Wildfire insurance non-renewal
Dropped? There’s a path back.
A non-renewal notice is not the end of insuring your home — it’s the start of a process with real rules, real deadlines, and real protections that vary by state. This page walks you through every step, with every claim linked to the official source.
Your insurer had to give you advance written notice — from 30 days in Arizona to 75 in California, depending on your state. [codes.findlaw.com] [codes.findlaw.com]
Four of the five states this page covers have a last-resort “FAIR plan” that will consider your application if the regular market says no. [cfpnet.com] [coloradofairplan.com] [orfairplan.com] [wafairplan.com]
In California, documented mitigation legally entitles you to an insurance discount — even on the FAIR Plan. [insurance.ca.gov]
Which of these is you?
“I just got a non-renewal notice.”
Start with your notice: check it was legally valid (timing and stated reason), then begin the 5-step path back immediately — your deadline clock is already running.
Understand your notice →
“My policy lapsed or expires in days.”
Call a licensed independent agent today and ask about your state’s FAIR plan as a bridge — in California and Colorado you must go through a broker or agent anyway, and they can start the process now. [cfpnet.com] [coloradofairplan.com]
Step 2: the FAIR plan bridge →
“I haven’t been dropped — I’m worried I will be.”
The strongest move is documented mitigation before renewal. In California, insurers must tell you your wildfire risk score and how to lower it. [insurance.ca.gov]
The mitigation → discount play →
First: was your notice even valid?
Every state sets a minimum warning period before an insurer can walk away, and most require the notice to state the actual reason. If your insurer missed the deadline or the notice is vague, you may be entitled to more time — or a forced renewal. These rules vary sharply by state, so find yours below.
| State | Minimum notice | What the notice must include | If the notice was late or defective |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 75 days before expiration [codes.findlaw.com] | Specific reasons for non-renewal, plus how to contact the insurer and the Department of Insurance [codes.findlaw.com] | Your existing policy stays in force, on the same terms, for 75 days from the date the notice was mailed. [codes.findlaw.com] |
| Colorado | 60 days (raised from 30 by HB23-1174 — some older state advisories still say 30; the statute controls) [law.justia.com] [leg.colorado.gov] | First-class mail to your last known address; must specifically state the reasons [law.justia.com] | Contact the Division of Insurance (state resources below). [doi.colorado.gov] |
| Oregon | 30 days minimum [oregon.public.law] | Wildfire-related notices must explain the insurer’s risk assessment of your property and what you can do about it [oregon.public.law] | Oregon repealed its state wildfire hazard map in 2025 (SB 83) — insurers never could use it against you, and now use their own models instead. What survives: any wildfire-related non-renewal notice must still explain the property-specific risk factors and what mitigation could change the decision (ORS 742.277). [dfr.oregon.gov] [oregon.public.law] |
| Washington | 60 days before expiration [app.leg.wa.gov] — temporarily extended in wildfire-affected/adjacent ZIP codes by emergency order (see the callout below) | Must state the insurer’s actual reason [app.leg.wa.gov] | See the OIC’s guidance and complaint path (state resources below). [insurance.wa.gov] |
| Arizona | 30 days before the end of the policy period [codes.findlaw.com] | Advance notice of intent not to renew [codes.findlaw.com] | If the insurer failed to give timely notice, it must renew your policy at its existing rates when you pay the premium. [difi.az.gov] |
This page is general information, not insurance or legal advice — deadlines and remedies turn on your policy and facts. Confirm anything you act on with your state’s insurance department (links in the state resources below).
