120+ more)
)
16+ years in personal finance and insurance writing
Certified Financial Education Instructor
Catherine Hiles is a freelance writer covering insurance, personal finance, and home improvement. A Certified Financial Education Instructor, Catherine is committed to providing readers with empowerment and insight when facing insurance decisions.
Her work has been published in TIME, The Penny Hoarder, BobVila.com, Tom's Guide, and Angi. She has a bachelor's degree in communication studies from the University of Chester in the United Kingdom. Catherine lives in Ohio with her husband, two children, and two energetic dogs.
)
)
Sara Getman is an Associate Editor at Insurify and has been with the company since 2022. Prior to joining Insurify, Sara completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature at Simmons University in Boston. At Simmons, she was the Editor-in-Chief for Sidelines Magazine (a literary and art publication), and wrote creative non-fiction.
Outside of work, Sara is an avid reader, and loves yoga and knitting.
)
)
Licensed property and casualty insurance agent
10+ years editing experience
NPN: 20461358
John is Insurify’s Chief Copy Editor, helping ensure the accuracy and readability of Insurify’s content. He’s a licensed agent specializing in home and car insurance topics.
Featured in
){kind=small}
Updated
At Insurify, our goal is to help customers compare insurance products and find the best policy for them. We strive to provide open, honest, and unbiased information about the insurance products and services we review. Our hard-working team of data analysts, insurance experts, insurance agents, editors and writers, has put in thousands of hours of research to create the content found on our site.
We do receive compensation when a sale or referral occurs from many of the insurance providers and marketing partners on our site. That may impact which products we display and where they appear on our site. But it does not influence our meticulously researched editorial content, what we write about, or any reviews or recommendations we may make. We do not guarantee favorable reviews or any coverage at all in exchange for compensation.
When your homeowners insurance policy nears the end of its term, your insurer will often renew it. In some cases, insurers decide that renewing a policy isn’t in their best interests. This is a non-renewal. If you receive a non-renewal notice, it’s vital to get new coverage as soon as possible.
This article explores why non-renewals happen, how to get coverage again, and options if you can’t get coverage from a standard insurer. Here’s what you need to know if you get a non-renewal notice for your home insurance.
You can request a written explanation of why your insurer isn’t renewing your coverage if they don’t list it on the notice.
You can appeal a non-renewal notice if you think it’s unfair, but your insurer may still choose not to renew your policy.
If you can’t find a policy through a standard insurer, look into state-sponsored or high-risk pools, like the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan.
Learning that your home insurance company isn’t renewing your policy can come as a shock. Here are the steps you should take after receiving a non-renewal notice:
Read the notice to understand when your policy will end.
Contact your insurance company for clarification and more information.
Request a written explanation of the non-renewal.
Review your current policy and claims history.
Ask your insurer if you can address any issues and reverse the non-renewal.
Begin shopping around for a new policy to avoid a lapse in coverage.
You can appeal the non-renewal if you feel the insurance company’s decision is unfair. In some cases, your insurer may be willing to reverse the decision and renew your policy. If your appeal is unsuccessful, you can also reach out to your state’s insurance department.
Check quotes from 120+ top insurance companies
After your insurer issues a non-renewal, you might worry that you can’t get coverage elsewhere. But this isn’t the case. The main thing you want to avoid is a lapse in coverage, so the sooner you start looking for a new policy, the better. Lapses can put your mortgage at risk and raise your rates.
You can take the following actions to secure more affordable home insurance:
Shop around and compare quotes. The best way to find a new policy that meets your needs is to shop around and compare quotes from different insurers. An online comparison site can make this easier since you’ll apply once and receive multiple offers.
Consider working with an insurance broker. Insurance brokers are state-licensed professionals who act as middlemen when purchasing insurance. Insurance agents work for one company, but brokers work with many different insurers. Brokers can research various policies and bring you the best options.
Look into state-sponsored or high-risk insurance pools. If you’re struggling to find insurance, you may want to purchase coverage through your state’s FAIR Plan. Most states offer a FAIR Plan or a similar program. These plans offer a basic level of protection to all consumers.
Be honest about your insurance history. When you’re looking for a new policy, it’s important to be honest about your previous insurer’s decision not to renew your policy. Trying to hide this fact will only reflect poorly on you when the insurance company finds out.
When you own a home, you need to renew your insurance policy each year. But sometimes, your insurer might choose not to renew it. That’s different from a cancellation, which can occur at any time during the policy term.
Here’s the difference between a cancellation and a non-renewal:[1]
Your insurer can cancel your policy before the expiration date if you don’t pay the premium or if it finds that you committed fraud or lied on your application.
Your insurer can decide not to renew your policy at the end of its term if your insurer deems you or your home to be high-risk, or if the company will no longer offer coverage in your area.
