Best Homeowners Insurance Companies in California (2026): Complaint Ratios, Ratings and Market Share

Last verified October 7, 2026 · Insurance 8020 is not a licensed insurance producer, broker or agent, does not sell policies and is not affiliated with any insurer named below.

The best homeowners insurance in California comes from insurers that generate few complaints the regulator upholds and that have the balance sheet to pay after a bad catastrophe year. We ranked ten insurer groups that write California homeowners coverage on the California Department of Insurance’s (CDI) 2025 Homeowners Complaint Composite Report, AM Best financial strength ratings and the J.D. Power 2026 property claims study. We also show each group’s 2025 California market share and loss ratio from the CDI, because in a market that lost $1.70 for every dollar of premium in 2025, who keeps writing matters. We do not rank on price: the CDI does not publish premiums by insurer.

Key Takeaways

• Travelers and USAA tie for the top score - both pair an A++ (Superior) AM Best rating with 2025 California complaint ratios near 2 justified complaints per 100,000 exposures; Travelers wins the tiebreak on a slightly lower ratio.
• Mercury had the lowest complaint ratio among large writers - Mercury’s California Automobile Insurance Company recorded 0.9 justified complaints per 100,000 exposures in 2025 across 743,406 exposures.
• CSAA improved sharply - CSAA Insurance Exchange’s ratio fell from 4.6 in 2024 to 1.1 in 2025, per the CDI.
• State Farm General’s complaints fell but remain high - its ratio dropped from 11.9 to 6.1, still 42nd of the 50 large insurers the CDI lists.
• The market lost money in 2025 - California homeowners insurers posted a 170.23% loss ratio, so availability can change quickly at any carrier.

How we ranked California home insurers

Each group below writes homeowners coverage in California and appears in the CDI’s 2025 market share data. We scored three public criteria:

1. CDI justified complaint ratio (0 to 3 points). The CDI’s composite report lists justified complaints per 100,000 earned exposures for the 50 largest homeowners insurers, for complaints in 2025. Exposures include renters, mobile home and condo policies. Where a group has several listed companies, we combined the companies we could tie to the group in a primary source (justified complaints divided by exposures). Under 1.5 earns 3 points, 1.5 to under 3.0 earns 2, 3.0 to under 6.0 earns 1, and 6.0 or higher earns 0. A group with no company on the list earns 0 and is marked “not listed”.
2. AM Best financial strength (1 to 3 points). A++ earns 3, A+ earns 2, A earns 1.
3. Claims satisfaction (1 point). A top-three finish in J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Property Claims Satisfaction Study (Amica 773, The Hartford 756, Chubb 744; industry 702). J.D. Power does not publish a California-only home ranking.

Ties are broken by the lower complaint ratio. Market share and loss ratio are shown for context and are not scored.

#	Insurer	Complaints	AM Best	CA share	Score
1	Travelers	2.2	A++	4.0%	5
2	USAA	2.3*	A++	6.1%	5
3	Mercury	0.9	A	7.4%	4
4	CSAA (AAA)	1.1*	A	6.5%	4
5	Auto Club (AAA)	2.3	A+	6.6%	4
6	Allstate	2.8	A+	5.8%	4
7	Chubb	n/l	A++	2.0%	4
8	State Farm	6.1	A+	20.1%	2
9	Farmers	7.2*	A	15.4%	1
10	Liberty Mutual	8.3*	A	5.5%	1

Key: Complaints is the 2025 CDI justified complaint ratio per 100,000 exposures. An asterisk (*) marks a group where we combined two or more listed companies; n/l means no group company appears on the CDI list. AM Best is the financial strength rating. CA share is the group’s share of 2025 California homeowners premium written.

Sources: CDI Homeowners Complaint Composite Report, complaint years 2025, 2024 and 2023 (combined ratios are our calculation); CDI 2025 market share by group; AM Best rating actions cited in each section below. Accessed October 7, 2026.

1. Travelers: A++ strength and a falling complaint ratio

Travelers ranks first because it combines AM Best’s top grade with one of the lower complaint ratios among large California writers. Its Standard Fire Insurance Company, a Travelers group company in NAIC group data, recorded 2.2 justified complaints per 100,000 exposures in 2025 (6 justified complaints on 276,628 exposures), down from 5.6 in 2024. AM Best affirmed Travelers’ A++ (Superior) rating on August 21, 2026.

