Home Insurance in San Francisco County, California
With a median home value of $1,394,500, San Francisco County is 90% higher than the California median.
The typical home in San Francisco County was built around 1946. About 61% of homes were built before 1960, about 35 points above California's 27%. Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them.
In San Francisco County, the housing stock is 30% single-family homes and 49% apartments in buildings with 5+ units. The rest are 2-4 unit or other housing types.
In San Francisco County, about 64% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
About 38% of occupied homes in San Francisco County are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 12%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
In San Francisco County, 55% of homes are primarily heated with natural gas.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists earthquake (Very High), inland flooding (Relatively High) and coastal flooding (Relatively Moderate) as the leading hazards for San Francisco County. Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake, so separate coverage is usually needed.
San Francisco County had 252 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 | $1,394,500 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1946 |
| Owner-occupied share | 38% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 64% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Earthquake (Very High), Inland Flooding (Relatively High), Coastal Flooding (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 252 |
| 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)