If you know that Silicon Valley is named after the primary material in a computer microprocessor, you just might live in the Bay Area. Composed of Cupertino, Palo Alto, Mountain View and other Northern California cities, Silicon Valley is the global center of technological innovation.

But only one city can call itself the capital of this tech hub: San Jose. Home to large tech companies like Adobe, PayPal and eBay, San Jose boasts a large number of tech-minded entrepreneurs and the most millionaires per capita in the United States.

With its mountain views, palm trees and cool weather, San Jose is a beautiful place for entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts to settle down. And just like you wouldn’t leave your laptop without a password, you shouldn’t leave your home without home insurance.

Below, we’ll dial into some considerations for San Jose home insurance.

How much is homeowners insurance in San Jose?

Illustration of a black and green house with a palm tree

Coming in at an average of $997 per year, insurance in the Capital of Silicon Valley is a few hundred dollars beneath the California average of $1,133 and the national average of $1,211. So while the median property value of a home in San Jose is $968,000, four times larger than the national average, the cost of insuring one isn’t so bad.

Santa Clara County is one of the wealthiest counties in the United States. But even though home prices are high, theft and other crime rates are low. The weather is also generally temperate throughout the year, reducing the risk of damages like freezing and floods. Given this, those in San Jose can typically expect to pay a lower rate than other Californians.

Are home insurance rates higher in the Bay Area?

Though San Jose rates fall below the California average, the rates of other cities in the Bay Area, like San Francisco, might be a bit higher. Coming in at an average of $1,270, San Francisco rates are higher than both the California and United States averages.

Home insurance in San Jose costs about $997 annually — or, 47 months of Photoshop, created by the San Jose-headquartered Adobe.

Home insurance premiums increase because of factors like weather, crime, home value and the number of claims filed in your area. So compared to other, less-congested areas of the Golden State, the Bay Area may tend to have higher rates.

San Jose Home Insurance Premiums
$1,133
$997

What does home insurance in San Jose cover?

A typical home insurance policy will cover dwelling, personal property and personal liability. Dwelling insurance covers structures on your home, personal property insurance covers your belongings and personal liability insurance covers accidental damage to someone visiting your home or damage to someone else’s property that is your fault.

But beyond these initial offerings, the innovators living in San Jose may choose to prepare for some of the natural disasters that are common in the city by adding earthquake and fire riders to their policy.

San Jose Insurance Coverage Options

Traditional coverage

Physical
Structure
Living
Expenses
Liability
Protection
Additional
Structures
Personal
Possessions

Supplemental coverage

Fire
Earthquake
Flood

Considerations for San Jose residents

You wouldn’t launch a new startup without making sure you had your business plan in order, right? You can apply that same philosophy to purchasing a home and buying a home insurance policy. San Jose residents should consider a few factors before committing to a home or supplemental insurance policies.

Consider your home’s location, age and size while shopping. Newer, smaller houses that upgrade with eco-friendly tech advancements will incur lower rates than older, bigger homes that are outdated. Similarly, homes farther from the coast and in areas that don’t feel the brunt of extreme weather events will have lower rates.

How to lower your home insurance premium

As the center of the United States tech hub Silicon Valley, it’s safe to say that San Jose residents know a lot about technology. But what you might not know is that technology can actually save you money on your home insurance premiums. For example: homes with a pro-monitoring system to keep track of entryways, smoke detecting and water usage can save up to 13% annually on insurance premiums. An as an added benefit, these smart device upgrades can also save you money on energy bills and help the environment as well.

You can also lower your home insurance premium by choosing to purchase a newer home in a location near first-responder stations, away from flood, earthquake or fire zones, and farther from the coastline. You may also want to look into what discounts your provider has available, or consider raising your deductible. 

San Jose attracts some of the brightest minds in the United States, serving as a hub for innovation, creation and technology. No great mind should ever get caught unprepared — in business or at home. And with Hippo providing 4x higher coverage on tech and electronics, you can make sure you’re ready to launch by getting a homeowners insurance quote today.

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