Home Insurance in San Carlos, California
San Carlos's median home value is $2,000,000+.
The typical home in San Carlos was built around 1962. Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them. About 47% of homes were built before 1960, about 7 points above San Mateo County's 40%.
The housing stock in San Carlos is 71% single-family homes and 25% apartments in buildings with 5+ units.
About 72% of owner-occupied homes in San Carlos have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
San Carlos has an owner-occupancy rate of 68% and a vacancy rate of 5%; unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form.
In San Carlos, 73% of homes are primarily heated with natural gas.
FEMA rates San Mateo County's overall risk as Relatively High, led by earthquake (Relatively High). San Mateo County had 4,143 active NFIP flood policies as of September 2026. See the full San Mateo County home insurance overview for all FEMA hazard ratings and flood coverage details. Earthquake damage is excluded from a standard homeowners policy.
The statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in California is $1,655 per year, according to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $2,000,000+ |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1962 |
| Owner-occupied share | 68% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 72% |
| Top county hazard | Earthquake (Relatively High) |
| Active NFIP policies in San Mateo County | 4,143 |
| 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)