If you're a resident of California and have recently received a non-renewal notice from your insurance company, it's crucial to know your options.
My office has received many calls from concerned residents throughout San Diego, sharing unsettling news about their home insurance not being renewed. In light of this, I want to ensure that you are equipped with the necessary information to understand your rights and make informed decisions for yourself and your family.
Non-renewals are expected to impact homeowners’ policies, rental, and other property insurance, and official notices are expected over the coming months.
As you navigate this process, here are some helpful tips:
- In California, an insurer must notify policyholders at minimum 75 days before a policy expires. If your insurer did not provide 75 days' notice, contact the California Department of Insurance at 1-800-927-HELP or visit ca.gov.
- If you feel the non-renewal notice is unfair, file a complaint with the California Department of Insurance.
- Contact your insurer and ask if you can take any specific actions to mitigate your risk and retain your coverage.
- Shop for a new homeowners’ policy with the California Department of Insurance home insurance finder tool.
- Use the homeowner’s insurance comparison tool to compare policies from different insurers.
- Visit the California FAIR Plan for basic fire and smoke coverage.
- Familiarize yourself with Difference in Conditions (DIC) policies, which can supplement a FAIR Plan policy to provide comparable coverage to a traditional homeowners' policy.