Key takeaways

Wildfire seasons in California have become more severe and unpredictable, so insurers are using stricter fire-risk guidelines.
Many carriers are reducing exposure in high-risk areas, leading to non-renewals even for homeowners with no prior claims.
Working with a knowledgeable independent broker can help you explore all available options.

If you’ve recently purchased a new home and can’t find coverage, or you’ve received a non-renewal notice from your current insurer because of “fire risk” or “distance to brush,” you’re not alone.

Wildfire risk rules in California have changed dramatically—and many homeowners are getting caught off guard.

In this article, we'll cover:

Why insurers are tightening fire guidelines
What your coverage options are
Understanding the insurance marketplace
What you can do right now

California’s wildfire risk has grown dramatically over the past decade. Longer fire seasons, recurring drought, and catastrophic events like the 2017–2018 wildfires — and more recently, the 2025 Eaton Fires — have caused billions of dollars in insured losses.

In response, insurers have taken major steps to manage their exposure:

Updated wildfire models: Carriers now rely on advanced data to assess fire risk — including distance to brush, slope, wind patterns, and property accessibility — as approved by the California Department of Insurance (CDI).
Reduced capacity in high-risk zones: Many insurers have scaled back the number of homes they’ll cover in certain ZIP codes or regions identified as severe fire areas.
Stricter underwriting and rate adjustments: Companies have tightened their eligibility criteria and, in many cases, sought substantial rate increases to offset growing losses.

So, if you’ve received a non-renewal notice or were told, “We can’t offer coverage at that address,” it’s rarely about your individual claim history — it’s about how your property ranks within the insurer’s wildfire risk model.

What your coverage options are

If you’ve been non-renewed or are struggling to find coverage, you still have paths to explore. Broadly, your options fall into:

Preferred carriers
Standard, brand-name insurers. In some areas, they’ll still write homes with acceptable brush scores, good access, and mitigation (cleared vegetation, Class A roof, defensible space, etc.). If you qualify, this is often your best combination of coverage and price.
Specialty carriers
Companies that focus on unique or higher-risk situations (e.g., custom homes, vacation homes, short-term rentals). They may offer more flexible guidelines than preferred carriers, sometimes at higher premiums.
Surplus lines / non-admitted carriers
These insurers take on risks standard markets won’t—like homes near heavy brush or in repeat wildfire zones. Policies can be more expensive and terms vary, but they’re a critical option when preferred markets say no. You’ll need a broker to access them.
California FAIR Plan + Difference in Conditions (DIC) / wrap policy
The FAIR Plan is the market of last resort for high fire-risk properties. It provides basic coverage (mainly fire and a few other perils), but excludes things like liability, water damage, and theft.
To fill those gaps, we pair the FAIR Plan with a DIC or wrap policy from another carrier, which can add liability, theft, water damage, and broader protection.

Understanding the insurance marketplace

When you’re told “no,” it’s usually about which bucket your home falls into:

Preferred carriers → want lower overall wildfire scores.
Specialty carriers → accept more nuance (e.g., mitigation work, construction type).
Surplus lines → accept the toughest risks, with pricing and terms to match.
FAIR Plan → backstop option when nothing else will.

None of these mean your home is uninsurable; it just determines where we look and what kind of policy structure you’ll have.

What you can do right now

A few practical steps to improve your position:

Complete wildfire mitigation: Clear vegetation, maintain defensible space, clean gutters, enclose eaves, use ember-resistant vents where possible.
Document improvements: Photos and receipts (roof updates, brush clearance, hardscaping) help when we present your risk to underwriters.
Start early—but not too early: Don’t wait until days before your renewal date, especially if your property is in a high-risk area. These placements often require extra time for underwriting. However, note that many insurers (including the FAIR Plan) won’t allow quotes until about 30 days before your desired effective date, so the sweet spot is starting the review process a few weeks in advance.
Work with a broker: An independent agency like Wang Insurance can quote multiple markets—preferred, specialty, surplus, and FAIR Plan—to find realistic options and avoid gaps.

If you’ve received a non-renewal or are having trouble securing coverage, contact us. We’ll walk through your address, mitigation efforts, and map out which markets still make sense for your home.