Home Insurance in San Francisco, California
The median home value in San Francisco is $1,394,500, close to the San Francisco County median.
The typical home in San Francisco was built around 1946. Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them. About 61% of homes were built before 1960, in line with San Francisco County (61%).
Housing in San Francisco breaks down to 30% single-family homes and 49% apartments in buildings with 5+ units. The rest are 2-4 unit or other housing types.
About 64% of owner-occupied homes in San Francisco have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
About 38% of occupied homes in San Francisco 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, 55% of homes are primarily heated with natural gas.
San Francisco County's top FEMA-rated hazard is earthquake (Very High), per FEMA's National Risk Index. San Francisco County had 252 active NFIP flood policies as of September 2026. See the full San Francisco County home insurance overview for all FEMA hazard ratings and flood coverage details. Earthquake damage is excluded from a standard homeowners policy.
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 | $1,394,500 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1946 |
| Owner-occupied share | 38% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 64% |
| Top county hazard | Earthquake (Very High) |
| Active NFIP policies in San Francisco County | 252 |
| 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)