California is known for its sunny beaches, sprawling urban centers, and diverse natural beauty—from San Diego to San Francisco and the Sierra Nevada. However, renters in the Golden State also face unique risks, including wildfires, earthquakes, and theft in densely populated areas. Having renters insurance in California provides a financial safety net and peace of mind no matter where you call home.

As of 2025, the average renters insurance premium in California is around $182 annually. This is slightly above the national average, largely due to the state’s higher exposure to wildfires and the rising costs of rebuilding. Cities like Los Angeles, San Jose, and Sacramento can vary widely in pricing depending on crime statistics and risk factors in each ZIP code.
If you want to find the exact rate for your location, hit the big button below to get your free quotes.
Why Do You Need Renters Insurance in California?
California renters face risks that range from natural disasters to urban crime. Landlord insurance only covers the building—your renters insurance protects your belongings, covers liability for guest injuries, and provides alternative living arrangements if your rental becomes uninhabitable due to a covered event. Whether you're renting an apartment in downtown LA or a cottage in Santa Rosa, coverage matters.
💡Takeaway: Renters insurance is not legally required in California, but landlords often make it a lease condition. It's a smart investment for protecting your belongings and ensuring financial stability after unexpected events. Compare quotes in your area.
What Does Renters Insurance Cover in California?
California renters insurance policies typically include the following standard coverages. It's important to know your options and ensure that your policy fits your needs—especially given the state's wildfire risk and limited flood/earthquake coverage.

- Personal Property
Protects items like furniture, clothes, electronics, and more from damage or theft. You can increase limits or add riders for high-value items such as jewelry, musical instruments, and collectibles. - Liability Coverage
Covers injuries to guests and accidental damage to others’ property. For example, if your dog bites someone or a kitchen fire affects a neighbor's unit, this coverage can help. - Loss of Use
Reimburses hotel and living costs if your rental becomes uninhabitable due to a covered peril such as fire or smoke damage. - Medical Payments
Pays for minor injuries to guests, regardless of fault.
💡Did You Know? Standard renters insurance doesn’t cover damage from earthquakes or floods. For earthquake coverage, you’ll need a separate policy—especially important if you live near the San Andreas Fault.
What Affects Renters Insurance Rates in California?
Your location plays a big role in determining your premium. Proximity to wildfire zones or high-crime neighborhoods can increase rates. Other factors include:
- Coverage limits and deductible amount
- Age and construction type of the building
- Security features (alarms, smoke detectors, gated community)
- Your personal claims history
- Credit score (in most cases)
Available Renters Insurance Discounts
You may be eligible for various discounts. Popular ones include:
- Multi-Policy: Bundle renters and auto insurance to save.
- Security Features: Alarms, fire sprinklers, and gated access can reduce risk.
- Claims-Free: No recent insurance claims? Enjoy lower premiums.
- Paperless or Automatic Payments: Going digital often earns a small discount.
Other Risks to Consider in California
In addition to wildfires and earthquakes, renters in California should consider coverage for identity theft and vandalism, especially in urban areas. Earthquake insurance is available through the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) and can be added through most major carriers.
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Renters Insurance Rates for Cities in California
We compiled data about renters insurance rates for every city in California. This list was last updated in January 2025. Prices vary greatly between regions, so it's best to compare based on your ZIP code.
