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Homeowners Insurance Nonrenewal or Cancellation: What to Do Now

Checked against official sources · Last reviewed October 13, 2026

Nonrenewal vs. cancellation

The NAIC, the national group of state insurance regulators, says "There’s a big difference between an insurance company cancelling your policy and not renewing it."

Cancellation means coverage stops "before the policy’s normal expiration date (which is usually 12 months after the policy starts)." For a new policy there is a short window, "typically 60 days," when the insurer can cancel for any reason. After that, it can usually cancel only "if you don’t pay your premium, if you’ve lied on your application or if your risk has changed substantially."

Nonrenewal means "the company refuses to renew your policy after it expires." The NAIC says insurers "generally have the right" to do this, but they must give you notice, and "the number of days (typically 30 days before the renewal date) varies by state."

Some states go further and limit the reasons an insurer can use to drop you. New York, for example, protects policies that have been in force for a while, and Louisiana does the same for some older policies (see the table below). [1][9][10]

What the notice must tell you

Each state sets its own rules for what a nonrenewal notice must say. In most of the states we checked, it must give the reason:

• California: "The specific reason or reasons for the nonrenewal," the insurer's phone number for complaints, and a statement that you can have the matter reviewed by the California Department of Insurance at www.insurance.ca.gov or (800) 927-4357. The notice must also include information about the state's Home Insurance Finder and the California FAIR Plan.
• South Carolina: "the precise reason for nonrenewal."
• Arizona: "the specific facts that constitute the reason the policy is not being renewed."
• Washington: "the insurer's actual reason for refusing to renew the policy."
• Colorado: a notice that "specifically states the reasons."
• Oregon: if the nonrenewal is related to wildfire risk, the notice must describe the property features behind the decision and any wildfire mitigation steps you could take to make the home more insurable.

If your notice doesn't explain enough, ask. The NAIC says "You may ask the insurer for the reason." In Louisiana, you can ask the insurer in writing for its reasons within six months after the policy ends, and the insurer must answer in writing. [1][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]

Notice periods in 14 states

These are the minimum days of notice before a homeowners policy ends, from each state's law or insurance regulator, checked Oct. 13, 2026. Your policy can give you more. Click a state for its full page.

North Carolina isn't in the table. Its general cancellation and nonrenewal law "does not apply to" insurance "written for residential risks in conjunction with insurance written under Article 36" (the state's Rate Bureau law). See our North Carolina page for what that means for your policy.

For any other state, or to check your own situation, ask your state insurance department. The NAIC keeps a directory of state insurance departments. [1][2][3][4][6][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35]

What to do after a nonrenewal notice, step by step

1. Read the notice closely. Note the date coverage ends and the reason given. Check it against your state's notice rules above.
2. Ask the insurer or your agent why. The NAIC says you may ask for the reason. Some reasons can be fixed, and some states require the insurer to give specific facts.
3. Fix what you can. In Arizona, if the reason is the condition of your home, the law gives you 30 days to fix it, and the policy must be renewed if you do. In Oregon, a wildfire-related notice must list mitigation steps that could make your home more insurable.
4. Shop right away, with more than one agent or broker. Colorado's Division of Insurance encourages people to shop other companies: "Just because one company changed their approach does not mean that all companies are doing the same thing." California's FAIR Plan likewise suggests contacting "more than one broker." Agents who work with several insurers can check more options.
5. Ask about surplus lines. If no regular insurer will take your home, a non-admitted (surplus lines) insurer may. California law, for example, says an agent or broker must help a person seeking a FAIR Plan policy, and one way is "obtaining a policy for the consumer through an admitted or nonadmitted insurer." These insurers aren't backed by your state's guaranty fund; see our surplus lines insurance guide.
6. Use the FAIR plan as a last resort. The NAIC says to contact your state insurance department to see if your state has a "FAIR Plan, wind pool, or other residual market mechanism" or a market assistance program. See our FAIR plan guide for every state's plan.
7. Complain if something looks wrong. If the notice came late, gives no reason where one is required, or the reason seems unfair, contact your state insurance department. Colorado and New York, for example, tell consumers to file a complaint in these cases.

Don't wait until the last week. If you have a mortgage, any gap in coverage can lead to force-placed insurance, and the charge can reach back to the first day you had no coverage (next section). [1][7][9][11][13][16][19][21][36]

If you have a mortgage: avoid force-placed insurance

If your mortgage requires homeowners insurance and your coverage lapses or falls short, your mortgage servicer can buy force-placed insurance and charge you for it. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) warns that it is "usually more expensive than finding an insurance policy yourself," and "In many instances, this insurance protects only the lender, not you."

Federal rules (Regulation X, 12 CFR 1024.37) limit how servicers do this:

• A servicer can charge you only if it has "a reasonable basis to believe" you didn't keep the insurance your loan requires.
• It must send a first written notice at least 45 days before charging you. The notice must say, in bold, that the insurance it buys "may cost significantly more" and may "not provide as much coverage" as a policy you buy.
• It must send a reminder notice at least 15 days before charging you, and no sooner than 30 days after the first notice.
• If you don't send proof of coverage within 15 days of the reminder, it can charge you. Where state law allows, the charge can go back to the first day you had no coverage.
• Within 15 days of getting proof that you had coverage, the servicer must cancel the force-placed policy and refund the charges for any period when both policies overlapped.

What the CFPB says to do: get a new policy or ask to have your old one reinstated as soon as possible, then send proof to your servicer and ask it to cancel the force-placed policy. If you think the servicer made a mistake, you can send it a written "notice of error." If your policy was canceled because the servicer didn't pay your premium from escrow on time, you may want to talk to an attorney. You can also submit a complaint to the CFPB or call (855) 411-2372. [5][7]

If you can't get homeowners insurance at all

If every regular insurer says no, you still have options:

• Surplus lines (non-admitted) insurers are another option an agent or broker can try. See our surplus lines guide.
• Your state's FAIR plan or wind pool sells basic coverage as a last resort. FAIR plans usually cost more and cover less, so check what's left out. See our FAIR plan guide.
• A difference in conditions policy can add coverage on top of a bare-bones FAIR plan. See our difference in conditions guide.
• Your state insurance department can tell you about market assistance programs.

Nonrenewals have become more common. The NAIC reported on Aug. 5, 2026, that insurer-initiated nonrenewal rates rose between 96% and 216%, depending on region, from 2018 to 2024. The same report counted 715 companies writing homeowners coverage in 2024. As Colorado's Division of Insurance puts it, one company changing its approach "does not mean that all companies are doing the same thing." [1][11][21][37][38]

Questions people ask