The California Insurance Commissioner has recently released Bulletin 2026-6, a mandatory moratorium on cancellations and non-renewals of residential and commercial property insurance policies after the declaration of a state of emergency, applicable to all admitted and non-admitted insurers writing property insurance in California. The key highlights are as follows:
- An insurer shall not cancel or refuse to renew a policy of residential or commercial property insurance for a property located in any ZIP Code within or adjacent to the fire perimeter for one year after the declaration of a state of emergency.
- No insurer shall issue a notice of cancellation or non-renewal due to wildfire risk for any policy of commercial property insurance, or residential property insurance, which includes homeowners’, condo unit owners’, mobile homeowners’, or residential renters’ insurance policies, that are located in an identified ZIP Code.
- On August 6, 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency for Calaveras County due to the Gann Fire. Due to the Governor’s declaration, no admitted or non-admitted insurer shall issue a notice of cancellation or non-renewal due to wildfire risk for one year, starting on August 6, 2026, for a policy of residential or commercial property insurance in the following ZIP Codes:
- Gann Fire: 95215, 95220, 95222, 95225, 95226, 95227, 95228, 95229, 95230, 95236, 95245, 95247, 95249, 95251, 95252, 95254, 95320, 95327, 95361, 95370, 95640, 95642
- All property insurers must offer to rescind any notices of cancellation or non-renewal issued due to wildfire risk since the Governor’s August 6, 2026 emergency declarations, and offer to reinstate or renew policies in effect at the time of the applicable emergency declaration, if any such notices of cancellation or nonrenewal were issued due to wildfire risk on or after the date of the emergency declaration, and the properties are located in the aforementioned ZIP Codes.
Please note that this bulletin became effective upon California’s state of emergency declaration on August 6, 2026.
For any questions related to the above referenced bulletin in California, please contact Westmont Associates!