Carrier profileReinsurance-backed specialty program — residential policies fronted through carrier partners; may be admitted or surplus lines depending on the specific programCalifornia market

Munich Re residential earthquake insurance

Munich Re's residential earthquake program provides reinsurance-backed capacity for California homeowners through its specialty program and E&S market access — often relevant for higher-value or harder-to-place properties.

Market type
Reinsurance-backed specialty program — residential policies fronted through carrier partners; may be admitted or surplus lines depending on the specific program
Financial strength
AM Best A+ (Superior) — one of the world's largest and highest-rated reinsurers; residential programs placed through admitted or E&S fronting carriers
Deductibles
Percentage deductibles per program terms. Higher-value homes and non-standard properties may have specific deductible requirements from the underwriting guidelines.
Access
Via broker
Carrier overview

Financial strength and market type

  • Financial strength: AM Best A+ (Superior) — one of the world's largest and highest-rated reinsurers; residential programs placed through admitted or E&S fronting carriers
  • Market type: Reinsurance-backed specialty program — residential policies fronted through carrier partners; may be admitted or surplus lines depending on the specific program
Underwriting appetite

What properties this carrier writes

Residential earthquake for California properties, including appetite for higher-value homes and properties that may face limited options at standard admitted carriers. Munich Re's catastrophe modeling expertise underpins its earthquake underwriting.

Deductibles and coverage

Policy structure

Deductible options: Percentage deductibles per program terms. Higher-value homes and non-standard properties may have specific deductible requirements from the underwriting guidelines.

Coverage parts available: Dwelling, personal property, loss of use / ALE, and building code upgrade depending on program form. Review the specific form with the placing broker — reinsurance-backed programs can have different form terms than standard admitted products.

Strengths

Why brokers include this carrier

AM Best A+ reinsurer backing provides exceptional financial strength. Munich Re's catastrophe modeling is among the most sophisticated in the market — relevant for understanding large-event exposure. Capacity for higher limits than many primary market carriers.

Considerations

What to review before binding

Munich Re residential programs are accessed through specialty brokers and program administrators — not typically available through standard homeowners carrier channels. E&S or surplus lines placement is not covered by the California guarantee fund. Premiums and terms may vary more cycle-to-cycle than admitted products.

How to access

Broker access and submission

For higher-value California homes, masonry, or properties with challenging risk characteristics, Munich Re-backed programs may be part of the broker's market access. An independent broker with specialty lines access can determine whether a Munich Re program is the right fit for a specific submission.

The Best Earthquake Insurance application collects all the construction, foundation, retrofit, and coverage detail that brokers need to submit to these markets. A completed application is reviewed by Bollinsure, which shops the available carrier set for your specific property profile.

Other markets we shop on your behalf

Compare all carriers Bollinsure accesses

Bollinsure shops your completed application across all available markets to find the best fit for your property. Review each carrier's appetite, financial strength, and form terms:

California Earthquake Authority (CEA) · Palomar Specialty · GeoVera · ICW Group · Arrowhead · QBE · AXIS Capital · Lloyd's of London · Homeowners of America · Specialty and E&S markets

See the full carrier market overview →