🔥 加州房屋保險 Surcharge 是什麼？2024–2025 為什麼人人都在漲？
副標：不是你家的問題、不是 Fire Zone、也不是 HO-3／HO-8 的錯。這是「整個加州的保費結構」因山火成本、再保險費率與市場修復計畫而重新計算的結果。
📌 1. 什麼是 Surcharge？（最白話版）
Surcharge = 附加費。
是政府允許保險公司加在保費上、用來分攤山火風險與保險市場損失的額外費用。
2024–2025 年的加州 surcharge 包含：
- 🔥 山火相關風險分攤（wildfire risk pool）
- 🔥 再保險成本飆升（reinsurance cost loading）
- 🔥 FAIR Plan 重大虧損補貼
- 🔥 加州保險市場修復（Market Recovery Plan）
關鍵重點：
這些不是你的錯，也不是因為你家更危險。
整個加州都在付。
📌 2. 誰需要付這筆 surcharge？
所有加州房屋保險保戶。
- 不管你住哪一區（城市／農村／海邊／平地）
- 不管你是不是 Fire Zone
- 不管你是 HO-3、HO-5、HO-6、HO-8、DP-3
- 就算你從不申請理賠 → 一樣要付
這是一筆「全州性的附加費」。
📌 3. 金額怎麼計算？（最常被問）
每一家保險公司計算方式不同，但形式大多是：
- 📌 固定金額加收（例如 $25、$35、$45）
- 📌 以原本保費的百分比加收（例如 3～6%）
你的 renewal（續保通知）上通常會寫為：
- “Wildfire Assessment Surcharge”
- “CA Surcharge Fee”
- “State-mandated Surcharge”
- “Wildfire Risk Charge”
每家公司名稱不一樣，但意思相同：
這不是你能控制的費用，所有加州住戶都要付。
📌 4. 為什麼 2024–2025 變得「特別貴」？
這不是單一因素，而是三件事同時發生：
① 山火災損太大，加州需要籌措資金
近十年山火造成：
- 房屋全毀／半毀
- 基礎建設修復成本飆升
- 保險公司巨額理賠
② 保險公司退出加州，政府急著修復市場
State Farm、Allstate 等公司退出新業務，讓市場崩盤。
為了讓公司願意回來，加州允許：
- 調整保費 → 包含 surcharge
- 放寬 Wildfire Model
- 讓公司能反映實際風險（而不是 30 年前的模型）
③ FAIR Plan 損失太大，需要全州共同承擔
FAIR Plan 是「最後保險人」，虧損必須由所有公司分擔 → 最終轉嫁到保戶。
📌 5. Surcharge 與你家「有沒有申請理賠」無關
很多屋主會問：
「我沒有出險，為什麼還要漲？」
原因很簡單：
這是一個 statewide cost（全州成本） → 每個人都要分攤。
📌 6. Surcharge 會影響我的房貸月供嗎？（Escrow）
YES，會。
如果你有 Escrow Impound（銀行代繳保險＋地稅），那麼：
- 保費上漲 → impound 每月扣款上漲
- surcharge 加上去 → 月供變高
- 去年預估太低 → 會收到「Escrow Shortage」補款通知
延伸閱讀：
👉 🏦 什麼是 Escrow Impound？為什麼保費變動會讓房貸月供變高？
📌 7. 與 Fire Zone、HO-3／HO-8 的關係？
surcharge ≠ Fire Zone 費用。
但是會「疊加」。
- 如果你在 Fire Zone → 保費本來就高，再加 surcharge → 更高
- 如果你是 HO-8（老房子）→ 也會照樣加收
相關文章：
📌 8. 小結：surcharge 是加州保險改革的一部分
你會看到保費上漲，是因為整個市場正在重新調整：
- 山火風險極高 → 必須 statewide 分攤
- 再保險費用飆升 → 必須轉嫁
- FAIR Plan 虧損 → 必須共同負擔
- 保險公司退出 → 必須改革才能留下保險人
這不是你家的問題，而是整個州的問題。
只要理解 surcharge 的本質，你就會知道保費不是「莫名其妙變貴」，而是整個加州正在重建保險市場。
🔥 California Home Insurance Surcharge Explained (2024–2025)
Subtitle: Your home is not the reason your premium increased. This surcharge is part of a statewide restructuring of California’s insurance system due to wildfire losses, reinsurance costs, FAIR Plan deficits, and market recovery efforts.
📌 1. What Is a Surcharge? (Plain English)
A surcharge is an additional fee allowed by the State of California for insurers to recover wildfire-related losses and stabilize the home insurance market.
California’s 2024–2025 surcharge covers:
- 🔥 Wildfire risk assessment pool
- 🔥 Increased reinsurance costs
- 🔥 FAIR Plan deficit contributions
- 🔥 Market Recovery Plan to bring insurers back
Key point:
This is NOT personal and NOT based on your home.
Every homeowner in California pays this.
📌 2. Who Has to Pay the Surcharge?
Every California homeowner with an active policy.
- Regardless of ZIP code
- Regardless of Fire Zone status
- Regardless of policy type (HO-3, HO-5, HO-6, HO-8, DP-3)
- Even if you never filed a claim
📌 3. How Is the Surcharge Calculated?
It varies by insurer, but typically:
- 📌 Flat fee (e.g., $25, $35, $45)
- 📌 Percentage of your premium (e.g., 3–6%)
You may see labels such as:
- “Wildfire Assessment Surcharge”
- “CA Surcharge Fee”
- “State-Mandated Surcharge”
- “Wildfire Risk Charge”
Different name, same meaning:
This is a mandatory statewide fee.
📌 4. Why Is 2024–2025 Especially Expensive?
Three major factors hit at the same time:
① Massive wildfire losses
- Homes destroyed
- Infrastructure damaged
- Record-high insurer payouts
② Insurers leaving California
Companies like State Farm and Allstate stopped writing new policies, destabilizing the market.
To bring insurers back, California approved:
- Risk-adjusted pricing → includes surcharges
- Updated wildfire models
- Allowing modern reinsurance cost reflection
③ FAIR Plan deficits
The FAIR Plan is the last-resort insurer.
Its losses must be shared by all insurers → passed to all policyholders.
📌 5. Does Filing Claims Affect the Surcharge?
No.
This surcharge is statewide, not individual.
📌 6. Will the Surcharge Affect My Mortgage Payment? (Escrow)
Yes.
If your lender manages an escrow impound account:
- Higher premium → higher monthly escrow
- Surcharge added → increased mortgage payment
- Underestimated prior year → escrow shortage
Related reading:
👉 🏦 What Is Escrow Impound & Why Insurance Changes Raise Mortgage Payment?
📌 7. How Does the Surcharge Relate to Fire Zones and HO-3/HO-8?
The surcharge is independent of Fire Zones and policy forms.
But they stack.
- High Fire Zone → higher base rate + surcharge
- HO-8 older home → higher base rate + surcharge
Related articles:
👉 HO-3 vs HO-5 Beginner’s Guide
👉 5 Ways to Reduce California Premiums
📌 8. Summary
This surcharge reflects California’s insurance reform:
- Extreme wildfire risk → statewide cost-sharing
- Higher reinsurance expenses
- FAIR Plan deficit recovery
- Changes required to bring insurers back
Your home did not cause the increase — the system did.