Homeowners insurance availability in California

696,562 policies in force

+8% since September 2025 (prior fiscal year-end), +157% since September 2022. Total exposure $768B (+11% since Sept 2025, +250% since Sept 2022). Written premium $2.04B. New business Oct 2025 - Jun 2026: 151,061 policies (monthly average 16,784), which the FAIR Plan states is a 25% decrease in average monthly new business against fiscal 2025.

As of 2026-06-30 · source · full series on the FAIR Plan tracker · compared coast to coast on California vs Florida

Governor signs AB 2038, extending post-disaster renewal and fire-perimeter non-renewal protections

The Governor’s office listed AB 2038 (Harabedian), Residential property insurance: cancellations and nonrenewals, among bills signed in its legislative update of September 30, 2026; leginfo records it approved September 30, 2026 and chaptered as Chapter 917, Statutes of 2026. Per the Legislative Counsel’s Digest, after a total loss to the primary insured structure caused by a disaster, an insurer must renew the policy for at least the next three annual renewal periods, and no less than 36 months of coverage from the date of loss (existing law: two renewals and 24 months). It also prohibits an insurer from cancelling or refusing to renew a residential property policy for a property in a ZIP Code within or adjacent to a fire perimeter for two years after the declaration of a state of emergency (existing law: one year, where based solely on the wildfire’s location). Names no carrier and sets no carrier status.

Source: Office of the Governor of California, legislative update, September 30, 2026 · verified 2026-10-05

Governor signs AB 2061, requiring the FAIR Plan to post policy counts by ZIP Code each quarter

The Governor’s office listed AB 2061 (Chen), California FAIR Plan Association: data, among bills signed on September 30, 2026; leginfo records it approved that day and chaptered as Chapter 918, Statutes of 2026. Per the Legislative Counsel’s Digest, the FAIR Plan Association must each quarter post on its website specified information, including the number of policies it has issued in each ZIP Code and its risk exposure, and the requirement to publish its toll-free number in telephone directories is deleted. The bill carries double-jointing language with AB 69, signed September 27. Scheduled output: quarterly ZIP-level FAIR Plan policy counts. Sets no carrier status.

Source: Office of the Governor of California, legislative update, September 30, 2026 · verified 2026-10-05

Governor signs AB 2724, requiring annual review of wildfire distressed areas

The Governor’s office listed AB 2724 (Bauer-Kahan), Insurance: distressed areas, among bills signed on September 30, 2026; leginfo records it approved that day and chaptered as Chapter 961, Statutes of 2026. Per the Legislative Counsel’s Digest, the Department of Insurance must, on or before July 1, 2027 and yearly thereafter, review and update the distressed areas used in its catastrophe-modeling regulations based on updates to wildland-urban interface (WUI) designations, including at least one public meeting on factors for evaluating FAIR Plan percentages in WUI areas, and must publish a list of ZIP Codes in WUI areas on its website by January 1, 2028. It also changes the penalty for an insurer that fails to file its biennial fire risk report to up to $5,000 for each 30-day period of non-compliance, or, if willful, up to $10,000 for each 30-day period with an aggregate cap of $100,000. Scheduled outputs: first distressed-area review by 2027-07-01, WUI ZIP Code list by 2028-01-01. Names no carrier and sets no carrier status.

Source: Office of the Governor of California, legislative update, September 30, 2026 · verified 2026-10-05

Governor signs AB 1680, the Make It FAIR Act, on California FAIR Plan oversight

The Governor’s office listed AB 1680 (Calderon), California FAIR Plan Association, among bills signed in its legislative update of September 27, 2026. Per the Legislative Counsel’s Digest of the enrolled bill, it requires the FAIR Plan Association to take corrective actions specified by the Insurance Commissioner to rectify violations identified in a report of examination or other operational report, subjects the association to a penalty of up to $20,000 for failing to take that action within an agreed timeframe, sets civil penalties for other violations of up to $10,000 per act or $20,000 if willful, and authorizes the Commissioner to require the association to adjust the policy limits available under its programs and to offer additional fair rental value coverage under its renters program. It is drafted to operate together with AB 69, signed the same day. The legislative record read on September 28, 2026 did not yet show a chapter number. This follows the enrolled-bill event of September 4, 2026; it changes oversight of the FAIR Plan and sets no carrier status.

