Being non-renewed is stressful, especially without a plan. But a non-renewal isn't a cancellation — your coverage is still active, and across 350+ carriers, there's almost always a new home for your policy. Here's exactly what to do.
First, Understand What Happened
This distinction matters enormously. A non-renewal gives you time and options. Knowing which one you've received is the first step to a plan.
The insurer chooses not to offer a new term when your current policy expires. This is by far the most common situation in California today.
The insurer terminates coverage before the expiration date. In California this is only allowed for specific, limited reasons.
If you've been non-renewed, take a breath — you have time to act, but don't wait until the last week. If you've been cancelled mid-term, treat it as urgent. Either way, a free coverage review is the fastest path to a new policy.
Your California Timeline
California Insurance Code §678 requires insurers to give you at least 45 days notice. Here's how to spend every day of it wisely.
Read it carefully. Confirm it's a non-renewal, note the exact expiration date, and identify the stated reason. Save the notice.
Contact an independent broker right away. Shopping 350+ carriers takes time — starting early gives you the most options and leverage.
Compare replacement quotes across admitted carriers, E&S markets, and — if needed — the FAIR Plan with a wraparound policy.
Bind your new coverage before the old policy expires. No gap, no lapse, no force-placed insurance.
Pick Your Coverage Type
Non-renewal looks different for every line of insurance. Select your coverage type below for the specific reasons it gets non-renewed and a detailed action plan.
If wildfire risk or location means no admitted or E&S carrier will write you, the California FAIR Plan provides guaranteed fire coverage as the insurer of last resort. Paired with a Difference in Conditions (DIC) wraparound policy, it can approximate the protection of a full homeowners policy — and we structure both for you.
Learn About the California FAIR Plan →The FAIR Plan cannot turn you down for fire coverage on an eligible California property.
A wraparound adds liability, theft, water damage, and other perils the FAIR Plan excludes.
Bollinsure structures the FAIR Plan + DIC combination so your coverage is as complete as possible.
Act early. Start shopping the moment the notice arrives — not the week before expiration.
Keep the notice. The stated reason guides your replacement strategy and may matter later.
Use an independent broker. Access to 350+ carriers, E&S markets, and the FAIR Plan dramatically widens your options.
Address the root cause. Wildfire mitigation, a roof update, or a clean claims period can reopen markets.
Bind before expiration. Confirm the new policy's effective date overlaps or meets the old one's end.
Don't ignore it. The policy really does end at expiration — silence is not an extension.
Don't let coverage lapse. A gap can breach your mortgage and trigger expensive force-placed insurance.
Don't settle for the first quote. The first available option isn't always the best value across the market.
Don't assume you're uninsurable. Most non-renewals are about the carrier's appetite, not about you.
Don't wait for the carrier to reconsider. Once non-renewed, that decision rarely reverses — move forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
A cancellation terminates a policy mid-term, before its expiration date, and in California is only allowed for specific reasons such as non-payment, fraud, or a substantial increase in risk. A non-renewal means the insurer will not offer a new policy when your current term expires — your current coverage remains fully in force until the expiration date. Non-renewal is far more common and gives you time to find replacement coverage.
California law (Insurance Code §678) requires insurers to provide at least 45 days written notice before the expiration date for most personal lines policies, including homeowners and auto. The notice must state the specific reason for non-renewal. This 45-day window is your time to secure replacement coverage — use it.
California has experienced a homeowners insurance crisis driven primarily by wildfire risk. Many major carriers have stopped writing new policies, exited high-risk ZIP codes, or non-renewed existing policyholders in wildland-urban interface (WUI) zones. This has pushed many homeowners toward E&S surplus lines carriers and the California FAIR Plan. An independent broker is the most effective way to navigate this market.
In some cases, yes — a pattern of claims or one large claim can be a factor. However, after a declared disaster, California law provides temporary moratorium protections that prevent non-renewal for properties in or adjacent to the disaster area for a defined period. An independent broker can help you find a carrier whose underwriting appetite fits your claims history.
A non-renewal is far less damaging than a cancellation or a coverage lapse. Many non-renewals are driven by the carrier's business decisions — exiting a market or ZIP code — rather than anything about you. The single most important thing is to avoid a coverage gap: secure replacement coverage before your current policy expires.
The legal framework is similar — California requires advance notice and a stated reason — but the market dynamics differ. Auto non-renewals are usually driven by claims, violations, or the carrier's risk appetite rather than catastrophe exposure. Replacement auto coverage is generally easier to find than replacement home coverage in wildfire zones, but an independent broker still expands your options significantly.
First, confirm it's a non-renewal (not a cancellation) and note your policy's expiration date. Read the stated reason. Then contact an independent broker immediately — well before the expiration date — to begin shopping the full market. Don't wait until the last week, and never allow your coverage to lapse. Start a free coverage review here.
So let's build you one. Tell us what you've been non-renewed on, and we'll search 350+ carriers — including E&S markets and the FAIR Plan — to find your next policy before the old one expires.