If your California home insurer is not renewing your policy, you have at least 75 days to find replacement coverage, and the notice has to give you the specific reason. Insurance Code section 678 requires the insurer to deliver the notice at least 75 days before the policy expires, with "the specific reason or reasons for the nonrenewal."[1] Use that time to check whether the decision can be reversed, then shop for a replacement in order: first other admitted insurers, then surplus lines homeowners programs, and lastly the California FAIR Plan with a difference in conditions (DIC) policy.
This guide is for a homeowner holding a nonrenewal letter, or one who has just been told their insurer is leaving the area. It details what the law requires of the insurer, when a nonrenewal cannot be issued, how to appeal a wildfire risk score, and where to find new coverage before the current policy expires. If the reason is wildfire risk, our home insurance for high fire risk areas page explains which markets still write those homes and starts a quote.
What does the nonrenewal notice have to include?
It must give the specific reason, arrive at least 75 days before the policy ends, and tell you how to contact both the insurer and the Department of Insurance.[1] For residential policies expiring on or after July 1, 2021, section 678 also requires a notice that the California FAIR Plan is the insurer of last resort, that a FAIR Plan policy may exclude liability, theft and water damage, and that a DIC policy can help cover some of those gaps. The notice must also point you to the Department's California Home Insurance Finder.[1]
Read the reason carefully, because it determines what comes next. A reason tied to the property, such as roof condition, brush clearance or an old electrical panel, can often be corrected. A reason tied to the insurer's own plans, such as withdrawing from your ZIP code, cannot be changed, and you should begin shopping the same week.
When can't my insurer drop me?
For one year after the Governor declares a wildfire emergency, if your home is in a ZIP code within or adjacent to the fire perimeter. Insurance Code section 675.1 prohibits insurers from cancelling or not renewing residential property policies in those ZIP codes for one year from the declaration.[2] The fire perimeter is established by CAL FIRE, and the Insurance Commissioner issues a bulletin listing the protected ZIP codes.[2] The protection does not depend on whether your home was damaged.[3]
There are exceptions. An insurer may still nonrenew for a willful or grossly negligent act that increased the risk, for losses unrelated to the fire that make the home ineligible, or for physical changes that make it uninsurable.[2] Recent moratoriums on the Department's list include the January 7, 2025 Los Angeles and Ventura fires (Palisades, Eaton, Hurst and others) and the Gann Fire in Calaveras County, declared August 6, 2026.[3]
If you had a total loss in a declared disaster, section 675.1 also requires the insurer to offer to renew for at least the next two annual renewal periods, and no less than 24 months from the date of loss, unless the loss involved your own negligence.[2]
How do I appeal a wildfire risk score?
Ask the insurer for your wildfire risk score and file an appeal orally or in writing. Insurers are required by the Department's Safer from Wildfires regulation to give you your wildfire risk score or classification at least 75 days before any nonrenewal and at least 45 days before each renewal.[4] If you disagree with it, you can appeal directly to the insurer, which must acknowledge the appeal within 10 calendar days and decide within 30 calendar days.[4]
The same regulation requires insurers to recognize specific mitigation, such as a Class A fire-rated roof, fine metal mesh screens over vents, enclosed eaves, a five-foot ember-resistant zone around the house, defensible space, and community programs such as Firewise USA.[7] If you have completed mitigation, you can ask the insurer to reassess your score, and it must respond with your updated score within 30 days of your request.[4] An appeal won't always reverse a withdrawal from a whole area, but it is worth doing when the reason is something specific about your property.
If you think the insurer broke the rules, file a Request for Assistance with the Department of Insurance online or call its consumer hotline at 1-800-927-4357.[8]
Where do I get home insurance after being dropped?
Begin with admitted insurers, then surplus lines programs, and use the FAIR Plan only when nothing else will write the home. Each step gives up something compared with the one before it, so the order matters.
| Option | Who writes it | What you get | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Another admitted insurer | Licensed California insurers | Full homeowners policy, backed by the California Insurance Guarantee Association | Many limit new business in high-fire ZIP codes; the Home Insurance Finder lists who writes where[1] |
| Surplus lines homeowners (E&S) | Non-admitted insurers through a broker, such as Delos on Lloyd's paper, Annex Risk and Aegis's E&S program | One HO-3 policy with fire, theft, water and liability together[6][9] | Not backed by the guaranty association; eligibility is property by property |
| FAIR Plan plus DIC | California FAIR Plan (fire) and a DIC insurer (everything else) | Fire, lightning, internal explosion and smoke from the FAIR Plan, with theft, water and liability from the DIC[5][10] | Two policies, two bills; earthquake and flood are still separate |
Surplus lines homeowners programs are the step many owners skip. Delos, a managing general agent that assesses wildfire risk at the individual parcel level, writes primary homes up to $3 million of total insured value and $1.5 million of dwelling coverage on its homeowners program.[6] Aegis's E&S program writes HO-3 and DP-3 forms with dwelling limits up to $1 million and liability up to $500,000.[9] A broker with access to these markets can quote them in the same week, which matters when you have 75 days.
