Top Ten Tips for Finding Residential Insurance
If you get a non-renewable notice, contact your insurer and ask if there are any specific actions you could take to mitigate your risk and retain your coverage.
If you think your non-renewable was unfair, you may file a complaint with us.
Don’t let these actions delay starting your search for a new insurer. Make sure you have done everything you can do at your property to mitigate fire risk, then start shopping for coverage.
In addition to contacting local agents or brokers in the vicinity of your home, you may wish to use our Residential Insurance Company Contact List that provides toll free numbers for over 50 insurers that are licensed to sell homeowners insurance. You can contact each of them to find the closest agent or broker or, in some cases, get a quote from them directly.
If you need help from an agent that speaks a specific language, you can use our Find an Agent or Broker tool to find one near you.
You can also utilize our Homeowner Premium, and Homeowner Coverage Comparison Tool to compare premiums and coverages.
If your agent cannot help you find coverage with an insurer other than the FAIR Plan, you or your agent should contact other agents and brokers who represent other insurers. Our Home Insurance Finder tool can help you find other agents in your region or beyond and tells you which insurers they represent.
Understand that the California FAIR Plan is available to every homeowner as a last option for coverage. The maximum limit written by the FAIR Plan on a residential property for all coverages combined is $3,000,000. Because the coverage provided by a FAIR Plan policy is limited to losses caused by Fire or Lightning, Internal Explosion and Smoke, it is recommended that you supplement the FAIR Plan policy with a Difference in Conditions policy to obtain protection from other perils not covered under the FAIR Plan policy.
If none of these options work for you, you may try obtaining coverage in the non-admitted/surplus lines market. Ask your retail agent or broker if they are able to obtain coverage with a surplus lines insurer. If you need help finding a licensed insurance agent or broker, you can use our Find an Agent or Broker tool to find one near you.
If you prefer to speak live with our staff, you are always welcome to call the Department of Insurance toll free at 1-800-927-4357.