- Adelanto
- Agoura Hills
- Alameda
- Albany
- Alhambra
- Aliso Viejo
- Alondra Park
- Alpine
- Alta Sierra
- Altadena
- Alum Rock
- American Canyon
- Anaheim
- Anderson
- Antioch
- Apple Valley
- Aptos
- Arcadia
- Arcata
- Arden-Arcade
- Arroyo Grande
- Artesia
- Arvin
- Ashland
- Atascadero
- Atherton
- Atwater
- Auburn
- August
- Avenal
- Avocado Heights
- Azusa
- Bakersfield
- Baldwin Park
- Banning
- Barstow
- Bay Point
- Baywood-Los Osos
- Beaumont
- Bell
- Bell Gardens
- Bellflower
- Belmont
- Benicia
- Berkeley
- Bermuda Dunes
- Beverly Hills
- Blackhawk-Camino Tassajara
- Bloomington
- Blythe
- Bonadelle Ranchos-Madera Ranchos
- Bonita
- Bostonia
- Boyes Hot Springs
- Brawley
- Brea
- Brentwood
- Buena Park
- Burbank
- Burlingame
- Calabasas
- Calexico
- California City
- Calimesa
- Calipatria
- Camarillo
- Cambria
- Cameron Park
- Camp Pendleton North
- Camp Pendleton South
- Campbell
- Canyon Lake
- Capitola
- Carlsbad
- Carmichael
- Carpinteria
- Carson
- Casa de Oro-Mount Helix
- Castro Valley
- Castroville
- Cathedral City
- Ceres
- Cerritos
- Charter Oak
- Cherryland
- Chico
- Chino
- Chino Hills
- Chowchilla
- Chula Vista
- Citrus
- Citrus Heights
- Claremont
- Clayton
- Clearlake
- Cloverdale
- Clovis
- Coachella
- Coalinga
- Colton
- Commerce
- Compton
- Concord
- Corcoran
- Corning
- Corona
- Coronado
- Corte Madera
- Costa Mesa
- Cotati
- Coto de Caza
- Country Club
- Covina
- Crestline
- Cudahy
- Culver City
- Cupertino
- Cypress
- Daly City
- Dana Point
- Danville
- Davis
- Del Aire
- Delano
- Delhi
- Desert Hot Springs
- Diamond Bar
- Dinuba
- Discovery Bay
- Dixon
- Downey
- Duarte
- Dublin
- Earlimart
- East Compton
- East Foothills
- East Hemet
- East La Mirada
- East Los Angeles
- East Palo Alto
- East Pasadena
- East Porterville
- East San Gabriel
- El Cajon
- El Centro
- El Cerrito
- El Dorado Hills
- El Monte
- El Paso de Robles
- El Rio
- El Segundo
- El Sobrante
- Elk Grove
- Emeryville
- Encinitas
- Escondido
- Eureka
- Exeter
- Fair Oaks
- Fairfax
- Fairfield
- Fairview
- Fallbrook
- Farmersville
- Fillmore
- Florence-Graham
- Florin
- Folsom
- Fontana
- Foothill Farms
- Foothill Ranch
- Fort Bragg
- Fortuna
- Foster City
- Fountain Valley
- Fremont
- Fresno
- Fullerton
- Galt
- Garden Acres
- Garden Grove
- Gardena
- Gilroy
- Glen Avon
- Glendale
- Glendora
- Gold River
- Golden Hills
- Goleta
- Gonzales
- Grand Terrace
- Granite Bay
- Grass Valley
- Greenfield
- Grover Beach
- Hacienda Heights
- Half Moon Bay
- Hanford
- Hawaiian Gardens
- Hawthorne
- Hayward
- Healdsburg
- Hemet
- Hercules
- Hermosa Beach
- Hesperia
- Highland
- Hillsborough
- Hollister
- Home Gardens
- Huntington Beach
- Huntington Park
- Huron
- Imperial
- Imperial Beach
- Indio
- Inglewood
- Interlaken
- Ione
- Irvine
- Isla Vista
- Kentfield
- Kerman
- King City
- Kingsburg
- La Canada Flintridge
- La Crescenta-Montrose
- La Habra
- La Mesa
- La Mirada
- La Palma
- La Presa
- La Puente
- La Quinta
- La Riviera
- La Verne
- Ladera Heights
- Lafayette
- Laguna
- Laguna Beach
- Laguna Hills
- Laguna Niguel
- Laguna West-Lakeside
- Laguna Woods
- Lake Arrowhead
- Lake Elsinore
- Lake Forest
- Lake Los Angeles
- Lakeside
- Lakewood
- Lamont
- Lancaster
- Larkfield-Wikiup
- Larkspur
- Lathrop
- Lawndale
- Lemon Grove
- Lemoore
- Lennox
- Lincoln
- Linda
- Lindsay
- Live Oak
- Livermore
- Livingston
- Lodi
- Loma Linda
- Lomita
- Lompoc
- Long Beach
- Loomis
- Los Alamitos
- Los Altos
- Los Altos Hills
- Los Angeles
- Los Banos
- Los Gatos
- Lucas Valley-Marinwood
- Lynwood
- Madera
- Madera Acres