After a declared wildfire disaster, extra protections may apply
- California is the only state with an automatic law: Automatic by law (Ins. Code § 675.1, SB 824): after a Governor-declared wildfire emergency, insurers cannot cancel or non-renew homes in ZIP codes within or adjacent to the fire perimeter — for one full year from the declaration — based solely on wildfire risk, whether or not the home was damaged. Check whether your ZIP is covered with the Department’s lookup tool. If you were non-renewed in violation, ask your insurer for reinstatement, then file a Request for Assistance with the CDI. [insurance.ca.gov]
- Oregon protects per-event by emergency order (as of 2026-08-07): Oregon’s Division of Financial Regulation has suspended cancellations and non-renewals in ZIP codes under wildfire evacuation notices (per-event emergency order; no published end date — check the regulator’s site for current status). [dfr.oregon.gov]
- Washington protects per-event by emergency order (as of 2026-08-07): Washington’s Insurance Commissioner has barred cancellation for nonpayment (unless the policyholder directs it), required 45-day grace periods, and extended non-renewal notice to 120 days in wildfire-affected and adjacent ZIP codes — in effect August 3 through September 30, 2026. [insurance.wa.gov]
- Colorado and Arizona currently have no automatic post-disaster non-renewal moratorium. Your protections there are the notice rules above and your Division/Department of Insurance (state resources below).
The 5-step path back to full coverage
There is a standard, regulator-documented sequence for getting re-insured after a non-renewal — United Policyholders and the California Department of Insurance both publish versions of it — adapted below to your state’s specifics. [uphelp.org] [insurance.ca.gov]
Shop the whole market with an independent agent
Don’t just call the big brands you know. An independent agent or broker can quote many carriers at once — including regional and surplus-lines insurers that still write wildfire-exposed homes. In Colorado, you’ll need proof of declinations anyway: the Colorado FAIR Plan requires evidence that three admitted carriers turned you down before it will consider you, so document every “no” (date, carrier, agent) as you go. [coloradofairplan.com] In Arizona — which has no FAIR plan — the private and surplus market is the whole game, and the Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions’ Consumer Services can help you navigate it. [difi.az.gov]
Micro-tip: keep a shopping log — carrier, date, quote or declination, reason given. It’s your FAIR-plan eligibility proof in Colorado and your evidence if you later file a regulator complaint anywhere.
If the market says no: your state’s FAIR plan is the bridge
FAIR plans are last-resort insurance pools that exist so no insurable home goes bare. They are a bridge, not a destination — coverage is narrower and limits are lower than a standard policy, and the details differ a lot by state:
| State | Plan | Max residential limit | Key limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA | California FAIR Plan (our full guide) | $3,000,000 combined [insurance.ca.gov] | Named-peril only: fire & lightning, internal explosion, smoke (optional add-ons like vandalism). No liability, theft, water, or wind. Apply only through a licensed broker, who must first search the regular market. [cfpnet.com] [cfpnet.com] |
| CO | Colorado FAIR Plan (accepting applications since April 2025) | $750,000, actual cash value (not replacement cost) | Requires 3 admitted-carrier declinations and no current offer; agent-only access; can still decline on property condition. [coloradofairplan.com] |
| OR | Oregon FAIR Plan Association | $600,000 all coverage parts (raised from $400,000 effective May 1, 2023); higher case-by-case [orfairplan.com] [dfr.oregon.gov] | — |
| WA | Washington FAIR Plan (WPIUA) | $1,500,000 per property, actual cash value [wafairplan.com] | — |
| AZ | None. | — | Private/surplus market only; DIFI convened a Resiliency & Mitigation Council that reported in Dec 2025, but no plan has been enacted as of mid-2026. [difi.az.gov] |
Honesty note: “actual cash value” means depreciated value — a 20-year-old roof pays out as a 20-year-old roof. Factor that gap into Step 3.
Fill the gaps with a DIC “wrap-around” policy
A FAIR plan policy alone leaves you exposed on liability, theft, water damage, and more. A Difference in Conditions (DIC) policy from the regular market wraps around your FAIR plan policy to fill those gaps — together they approximate a standard homeowners policy. This isn’t our advice alone: the California FAIR Plan itself tells policyholders to “consider purchasing Difference in Conditions, Flood, or Earthquake policies” to supplement its coverage. [cfpnet.com] United Policyholders, a consumer nonprofit, publishes a plain-English guide to pairing FAIR + DIC. [uphelp.org] Ask the same independent agent from Step 1 to quote the DIC at the same time as the FAIR plan application — they’re designed to be bought together.