Source: Office of the Governor of California, legislative update, September 27, 2026 · verified 2026-09-28

Governor signs AB 69 on FAIR Plan policy notices, renewals and clearinghouse offers

The Governor’s office listed AB 69 (Calderon), FAIR Plan policy notices and renewals, among bills signed on September 27, 2026. Per the Legislative Counsel’s Digest of the enrolled bill: on and after January 1, 2028 the FAIR Plan Association may share policyholder information with insurers in its clearinghouse program so they can offer voluntary-market policies to FAIR Plan policyholders, with any offer made simultaneously to the agent or broker of record; beginning May 1, 2027 participating insurers must report quarterly the number of policies issued to FAIR Plan policyholders, and the association must report aggregated numbers and post a quarterly-updated list of participating insurers on its website; the association must give every policyholder a notice of coverage options at least annually, including at issuance and each renewal; and agents and brokers must provide clearinghouse information and complete association training on advising policyholders about voluntary-market options. The legislative record read on September 28, 2026 did not yet show a chapter number. Scheduled output: quarterly clearinghouse take-out counts from May 2027. Sets no carrier status.

Source: Office of the Governor of California, legislative update, September 27, 2026 · verified 2026-09-28

Governor signs SB 1301, lengthening California home insurance non-renewal notice to 90 days from 2028

The Governor’s office listed SB 1301 (Allen), Residential property insurance: nonrenewals, among bills signed on September 27, 2026. Per the Legislative Counsel’s Digest of the enrolled bill, beginning January 1, 2028 an insurer must deliver a notice of non-renewal at least 90 days before policy expiration (existing law requires 75), with the policy remaining in effect for 90 days from delivery if it fails to; must give a detailed plain-language explanation of the grounds for non-renewal and any non-aerial imagery relied on, and provide inspection findings or reports on request within 15 days; and, where a policy fails underwriting guidelines because of a condition the policyholder can remedy, must send a notice at least 120 days before expiration explaining what would qualify the policy for renewal and allow at least 90 days to remediate. It prohibits refusing to renew solely on the basis of certain claims, a policyholder’s previous inquiry, or, under certain circumstances, the age of the roof. Insurers must report to the Commissioner annually from April 1, 2029, and the Commissioner must publish an aggregated report annually from September 1, 2029. The legislative record read on September 28, 2026 did not yet show a chapter number. Names no carrier and sets no carrier status.

Source: Office of the Governor of California, legislative update, September 27, 2026 · verified 2026-09-28

Governor signs SB 876 on extended replacement cost offers and disaster claims handling, operative 2028

The Governor’s office listed SB 876 (Padilla), Fire and residential property insurance, among bills signed on September 27, 2026. Per the Legislative Counsel’s Digest of the enrolled bill, operative January 1, 2028, it prohibits issuing or renewing a residential property policy unless the applicant or insured is offered extended replacement cost coverage of at least 50% above the dwelling limit where the property is eligible for replacement cost coverage; extends rebuilding cost estimate requirements to FAIR Plan policies in specified cases; requires homeowners policies with a dollar limit on additional living expenses to be offered extended coverage of at least 50% above that limit; sets minimum periods for loss of use coverage after a covered total loss in a state of emergency; requires a primary claims point of contact within 30 days for state-of-emergency claims; requires residential property insurers to file a disaster response plan by April 1, 2028 and to report losses and claims within 30 days of a declared emergency; raises civil penalties for unfair practices relating to a state of emergency; and changes the biennial fire risk data report to insurers with $20 million or more in California premium, first due April 1, 2028. The Governor vetoed two related bills the same day, SB 877 and SB 878. The legislative record read on September 28, 2026 did not yet show a chapter number. A coverage and claims law; names no carrier and sets no carrier status.

