Currently Los Angeles County suffers from apocalyptic scenes of deadly, uncontained wildfires. Unfortunately, insurance doesn’t function like a gas or electric company; even in the face of disaster, insurers aren’t obligated to service your home. Instead, these companies can choose which properties they’re willing to insure based on their risk assessment models. This selective coverage has become increasingly common in areas prone to natural disasters, particularly in regions facing heightened wildfire or flood risks. While getting a cancelation or nonrenewal notice can be stressful, there are a few steps you should take before you accept force-placed insurance. Here’s what you can do.
Immediate steps after receiving a cancelation notice from your insurance company
Make sure you review your notice carefully. Document both the date you received the notice as well as the effective date of cancelation/nonrenewal. Identify the specific reason(s) given for the coverage change, and then check if the notice complies with state notification requirements.
From here, contact your insurance company:
Request a detailed written explanation if not provided.
Ask about specific risks or issues that led to their decision.
Inquire if any property improvements could change their decision.
As always, get all communications in writing for your records. And make sure you understand—and fight for—your rights here. You could be entitled to a grace period, or your state may require insurers to help you find new coverage. If they don’t do these things, document any violations of state insurance laws.
Another place to turn is your mortgage agreement’s insurance requirements. Contact your lender to discuss the situation, and request additional time if needed to secure new coverage.
State-based insurance options
In the face of your coverage dropping you, look into these national and state-based insurance programs:
California FAIR Plan
Coverage up to $3 million for structures
Must be combined with a “difference in conditions” policy
Requires inspection of property
Available to all California property owners
New York FAIR Plan
Coverage for hard-to-insure properties
Basic fire and extended coverage
Must apply through licensed insurance agent
Florida Citizens Property Insurance
Last-resort coverage for Florida residents
Must prove inability to find private coverage
Special assessment risks during major disasters
Texas FAIR Plan
Basic coverage for qualified properties
Available after two private market rejections
Requires property maintenance compliance
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
Building coverage up to $250,000
Contents coverage up to $100,000
Available in participating communities
Covers direct physical flood damage
Property must be in NFIP-participating community
Coverage effective after 30-day waiting period
Must meet minimum floodplain management standards
Annual premium based on flood zone and coverage
You can also look into private flood insurance options, which often provide shorter waiting periods—at a higher cost, unfortunately. Whenever you’re looking to buy insurance, you can look into policy bundling, aka combining multiple policies for better rates. In this case, do some research to work with insurers specializing in high-risk properties.
What else to do if you live in a high-risk area
The risk of losing your physical home makes your community, and the people in it, all the more important. Join local disaster preparedness groups and engage in local emergency planning. You could join or start building neighborhood insurance pools, community-based catastrophe insurance, and other sorts of DIY safety nets for when insurance companies fail you.
In terms of your own finances, natural disasters are one of the top reasons to maintain a robust emergency fund. Remember that while losing insurance coverage can be alarming, there are usually multiple options available. The key is to act quickly, understand your rights, and explore all possible alternatives before accepting more expensive or limited coverage options.
If you’re looking to help the tens of thousands have fled their homes in California this week, you can visit redcross.org, donate to support United Way’s efforts here, or the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Recovery Fund here.