Do the mitigation, and document every bit of it
Mitigation is often what turns “uninsurable” back into “insurable” — and in California it’s a legal right to a discount, not a favor (full details in the mitigation → discount section below). Whatever state you’re in:
- Photograph before/after for every measure (roof, vents, 5-foot zone, deck clearance).
- Keep receipts and contractor invoices.
- In California, request a defensible-space inspection record (CAL FIRE, PRC 4291). [fire.ca.gov]
- Consider the IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home designation — a third-party, inspection-backed credential that Washington’s insurance commissioner promotes directly to insurers: Class A roof, ember-resistant vents, noncombustible 0–5 ft zone and 6-inch wall base, cleared under-deck areas; roughly $125 application with photo evidence and third-party review; valid 3 years. [wildfireprepared.org] [insurance.wa.gov]
Re-shop the standard market every year
The FAIR + DIC bridge is meant to be temporary. Markets shift, carriers re-open ZIP codes, and your mitigation record compounds. Every renewal cycle: take your documentation package back to your independent agent and re-shop admitted carriers. In California, you also have the right to ask any insurer for your wildfire risk score, an explanation of how to improve it, and an appeal — first to the insurer, then to the Department of Insurance at 800-927-4357. [insurance.ca.gov] (Our guide to appealing a wildfire risk score walks through that process.)
Your state’s official resources
Bookmark your state’s card. Regulators enforce notice, timing, and reason requirements — and they take complaints seriously — but be aware they generally can’t force an insurer to keep writing a risk it lawfully declines, except where a moratorium applies.
California
- FAIR Plan — apply through a licensed broker (finder tool on site): [cfpnet.com]
- Regulator: CA Department of Insurance — file a Request for Assistance: [insurance.ca.gov] · Hotline: 800-927-4357
- Post-fire moratorium ZIP lookup: [insurance.ca.gov]
- Wildfire non-renewal hub: [insurance.ca.gov]
Colorado
- FAIR Plan (launched 2025; agent-only; 3 declinations required): [coloradofairplan.com]
- Regulator: CO Division of Insurance — ask a question or file a complaint: [doi.colorado.gov]
- Non-renewal advisory: [doi.colorado.gov] (this advisory predates HB23-1174 — the notice period is now 60 days)
- Colorado also has its own risk-score disclosure law — see our Colorado wildfire risk score law guide.
Oregon
- FAIR Plan: Oregon FAIR Plan Association: [orfairplan.com]
- Regulator: Division of Financial Regulation — file a complaint: [dfr.oregon.gov]
- Homeowners Bill of Rights (PDF): [dfr.oregon.gov]
- Wildfire insurance page: [dfr.oregon.gov]
Washington
- FAIR Plan: Washington FAIR Plan (WPIUA): [wafairplan.com]
- Regulator: Office of the Insurance Commissioner — file a complaint: [insurance.wa.gov]
- Changing-policies guidance: [insurance.wa.gov]
Arizona
- FAIR Plan: none — DIFI Consumer Services assists with private-market shopping
- Regulator: DIFI — file a complaint: [difi.az.gov]
- Notice-rights FAQ: [difi.az.gov]
Not in one of these five? Find your state regulator via the NAIC directory: [content.naic.org]
The mitigation → discount play: make your home cheaper to insure
California is the only state where mitigation discounts are the law — under the “Safer from Wildfires” regulation (Cal. Code Regs. § 2644.9), admitted insurers that use wildfire risk in their rates must file discounts for these measures, and the FAIR Plan offers them too. [insurance.ca.gov] [insurance.ca.gov] Elsewhere, discounts are voluntary insurer programs — which is exactly why the portable, third-party IBHS credential matters.
