A nonrenewal notice means the homeowners policy ends on its expiration date, not the day the letter arrives. Use that window to get replacement coverage quoted and bound, with an effective date on or before expiration, so the house is never uninsured and the lender's escrow still has a policy. The California FAIR Plan is a last-resort option, often paired with a separate difference-in-conditions policy.
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How much notice must the insurer give, and what must the notice say?
For a policy expiring on or after July 1, 2020, Insurance Code section 678(c) requires the nonrenewal notice at least 75 days before expiration. It must state the specific reason, the insurer's consumer-inquiry number, and that the Department of Insurance may review the matter, with the department's website, telephone number, and mailing address. Section 678(e) adds an accompanying Home Insurance Finder and FAIR Plan notice for a residential policy expiring on or after July 1, 2021. A late notice keeps the policy in force, unchanged, for 75 days.
Can I ask why the insurer will not renew, and can I dispute the notice?
The stated reason is on the notice. The Department's top tips for finding residential insurance say to ask the insurer whether a specific mitigation step could keep the policy, and that a person who believes the nonrenewal was unfair may file a complaint with the Department. Section 675(c) says an insurer may not refuse to renew one of these policies solely because a claim is pending, aside from the earthquake-coverage exception the section describes. Start the replacement quote while that conversation is open. Call 209-670-1556 and send the notice.
Was my ZIP code under a wildfire moratorium?
Insurance Code section 675.1(b) says an insurer shall not cancel or refuse to renew a residential property policy, for one year after a declared state of emergency, based solely on the fact that the structure sits in an area where a wildfire occurred. The rule covers policies in effect at the declaration, in a ZIP code within or adjacent to the fire perimeter. The Department's moratorium page points to the bulletin that lists those ZIP codes. The section does not void every letter. Ask the insurer, and send us the notice so we can read the date and the reason.
Bulletin 2026-6 covers the Gann Fire after the emergency declaration for Calaveras County on August 6, 2026. ZIP codes on that bulletin include 95215, 95220, 95236, 95320, and 95361. California Volunteers' county lookup lists 95215 Stockton, 95220 Acampo, 95236 Linden, and 95320 Escalon in San Joaquin County, and 95361 Oakdale in Stanislaus County. The bulletin tells insurers to offer to rescind a cancellation or nonrenewal issued for wildfire risk on or after August 6, 2026, for a property in a listed ZIP code, and to offer to reinstate or renew a policy that was in effect at the declaration. Section 675.1(c) sets the moratorium aside for willful or grossly negligent acts, for unrelated losses that make the risk ineligible for renewal, and for physical or risk changes that make the property uninsurable. If your ZIP is on the list, send the notice. The listing alone does not decide the letter.
What should I send you right away after the letter?
Send the notice, the current declarations page, the roof year and roof type, and the years of any plumbing, electrical, or heating work. Add proof of home-hardening you have already finished: photos, invoices, or an inspection note. The Department's Safer from Wildfires FAQ says that after a mitigation action you tell the insurer, and that proof or an inspection may be required. The Commissioner's February 2022 release describes the framework in three layers, the structure, the immediate surroundings, and the community, and names examples such as an upgraded roof and windows, defensible space, and community programs including Firewise USA and a Fire Risk Reduction Community designation.
How does a FAIR Plan policy plus a difference-in-conditions policy compare with one admitted policy?
One admitted homeowners policy is a single contract in the regular market. Section 678(e) calls the FAIR Plan the insurer of last resort for basic property insurance when coverage is not available in the normal market, and it says a difference-in-conditions policy should be considered for perils the FAIR Plan policy does not cover. Our comparison of one admitted policy with a FAIR Plan policy plus a difference-in-conditions policy is the place to read that choice. Keep the current policy, including a FAIR Plan policy, until the replacement is bound. The switch guide is the next step once a quote is in hand.
What if the mortgage company sends a lender-placed warning?
A lender-placed letter means the mortgage servicer does not have proof of a homeowners policy it will accept. The servicer may buy a policy of its own and charge that cost through the loan. Keep the policy you have until the replacement is bound with an effective date on or before the expiration. Then send the new declarations page to the servicer so the mortgagee name, the loan number, and the escrow record match the policy that will be in force.
What is the difference between a nonrenewal and a cancellation?
Chapter 11 of the Insurance Code covers cancellation and failure to renew for the residential policies section 675 describes, including real property of not more than four dwelling units. A nonrenewal is notice that the insurer will not continue the policy past its expiration. A cancellation is notice that the policy will end before that date. Section 677.4 requires the cancellation notice at least 20 calendar days before the cancellation date, or at least 10 calendar days when the reason is nonpayment of premium or fraud.
Which letter did I get, and what do I send with it?
Match the paper in your hand to the row, then send the documents in the last column. The deadline is the one on your notice, read against the statute for that kind of letter.
| Situation | What it means | Deadline to act | What to send us |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonrenewal notice | The policy ends on the expiration date, not the day the letter arrives. | At least 75 days before expiration for a policy expiring on or after July 1, 2020, under section 678(c). A late notice extends the same policy 75 days. | The notice, the declarations page, roof year and type, updates, and home-hardening proof. |
| Mid-term cancellation | The insurer is ending the policy before expiration. | At least 20 calendar days before the cancellation date, or 10 calendar days for nonpayment or fraud, under section 677.4. | The cancellation notice, the effective date, and the declarations page. |
| FAIR Plan offer | Basic property coverage when the regular market has not offered a policy, often paired with a difference-in-conditions policy. | Before the current policy expires. Do not drop the FAIR Plan policy until the replacement is bound. | The FAIR Plan declarations page, any difference-in-conditions quote, and the nonrenewal notice if you have one. |
| Lender-placed letter | The servicer does not show a homeowners policy it will accept and may place its own. | Before the date the letter gives for that placement. | The letter, the loan number, and, once bound, the new declarations page for the servicer. |
What should I do in the first seven days after the letter?
Work the week in this order. Insurance City Agency, LLC prepares the quote at 956 W Robinhood Dr, Stockton, CA 95207, CA License #6003045. Call (209) 670-1556.
- Circle the expiration date and the stated reason. The letter does not end the policy on the day it arrives.
- Keep the full notice with the declarations page. A photo of the envelope is not a substitute.
- Check the property ZIP against the Department's moratorium bulletins, including Bulletin 2026-6, and ask the insurer about the reason. Send both papers to us the same day.
- Write the roof year and material, and the years of plumbing, electrical, and heating work.
- Collect proof of home-hardening already finished: structure, surroundings, and any community step the Department describes.
- Request the quote with an effective date on or before the expiration date. Say so on the form if the house is on the FAIR Plan.
- If a lender-placed letter arrives, clip it to the notice. The new declarations page goes to the servicer after the replacement is bound.
Reviewed by Santo Militello, California-licensed agent and owner (CA Lic. #1737723). Our licensed team brings more than 70 years of combined insurance experience. Insurance City Agency, LLC · CA License #6003045 · 956 W Robinhood Dr, Stockton, CA 95207 · (209) 670-1556. Last reviewed 2026-10-23.
Insurance City Agency, LLC · CA License #6003045.
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Send the notice and the declarations page here
