California FAIR Plan cost calculator
Two inputs, no personal information. See the fire-only estimate, the real total with the second policy most homeowners need, and what the October 2026 increase does to it.
By the TMRW Team · Updated September 13, 2026
The short answer
- This estimator uses published premium data only — the exact examples and sources are listed below the calculator. It is an honest range, not a quote.
- It shows three numbers: the fire-only FAIR Plan estimate, the real total with the gap-filling second policy (+20–40%), and that same total after the 29.1% average increase that hits renewals from October 15, 2026.
- The output is a range on purpose: your exact price depends on details only the FAIR Plan's own quote can price.
FAIR Plan estimate — fire coverage only
$3,800 – $6,800 /year
Real total with the gap policy most homeowners need — at today’s rates
$4,500 – $9,500/yr
That same total after the state’s approved increase (from October 15, 2026)
$5,800 – $12,200/yr
Ranges estimated from published premium data as of September 2026 — see the methodology and sources below. Documented extreme cases run above these ranges. This is not a quote; your price is set by the FAIR Plan alone.
Figures on this page are illustrative estimates from public rate information, not quotes. Your actual premium is set solely by the insurer. For a real FAIR Plan quote, go through a licensed agent or the plan's own site.
How this estimate is built
There is no public FAIR Plan rate calculator, so we fitted estimate ranges to the premium examples published by the sources below, drawing a straight line between examples for the sizes in between, and sanity-checked the result against ZIP-by-ZIP premium reporting. Across those examples the price per dollar of coverage falls as the home gets bigger and rises steeply with fire risk. When the FAIR Plan's approved rate filing is fully public in machine-readable form, we'll replace these fitted ranges with the filing's own numbers.
Anchor examples this calculator is fitted to:
The published anchors
| Example | Published premium | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| $400,000 home in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone | $3,200–$4,800/yr | Latent Insurance (broker cost guide) |
| $1,000,000 home in a foothill county | $5,000–$9,000/yr | Latent Insurance (broker cost guide) |
| $2,000,000 home in the Sonoma County foothills (FAIR Plan policy only) | $7,000–$11,000/yr | Latent Insurance (broker cost guide) |
| $2,000,000 home in an extreme-risk zone | $8,000–$15,000+/yr | Latent Insurance (broker cost guide) |
| $3,000,000 home (the FAIR Plan's coverage cap) | $9,000–$25,000+/yr | Latent Insurance (broker cost guide) |
| Statewide average (all risk levels) | ~$3,100/yr | San Francisco Chronicle (ZIP-level premium data) |
| High-fire-risk ZIP codes, typical | $5,000–$12,000/yr | San Francisco Chronicle (ZIP-level premium data) |
Full citations in Sources below. Documented extreme cases (e.g. ~$31,900/yr in south San Jose) run above every fitted range.
What actually moves your number
Three things dominate: where you are on the state's fire-risk map, how much it would cost to rebuild your home, and — from October 2026 — the new approved rates, which raise prices most for the highest-risk homes. You can't change the map or the rebuild cost. What you can change is your property's own risk: California's Safer from Wildfires program lists fire-safety upgrades insurers must reward, and documented risk reduction is what brings regular insurers — and their prices — back within reach. That's the way off the FAIR Plan entirely.
Common questions
TMRW is an independent wildfire-mitigation company. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the California FAIR Plan Association or any state FAIR Plan, wind pool, or insurance program.
This page is educational. TMRW is not an insurance agent, broker, or producer, and nothing here is insurance advice, a coverage recommendation, or an offer of insurance. Talk to a licensed agent or broker about your coverage.
Sources
- Broker-published FAIR Plan premium examples by home value and risk zone — Latent Insurance, accessed 2026-09-13
- FAIR Plan premiums by ZIP code (statewide average; high-risk band; extreme case) — San Francisco Chronicle, accessed 2026-09-02
- Approved dwelling rate increase (29.1% average, effective 2026-10-15) — California Department of Insurance, accessed 2026-09-02
- Gap (DIC) policy add-on: combined cost typically 20–40% above fire-only — Coverage Cat, accessed 2026-09-02
Keep reading
What the California FAIR Plan really costs
What the California FAIR Plan actually costs in 2026 — by risk level, with the 29.1% October increase, and the second policy that turns a $5,000 premium into an $8,000 bill.
The California FAIR Plan, explained
What the California FAIR Plan is, what it really costs with the second policy you'll need, what happens if it runs out of money — and how homeowners get back to real insurance.
Alternatives to the California FAIR Plan
Four real alternatives to the California FAIR Plan — including the one that fixes the underlying problem: documented fire-risk reduction that brings regular insurers back.