The qualifying measures (every one qualifies for a discount in California)
- Class A fire-rated roof
- 5-foot ember-resistant zone around the structure
- Noncombustible material for the bottom 6 inches of exterior walls
- Ember- and fire-resistant vents
- Double-pane windows or added shutters
- Enclosed eaves
- Cleared vegetation and debris from under decks
- Sheds and outbuildings moved at least 30 feet from the home
- Tree trimming and brush removal per state and local defensible-space laws
- Community level: living in a Firewise USA site or a Fire Risk Reduction Community
Full list: [insurance.ca.gov]
How big is the discount? Discount amounts are set insurer-by-insurer in competitive rate filings — there is no single number, and anyone quoting one is guessing. The CDI’s own advice: different insurers offer different discounts, so it pays to compare. The Department maintains the list of insurers currently offering discounts and their filings. [insurance.ca.gov]
CA transparency right 1
Insurers must disclose your wildfire risk score at application, before renewal or non-renewal, and on request after you mitigate.
CA transparency right 2
They must explain how to lower it.
CA transparency right 3
You can appeal the score — first to the insurer, then to the CDI (800-927-4357). Proof may be receipts, photos, or an inspection.
Source for all three rights: [insurance.ca.gov]
Outside California
- IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home — portable, third-party proof of mitigation you can present to any carrier; two tiers (Base and Plus), ~$125 application, photo evidence + third-party review, valid 3 years. [wildfireprepared.org]
- Washington: the OIC promotes IBHS designations directly to insurers and consumers. [insurance.wa.gov]
- Oregon: the state publishes home-hardening and insurance guidance under its SB 762/SB 80 framework. [oregon.gov]
- Colorado / Arizona: no mandated discount regulation — ask each carrier what mitigation credits it files, and bring documentation regardless.
Optional · free
Where FireRisk.ai fits in
Everything above works without us. If you want help executing it, here’s what we actually do:
1. Know your risk before the insurer tells you.
Get a free wildfire risk report for your address — the same category of hazard data insurers look at — so you walk into Step 1 conversations informed, not blindsided.
Get my free risk report →2. Build the mitigation record Step 4 requires.
Track every completed measure against the Safer-from-Wildfires checklist with photos and dates, in one place — the documentation package you’ll hand to your agent, your insurer, or an IBHS reviewer.
Open my dashboard →3. Talk to a trusted local mitigation pro.
If a measure on the checklist needs a contractor — roof, vents, defensible space — we can connect you with trusted local mitigation pros. Optional, no obligation.
See local pros →FireRisk.ai is not an insurance company, agent, or advisor, and nothing on this page is insurance or legal advice. Our reports inform; your licensed agent and your state regulator decide.
Related
Non-renewal FAQ
Can my insurer drop me right after a wildfire near my home?
In California, no — if the Governor declared a wildfire emergency and your ZIP code is within or adjacent to the fire perimeter, insurers cannot non-renew you for wildfire risk for one year from the declaration. Oregon and Washington have issued similar protections per-event by emergency order (Washington’s current order runs through September 30, 2026). Colorado and Arizona have no automatic equivalent. [insurance.ca.gov] [dfr.oregon.gov] [insurance.wa.gov]
Is the FAIR plan the same as regular homeowners insurance?
No. FAIR plans are named-peril, last-resort policies — California’s covers only fire & lightning, internal explosion, and smoke — with no liability, theft, or water coverage, which is why a DIC wrap-around policy is the standard pairing. [cfpnet.com]
Can I apply to a FAIR plan myself?
In California, no — you must go through a licensed broker, who first performs a diligent search of the regular market. Colorado is also agent-only and requires three admitted-carrier declinations. [cfpnet.com] [coloradofairplan.com]
Will hardening my home actually lower my premium?
In California, yes by regulation — every Safer-from-Wildfires measure qualifies for a discount from admitted insurers that rate on wildfire risk, including the FAIR Plan; the amount varies by insurer. Elsewhere discounts are voluntary, and the IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home designation is portable, third-party proof of mitigation. [insurance.ca.gov] [wildfireprepared.org]
My insurer gave me less notice than my state requires. What now?
