How much does the California FAIR Plan cost?

The average FAIR Plan premium for an owner-occupied home is about $3,008 a year statewide (fire-only), per California FAIR Plan data as of March 2026. County averages range widely — about $654 in Imperial County to $7,625 in Napa County. Note: the California Department of Insurance approved an average 29.1% FAIR Plan rate increase that took effect October 15, 2026; figures here still reflect pre-increase rates.

What does the FAIR Plan not cover?

It covers fire, smoke, and a few related perils, but not liability, water damage, theft, or falling objects. To approximate a normal homeowners policy you pair it with a separate Difference in Conditions (DIC) policy.

What is the California FAIR Plan? Cost, coverage, and who needs it (2026)

If a home insurer has dropped you, or every company you call says they aren't writing in your area, the name you keep hearing is the FAIR Plan. Here's what it actually is, what it costs, and why it's only half of a complete policy.

Key takeaways

The FAIR Plan ("Fair Access to Insurance Requirements") is California's insurer of last resort — a pool that all licensed home insurers in the state share, created in 1968. It is not a government program and not funded by taxes.

It sells basic fire coverage only. It does not include liability, water damage, or theft, so most people pair it with a separate DIC (Difference in Conditions) policy.

It is meant to be a fallback, not a first choice. It is usually more expensive and narrower than a standard policy. The average owner-occupied premium is about $3,008/yr statewide (fire-only, as of March 2026), versus admitted-market medians closer to $1,000–$2,000/yr.

Demand has exploded: 696,562 policies in force as of June 2026 (up 8% since September 2025), with about $768 billion of exposure (up 11%).

Who it's for

The FAIR Plan exists for one situation: you cannot get fire coverage in the admitted market (the normal insurers like Farmers, Mercury, CSAA, USAA). That happens most often in higher wildfire-risk areas, after a non-renewal, or when carriers have pulled back from a region. You apply through a licensed broker or producer — you generally don't walk up to the FAIR Plan directly — and you're meant to try the standard market first.

What it covers (and what it doesn't)

The FAIR Plan is essentially a dwelling fire policy. It pays for loss from fire, smoke, and a handful of related perils. It deliberately leaves out the things a normal homeowners policy bundles in:

Peril	FAIR Plan	Standard (admitted) homeowners
Fire / smoke	✅	✅
Personal liability	❌	✅
Water damage / burst pipes	❌	✅
Theft	❌	✅
Falling objects, other perils	❌	✅

That gap is why almost no one buys the FAIR Plan alone. You add a DIC policy from a private carrier that "wraps" the FAIR Plan and fills in liability, water, theft, and the rest. Together they approximate — but don't perfectly replicate — a normal policy. (We go deep on this in FAIR Plan vs. regular insurance.)

What it costs

FAIR Plan pricing is fire-only, so comparing it head-to-head with a full admitted policy isn't apples to apples — but the spread is real. Statewide, the average owner-occupied FAIR premium is $3,008/yr (March 2026). County averages vary enormously with wildfire risk:

Lowest: Imperial County ≈ $654/yr · Sacramento County ≈ $1,604/yr
Mid: Los Angeles County ≈ $2,327/yr (Mar 2026) · San Diego County ≈ $2,962/yr
High: Santa Barbara ≈ $6,150/yr · Napa ≈ $7,625/yr

Heads up — a rate increase is now in effect. The California Department of Insurance approved an average 29.1% FAIR Plan rate increase for dwelling policies, in effect since October 15, 2026 (applies to policies written or renewed on or after that date). The figures above still reflect pre-increase rates; see FAIR Plan cost & rate increases for detail.

See your own county on the average cost page or check an address in the map.

How widespread it's become

The FAIR Plan was designed to be a small safety net. It isn't small anymore. In the hardest-hit Sierra foothills, it now insures a huge share of all homes: Tuolumne 44.7%, Nevada 43.4%, Calaveras 38.3%, Amador 32.7%. Los Angeles County alone has about 154,765 FAIR policies. That growth is the clearest single signal of where the admitted market has retreated.

What to do if the FAIR Plan is your only option

Confirm the admitted market is truly closed to you. Appetite changes constantly; a broker who works high-risk California homes may find a standard carrier others missed. Who Will Insure estimates which carriers are likely to write your address from public signals.
Pair FAIR with a DIC policy so you actually have liability and water coverage, not just fire.
Reduce your risk to qualify for more options and discounts. California's "Safer from Wildfires" framework requires insurers to credit specific mitigation (defensible space, Class-A roof, ember-resistant vents). It can move you from "uninsurable" toward "insurable."
Re-shop every renewal. The FAIR Plan is a bridge. As carriers re-enter under the state's Sustainable Insurance Strategy, your address may become writable again.

All figures here come from public records — the California FAIR Plan's published statistics and the California Department of Insurance. Costs are filed-data ranges, not quotes; Who Will Insure provides estimates and referrals to licensed brokers, and never binds or sells coverage.