Home Insurance in Plumas County, California
With a median home value of $360,200, Plumas County is 51% lower than the California median.
The typical home in Plumas County was built around 1981. About 16% of homes were built before 1960, about 11 points below California's 27%. Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them.
In Plumas County, the housing stock is 85% single-family homes, 3% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 10% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
About 50% of owner-occupied homes in Plumas County have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
About 75% of occupied homes in Plumas County are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 46%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
39% of homes in Plumas County are primarily heated with wood. Homes heated with propane, fuel oil and wood can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies.
Per FEMA's National Risk Index, Plumas County's top hazards are wildfire (Relatively High), earthquake (Relatively Moderate) and inland flooding (Relatively Moderate). Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake, so separate coverage is usually needed.
Plumas County had 89 active National Flood Insurance Program policies as of September 2026. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy.
According to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data), a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in California carries a statewide average premium of $1,655 per year.
Key figures
| Median home value | $360,200 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1981 |
| Owner-occupied share | 75% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 50% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Wildfire (Relatively High), Earthquake (Relatively Moderate), Inland Flooding (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 89 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,655 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
Sources
- 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)