Insurance Agency for the Bay Area and Northern California

Independent Coverage for Bay Area, Wine Country, and Tahoe Homes

PCRG Insurance is an independent insurance agency serving the Bay Area and Northern California, from Silicon Valley and San Francisco to Marin, Napa, Sonoma, and Lake Tahoe. We insure high-value homes, vineyard estates, mountain second homes, and the founders, executives, and families who own them.

We compare coverage from multiple carriers and build one coordinated plan for your Bay Area home, Tahoe or Wine Country property, and everything in between, in California and anywhere else you own property. Meet with us virtually, by phone, or in person by appointment.

Northern California Insurance at a Glance

• Personal: High-value homes, second homes, condos, earthquake, auto, collector cars, boats, umbrella, and life insurance
• Business: General liability, commercial property, commercial auto, commercial umbrella, and contractors insurance
• High-value: Fine art, jewelry, wine collections, and executive liability across multiple homes and states
• How to meet: Virtual, phone, or in person by appointment

Insurance We Offer in Northern California

High-Value Home Insurance

Coverage for Bay Area estates, hillside homes, and waterfront properties, including extended or guaranteed replacement cost, wildfire coverage, and building code upgrade coverage from carriers that specialize in high-value homes.

Earthquake Insurance for Bay Area Homes and Collections

Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake damage. We compare California Earthquake Authority (CEA) policies with private earthquake coverage offering higher limits for high-value homes and collections.

Second Home Insurance for Tahoe and Wine Country

Coverage for homes that sit empty part of the year or are rented to guests, including vacancy, freeze, and snow load protection in Tahoe.

Condo Insurance for San Francisco and the Peninsula

An HO-6 policy covers your unit, belongings, and liability, plus earthquake loss assessment coverage, since many HOA master policies exclude earthquakes.

Auto, EV, and Collector Car Insurance

Coverage for daily drivers, EVs, and collector cars, with agreed value policies and high liability limits.

Umbrella Insurance for Families and Executives

Extra liability protection above your home, auto, and boat policies, with every property listed if you own homes in more than one state.

Life Insurance for Families and Business Owners

Coverage to protect your family, cover estate costs, and support business succession, coordinated with your financial advisor or estate attorney.

Business Insurance for Bay Area Companies

General liability, commercial property, commercial auto, commercial umbrella, and contractors insurance for startups, professional firms, and luxury home builders.

Fine Art, Jewelry, and Wine Collection Insurance

Valuable articles coverage scheduled at appraised value, including in transit, plus wine collection coverage for breakage and spoilage from a cellar cooling failure.

How to Insure a High-Value Home in a Northern California Wildfire Zone

High-value homes in Northern California’s wildfire areas can still be insured, but finding strong coverage takes an agency that knows the full market. Since the 2017 Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa and the 2020 Glass Fire in Napa Valley, many carriers have pulled back from Wine Country, the East Bay hills, and the Sierra foothills.

PCRG Insurance works with admitted carriers and excess and surplus lines insurers, so we can look beyond the companies that have stopped writing in your area.

A wildfire-ready policy should include:

• Guaranteed or extended replacement cost, updated as rebuilding costs rise
• Ordinance or law coverage, for upgrades required by current building codes
• Additional living expenses long enough to cover a multi-year rebuild
• Wildfire defense services, offered by some high-value carriers

Non-renewed or facing a steep increase? We’ll compare both markets to find the broadest coverage available for your home.

On the California FAIR Plan? We’ll review what it leaves out and help you move to a more complete policy or add a difference in conditions (DIC) policy for water damage, theft, and liability.

Earthquake Insurance for Bay Area Homes

The Hayward and San Andreas faults run through the Bay Area, yet standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake damage. CEA policies are widely available, while private carriers can offer higher dwelling limits, lower deductibles, and coverage for art and collections. Older homes in San Francisco, Berkeley, and the Peninsula may also qualify for premium discounts after a seismic retrofit.

Umbrella and Executive Liability Insurance for Bay Area Founders

Silicon Valley’s founders and executives carry exposures that go well beyond a home and a car. An IPO, acquisition, or board seat can raise your visibility and your liability overnight. We help protect:

• Personal liability, with umbrella and excess limits sized to your net worth
• Board service, through nonprofit and private company directors and officers (D&O) coverage
• Digital life, with personal cyber insurance for identity theft, cyber extortion, and social engineering fraud
• Household staff, through workers’ compensation and employment practices liability (EPLI) for nannies, house managers, and estate staff
• Personal security, including kidnap, ransom, and extortion coverage for families with elevated risk

Napa, Sonoma, and Lake Tahoe Second Home Insurance

Napa and Sonoma. Vineyard estates often need more than a homeowners policy, including coverage for outbuildings, farm equipment, and wine collections, and a farm or vineyard policy if grapes are sold commercially. Owners who rent to guests should also confirm their county’s short-term rental rules.