Source: Office of the Governor of California, legislative update, September 27, 2026 · verified 2026-09-28

State Farm General files a rule application to resume accepting new California homeowners applications

The California Department of Insurance reported on September 18, 2026 that State Farm General filed a rule application with the Department that day indicating plans to resume accepting new homeowners applications for the first time since May 2023. Per CDI, the filing would open new policies statewide to homes meeting the IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home Enhanced standard, and to homes meeting the IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home Essential standard in low and moderate wildfire severity zones. CDI states the application is not a Sustainable Insurance Strategy filing, that it is under Department review, and that "These companies are not open for new business yet." A filing is not a reopening: this event attaches as history and does not change State Farm’s California status, which still derives from the May 2023 pause on file.

Source: California Department of Insurance, consumer alert, September 18, 2026 · verified 2026-10-05

California enacts the Smoke Damage Recovery Act, setting insurer obligations on wildfire smoke claims

AB 1795 (Gipson), the Smoke Damage Recovery Act, was approved by the Governor and filed with the Secretary of State on September 15, 2026 as Chapter 240, Statutes of 2026. It adds Sections 2060.1, 2060.2, 14048 and 15009.2 to the Insurance Code. Per the Legislative Counsel’s Digest, the act creates a rebuttable presumption that if wildfire smoke, ash, soot, char or combustion byproducts are present in a surviving residential property in the wildfire impact zone after a wildfire, the smoke damage is the result of that wildfire; prohibits an insurer from terminating additional living expenses coverage on a residential property smoke damage claim within the impact zone until the property has been restored to preloss condition and cleared for human occupancy; makes the insurer responsible for the cost of sampling and testing necessary to restore the property to preloss condition; requires an insurer that exercises its right to inspect a smoke-damaged property to do so no later than 30 calendar days after receiving notice of the claim or after access is granted; and sets 30-calendar-day payment deadlines for the actual cash value of damaged personal property after inspection and for the undisputed replacement cost of residential property after restoration is completed. It also requires the Department of Insurance to conduct a study on or before July 1, 2027 identifying gaps in coverage exposed by the June 17, 2026 Lineage Logistics warehouse fire in Boyle Heights, and to submit a final report to the Governor and Legislature on or before December 1, 2027. Operation of the act is contingent on enactment of AB 1642 (Harabedian), which was approved the same day as Chapter 239. The Governor’s office announced the two bills together with AB 1842 and AB 1847 (mortgage forbearance, Chapters 241 and 242) as a four-bill wildfire recovery package signed in Altadena, and states that the Department of Insurance estimates more than 13,000 of the roughly 40,000 insurance claims filed after the January 2025 fires involve smoke damage to homes that never burned. This is a coverage and claims-handling law. It names no carrier and sets no carrier status.

Source: California Legislative Information, AB-1795 bill text (Chapter 240, Statutes of 2026) · verified 2026-09-21

AB 1680, the Make It FAIR Act, passes the Legislature and is enrolled for the Governor

AB 1680 (Assembly Member Lisa Calderon), the Make It FAIR Act, would require the California FAIR Plan Association’s insurance-company-run governing board to implement recommendations issued by the Insurance Commissioner to strengthen operations, improve policyholder claims handling and enhance financial oversight. The Legislature gave final approval on August 31, 2026 when the Assembly concurred in Senate amendments by 72 ayes to 1 no, and the bill was enrolled on September 4, 2026. The Department of Insurance announced it on September 2, 2026 as one of ten Commissioner-sponsored bills awaiting the Governor’s signature. Not yet law: the legislative record shows the measure as passed and enrolled, with no chaptered date. This site records the FAIR Plan’s policy counts as the California residual market series, so a change to its oversight is recorded here as history; it sets no carrier status.

