By Phil Irwin, LUTCF, CLCS · Gold Insurance Solutions · Wildfire Country Home Insurance Experts
If your home is worth $1 million or more, high-value home insurance in California wildfire country takes more than a standard policy with bigger numbers. Whether you own in El Dorado Hills, Granite Bay or Folsom, a mountain home in Lake Tahoe or Truckee, a property in Napa or Sonoma wine country, or a home in Ventura County or Westlake Village, the cost to rebuild, the things inside and your liability exposure are all larger. This page explains the coverage features that matter most, how underwriting works for large homes in wildfire areas, and where to start. See all the markets we serve.
Why do high-value homes need different coverage?
A custom home often has features that cost more to rebuild than a tract home of the same size: specialty finishes, long driveways, steep lots, outbuildings and detailed landscaping. The goal is a policy that can actually rebuild your home, not just one with a big dwelling limit. Our guide to insuring to value in California covers how that limit is set.
Extended and guaranteed replacement cost
According to United Policyholders, extended replacement cost “adds a certain percentage over your stated policy limits,” usually by endorsement. Guaranteed replacement cost pays “the total amount it costs to repair or replace your property,” but only a few California carriers offer it. The endorsement wording matters, so read the details.
Ordinance or law (building code upgrade)
When you rebuild, the new home must meet current building codes. Under California Insurance Code § 10103, a replacement cost policy must include building code upgrade coverage of no less than 10 percent of the dwelling limit. For a large or older custom home, you may want more.
Contents, art, jewelry and collections
Many homeowners policies cap categories like jewelry, watches, furs and fine art. These sublimits are often $500 to $5,000, applied per claim. Scheduling valuable items, usually with a current appraisal, can insure each piece for a set amount. A personal articles floater covers scheduled items “on an all risks basis.” Also make sure your overall contents limit fits what you own.
Rebuild elsewhere or buy another home
Some owners decide not to rebuild on the same lot. After a total loss, California law limits how a policy can treat that choice. The California Department of Insurance’s 2025 notice of significant laws explains that a policy can’t limit payment just because you decided to rebuild at a new location, and no deduction is allowed for the value of the land there. For losses tied to a declared state of emergency, you generally get at least 36 months to collect full replacement cost. Ask how your policy handles rebuilding elsewhere or buying an already built home.
Higher liability, with an umbrella on top
Larger properties often mean more guests, staff, pools and vehicles. Higher home and auto liability limits, with a personal umbrella above them, add a layer of protection. See our guide to umbrella insurance in California.
How high-net-worth carriers differ
Carriers that focus on high-value homes generally build their policies around broader features, such as higher limits, extended or guaranteed replacement cost options, larger code upgrade limits and coverage for scheduled collections. Every carrier has its own guidelines, appetite and pricing, and availability changes in today’s California market.
Wildfire defense and loss-prevention services
Some carriers include a wildfire defense service with certain policies. According to a 2025 Aspen Journalism report, this benefit historically came only with policies on high-end homes, though more insurers now offer it. During a wildfire, contracted crews may clean gutters, cover vents, remove vegetation and other combustibles, and set up sprinklers. The service typically comes at no additional cost. The crews aren’t firefighters or first responders, they need to be able to reach the property, and the provider urges policyholders not to treat it as a substitute for hardening their homes. Ask whether a policy includes it.
Wildfire underwriting for large homes
In wildfire country, underwriters look closely at how a home is built and what surrounds it. Big homes have more roof, more vents, more decking and more landscape to review. The California Department of Insurance’s Safer from Wildfires framework lists home-level mitigation that can qualify for insurance discounts; how each carrier applies them varies:
- Class A fire-rated roof
- Ember- and fire-resistant vents
- Enclosed eaves
- Noncombustible bottom 6 inches of exterior walls
- A 5-foot ember-resistant zone around the structure
- Defensible space that complies with state and local rules
- Upgraded windows (multi-paned glass or added shutters)
CAL FIRE says 100 feet of defensible space is required by law (or to the property line), and “the first five feet from your home is the most important.” The State Board of Forestry adopted emergency Zone 0 regulations on August 19, 2026, as Best Best & Krieger reported, but the package was withdrawn from state review on September 8, 2026 and is not yet in effect. Check the current status before planning around any deadline. For a full mitigation plan, see our guide to the Wildfire Prepared Home.
Homes held in a trust or LLC
Many high-value homes are owned by a living trust or an LLC. The policy should match how title is actually held. United Policyholders recommends naming the trust “on the policy as an additional named insured,” using the trust’s exact name from the trust documents, and getting written confirmation of the change. It warns that insurers may deny a claim over “a mismatch between the property’s legal owner and the named insured.”
An LLC raises different questions, because a standard homeowners policy is designed for individuals and families. Tell us how the property is titled before you bind or transfer it, so we can confirm how each carrier wants it listed.
How we help: start with a Wildfire Insurability Walk-Through
At Gold Insurance Solutions, the first step for a high-value home is a free, in-person Wildfire Insurability Walk-Through. We walk the outside of the property through each carrier’s underwriting lens, identify the mitigation that matters most and help you plan for it. We validate the home hardening and mitigation you’ve already done, so it can be considered when we shop your coverage. We also help you determine if your home qualifies for Mercury, our top carrier in the California home insurance market, and shop our other admitted carriers if it doesn’t.
Book a free Wildfire Insurability Walk-Through: calendly.com/phil_irwin_availability/30min · Get a free home quote: gold.insure/quote · Realtors, send quote requests to quote@gold.insure.
Frequently asked questions
What is considered a high-value home for insurance?
There’s no single definition, and each carrier sets its own threshold. Many homes around $1 million and up, especially custom homes, benefit from a coverage review.
What’s the difference between extended and guaranteed replacement cost?
Extended replacement cost adds a set percentage above your dwelling limit. Guaranteed replacement cost pays the full cost to repair or replace your home, but few California carriers offer it.
Are my jewelry and art covered under my homeowners policy?
Usually only up to a sublimit. Scheduling valuable items, typically with a current appraisal, can insure each piece for a set amount.
Do I need to list my trust on my home insurance policy?
United Policyholders recommends naming the trust as an additional named insured, using its exact legal name, and getting written confirmation from your insurer.
What is a Wildfire Insurability Walk-Through?
It’s a free, in-person exterior review by Gold Insurance Solutions that looks at your home the way carriers do. We identify mitigation priorities, validate what’s been done and help position your home for the best available coverage.
Phil Irwin, LUTCF, CLCS, is President of Gold Insurance Solutions in El Dorado Hills, with more than 30 years in insurance. CA License #0G50873 · Agency License #6000540. This page is general information, not a guarantee of coverage, eligibility or discounts.
Sources: United Policyholders: What to Ask Your Agent · United Policyholders: Homes in Revocable Trusts · California Insurance Code § 10103 · CDI: 2025 Notice of Significant California Laws · CDI: Safer from Wildfires · CAL FIRE: Defensible Space · Best Best & Krieger: Zone 0 Regulations · CA Defensible Space: Zone 0 Rule Status · Aspen Journalism: When the Insurance Company Sends a Fire Crew · IRMI: Personal Articles Floater · Property Insurance Coverage Law: Tips for Owners of Fine Items