Yes, but the answer for a specific address may be a FAIR Plan policy plus a wrap-around, not a standard homeowners policy, and it may cost several times what a buyer moving from another state expects. This is the single most important thing to verify before your contingency period ends on a North Bay purchase.
Some context on scale. The California FAIR Plan, the state's insurer of last resort, had 696,562 policies in force as of June 2026. That is up 8 percent since September 2025 and up 157 percent since September 2022. The FAIR Plan exists because admitted carriers have pulled back from writing in higher-hazard areas, and the North Bay hills, the Napa Valley and the Sonoma foothills are among the places where that pullback has been most visible. Cost has followed: the FAIR Plan announced a 29.1 percent rate increase for homeowners policies taking effect in fall 2026, and in the most heavily exposed ZIP codes reported premiums can run well into five figures annually.
Three practical points for buyers.
First, insurability is address-specific, not town-specific. Two homes a mile apart can get very different answers depending on slope, vegetation, roof material and the assigned hazard severity zone. Do not rely on what a neighbor pays. Get a written quote on the exact property, early.
Second, a FAIR Plan policy is not a full homeowners policy. It primarily covers fire and a narrow set of related perils, so most owners pair it with a difference-in-conditions policy to restore liability, theft and water coverage. Price both together when you are underwriting the deal.
Third, hardening the home can reduce what you pay. Since November 15, 2025 the FAIR Plan has offered up to 12 individual wildfire hardening discounts applied to the wildfire portion of the premium. Homeowner policyholders who qualify for all 12 can save up to 14.6 percent of that portion, and Dwelling Fire policyholders up to 16.4 percent. The underlying standards come from Safer from Wildfires, a joint effort of the California Department of Insurance, CAL FIRE, the Governor's Office of Emergency Services and Office of Planning and Research, and the CPUC. Ember-resistant vents, a Class A roof, and a cleared five-foot zone around the structure are the kinds of items that count.
If you want help comparing specific scenarios against your situation, reach me through the contact page or at hello@homesbypaarth.com.
Yes, though many higher-hazard North Bay addresses are covered through the California FAIR Plan paired with a difference-in-conditions policy rather than a standard homeowners policy. FAIR Plan homeowners rates rose 29.1 percent in 2026, and wildfire hardening discounts can offset part of the premium.
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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. Homes by Paarth is committed to Equal Housing Opportunity and does not steer clients toward or away from any neighborhood on the basis of a protected characteristic.