Dropped by Your Home Insurer Over Wildfire Risk? Your 30-Day Action Plan

Non-renewal notices are arriving in mailboxes across California, Colorado, and Oregon at the highest rate on record. If you just received one, you typically have 60–90 days of remaining coverage — which means the next 30 days determine whether you land with a standard carrier or get pushed into the expensive non-admitted market or a state FAIR Plan.

Week 1: Read the Notice and Identify the Trigger

Insurers must state a reason for non-renewal. In wildfire country it is almost always one of three things:

• Territory risk score — your address falls in a high-risk zone on the insurer's wildfire model
• Property condition — overgrown vegetation, wood roof, or combustible materials visible in aerial imagery
• Lack of mitigation documentation — you may have done the work, but the insurer has no record of it

The second and third triggers are fixable — often within weeks. Aerial and street-level imagery is how most carriers now score properties, which means visible, documented clearing work directly changes how your home is underwritten.

Week 2: Get a Professional Assessment and Start Mitigation

Schedule a defensible space assessment immediately — licensed contractors in high-risk counties book out 4–8 weeks in summer. Prioritize the work insurers weight most heavily:

• Clear all vegetation and combustibles within 5 feet of the structure
• Complete Zone 1 (0–30 ft) clearing to your state's standard
• Clean the roof and gutters — they show up clearly in aerial imagery
• Install ember-resistant vent screening if your budget allows

Week 3: Build Your Documentation Package

Documentation is what converts physical work into underwriting credit. Your package should include dated before-and-after photos, a contractor invoice itemizing the work, and any state or county inspection record. In California, insurers are required to factor completed mitigation into wildfire risk pricing under the Safer from Wildfires framework — but only when you can prove the work was done.

Week 4: Shop With Proof in Hand

Work with an independent broker who writes multiple carriers in your state, and submit your mitigation package with every application. Many homeowners who complete and document defensible space work find standard-market coverage even after a non-renewal — and those who do land on a FAIR Plan temporarily can often move back to the standard market at their next renewal with a season of documentation behind them.

Don't Wait for the Deadline

The single biggest mistake is waiting until week 7 of a 90-day window. Mitigation work plus re-shopping takes 30–45 days when contractors are available. Get the assessment scheduled this week — it's free, and the written report alone strengthens your insurance applications.