Santa Monica is a city of renters, condo owners and small landlords as much as homeowners. The questions that come up most are earthquake coverage for older buildings, condo loss assessments, landlord policies for rent-controlled units, and whether a home-sharing listing is legal and insured.
Homes in Santa Monica
North of Montana Avenue, streets of larger traditional homes, many from the 1920s through the 1950s, have been remodeled or rebuilt over time. Sunset Park and the Ocean Park neighborhoods mix Craftsman and Spanish bungalows with small cottages and duplexes, and houses close to the beach tend to sit on narrow lots.
A large share of Santa Monica residents rent, and much of the housing is in apartment buildings and condominiums, from older courtyard buildings to newer complexes near downtown. That makes condo, renters and landlord coverage as central here as a homeowners policy.
Santa Monica risks, and what covers them
Wildfire is less of a factor in most of the city than in the canyons to the north, which shifts attention to earthquake, water and coastal exposure.
- EarthquakeSanta Monica saw significant damage in the 1994 Northridge earthquake, and the city runs a seismic retrofit program for certain older building types. Home, condo and landlord policies all exclude earthquake; earthquake coverage is bought separately.
- Coastal and floodHomes and buildings near the beach and in low spots can face storm-driven flooding, and bluffs along the coast erode over time. Standard policies exclude flood; check FEMA’s map for the address and consider a flood policy.
- Water damage in shared buildingsIn condos and apartments, a leak in one unit often damages another. Sorting out which policy pays depends on the HOA’s master policy, your unit policy and the cause.
- Nearby wildfireThe Santa Monica Mountains and the 2025 Palisades Fire area are just north of the city. Carriers may look at brush proximity even for homes near the city’s northern edge.
Los Angeles County’s record: about 294,804 acres burned in the wildfires CAL FIRE posted from 2013 through 2025, the largest the Woolsey Fire (2018, 96,949 acres in all); 1,844 National Flood Insurance Program claims since 2005, paid $28 million; 15 federal major disaster declarations since 2000. The county’s full storm history; wildfires by county.
Non-renewals here: of the homeowners policies that came up for renewal in 2023, insurers declined 8.1% in 90401, 8.7% in 90402, 6.9% in 90403, 6.6% in 90404 and 6.9% in 90405 (statewide, 9.4%), per California Department of Insurance figures. The FAIR Plan’s share of insured homes in 2022 was 1.1% in 90401, 0.8% in 90402, 1.7% in 90403, 3.1% in 90404 and 1.8% in 90405 (statewide, 3.2%). Every year and every ZIP.
Insurance problems I see in Santa Monica
- Home-sharing listings. Santa Monica’s home-sharing rules are strict, and whole-unit vacation rentals are generally not allowed. Check the city’s current rules before listing, and don’t assume a homeowners or renters policy covers paying guests.
- Condo loss assessments. When a building suffers a large loss, owners can be assessed for the master policy deductible. An HO-6 policy with adequate loss assessment coverage addresses this, and earthquake assessments need their own look.
- Rent-controlled rentals. Owners of older buildings need landlord or apartment building policies with realistic rebuild values, loss of rents and liability, and underwriters ask about retrofit status.
- Beach-area businesses. Restaurants and shops near Main Street and downtown need property and liability coverage that matches their leases, and liquor liability where alcohol is served.
Serving Santa Monica from Beverly Hills
Santa Monica is a short drive west of my Beverly Hills office, but clients almost never need to make it. Condo owners can send the HOA’s master policy summary, landlords a rent roll, and I’ll work from those by phone and email.
I don’t have an office in Santa Monica. I serve Santa Monica 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.
Santa Monica insurance, answered
Can I list my Santa Monica condo or house on Airbnb?
Santa Monica restricts short-term rentals, and whole-unit vacation rentals are generally not permitted, so check the city’s current rules and your HOA’s rules first. Even where hosting is allowed, most home and condo policies limit coverage for paying guests.
Does my condo need its own earthquake coverage if the HOA has some?
Possibly. An HOA earthquake policy, if there is one, usually carries a large deductible that can be passed to owners as an assessment. A unit earthquake policy can cover your interior, belongings and loss assessments, depending on its terms.
Do I need flood insurance in Santa Monica?
Most of the city isn’t in a high-risk flood zone, so lenders rarely require it. Homes near the beach or in low areas should check FEMA’s map, and a flood policy is available outside high-risk zones too.
My landlord has insurance. Do I still need renters insurance?
Yes. The landlord’s policy covers the building, not your belongings or your personal liability. Renters insurance covers those and additional living expenses if the unit becomes unlivable after a covered loss.
General information about insurance in Santa Monica 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.