Lake Tahoe and Truckee. Mountain homes in Martis Camp, Northstar, Lahontan, and Tahoe City face heavy snow loads, frozen pipes, and wildfire risk, often while sitting empty for weeks. A policy written for seasonal homes can ease vacancy limits, and water leak sensors and low-temperature alarms help you meet its conditions.

Northern California Risks Your Insurance Should Cover

• Wildfire: Growing risk in the wildland-urban interface across Wine Country, the East Bay hills, and the Sierra
• Earthquake: Active faults run beneath the Bay Area, and standard policies exclude earthquake damage
• Landslides and mudflow: Hillside homes in Marin and the Peninsula face earth movement, which standard policies exclude, while flood insurance covers mudflow
• Flooding: Atmospheric river storms can bring flooding that standard homeowners policies don’t cover

Areas We Serve in Northern California

Silicon Valley and the Peninsula

Atherton, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Woodside, Portola Valley, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Saratoga, Los Gatos, and Hillsborough.

San Francisco, Marin, and the East Bay

Pacific Heights, Presidio Heights, Sea Cliff, Russian Hill, Belvedere, Tiburon, Ross, Mill Valley, Sausalito, Piedmont, Orinda, Lafayette, and Danville.

Wine Country

Napa, St. Helena, Yountville, Calistoga, Sonoma, Healdsburg, and Glen Ellen.

Lake Tahoe and Truckee

Truckee, Martis Camp, Northstar, Lahontan, Tahoe City, and South Lake Tahoe.

How to Get an Insurance Quote in Northern California

1. Tell us what you want to insure. Homes, vehicles, collections, business, or all of the above.
2. We review your current coverage. We find gaps and overlaps, including property outside California.
3. We compare carriers. You’ll see admitted, excess and surplus lines, and FAIR Plan options side by side.
4. We stay with you. As your homes, collections, or career change, we update your coverage.

Have your current declarations pages handy, and we’ll take it from there. If you’re on the FAIR Plan, share that declarations page too, and we’ll check whether a DIC policy or a return to the admitted market makes sense.

Frequently Asked Questions about Insurance in Northern California

Does PCRG Insurance Serve the Bay Area and Northern California?

Yes. We serve individuals, families, and businesses throughout the Bay Area, Marin, Wine Country, and Lake Tahoe, virtually, by phone, or in person by appointment.

Can I Get Home Insurance in a High Wildfire Risk Area of California?

Yes, though options may be narrower. An independent agency can compare admitted carriers, excess and surplus lines insurers, and the California FAIR Plan, and wildfire mitigation may improve your options.

What Is the California FAIR Plan, and Do I Need a DIC Policy?

The FAIR Plan is California’s insurer of last resort, and its policies mainly cover fire. Many Northern California homeowners in Wine Country, the East Bay hills, and Tahoe pair it with a difference in conditions (DIC) policy to add water damage, theft, and liability coverage.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Earthquakes in the Bay Area?

No. Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake damage. You can add coverage through the California Earthquake Authority or a private earthquake policy with higher limits.

Does My Policy Cover a Tahoe Home That Sits Empty?

Not always. Many policies limit coverage for losses like frozen pipes or vandalism when a home is vacant for an extended period. Policies written for second homes can ease those limits.

How Do I Insure a Wine Collection in Napa or Sonoma?

Schedule the collection at appraised value, and confirm the policy covers breakage, theft, and spoilage from a cellar cooling or power failure.

Should I Review My Insurance after an IPO or Acquisition?

Yes. A liquidity event can change your net worth, visibility, and lifestyle quickly, which often means your umbrella limits, home coverage, and collections schedule need updating.

What Is Private Client Insurance, and Who Needs It?

Private client insurance is coverage designed for high-value households, typically with higher limits, broader protection, and more personalized claims service, often combining multiple homes, vehicles, umbrella, and collections in one program. It’s common among Bay Area households with multiple homes, significant collections, or a recent liquidity event.

Schedule a Private Coverage Review for Your Northern California Home

Tell us what you want to protect, and a PCRG Insurance advisor will review your current policies side by side, show you where the gaps are, and compare options from carriers that specialize in high-value homes. There’s no cost and no obligation.

A review is especially worthwhile if you’ve recently:

• Received a non-renewal or a sharp premium increase
• Moved to, or are considering, the California FAIR Plan
• Bought a home in the Bay Area, Wine Country, or Tahoe
• Gone through an IPO, acquisition, or other liquidity event
• Added to an art, jewelry, or wine collection

What you’ll walk away with: a clear picture of how your homes, vehicles, umbrella, and collections fit together, and where a single coordinated plan could close gaps between policies.

Meet virtually, by phone, or in person by appointment. Your information stays confidential, and we can respond within one business day.