San Francisco sits between the San Andreas and Hayward faults, and much of its housing is old, attached and multi-unit. Earthquake coverage, soft-story retrofits, shared-building ownership such as condos and TICs, and landlord policies come up far more than wildfire does.
Homes in San Francisco
San Francisco’s neighborhoods are lined with Victorian and Edwardian homes, many a century or more old, often built wall to wall with their neighbors. Many single-family homes have been converted into flats, and older wood-frame apartment buildings with garages at street level are common across the city.
Condominiums range from converted flats to downtown high-rises, and tenancy-in-common (TIC) ownership, where co-owners share one building, is more common here than almost anywhere in California. Many buildings have a shop or restaurant on the ground floor and apartments above.
San Francisco risks, and the coverage for each
The 1906 earthquake and fire and the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake still define how carriers see the city.
- EarthquakeThe San Andreas fault runs just offshore and the Hayward fault across the bay. Home, condo and landlord policies exclude quake damage; earthquake insurance is separate, and it matters most for older and soft-story buildings.
- Liquefaction and fillAreas built on fill, like the Marina, suffered heavy damage in 1989. Soil conditions affect both earthquake damage and how underwriters view a building.
- Fire in attached buildingsFire can spread between row houses that share walls, and fire following an earthquake is generally covered by the fire portion of a home policy, subject to its terms.
- Older constructionKnob-and-tube wiring, old plumbing and unreinforced foundations limit carriers. Ordinance-or-law coverage helps pay for code upgrades after a covered loss.
San Francisco County’s record: 20 National Flood Insurance Program claims since 2005, paid $844,557; 2 federal major disaster declarations since 2000. The county’s full storm history; wildfires by county.
Non-renewals by ZIP code: San Francisco covers dozens of ZIP codes, and insurer non-renewal rates differ a lot between them. Look up your ZIP in the Department of Insurance figures for 2020 to 2023.
Insurance problems I see in San Francisco
- Soft-story buildings. San Francisco’s mandatory soft-story retrofit program covered many older wood-frame buildings. Carriers ask for proof of compliance, and owners need apartment building coverage with loss of rents.
- TIC ownership. A TIC building usually needs a master policy for the building plus individual policies for each co-owner’s interior, belongings and liability, set up so nothing falls between them.
- Short-term rentals. The city requires registration, limits hosting to a primary residence and caps unhosted nights. Check current rules, and insure hosting with coverage written for paying guests.
- Mixed-use buildings. Buildings with a restaurant or shop downstairs are typically written on a commercial policy; see mixed-use building insurance.
- Small landlords. Owners of two- to four-unit buildings under rent control need landlord policies with realistic rebuild values and liability.
Serving San Francisco from Beverly Hills
I don’t have an office in the Bay Area. I serve San Francisco clients from my Beverly Hills office, by phone and online, as a California-licensed broker. For buildings, a rent roll, retrofit permits and the current policy are the most useful documents to send.
I don’t have an office in San Francisco. I serve San Francisco clients from my Beverly Hills office, and quotes, applications and policy changes are handled by phone and online. Call (424) 552-4545, answered 24/7, or send a quote request.
San Francisco insurance, answered
Does San Francisco require earthquake insurance?
No. Earthquake insurance isn’t required by the city, and most lenders don’t require it. Given the faults and the age of much of the housing, it’s a decision many owners make deliberately, weighing the deductible against their ability to absorb a loss.
How is a TIC building insured?
Usually with a master policy on the whole building, bought by the co-owners together, plus individual policies for each owner’s unit interior, belongings and liability. The TIC agreement should say who insures what.
Can I rent my San Francisco home on Airbnb?
The city requires short-term rental registration, generally limits hosting to your primary residence and caps unhosted rental nights each year. Check current rules first, since home and renters policies generally don’t cover paying guests.
Will carriers insure a soft-story building that hasn’t been retrofitted?
Many won’t, or will limit coverage, and earthquake options narrow further. Completed retrofit work with permits and sign-off improves both eligibility and terms.
General information about insurance in San Francisco as of September 2026, not legal advice. Hazard maps, local rules and carrier appetite change; check current CAL FIRE, FEMA and city or county sources for a specific address. Coverage depends on underwriting and the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policy actually issued.