Months of growth riding on one HVAC unit.
Coverage for licensed cannabis growers: the building and grow equipment, plants and harvested stock, the power and climate systems that keep a crop alive, and the crew that tends it.
By Sam Alishahi · CA Insurance License #4348151 · Reviewed November 2026 · How this page is researched
The license tells underwriters how you grow
California sorts cultivation licenses by lighting and canopy. Indoor means a permanent structure using at least 25 watts of artificial light per square foot; mixed-light covers greenhouses and hoop-houses in two lighting tiers; outdoor uses no artificial light on mature plants. Canopy size then sets the tier, from specialty cottage up to large, with separate nursery and processor licenses.
Underwriters follow the same map. A sealed indoor room with high-intensity lighting and dehumidifiers is a fire and equipment-breakdown risk; an outdoor farm faces weather and wildfire. I separate building, equipment, living plants and harvested stock by location, then ask which markets will cover crop and stock and on what terms.
- Property and equipmentLights, HVAC, irrigation and the building or improvements.
- Crop and finished stockOffered by some markets for plants and harvested goods, with their own limits.
- Equipment breakdownClimate and power failures that can spoil a room.
- Liability and workers' compVisitors, product claims and the crew.
What underwriters will ask
Having these ready means I can go to market on the first call. The quote form asks for the same things, and anything you don’t know yet can wait.
- License: DCC cultivation license type, canopy size and local permit.
- Method: indoor, mixed-light, outdoor or nursery, and the stages done on site.
- Building: construction, square footage, electrical service and fire protection.
- Systems: lighting, HVAC, irrigation, backup power and alarms.
- Values: building or improvements, equipment, plants and harvested stock.
- Payroll and history: employees, current policies and claims.
Cultivation insurance, answered
Can living plants be insured?
Some cannabis markets offer crop or growing-stock coverage and others cover only harvested goods. It's a market-by-market question, and the valuation method in the policy matters as much as the limit.
Are greenhouses rated like indoor grows?
No. Mixed-light structures have different construction, lighting loads and weather exposure, and the license itself tells the underwriter which kind of site it is.
What about a nursery or a processor-only site?
California issues separate nursery and processor licenses. Each is underwritten on what actually happens on site: propagation, or trimming, drying, curing and packaging.
Do cultivation sites need cameras and alarms by law?
The state video surveillance and alarm rules exempt premises licensed only for cultivation, but many insurers still ask for both before writing property or crop coverage.
Do you offer cannabis cultivation insurance outside California?
Yes. Clients across the country send the same quote form. Sam Alishahi is licensed in all 50 states and Washington, DC and places policies there directly. The shopping across carriers works the same way. Rules, minimums and markets differ by state — see insurance requirements by state.
Tell me how you grow. I'll shop it.
Your license type, canopy, building and values are enough to start.
Alishahi Insurance · Saman Alishahi, independent insurance broker, California License #4348151. General information, not a quote or a promise of coverage; coverage depends on underwriting and the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policy actually issued. Some policies may be placed with nonadmitted (surplus lines) insurers, which are not members of the California Insurance Guarantee Association (CIGA).
Tell me how to reach you. I’ll take it from there.
Takes about 30 seconds. Your next step comes by email, and you get an update at every step until your quotes are ready.
(877) 711-4545Answered 24/7 · CA License #4348151
Get a reminder before your renewal.
Tell me when your policy renews and I’ll email you about six weeks before, when it’s worth comparing. One email, no calls.