Insurance for care agencies in Northern California
From San Francisco and the East Bay to Napa Valley, Sonoma, Sacramento and the North State, Northern California care providers face higher payroll, wildfire and power-shutoff seasons, and their own set of licensing offices. We write workers' comp and professional liability for home health agencies, hospices, assisted living and board and care homes, and home care organizations across the region, licensed in California and quoting online or by phone.
- San Francisco minimum wage
- $19.61
- From July 1, 2026; state minimum is $16.90.
- Home health minimum wage
- $23/hr
- Health care worker minimum, July 1, 2026 (SB 525).
- RCFE emergency plans
- 72 hours
- Self-reliance through power failures, HSC 1569.695.
Who we insure in Northern California
- Home health agencies: workers' comp class 8827(2), professional and general liability, non-owned auto
- Hospices: the insurance proof CDPH's 2026 regulations require, plus liability limits payers expect
- Assisted living and board and care homes (RCFEs): the $1M/$3M liability every RCFE must carry and class 9070(1) workers' comp
- Home care organizations: the HCO licensing package of $1M/$3M liability, workers' comp and a $10,000 dishonesty bond
Bay Area wages raise your workers' comp premium
Workers' comp is priced per $100 of payroll, so local minimum wages flow straight into premium. Current local minimums include Emeryville $20.34, San Francisco and Berkeley $19.61, Fremont $18.05 (from July 1, 2026), and San Jose $18.45, Santa Rosa $18.21 and Oakland $17.34 (from January 1, 2026), against the $16.90 state minimum. Licensed home health agencies must pay at least the $23 health care worker minimum wage statewide, which is higher than any of these. Ordinary RCFEs are not covered by the health care minimum unless they are affiliated with or owned by a hospital. We build payroll estimates on the right wage for each location so your deposit and audit line up.
Your licensing offices
Assisted living and board and care homes are licensed by CDSS Adult and Senior Care regional offices: San Bruno (San Francisco, San Mateo), Oakland (Alameda, Contra Costa), San Jose (Santa Clara, Santa Cruz), Santa Rosa (Napa, Sonoma, Marin, Solano, Yolo, Mendocino, Lake, Humboldt, Del Norte), two Sacramento offices, and Chico (the North State, including Butte and Shasta). Home health agencies and hospices are licensed through CDPH district offices in Sacramento, the East Bay (Richmond), San Francisco (Brisbane), San Jose, Santa Rosa and Chico. Home care organizations are licensed statewide by the CDSS Home Care Services Branch in Sacramento.
Wildfire season and power shutoffs
Napa, Sonoma, the North Bay hills and the North State see wildfire evacuations and Public Safety Power Shutoffs. Since January 1, 2026, RCFE emergency plans must provide 72 hours of self-reliance, including during power failures, with plans for refrigerated medications and powered devices such as oxygen (Health and Safety Code 1569.695). Medicare home health agencies follow the federal emergency preparedness rule, including an individual emergency plan for each patient (42 CFR 484.102). Standard business income coverage usually requires physical damage at your property, so a planned shutoff may not trigger it. Ask about utility service interruption, spoilage and evacuation coverage before fire season.
Licensed in California, serving the whole region remotely
Our office is in Schaumburg, Illinois, and we hold California license #0H92044. Northern California agencies get quotes online in about two minutes or by phone, certificates of insurance the same business day, and a licensed agent who knows home health, hospice, RCFE and home care programs.
Frequently asked questions
Do you insure agencies in the Bay Area and Napa Valley?
Yes. We're licensed in California (#0H92044) and insure home health agencies, hospices, assisted living and board and care homes, and home care organizations throughout Northern California, including the Bay Area, Napa, Sonoma, Sacramento and the North State.
Do Bay Area minimum wages affect my workers' comp premium?
Yes. Workers' comp is priced on payroll, so higher local wages mean higher premium for the same staff. For example, San Francisco's minimum wage is $19.61 from July 1, 2026, compared with the $16.90 state minimum.
Does the $23 health care minimum wage apply to my agency?
It applies to licensed home health agencies. RCFEs are covered only if affiliated with or owned by a hospital. Check the Labor Commissioner's health care minimum wage FAQ for other facility types, such as hospices and home care organizations.
Which office licenses an RCFE in Napa or Sonoma County?
The CDSS Adult and Senior Care regional office in Santa Rosa, which also covers Marin, Solano, Yolo, Mendocino, Lake, Humboldt and Del Norte counties.
Is a power shutoff covered by my business insurance?
Often not under standard business income coverage, which usually requires physical damage at your premises. Utility service interruption and spoilage endorsements can fill that gap. We review them with Northern California clients before fire season.
Sources: City minimum wage notices for San Francisco, Berkeley, Emeryville, Fremont, San Jose, Santa Rosa and Oakland; California Labor Commissioner minimum wage and Health Care Worker Minimum Wage FAQs; CDSS Adult and Senior Care regional office list (Sept. 2026); CDPH Licensing and Certification district offices; Health and Safety Code 1569.695; 42 CFR 484.102.
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Instant workers' comp and liability estimates, with a licensed agent to finish the job.