• 2025 California homeowners share: 4.04%, per the CDI.
• 2025 California homeowners loss ratio: 231.15%, so expect underwriting to stay selective.
• Best for: owners who put financial strength first. See our Travelers review.

2. USAA: A++ strength for military households

USAA ties Travelers on points. AM Best affirmed the A++ (Superior) rating and “aaa” issuer credit rating of United Services Automobile Association and its property/casualty subsidiaries on June 25, 2026, and said USAA serves 14.3 million members. Four USAA companies appear in the CDI composite: United Services Automobile Association (0.9), Garrison Property and Casualty (1.4), USAA General Indemnity (2.3) and USAA Casualty (4.0). Combined, that is 18 justified complaints on 798,013 exposures, a ratio of about 2.3.

• 2025 California homeowners share: 6.09%; 2025 loss ratio 235.77%.
• Best for: eligible military members, veterans and their families. Check eligibility on our USAA profile.

3. Mercury Insurance: lowest complaint ratio among large writers

Mercury’s California Automobile Insurance Company had a 2025 ratio of 0.9 across 743,406 exposures, the lowest of any company with more than 250,000 exposures on the list, and down from 2.8 in 2024. AM Best lists that company among the members of Mercury Casualty Group and, on February 24, 2026, affirmed the group’s A (Excellent) rating while revising its outlook to stable from negative. AM Best said Mercury’s January 2025 wildfire losses were $2.2 billion gross but $380 million net of reinsurance.

• 2025 California homeowners share: 7.39%, third largest; 2025 loss ratio 175.37%.
• Best for: owners who value low complaint counts; Mercury’s parent, Mercury General, is based in Los Angeles, per the AM Best release.

4. CSAA Insurance Group (AAA): biggest complaint improvement

CSAA Insurance Exchange recorded 1.1 justified complaints per 100,000 exposures in 2025 on 714,919 exposures, down from 4.6 in 2024 and 8.1 in 2023, and CSAA Fire and Casualty recorded 1.0. CSAA says AM Best reaffirmed its A (Excellent) rating with a stable outlook on July 23, 2026, and that it insures AAA members in 23 states and the District of Columbia.

• 2025 California homeowners share: 6.49%; its 2025 loss ratio of 41.44% was the lowest of the ten groups in this ranking.
• Best for: AAA members who want a sharply improving complaint record; CSAA says it offers home and other personal lines to AAA members in 23 states and the District of Columbia.

5. Auto Club Enterprises (AAA): A+ strength, largest exposure base

The Interinsurance Exchange of the Automobile Club had the most exposures of any insurer on the CDI’s list, 964,454, with a 2025 ratio of 2.3 (22 justified complaints), up slightly from 1.9 in 2024. AM Best’s rating disclosure shows an A+ (Superior) financial strength rating, affirmed April 29, 2026, with a stable outlook.

• 2025 California homeowners share: 6.64%; 2025 loss ratio 222.39%.
• Best for: AAA members comparing their club insurer against other A+ carriers.

6. Allstate: A+ strength, mid-pack complaints

Allstate Insurance Company recorded 2.8 justified complaints per 100,000 exposures in 2025 (19 on 682,166 exposures), down from 4.5 in 2024. AM Best affirmed Allstate’s A+ (Superior) rating on September 2, 2026.

• 2025 California homeowners share: 5.77%; 2025 loss ratio 211.58%.
• Best for: owners who want an A+ insurer whose complaint ratio fell from 4.5 to 2.8. See our Allstate review.

7. Chubb: A++ strength and top-three claims satisfaction

No Chubb company appears among the 50 large homeowners insurers in the CDI composite, so Chubb earns no complaint points here. It still scores 4 on AM Best’s A++ (Superior) rating, affirmed January 16, 2026, and a third-place 744 in J.D. Power’s 2026 property claims study.

• 2025 California homeowners share: 2.01%; Chubb’s 2025 California homeowners loss ratio was 502.74%, the highest of the ten groups in this ranking, per the CDI data.
• Best for: high-value homes. See our Chubb review.

8. State Farm: largest writer, complaints still elevated

State Farm Group wrote 20.09% of California homeowners premium in 2025, the most of any group. Its California writer, State Farm General Insurance Company, recorded 118 justified complaints on 1,949,806 exposures in 2025, a ratio of 6.1. That was down from 11.9 (254 justified complaints) in 2024, but still 42nd of 50. AM Best assigns State Farm Mutual and State Farm Fire and Casualty an A+ (Superior) rating after a November 14, 2025 downgrade from A++; State Farm General is a separate company, so ask your agent for its rating.

