If you received a nonrenewal notice from your insurance company in California, your coverage may be ending due to elevated local risk (such as wildfire risk) leading your insurance provider to reduce their policies in your area. However, it could also be caused by an issue with your home or policy, such as a roof that exceeds the insurer’s acceptable age limits or nonpayment of premiums. If you’re not sure why your policy is being nonrenewed, you can contact your insurance company for answers. 

A DIC policy is a difference in conditions policy that supplements the fire coverage offered by the FAIR Plan with other coverage included in standard home insurance policies, such as personal liability insurance and coverage for perils other than fire. If you can only obtain fire coverage through the FAIR Plan, you’ll need a DIC policy from a standard insurer to act as “wraparound coverage” for your core fire policy. 

No, standard California home insurance policies do not cover earthquake damage. However, insurers in California are required to offer earthquake insurance to policyholders every other year through the California Earthquake Authority. Be aware that earthquake insurance comes with very high deductibles (as much as 25% of your dwelling coverage value) and is designed to reduce the cost of a total rebuild — not to cover all your losses after an earthquake. 

California’s 2026 Sustainable Insurance Strategy (SIS) could have varying impacts on homeowners insurance rates. For FAIR Plan policyholders and those who meet wildfire mitigation standards, the SIS might bring opportunities to lower premiums by switching to a competitive private insurer or by qualifying for mandatory discounted rates. However, the strategy’s emphasis on insurer commitment to high-risk areas and modernized catastrophe modeling could result in higher rates for some consumers, particularly in the short term while the market stabilizes. 

In order to qualify for a discount under Safer From Wildfires regulations, you’ll need to make at least one of the home hardening improvements listed in the regulations, such as clearing combustible materials from underneath your deck or replacing your roof with a Class A fire-resistant roof. You can increase your discount by undertaking multiple home hardening projects. 

The California Home Insurance Finder tool allows homeowners to search for insurance carriers or brokers licensed to sell insurance in a five to 75 mile radius of their ZIP code. If you’re searching for carriers due to a nonrenewal linked to fire risk, you can choose to only see carriers writing in higher fire risk areas. Be aware, however, that the Home Insurance Finder only shows carriers licensed to sell certain lines of insurance, but doesn’t guarantee that those insurers are selling policies to new customers.