- Magalia
- Malibu
- Mammoth Lakes
- Manhattan Beach
- Manteca
- Marina
- Marina del Rey
- Martinez
- Marysville
- Maywood
- McFarland
- McKinleyville
- Mendota
- Menlo Park
- Mentone
- Merced
- Mill Valley
- Millbrae
- Milpitas
- Mira Loma
- Mira Monte
- Mission Viejo
- Modesto
- Monrovia
- Montclair
- Montebello
- Montecito
- Monterey
- Monterey Park
- Moorpark
- Moraga
- Moreno Valley
- Morgan Hill
- Morro Bay
- Mountain View
- Murrieta
- Muscoy
- Napa
- National City
- Newark
- Newman
- Newport Beach
- Nipomo
- Norco
- North Auburn
- North Fair Oaks
- North Highlands
- Norwalk
- Novato
- Oakdale
- Oakland
- Oakley
- Oceano
- Oceanside
- Oildale
- Ojai
- Olivehurst
- Ontario
- Opal Cliffs
- Orange
- Orange Cove
- Orangevale
- Orcutt
- Orinda
- Orland
- Orosi
- Oroville
- Oroville East
- Oxnard
- Pacific Grove
- Pacifica
- Palm Desert
- Palm Springs
- Palmdale
- Palo Alto
- Palos Verdes Estates
- Paradise
- Paramount
- Parkway-South Sacramento
- Parlier
- Pasadena
- Patterson
- Pedley
- Perris
- Petaluma
- Pico Rivera
- Piedmont
- Pinole
- Pismo Beach
- Pittsburg
- Placentia
- Placerville
- Pleasant Hill
- Pleasanton
- Pomona
- Port Hueneme
- Porterville
- Portola Hills
- Poway
- Prunedale
- Quartz Hill
- Ramona
- Rancho Cordova
- Rancho Cucamonga
- Rancho Mirage
- Rancho Palos Verdes
- Rancho San Diego
- Rancho Santa Margarita
- Red Bluff
- Redding
- Redlands
- Redondo Beach
- Redwood City
- Reedley
- Rialto
- Richmond
- Ridgecrest
- Rio Linda
- Rio del Mar
- Ripon
- Riverbank
- Riverside
- Rocklin
- Rodeo
- Rohnert Park
- Rolling Hills Estates
- Rosamond
- Rosedale
- Roseland
- Rosemead
- Rosemont
- Roseville
- Rossmoor
- Rowland Heights
- Rubidoux
- Sacramento
- Salida
- Salinas
- San Anselmo
- San Bernardino
- San Bruno
- San Buenaventura
- San Carlos
- San Clemente
- San Diego
- San Diego Country Estates
- San Dimas
- San Fernando
- San Francisco
- San Gabriel
- San Jacinto
- San Jose
- San Juan Capistrano
- San Leandro
- San Lorenzo
- San Luis Obispo
- San Marcos
- San Marino
- San Mateo
- San Pablo
- San Rafael
- San Ramon
- Sanger
- Santa Ana
- Santa Barbara
- Santa Clara
- Santa Clarita
- Santa Cruz
- Santa Fe Springs
- Santa Maria
- Santa Monica
- Santa Paula
- Santa Rosa
- Santee
- Saratoga
- Sausalito
- Scotts Valley
- Seal Beach
- Seaside
- Sebastopol
- Selma
- Shafter
- Shasta Lake
- Sierra Madre
- Signal Hill
- Simi Valley
- Solana Beach
- Soledad
- Sonoma
- South El Monte
- South Gate
- South Lake Tahoe
- South Oroville
- South Pasadena
- South San Francisco
- South San Gabriel
- South San Jose Hills
- South Whittier
- South Yuba City
- Spring Valley
- Stanford
- Stanton
- Stockton
- Suisun City
- Sun City
- Sunnyvale
- Susanville
- Taft
- Tamalpais-Homestead Valley
- Tehachapi
- Temecula
- Temple City
- Thermalito
- Thousand Oaks
- Tiburon
- Torrance
- Tracy
- Truckee
- Tulare
- Turlock
- Tustin
- Tustin Foothills
- Twentynine Palms
- Twentynine Palms Base
- Ukiah
- Union City
- Upland
- Vacaville
- Valinda
- Valle Vista
- Vallejo
- Valley Center
- Vandenberg AFB
- Victorville
- View Park-Windsor Hills
- Vincent
- Vineyard
- Visalia
- Vista
- Walnut
- Walnut Creek
- Walnut Park
- Wasco
- Waterford
- Watsonville
- West Athens
- West Carson
- West Covina
- West Hollywood
- West Modesto
- West Puente Valley
- West Sacramento
- West Whittier-Los Nietos
- Westlake Village
- Westminster
- Westmont
- Whittier
- Wildomar
- Willowbrook
- Willows
- Windsor
- Winter Gardens
- Winters
- Winton
- Woodcrest
- Woodlake
- Woodland
- Yorba Linda
- Yreka
- Yuba City
- Yucaipa
- Yucca Valley