated: 2026-09-29
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer Files (2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (2024)
- FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025)
- FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (2026)
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owner-Occupied, and Homeowners Tenant and Condominium/Cooperative Unit Owners Insurance: Data for 2023 (published 2026) (2023)