Is the FAIR Plan my only option if nobody else will insure me?
No, but it is the backstop. The FAIR Plan is the state's insurer of last resort, and it covers named perils only: fire, lightning, internal explosion and smoke, with more perils available as options.[5] It does not cover liability, theft or water damage, so most owners add a DIC policy. The Department of Insurance keeps a list of 18 admitted insurers that sell DIC policies for FAIR Plan customers.[10] Our guide to the best DIC insurance with the FAIR Plan compares them.
The FAIR Plan charges no broker fee on its own policies, according to the Department's residential guide, and you can apply through any licensed broker.[11] See our California FAIR Plan guide for limits, cost and how to leave the plan later.
How do I avoid a gap in coverage?
Apply as soon as possible and bind the new policy to start on the date the old one expires. Most applications need similar details: the home's year built, square footage, roof type and age, updates to wiring, plumbing and heating, prior claims, and photos for some surplus lines markets. Keep a copy of the nonrenewal notice, because many insurers ask why the last one left.
If you have a mortgage, send the declarations page of your new policy to your lender before your current policy expires. A lender that sees no coverage on its collateral can buy force-placed insurance and add it to your monthly loan payments, and that insurance usually protects only the lender's interest.
Day 1: read the reason
Week 1: appeal or fix
Ask for your wildfire risk score and appeal it, or schedule the repair or mitigation the insurer named.[4]
Weeks 2 to 6: shop
Get admitted and surplus lines quotes through a broker. Price the FAIR Plan plus DIC at the same time so you can compare.
Before expiration: bind and notify
Bind the replacement to start on the old policy's expiration date and send the declarations to your lender.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice does a California insurer have to give before nonrenewing my home?
At least 75 days before the policy expires, with the specific reasons for the nonrenewal.[1]
Can my insurer drop me after a wildfire near my home?
Not for one year after a declared wildfire emergency if your home is in a ZIP code within or next to the fire perimeter, with narrow exceptions.[2]
Is it hard to get homeowners insurance after being dropped?
Can I complain to the state about a nonrenewal?
Yes. File a Request for Assistance with the Department of Insurance online or call 1-800-927-4357.[8]
This guide is for educational purposes and summarizes the California Insurance Code, Department of Insurance regulations and consumer pages, California FAIR Plan pages and carrier program documents. Laws, programs and eligibility change, and your policy's terms control. Menlo Insurance Services (CA license 6020106) is a licensed broker and a registered FAIR Plan broker. It may earn a commission on a placement and does not guarantee that any coverage or price will be available. Surplus lines (non-admitted) insurers are not backed by the California Insurance Guarantee Association, and each quote names its insurer and whether it is admitted.
The Bottom Line
A nonrenewal notice gives you at least 75 days and a written reason.[1] Check whether a wildfire moratorium blocks it, appeal your wildfire score if the reason is your property, and start quotes right away.[2][4] Surplus lines homeowners programs often insure homes the admitted market has dropped, and the FAIR Plan with a DIC remains the fallback.[6][10]
References
- 1.California Legislative Information. “Insurance Code section 678.” Accessed 2026-09-27. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=INS§ionNum=678. ↩
- 2.California Legislative Information. “Insurance Code section 675.1.” Accessed 2026-09-27. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=INS§ionNum=675.1. ↩
- 3.California Department of Insurance. “Mandatory One Year Moratorium on Non-Renewals.” Accessed 2026-09-27. https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/140-catastrophes/MandatoryOneYearMoratoriumNonRenewals.cfm ↩
- 4.Legal Information Institute. “Cal. Code Regs. tit. 10, § 2644.9, Consideration of Mitigation Factors; Wildfire Risk Models, subsections (h) and (i).” Accessed 2026-09-27. https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/10-CCR-2644.9 ↩
- 5.California FAIR Plan Association. “Dwelling policies.” Accessed 2026-09-27. https://www.cfpnet.com/policies/dwelling/ ↩
- 6.Delos Insurance Solutions. “Delos Guide One Sheet.” 2025. https://6041899.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/6041899/Carrier%20Store%20Resources/Delos/Delos%20Guide%20One%20Sheet.pdf ↩
- 7.California Department of Insurance. “Safer from Wildfires.” Accessed 2026-09-27. https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/200-wrr/Safer-from-Wildfires.cfm ↩
- 8.California Department of Insurance. “Consumer help and complaints.” Accessed 2026-09-27. https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/101-help/index.cfm ↩
- 9.Aegis General Insurance Agency. “Aegis General Product Overview (CA).” 2026. https://6041899.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/6041899/Carrier%20Store%20Resources/Aegis/Aegis%20General%20Product%20Overview%20CA.pdf ↩
- 10.California Department of Insurance. “List of Insurers that Sell Difference in Conditions (DIC) Policies.” Accessed 2026-09-27. https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/5-residential/carriersDICpolicies.cfm ↩
- 11.California Department of Insurance. “Residential Insurance: Homeowners and Renters Guide.” Accessed 2026-09-27. https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/95-guides/03-res/res-ins-guide.cfm ↩