Your California non-renewal checklist

That date is your real deadline. California generally requires your insurer to send the notice at least 75 days before the policy expires, so the time you have left depends on when the letter reached you. As long as your premiums are paid, coverage continues until that date.

Write down when the letter was mailed or delivered too, and keep the envelope. If the insurer sent it late, your policy stays in effect on the same terms for 75 days from the date it was delivered or mailed.

• California Insurance Code section 678

After a declared wildfire emergency, insurers can't non-renew homes in listed ZIP codes for one year based solely on the home being in an area where a wildfire occurred. Note the declaration date, since the protection runs one year from it.

If your ZIP is covered and your letter cites wildfire risk, ask your insurer in writing to reinstate the policy. If it refuses, file a Request for Assistance with the California Department of Insurance (CDI).

• CDI moratorium ZIP code lookup
• Request for Assistance

Call the consumer line on your letter, take notes, and follow up by email so there is a record.

Ask what specific reason is behind this, whether a wildfire risk score was used and what would lower it, what proof they accept, and whether they would review the decision if you finish specific work before the expiration date. They may say no, so keep shopping either way.

If your insurer uses a wildfire risk model, California requires it to give you your score in writing at least 75 days before a non-renewal.

• CDI tips for finding residential insurance

Don't wait for repairs to finish. Ask each one which insurers they represent. If one can't place you, the next one may. Check the license before you sign anything.

• Find an agent or broker
• CDI Home Insurance Finder

Photograph all four sides, the roof, gutters, vents, the first 5 feet around the house, and anything the letter names. Date each photo and label the spot, like "north foundation."

Keep the letter, the envelope, photos, invoices, receipts, product names, and any permits together. Add a short scope of work as each job finishes: what was done, where, and when.

• What insurers may ask to see

Get leaves and needles off the roof and out of the gutters. Move anything that burns out of the first 5 feet around the house, like wood mulch, dead plants, firewood, and stored items. Take after photos from the same angles as your before photos.

• Where California's Zone 0 rules stand

A 15-minute video call or a 30-minute visit. On a visit, Mark flies a drone over your house and the land around it, walks the property, and checks what CAL FIRE flags, what code and Zone 0 rules require, and what insurers ask for. You get a list with prices that shows what to do first against your expiration date.

• Book a free assessment

Start with CDI's Safer from Wildfires list of actions that qualify for discounts: ember- and fire-resistant vents, a 5-foot ember-resistant zone, a Class A roof, enclosed eaves, cleared vegetation and debris under decks, and trees and brush trimmed to state and local defensible space rules. Insurers differ, so ask yours which ones it counts.

For vents, use 1/8-inch or finer metal mesh, or listed ember-resistant vents, and ask your insurer what proof it accepts. IBHS says 1/4-inch mesh should not be used on any vent. If a wood fence or gate attaches to the house, ask about a noncombustible section where it meets the house.

RF1 is a coordinator, not an installer. We line up pre-vetted contractors for vents, Zone 0 and defensible space, fencing, and roofs, so you have one point of contact.

• CDI Safer from Wildfires
• Check your vent mesh

After you finish mitigation work, you can request a revised wildfire risk score, and the insurer has 30 days from your request to provide it.

If the score looks wrong or out of date, you can appeal it, by phone or in writing. The insurer must acknowledge your appeal within 10 calendar days and give a written decision within 30 calendar days of receiving it. If the appeal is denied, you can ask CDI for help at 800-927-4357.

Finishing the work does not guarantee a renewal, a new policy, or a specific discount. It does give you proof to show other insurers.

• CDI 2026 notice on score and appeal rules

Contact your insurer first. If you're still not satisfied, you can file a complaint with CDI, called a Request for Assistance. It is a review, not a guaranteed reversal, but it costs nothing and creates a record.

• Request for Assistance

Compare deductibles, limits, and any wildfire exclusions, so a cheap quote doesn't hide a gap. CDI's premium and coverage comparison tools are free.

• CDI premium comparison
• CDI coverage comparison

Ask your broker about non-admitted, or surplus lines, carriers first. The California FAIR Plan is the insurer of last resort. You apply through a licensed broker registered with it, and not all brokers are, so ask first. The FAIR Plan's number is 800-339-4099.

It covers fire, lightning, internal explosion, and smoke, up to $3 million for all coverages combined. It leaves out things like theft, water damage, and liability, so price a Difference in Conditions policy too. The FAIR Plan is designed to be temporary, so keep shopping before each renewal.

• CDI on the California FAIR Plan
• How to apply

Get written confirmation so there is no gap in coverage. Check the letter for the exact time your coverage ends. Tell your mortgage servicer about the change before the old policy ends.

California requires insurers to offer discounts for mitigation work, and CDI reports a range of 4% to 40%. The amount depends on your insurer, your home, and which actions you complete. Most published discounts apply only to the wildfire portion of the premium.

Discounts aren't automatic. Report the work, and expect to show proof or have an inspection. Savings show up at the start of the next policy period.

• CDI Safer from Wildfires FAQ