• 2025 California homeowners loss ratio: 236.11%.
• Best for: current State Farm policyholders comparing a renewal. See our State Farm review.

9. Farmers: second-largest writer, high complaint ratio

Farmers wrote 15.43% of California homeowners premium in 2025. Farmers Insurance Exchange recorded 9.6 justified complaints per 100,000 exposures in 2025 (47 on 488,524), down from 40.2 in 2024, and Foremost Insurance Company Grand Rapids, a Farmers group company in NAIC group data, recorded 2.1. Combined, the ratio is about 7.2. AM Best’s rating action for Farmers Insurance Exchange shows an A (Excellent) financial strength rating, affirmed September 3, 2026.

• 2025 California homeowners loss ratio: 78.03%, the second lowest of the ten groups in this ranking.
• Best for: owners who already hold a Farmers quote and want to weigh it against complaint data. See our Farmers review.

10. Liberty Mutual: A rating, highest combined complaint ratio here

Liberty Insurance Corporation recorded 12.8 justified complaints per 100,000 exposures in 2025, down from 36.7 in 2024, and SAFECO Insurance Company of America, a Liberty Mutual group company in NAIC group data, recorded 4.8. Combined, the ratio is about 8.3. AM Best assigns Liberty Mutual Insurance Company an A (Excellent) rating.

• 2025 California homeowners share: 5.49%; 2025 loss ratio 223.91%.
• Best for: comparison shoppers; check the complaint trend before you buy. See our Liberty Mutual review.

How to use this ranking in California’s 2026 market

• Shop early. Insurers incurred $26.3 billion of homeowners losses on $15.5 billion of earned premium in 2025. Start comparing quotes well before renewal.
• Use complaint data as a service signal. A ratio near 1 means few complaints the CDI found justified, relative to size. It does not measure price.
• If you land on the FAIR Plan, pair it with a Difference in Conditions policy for liability and water damage. Our California homeowners insurance statistics cover FAIR Plan growth.
• Own a rental too? Landlord coverage is a different policy. See our California landlord insurance cost guide and landlord pages for Los Angeles, San Francisco and Oakland.
• Compare locally. See homeowners context for Oakland and the national best homeowners insurance companies ranking, then request a homeowners quote.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best homeowners insurance company in California?

On our scoring, Travelers and USAA tie for first, each with an A++ AM Best rating and a 2025 CDI justified complaint ratio of about 2.2 to 2.3 per 100,000 exposures; Travelers ranks first on the tiebreak. USAA is limited to eligible military households. Mercury had the lowest complaint ratio of the large writers, 0.9.

Which California home insurer has the fewest complaints?

Among the 50 large homeowners insurers in the CDI’s 2025 composite, Integon National and American Modern Home recorded 0.0. Among companies with more than 250,000 exposures, Mercury’s California Automobile Insurance Company had the lowest ratio, 0.9, followed by CSAA Insurance Exchange at 1.1.

Who is the largest home insurer in California?

State Farm Group, with 20.09% of 2025 California homeowners written premium, followed by Farmers at 15.43% and Mercury at 7.39%.

What does a justified complaint mean?

The CDI’s Consumer Complaint Study explains that the ratio is the number of justified complaints the Department closed against an insurer during the year per 100,000 earned exposures, with justified complaints defined in California Insurance Code Section 12921.1. Dividing by exposures lets large and small insurers be compared. Exposures include renters, mobile home and condo policies.

Is State Farm still writing home insurance in California?

State Farm General Insurance Company had 1,949,806 earned exposures in the CDI’s 2025 complaint data, the most of any insurer listed, and State Farm Group wrote 20.09% of 2025 homeowners premium. Whether it will quote a new policy at your address depends on its current underwriting; ask an agent.

How we verified this page

Complaint ratios, exposures and justified complaint counts come from the CDI Homeowners Complaint Composite Report (complaint years 2025, 2024 and 2023), fetched October 7, 2026; combined group ratios are our own arithmetic, using only companies tied to a group in AM Best releases or NAIC group data. Market share and loss ratios come from the CDI’s 2025 market share pages. AM Best ratings come from AM Best releases and disclosures dated in each section. J.D. Power results come from its 2026 property claims study release. We did not use competitor comparison sites, affiliate rankings or premium quotes. See our methodology.

Important disclosures

Rankings are not recommendations. Scores reflect public regulatory and rating data as of the dates cited. Your best insurer depends on your home, location and eligibility.

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