For the third year in a row, California’s Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara issued a moratorium against homeowner insurer non-renewals for certain policies issues for residential properties located in zip codes or adjacent to zip codes that are enduring devastating wildfires.
The moratorium on cancellations of these policies applies to both admitted and non-admitted insurer carriers. The location of eligible zip codes is determined by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, along with Governor Newsom’s Office of Emergency Services. The moratorium follows Governor Newsom’s proclamation of a state of emergency in several counties being devastated by the Dixie Fire and the Beckwourth fire.
The Dixie Fire is an active fire burning through four counties, including Lassen County, one of the counties Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency for. The Dixie Fire started in July and is now the largest single wildfire in the state’s history, causing the spread of smoke, soot, and ash across the Western United States.
The moratorium is retroactive to July 16, 2021. If you received a notice of non-renewal and your insurer has not offered to reinstate your policy, you should ask your carrier to retract its non-renewal based on the emergency declaration.
California’s Insurance Commissioner continues to protect California property holders against insurance companies that are trying to avoid properly protecting California residents.
If your property suffered fire, smoke, soot, or ash damage as a result of any wildfire, contact Merlin Law Group for a free consultation.