Source: California Legislative Information, AB-1680 bill status · verified 2026-09-07

Allstate submits a Sustainable Insurance Strategy homeowners filing signalling intent to resume new California policies

The California Department of Insurance reported on September 18, 2026 that Allstate submitted a Sustainable Insurance Strategy homeowners filing to the Department on August 31, 2026, and that the filing signals Allstate’s intent to begin writing new residential policies in California for the first time since 2022. CDI states the filing is under review, that every filing remains subject to full rate review under Proposition 103, and that "These companies are not open for new business yet." With this filing CDI counts 12 insurance groups that have filed or received approval under the SIS framework. A filing is not a reopening: this event attaches as history and does not change Allstate’s California status, which still derives from the November 2022 pause on file.

Source: California Department of Insurance, consumer alert, September 18, 2026 · verified 2026-10-05

CDI orders one-year non-renewal moratorium for Gann Fire ZIP codes

Commissioner Lara ordered insurers to preserve residential property insurance coverage for more than 64,000 policyholders affected by the Gann Fire, in Calaveras, San Joaquin, Amador, Tuolumne and Stanislaus counties. The Commissioner’s Bulletin covers those living within the fire perimeter or the 22 adjoining ZIP Codes and bars non-renewal and cancellation for one year from Governor Newsom’s emergency declaration of August 6, 2026, whether or not the policyholder suffered a loss. For the first time under Senate Bill 547, the protection also extends to certain commercial property policies used primarily for residential and habitational purposes, including homeowners association, apartment complex and senior living policies, within the same perimeters and adjoining ZIP Codes.

Source: California Department of Insurance press release · verified 2026-08-17

California regulation on intervenor participation and compensation in rate reviews takes effect

The Department of Insurance announced on August 11, 2026 that its Administrative Hearing Bureau and Intervenor Fairness and Accountability regulation is now in effect. The regulation sets standards for intervenor participation, documentation and compensation requests in insurance rate proceedings, and adds regular status updates in rate filing proceedings. The Department issued letters to all currently certified intervenors stating that parties seeking policyholder-funded compensation may be required to provide supplemental documentation including disclosure of funding sources and potential conflicts of interest. The Department states intervenors received more than $14.4 million in compensation for participation in rate filings between 2013 and 2026. This changes how rate filings are reviewed and sets no carrier status.

Source: California Department of Insurance press release · verified 2026-08-17

Risk Theory launches a surplus lines homeowners product for California wildfire exposures

Risk Theory Insurance Services launched Jupiter Platinum Home, an excess and surplus lines homeowners program written on Amherst Specialty Insurance paper, covering California properties from a $750,000 dwelling limit up to $25 million in total insured value. Insurance Journal reported the program is built for difficult-to-place California exposures, including properties with significant wildfire exposure. Surplus lines capacity is non-admitted, so this event records added capacity without changing any admitted carrier status.

Source: Insurance Journal · verified 2026-07-20

Settlement reached on State Farm emergency interim rate request

The Department of Insurance, Consumer Watchdog, and State Farm reached a settlement agreement on State Farm’s prior emergency interim rate request.

Source: California Department of Insurance press release · verified 2026-07-02

Commissioner authorizes a $600 million revolving line of credit for the California FAIR Plan

Stipulation and Order No. 2026-1, executed by Commissioner Lara on February 27, 2026 and final upon execution, authorizes the FAIR Plan to obtain a $600 million revolving line of credit with a maturity date of February 26, 2027, offered by a private lending group. The order also promulgates a revised Plan of Operation (Ed. 2/27/26), which requires the FAIR Plan to give the Commissioner its quarterly reports at least four business days before posting them publicly, and discharges Order 2025-2. The order states the facility is intended to provide financing for prompt payment of claims and to potentially avoid the need to levy an assessment on member insurers to pay extraordinary catastrophe losses, as happened after the January 2025 Los Angeles area wildfires.

Source: California Department of Insurance, Stipulation and Order No. 2026-1 · verified 2026-08-17

Legislation announced to transform the California FAIR Plan

Commissioner Lara and Assemblymember Calderon announced legislation aimed at transforming the California FAIR Plan, the state insurer of last resort.

