How to Get Homeowners Insurance in High Wildfire Risk Areas

California homeowners face silent non-renewals as insurers quietly drop coverage. In some ZIP codes, it’s becoming standard practice. Insurers cite wildfire risks on annual renewal, and then send a letter saying they won’t renew your policy at all. It’s a startling blow. You suddenly find yourself looking for coverage when you assumed your homeowners' insurance policy was safe.

So what can you do if your insurance is canceled due to the high risk of wildfires? Fortunately, there are several alternatives that can help keep your property insured, even when local risk levels are deemed “too high.”

Why So Many California Homeowners Are Losing Coverage?

You could be the perfect homeowner: maintaining your home to the highest standard, clearing your property of any fire hazards, and making no claims for years on end. Yet, there is still a chance your home insurance carrier could drop you anyway. And it won't be your fault. Insurance companies across California have been refusing to renew millions of homeowner insurance policies due to their wildfire risk. One source found that there were about 2.8 million non-renewed homeowner policies across the state in recent years.

But what’s the cause? The number and intensity of wildfires have grown exponentially in recent years. This has left homes in these areas with multiple claims over a short period of time. As a result, insurance carriers are looking at those risks and reconsidering whether to continue providing coverage to those areas. Add to that increasing construction costs, climbing reinsurance premiums, and strict regulations on how insurance carriers can price risk in California. Several insurance companies are simply leaving these high-hazard areas.

The end result for homeowners is a decline in available carriers willing to write the policy or higher premiums if they will provide coverage at all. So if your property has wildfire risk, now is the time to be prepared and to understand your insurance options.

What Coverage Options Exist in 2025

What are the best insurance options for California homeowners in 2025?

1. California FAIR Plan

California's FAIR Plan continues to be the last resort for homeowners unable to find coverage from private insurers. The FAIR Plan isn't a complete policy. It only provides fire, smoke, and internal explosion coverage. For additional coverage (theft, liability, water, etc. ), you need a separate "Differences in Conditions" (DIC) policy issued by a different insurer.

The FAIR Plan also tends to be more expensive than regular coverage, with low limits on dwelling coverage. Interest in FAIR Plan policies is spiking as insurers back away from other high-risk areas, and for many homeowners in wildfire areas, it has become the default coverage. To get this insurance plan, you must prove that you’ve been denied coverage by private insurance companies.

2. “Light E&S” Carriers

Many homeowners are finding new coverage options from “light E&S” (Excess & Surplus) carriers. These private carriers are not bound by standard rate regulations, yet they still offer consumer-friendly policies. This market generally offers more coverage than the FAIR Plan, and typically includes fire, liability, and water damage in a single policy.

Prices are higher than traditional insurance but lower than the combined cost of a FAIR Plan + DIC. Light E&S carriers primarily target markets where there are defensible homes with fire-resistant roofs and modern construction built to current wildfire standards. Light E&S carriers are filling the gap between the traditional market and the full non-admitted specialty market.

3. Full Private Markets

A few traditional private companies still issue policies in California, especially in ZIP codes with low to moderate wildfire scores on the state's Fire Hazard Severity Zone map. These companies assess the defensibility of each property, the type of construction, and the distance from brush or canyons before approval. Homeowners who try to mitigate the risks (by removing vegetation, ember-resistant vents, or roof replacement/upgrades) can still be competitive on premiums. But availability varies. A house a few blocks closer to a fire corridor can be uninsurable. These private options are therefore rare and highly localized.

How to Improve Your Eligibility for Insurance Coverage

Insurers consider more than just location when evaluating risk. Here are some steps you can take to raise your chances of obtaining California home insurance in high fire risk areas​:

1. Maintain Defensible Space Around Your Home

Insurance companies love to see a gap between your home and the surrounding vegetation. By maintaining defensible space, or a buffer zone, at least 100 feet around your home, you increase your chances of obtaining insurance. Get rid of dry leaves and dead shrubs, and other highly flammable materials.

Trim trees to a minimum of 10 feet away from the roof or chimney. Replace any part of your fence that meets the home with a non-combustible material such as metal. Most insurance companies now confirm defensible space with aerial or satellite images, so it’s more important than ever to keep this area clear year-round.

2. Upgrade Building Materials

Fireproofing your home’s construction is one of the biggest steps you can take to improve insurability. A roof made with Class A fire-rated materials (tile, metal, or composite shingles) is ideal. Replace wood siding with stucco, brick, or fiber cement. Ember-resistant vents and double-pane tempered windows can also help.

All these improvements can also help you qualify for discounts under California’s new Safer from Wildfires program. This program rewards Californians for hardening their homes against wildfires.

3. Get a Wildfire Mitigation Certificate

Some insurers favor policyholders who have completed specific wildfire prevention training and have been verified by a professional. The California Wildfire Mitigation Program (CWMP) provides a home assessment and a certificate showing that your home meets wildfire mitigation standards.

This can convince insurers that your home is low risk, which can either restore or reduce private market insurance rates via California’s wildfire risk reduction incentives..

Get Covered, Even in Wildfire Zones

Shopping for homeowner insurance in wildfire-risk areas can seem impossible. But with the right help and the right tools, you can still get the protection your home deserves. Quotsy’s got you covered. Quotsy works with admitted and E&S carriers to fill the gap between the bare-bones FAIR Plans and the comprehensive protection of a full private policy.

Instead of scouring the internet for quotes all day, you can compare multiple homeowners' insurance quotes from multiple carriers in minutes on our platform. When you’ve got the carriers you want to move forward with, our team does a human-verified review of your coverage limits and wildfire protections to make sure everything’s in order before you bind a policy.

Shop around. Find the best homeowners' insurance​, and let Quotsy make wildfire insurance simple for you. Start comparing quotes at Quotsy.io and protect your home the smart way.