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

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

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