Can You Even Get Home Insurance in Malibu After the Fire? (2026)

This is one of the first questions buyers ask me now, and it’s a fair one. The honest answer is yes, you can usually still get covered in Malibu, but it’s harder than it used to be, it costs more, and you have to do it the right way or you’ll get burned a second time on paper.

I want to be clear about one thing first. I’m a realtor, not an insurance agent. It’s like when someone asks me a tax question. I can’t answer it, I have to send them to an accountant. Insurance is the same. So what I’m giving you here is 26 years of watching this play out, plus the people I trust to call. Always confirm the details with a licensed agent.

Update your coverage to today’s rebuild cost

This is the single biggest mistake I see, and it’s the one that wrecks people.

A lot of older policies were written years ago at around $200 a square foot. To actually rebuild in Malibu today, you need coverage closer to $850 a square foot, at a minimum. If you bought your home back in the early 90s and never raised that number, you are badly underinsured and you don’t know it yet.

Here’s the part that stings. If you don’t carry that higher coverage, even the California Fair Plan won’t fully cover you either. People skip the update because they’re trying to save on the premium. But it’s when you need it the most that you find out you’re short. You think you’re saving money, and at the end you’re really not.

Know which carriers are actually writing right now

It’s a moving target, so check current status, but here’s the lay of the land.

State Farm has pulled out and isn’t writing new policies. Farmers is still active in California. Chubb is the gold standard if you can get it, top tier and expensive, and they don’t give you the runaround. When there’s a claim they write the check and you’re ready to go. The California Fair Plan is the backstop, the place of last resort. And there are newer local carriers writing in the burn areas and getting creative about it.

Whenever there’s risk, the cost goes up. That’s just the rule now, and Malibu is high risk on paper, so plan for it.

What I actually do when a buyer can’t get covered

I don’t leave people stranded on this. I have good insurance agents writing in Malibu right now, proactive and creative people who will find the angle, like getting you a discount and coverage for putting a fire sprinkler on the roof. If even they can’t write it, then the California Fair Plan is the only place I’d insure them. That’s the order I go in.

And those fire safety upgrades are worth doing anyway. Non combustible roofing and siding, vent screens, sprinklers, smart landscaping. Most carriers will give you a break for them, and they make your home safer for the next one.

The Fair Plan alone won’t rebuild your home

People hear “Fair Plan” and relax. Don’t, not all the way. It’s a fire backstop, but the coverage is thin for a Malibu rebuild. After Woolsey, some homeowners with only the Fair Plan couldn’t cover their rebuild, so they ended up suing Edison, which has deeper pockets, collecting, and rebuilding that way. That’s the story for a lot of those cases. It worked, but it’s a long, hard road, and it’s not a plan you want to count on.

Don’t forget loss of use

Loss of use is the coverage everyone forgets, and it’s the one that saves your life when you can’t live in your home. It pays your living expenses while you rebuild.

I had a client whose insurer paid about $10,000 a month in loss of use. She took it, moved to Las Vegas, found the same luxury style she loved for half the price, and bought a property there for two million that here would have run her four. That’s what good coverage does. Without it, every month out of your house comes straight out of your pocket.

The all cash gamble

Some people are so tired of paying what feels like someone else’s mortgage in rent that they buy all cash with no insurance and take their chances. I understand the feeling. I had a client buy a blacklisted, improperly insured condo for exactly that reason. I’ll be straight with you, I don’t advise it. The lenders won’t fund those homes because they won’t take the risk, and that should tell you something. Whenever there’s risk, the cost increases, one way or another.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you still get home insurance in Malibu after the fires?

Usually yes, but it’s harder and pricier. Some major carriers pulled back, so you may need a specialty broker, a newer local carrier, or the California Fair Plan as a backstop.

How much coverage do I need to rebuild in Malibu?

Budget your dwelling coverage around $850 a square foot at a minimum. Older policies written near $200 a square foot leave most Malibu homeowners badly underinsured for an actual rebuild.

What is the California Fair Plan and is it enough?

It’s the state backstop for high risk homes that regular carriers won’t write. It provides basic fire coverage, but on its own it usually falls short of what a full Malibu rebuild costs, so most owners pair it with additional coverage.

Which insurance companies are still writing in Malibu?

It changes often. As of 2026, State Farm has stopped writing new policies, Farmers is still active, Chubb is the high end option when available, and newer local carriers are writing in the burn areas. Confirm current status with a licensed agent.

Why does loss of use coverage matter so much?

Because a Malibu rebuild takes years, and loss of use pays your living expenses the whole time you’re out of the home. Without it, every month of rent or a rental comes out of your own pocket.

I’m Bianca Torrence at BiancaRealtor.com. I’ve been in real estate for 26 years. I’m not your insurance agent, but I’ll point you to the right one and tell you the truth about what you’re walking into. I am here for You!