California’s homeowners insurance market has been contracting for years. Major carriers have pulled back from wildfire-risk areas, premiums are rising, and more property owners are landing on the FAIR Plan without a clear path back to the private market. Solara Insurance is one of the newer options filling that gap — a California-licensed Excess and Surplus lines insurer writing real HO-3 policies for homes that the standard market has left behind.
Old Harbor Insurance works with specialty programs like Solara and 81 carrier relationships across California, helping homeowners find coverage that fits their property and risk profile — including in wildfire-exposed areas where admitted carriers no longer write.
What Is Solara Insurance?
Solara Insurance — formally known as Solara Specialty Insurance Solutions — is a California-licensed E&S lines insurance brokerage (CA License #6018206) offering an exclusive non-admitted HO-3 homeowners product. The program was built specifically for California homeowners who can’t secure coverage in the standard admitted market, using proprietary wildfire analytics and local underwriting expertise to assess risk at the individual property level.
Solara is backed by one of Florida’s largest and most established homeowners insurers, holding a Financial Stability Rating of A (Exceptional) from Demotech, Inc. That underwriting partner manages over $800 million in in-force premium across approximately 200,000 policyholders — providing Solara with catastrophe claims depth, reinsurance protection, and capital stability built specifically for high-risk markets.
Is Solara Insurance Available in California?
Yes — Solara is active and writing policies in California today. The company operates as a non-admitted E&S carrier, which means coverage is distributed through licensed independent agents rather than directly through a consumer portal. If you’ve visited their website and seen “coming soon,” that refers to their direct consumer interface — the product itself is fully available through agents right now.
According to the California Department of Insurance, non-admitted carriers must operate through licensed surplus lines brokers, but are fully authorized to write coverage in the state. Non-admitted doesn’t mean unregulated — it means the carrier has more pricing flexibility, which is exactly why Solara can write properties that admitted carriers have declined.
What E&S Coverage Means for You
The key practical difference with a non-admitted policy is that the California Insurance Guarantee Association — the state’s safety net for insolvent admitted carriers — does not apply to E&S policies. This is why financial strength matters, and why Solara’s Demotech A rating is a meaningful signal before binding coverage.
Outside of that distinction, an E&S HO-3 policy functions the same as a standard homeowners policy — covering the same perils, with the same claims process, backed by a licensed carrier.
How to Get a Solara Insurance Quote
Solara policies are quoted and bound through licensed independent agents. According to the company, the majority of homes can be quoted and bound within minutes — not days — which is a notable improvement over the weeks-long timelines some California homeowners have experienced chasing specialty coverage.
Step-by-Step: The Quoting Process
Here’s what to expect when requesting a Solara quote through a licensed agent:
- Contact a licensed independent agent with access to Solara’s program
- Provide your property address — Solara assesses eligibility at the individual home level, not by ZIP code
- Submit property details — year built, square footage, construction type, roof age and material
- Disclose claims history — typically the last 3–5 years
- Review coverage options — dwelling limit, deductibles, and available endorsements
- Receive and compare — your agent presents the Solara quote alongside other available options
Because eligibility is determined by individual home risk characteristics rather than blanket ZIP code exclusions, homeowners who have been declined elsewhere often find they qualify with Solara.
Information You’ll Need Ready
Most agents will need your property address and type, year built and any major renovations, roof age and material, construction type, prior claims history, and an estimate of your home’s rebuild cost — not its market value.
Rebuild cost is the amount it would take to reconstruct your home at current labor and materials prices. In California, where construction costs have risen sharply, this figure should be verified carefully. Underinsuring the rebuild cost is one of the most common — and costly — mistakes homeowners make after a total loss.
What Does a Solara Policy Cover?
Solara writes HO-3 policies — the most comprehensive standard homeowners form — on an open-perils basis for the dwelling and other structures. This means coverage applies to all risks except those specifically excluded, rather than only covering a named list of perils. Both primary and secondary homes are eligible, with tailored coverage limits available.
A standard Solara policy covers dwelling protection, other structures, personal property, loss of use, and liability coverage for third-party injury or property damage claims. The program also offers numerous mitigation credits — for home hardening measures like fire-resistant roofing, defensible space compliance, and ember-resistant vents — that can meaningfully reduce your premium.
