This has become one of the most important questions in Marin, and the honest answer is: usually yes, but it takes more work than it used to, and in higher-risk areas you may end up on the state's last-resort plan. If you are buying here, treat insurance as something to line up early, not at the last minute.
Why it got harder. California's home-insurance market tightened sharply. By early 2024, seven of the state's twelve largest insurers had paused writing new home policies, and tens of thousands of existing policies were non-renewed statewide as insurers pulled back from wildfire-exposed areas. Marin is squarely in that picture: roughly 65% of the county's living units sit within the Wildland-Urban Interface, the zone where homes meet wildland vegetation, so many Marin owners in the hills and near open space have received non-renewal notices.
The FAIR Plan, the safety net. When you cannot get a standard policy, the California FAIR Plan is the insurer of last resort. It is not a government program funded by taxpayers; it is a pool funded by the private insurers doing business in the state, and it is required to offer basic fire coverage to owners who cannot find it on the open market. The catch is that FAIR Plan coverage is basic. It covers fire, lightning, and smoke, but excludes things like theft, water damage, and liability, so owners typically pair it with a separate "difference in conditions" wrap policy to fill the gaps. Residential dwelling coverage is capped (currently $3 million). The FAIR Plan has grown fast as more owners fall back on it, and it filed for a significant rate increase in late 2025, so it is a real option but not a cheap one.
What the state is doing. The California Department of Insurance has rolled out a "Sustainable Insurance Strategy," billed as the largest insurance reform in decades. Two pieces matter most for buyers: insurers are now being required, for the first time, to write more policies in wildfire-distressed areas, with the goal of moving people off the FAIR Plan and back into the standard market; and insurers can now use forward-looking catastrophe models and reinsurance costs in setting rates. The intent is to coax carriers back. Whether it fully restores easy coverage in the highest-risk pockets of Marin is still playing out.
What actually helps at the property level. Insurability increasingly tracks with wildfire risk reduction. The Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority, created by voters in 2020, coordinates prevention county-wide, and defensible space and home-hardening (clearing vegetation, ember-resistant vents, and similar upgrades) can matter for whether and at what price a home can be insured. When you evaluate a specific home, it is worth checking its risk score and what mitigation has been done.
The practical advice: before you fall in love with a Marin home, get an insurance quote for that specific address early in your search. It can affect both your monthly cost and your loan.
If it helps, I can flag a property's wildfire-risk context and suggest getting quotes early so there are no surprises at closing. Reach me at paarth@brokerbela.com or through the contact page. This is general information, not insurance advice; confirm details with a licensed insurance professional.
Usually yes, but it is harder than it used to be. Many insurers pulled back from wildfire-exposed areas, and about 65% of Marin's homes sit in the Wildland-Urban Interface, so some owners face non-renewals. The California FAIR Plan is the last-resort option, offering basic fire coverage (often paired with a wrap policy for other risks). State reforms aim to bring standard insurers back. Get a quote for the specific address early, since defensible space and home hardening can affect insurability.
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This is general market commentary, not financial, investment, or legal advice; figures are as of publication and can change. Verify specifics, including any school assignments, ratings, or boundaries, independently. Bela Realty & Investments is committed to Equal Housing Opportunity and does not steer clients toward or away from any neighborhood on the basis of a protected characteristic.