In California a late notice keeps your policy in force for 75 days from mailing; in Arizona the insurer must renew at existing rates if you pay the premium. In every state, file with your regulator (links in the state cards above). [codes.findlaw.com] [difi.az.gov]
All sources (38)— every claim on this page links to one of these
Statutes and regulator pages wherever possible. Research last verified: 2026-08-07. Emergency orders are dated and auto-flag once their published end date passes.
Notice rules (statutes)
- https://codes.findlaw.com/ca/insurance-code/ins-sect-678/
- https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-10/property-and-casualty-insurance/article-4/part-1/section-10-4-110-7/
- http://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb23-1174
- https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_746.687
- https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_742.277
- https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=48.18.2901
- https://codes.findlaw.com/az/title-20-insurance/az-rev-st-sect-20-1654
- https://difi.az.gov/faq/insurer-required-provide-me-notice-if-they-intend-cancel-or-non-renew-my-homeowners-policy
Post-disaster protections
- https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/140-catastrophes/MandatoryOneYearMoratoriumNonRenewals.cfm
- https://dfr.oregon.gov/news/news2026/Pages/pause-insurance-cancellations.aspx
- https://www.insurance.wa.gov/about-us/news/2026/kuderer-issues-emergency-order-provide-relief-people-affected-washington-wildfires
- https://dfr.oregon.gov/insure/home/storm/pages/wildfires.aspx
FAIR plans
- https://www.cfpnet.com/how-to-apply/
- https://www.cfpnet.com/policies/dwelling/
- https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0400-news/0100-press-releases/2024/release031-2024.cfm
- https://www.coloradofairplan.com/eligibility
- https://orfairplan.com/agents/insurance-coverages/dwellings/
- https://dfr.oregon.gov/news/news2023/pages/20230511-fairplan-coverage-increases.aspx
- https://www.wafairplan.com/faq/
- https://difi.az.gov/sites/default/files/2025-12/Resiliency%20and%20Mitigation%20Council%202025%20Final%20Report.pdf
- https://uphelp.org/buying-tips/the-lowdown-from-up-on-the-california-fair-plan-the-last-resort-option-for-insuring-your-home/
Mitigation & discounts
- https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/95-guides/03-res/upload/FAQ-Safer-from-Wildfire-Regulation.pdf
- https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0400-news/0100-press-releases/2022/release076-2022.cfm
- https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/95-guides/03-res/Insurers-Currently-Offering-Discounts.cfm
- https://www.fire.ca.gov/dspace
- https://wildfireprepared.org/frequently-asked-questions/
- https://www.insurance.wa.gov/about-us/current-initiatives/wildfire-risk-and-your-insurance/ibhs-wildfire-prepared-home-designations
- https://www.oregon.gov/gov/Documents/5985%20BCD_DFR%20home%20hardening_insurance%20one-pager.pdf
State regulators & help
- https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/101-help/
- https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/140-catastrophes/wildfirenonrenewalinfo.cfm
- https://doi.colorado.gov/for-consumers/ask-a-question-or-file-a-complaint
- https://doi.colorado.gov/news-releases-consumer-advisories/consumer-advisory-when-your-homeowners-insurance-doesnt-renew
- https://dfr.oregon.gov/help/complaints-licenses/Pages/file-a-complaint.aspx
- https://dfr.oregon.gov/help/outreach-education/Documents/publications/6135-homeowners-bill-of-rights.pdf
- https://www.insurance.wa.gov/complaints-and-fraud/file-complaint-or-check-your-complaint-status
- https://www.insurance.wa.gov/insurance-resources/home-insurance/how-home-insurance-works/what-do-when-changing-homeowner-policies
- https://difi.az.gov/complaint
- https://content.naic.org/state-insurance-departments
This page is general information, not insurance, legal, or financial advice. Notice periods, FAIR plan limits, and emergency orders change — the linked statutes and regulator pages always win. For decisions about your policy, work with a licensed agent and your state’s insurance department.