Wildfire Coverage and Appetite
Solara was built specifically with wildfire capacity for California homeowners in moderate and high-risk areas. The company uses proprietary wildfire analytics to underwrite at the individual property level — a significant distinction from carriers that use blanket ZIP code-level exclusions. If you’ve been declined solely because of your ZIP code, Solara’s property-level assessment may reach a different conclusion.
Flood insurance remains separate from any standard homeowners policy, typically written through private carriers or the National Flood Insurance Program via FEMA. If your property sits in a FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Area with a federally-backed mortgage, flood coverage is legally required regardless of your homeowners carrier.
What Drives Solara Quote Pricing in California
Solara’s proprietary wildfire analytics assess risk at the property level, meaning two homes in the same ZIP code can receive meaningfully different quotes based on slope, vegetation, construction type, and proximity to fuel breaks. Roof age and material, home age, prior claims history, and mitigation improvements all factor into the final rate.
California’s broader market context matters here too. According to the California Department of Insurance, enrollment in the FAIR Plan — the state’s last-resort fire insurance program — has surged as private carriers have withdrawn from wildfire-risk markets. The FAIR Plan provides only basic fire coverage without liability, theft, or additional living expense protection, which is exactly the gap that specialty carriers like Solara are designed to fill.
How Old Harbor Insurance Can Get You a Solara Quote
Accessing Solara requires a licensed agent with access to their program. Old Harbor Insurance works with 81 carrier relationships — including admitted markets, surplus lines programs, and specialty insurers like Solara — and can compare your options across the full market in a single conversation.
For homeowners facing non-renewal, ZIP code-level declines, or FAIR Plan dependency, Old Harbor’s independent access means you’re not limited to one carrier’s appetite. An agent can match your property profile to the carriers currently willing to write it, compare pricing and coverage structure, and help you avoid the coverage gaps that come with FAIR Plan dependency.
Get a Solara Quote Through Old Harbor Today
Coverage options exist for California homeowners — even in wildfire-risk areas. The key is working with an agent who has access to the specialty market rather than searching carrier by carrier on your own.
Contact Old Harbor Insurance at (951) 297-9740, email info@oldharbor.com, or get a quote online in just a few minutes. A licensed agent will review your property and come back with real options — including Solara and any other programs that fit your risk and budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a Solara Insurance quote in California?
Solara policies are available through licensed independent agents — not directly through a consumer portal. Contact a licensed independent agency like Old Harbor Insurance, provide your property details and claims history, and an agent can quote and bind most homes within minutes using Solara’s digital platform.
Is Solara Insurance admitted or non-admitted in California?
Solara operates as a non-admitted Excess and Surplus lines carrier in California under license #6018206. Non-admitted carriers have more flexibility in underwriting and pricing, which is why Solara can write coverage for wildfire-risk properties that admitted carriers have declined. Policies must be accessed through a licensed surplus lines broker or independent agent.
What types of homes does Solara insure in California?
Solara writes HO-3 coverage for primary and secondary homes, including properties in moderate and high wildfire-risk areas. Eligibility is assessed at the individual property level using proprietary wildfire analytics — not by ZIP code — which means homes declined by other carriers may still qualify.
What is the difference between an admitted and a non-admitted insurer in California?
Admitted carriers are regulated under California’s standard rate-filing requirements, and policyholders are protected by the California Insurance Guarantee Association if the carrier becomes insolvent. Non-admitted E&S carriers like Solara are not covered by that guarantee fund but must still operate through licensed surplus lines brokers. Solara’s Demotech A (Exceptional) rating reflects strong financial stability.
What is the California FAIR Plan and why isn’t it enough?
The California FAIR Plan is a state-mandated last-resort fire insurance program for homeowners who cannot obtain private coverage. It does not include liability, theft, or additional living expense coverage. Specialty carriers like Solara offer full HO-3 policies that cover all of these components, making them a significantly more complete alternative.
Does Solara Insurance cover wildfire damage?
Yes. Solara’s program was built with wildfire capacity for California homeowners in moderate and high-risk areas. The company uses proprietary wildfire analytics to underwrite at the individual property level, and offers mitigation credits for home hardening measures like fire-resistant roofing and defensible space compliance.
How long does it take to get a Solara homeowners insurance quote?
According to Solara, the majority of homes can be quoted and bound within minutes through their digital platform. Having your year built, roof information, claims history, and desired coverage limits ready before contacting an agent will streamline the process further.