Is Bamboo Insurance admitted in California?
Short answer: Bamboo Insurance is an MGA, and most Bamboo California homeowner policies are underwritten by Sutton National Insurance Company, an admitted California property and casualty carrier. A smaller share of Bamboo's book is placed through non-admitted (surplus lines) markets. Your declarations page tells you which.
Common questions
- Is Bamboo Insurance admitted in California?
- Bamboo Insurance is a managing general agent (MGA), not an insurance company itself. Most Bamboo California homeowner policies are underwritten by Sutton National Insurance Company, which is admitted to write property and casualty insurance in California. Some Bamboo programs also place business through non-admitted (surplus lines) markets — your declarations page names the actual carrier.
- How do I tell if my Bamboo policy is admitted or non-admitted?
- Check the declarations page. If the carrier listed is Sutton National Insurance Company (NAIC #10054) it is admitted in California. Non-admitted (surplus lines) Bamboo placements typically carry a surplus lines stamp and the broker's surplus lines license number; non-admitted carriers are not backed by the California Insurance Guarantee Association (CIGA).
- Does admitted vs non-admitted change my bad faith rights?
- Both admitted and non-admitted insurers selling in California owe the duty of good faith and fair dealing and must follow the Fair Claims Settlement Practices Regulations (10 CCR §2695). Admitted carriers add CIGA protection if they become insolvent; non-admitted do not. Your bad-faith causes of action under California Insurance Code §790.03 apply either way.
- Who regulates Bamboo and Sutton National in California?
- The California Department of Insurance (CDI) regulates admitted insurers and licensed MGAs. You can file a CDI Request for Assistance against either Bamboo (as MGA) or Sutton National (as carrier) for claims-handling violations — and we recommend doing so in parallel with assembling your evidence file.
Further reading on California's lightly-regulated carriers
- ‘Deny, deny, deny’: The shady insurance scheme fleecing thousands of homeowners →The San Francisco Standard · Jennifer Wadsworth · Apr 30, 2025
Investigation into the wave of lightly-regulated and non-admitted carriers — including Bamboo / Sutton National — that stepped in as admitted insurers exited California, and the elevated denial rates that followed.
Filed a Bamboo claim and getting silence?
Whether your policy is admitted or non-admitted, California's Fair Claims Settlement Practices Regulations apply. We build a citation-backed timeline of every adjuster contact for $95/hour.
Open a Bamboo evidence fileRelated Bamboo Insurance pages
More on Bamboo / Sutton National in California — coverage, ownership, and claim handling.
Bamboo Insurance — California overview
Carrier profile, claim-handling patterns, and how we build a Bamboo evidence file.
ReadBamboo Insurance reviews
What California policyholders are reporting — delays, underscoped estimates, nonrenewals.
ReadWho owns Bamboo Insurance?
Bamboo MGA, Sutton National underwriter, and White Mountains' stake explained.
ReadBamboo wildfire claim guide
How Bamboo / Sutton National handle wildfire and smoke claims in California.
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