Source: California Department of Insurance press release · verified 2026-07-02

CDI orders one-year non-renewal moratorium for Gifford Fire counties

Commissioner Lara announced mandatory protection covering nearly 150,000 policyholders in Kern, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties from non-renewal following the Gifford Fire.

Source: California Department of Insurance press release · verified 2026-07-02

Mercury commits to 38,000+ new California homeowners policies

CDI approved Mercury Insurance rate filings under the Sustainable Insurance Strategy; Mercury committed to increasing its California policy count by more than 38,000 new policies long-term, starting with more than 6,000 over the next two years, focused on wildfire-distressed areas.

Source: California Department of Insurance alert · verified 2026-07-02

CSAA approved to keep writing under the Sustainable Insurance Strategy

CDI approved a Sustainable Insurance Strategy rate filing from CSAA, the state’s fifth largest homeowners insurer, with commitments supporting continued writing and longer-term plans to help move homeowners off the FAIR Plan.

Source: California Department of Insurance alert · verified 2026-07-02

Farmers removes its cap on new California homeowners policies

Farmers Insurance eliminated its monthly cap on new homeowners policies in California, previously 9,500 per month, effective immediately, and submitted a new rating plan under the Sustainable Insurance Strategy.

Source: Farmers Insurance newsroom · verified 2026-07-02

Governor signs a five-bill package reforming the California FAIR Plan

Governor Newsom signed five bills on October 9, 2025 affecting the California FAIR Plan, the state’s insurer of last resort: AB 1 (Connolly) on residential property insurance and wildfire risk, AB 226 (Calderon) on the FAIR Plan Association, AB 234 (Calderon) on the FAIR Plan governing committee, AB 290 (Bauer-Kahan) on FAIR Plan automatic payments, and SB 525 (Jones) on FAIR Plan coverage for manufactured homes. The Governor’s office states the package gives the FAIR Plan new financing mechanisms to pay claims more quickly, adds oversight, changes the policyholder experience and extends coverage to manufactured homes, and requires the Department of Insurance to reconsider home hardening measures every five years as part of Safer from Wildfires. All five were confirmed chaptered 10/09/25 on the Legislature’s own records, 5 of 5 checked. Recorded as history: it is a change to the residual market this site tracks as the California series, and it sets no individual carrier status.

Source: Office of the Governor of California press release · verified 2026-09-07

Mercury submits first rate filing under the Sustainable Insurance Strategy

Mercury Insurance submitted the first homeowners rate filing under the Sustainable Insurance Strategy, using the newly reviewed wildfire catastrophe model, with a 6.9% average rate increase and a stated goal of expanding options in high wildfire-risk regions.

Source: Mercury Insurance newsroom · verified 2026-07-02

CDI mandatory one-year non-renewal moratorium for LA wildfire ZIP codes

Commissioner Lara amended the moratorium bulletin to shield homes within or adjoining the perimeters of the Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, Lidia, Sunset, and Woodley fires from non-renewal or cancellation for one year from the January 7, 2025 emergency declaration, regardless of loss.

Source: California Department of Insurance press release · verified 2026-07-02

State Farm General to non-renew about 30,000 California property policies

State Farm General announced non-renewal of approximately 30,000 homeowners, rental dwelling, and other property policies beginning July 3, 2024, plus about 42,000 commercial apartment policies beginning August 20, 2024, together just over 2% of its California policy count.

Source: State Farm newsroom · verified 2026-07-02

State Farm General stops accepting new property applications in California

State Farm General announced it would cease accepting new applications for all business and personal lines property and casualty insurance in California effective May 27, 2023, citing construction cost inflation, catastrophe exposure, and reinsurance costs.

Source: State Farm newsroom · verified 2026-07-02

Allstate pauses new homeowners and condo policies in California

Allstate disclosed with its Q3 2022 results that it had stopped writing new homeowners, condo, and commercial policies in California, citing wildfire risk, construction costs, and reinsurance costs. Existing policyholders were not affected.

Source: Insurance Journal · verified 2026-07-02