Insurers must give you advance notice if they don’t plan on renewing your policy. The exact time frame varies by state. For example, Texas requires 30–60 days’ notice, while New York requires 45–60 days’ notice.[2] [3]
You can appeal the non-renewal decision by contacting your state’s insurance commissioner or department of insurance oversight.
Insurify partners with top insurers for real-time quotes
Non-renewals happen for several reasons, but they’re often related to risk, and your insurer not renewing your homeowners insurance policy doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong.
Here are some of the most common reasons an insurer might decline to renew your policy:
Some insurers may choose not to renew your policy if you file too many small claims in a short time frame.
Your insurer may view your home as high-risk if it’s in an area prone to severe weather or natural disasters. Some examples include hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, tornadoes, and windstorms.
If your home has older plumbing, heating, or electrical systems, your insurer might refuse coverage because there’s a higher risk of a fire or flood. Insurers may also consider your property high-risk if you have attractive nuisances (like a swimming pool) or if they consider your dog’s breed “aggressive.”
An insurer might cancel or non-renew your policy if you make several late or missing payments. Insurers may also consider your credit history, but some states prohibit this.
Sometimes, insurers decide to stop offering coverage in certain areas. For example, some insurers have exited California and Florida because of the high risk for natural disasters in those states.
Having a non-renewal on your record could mean paying a higher premium on your next policy, but that’s not always the case. Ultimately, it’ll depend on the reason for the non-renewal. Here’s how insurers view different cases:
Non-renewal for risk-based reasons suggests you’re more likely to file a claim, which can lead to higher premiums.
Non-renewal due to company changes isn’t your fault and won’t necessarily increase your rates.
Over time, you can decrease certain risk factors to help lower costs. The following examples could help you improve your chances for affordable coverage:
Reinforcing your roof
Install storm shutters for impact-resistant windows
Retrofitting your home to withstand earthquakes
Implement wildfire mitigation techniques
Removing attractive nuisances like swimming pools or trampolines
Letting your home insurance lapse can lead to higher premiums. If you have a mortgage, your lender can purchase coverage for you — usually with less coverage at a much higher rate.[4] You’re also responsible for any damages that may happen while you’re uninsured. That’s why it’s essential to get a replacement policy as soon as you learn about your non-renewal.
See personalized quotes from top home insurers in minutes
Receiving a non-renewal notice from your insurer doesn’t mean you’ll automatically get another in the future. Some non-renewal factors (like company changes) are out of your control, but others aren’t.
Here are some actions you can take to prevent another insurance non-renewal.
Reduce your claims frequency: Making too many small claims in a short period can raise red flags. Avoid making claims if the total is lower than your deductible.
Maintain your home: Updating old systems and features can help increase your insurability.
Pay your premiums on time: Cancellations due to non-payments can prevent you from finding affordable coverage in the future.
Update your insurer about changes: Keeping your insurer informed when you add a pool or adopt a restricted-breed dog helps ensure you have the right coverage and maintain transparency.
Getting a non-renewal can be confusing. We’ve gathered the answers to some common questions about getting insurance after non-renewal.
It can be hard to find coverage if your insurer dropped your policy because you didn’t pay the premiums or committed fraud. But if the insurer dropped the policy because of company changes, finding a replacement policy should be easier. If you can’t get coverage from a standard insurer, check out your state’s FAIR Plan.
A non-renewal only happens when your policy is up for renewal, while a cancellation can happen at any time.
Your insurer can cancel your policy if you miss a premium payment, commit fraud, or lie on your application. Insurers may choose not to renew a policy if it’s for a high-risk home or if they drop out of your market.
Start looking for new coverage as soon as you get a non-renewal notice. Some states require insurers to give a certain amount of notice, typically up to 60 days, to give you time to find replacement coverage.
An insurer may deny you coverage if the non-renewal was your fault. For example, if your previous insurer dropped coverage because you didn’t pay your premiums, a new insurer may be reluctant to offer coverage.
If you get a non-renewal because you live in a high-risk area, other insurers may deny you coverage as well. In this case, look into your state’s FAIR Plan.
Look into your state’s FAIR Plan, which is a shared-market plan that covers otherwise uninsurable homes. Some states also offer beach and windstorm plans that insure homes in hurricane-prone areas.[5]
Having a non-renewal on your insurance record won’t necessarily raise your insurance rates as long as you didn’t cause the non-renewal.
Insurify data scientists analyzed rates from more than 180 home insurance companies sourced directly from Insurify’s partner companies and Quadrant Information Services. Rates span all 50 states and Washington, D.C., and quote averages represent the mean price for a given coverage level and geographic area. To ensure data reliability, only insurers meeting minimum quote thresholds were included in the analysis.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for homeowners with no prior claims and good credit with a home construction year of 1980. The default coverage assumptions include:
Default Coverage Assumptions
Additional data points beyond these default values are sourced from Insurify’s proprietary database. Rates are updated monthly.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
16+ years in personal finance and insurance writing
Certified Financial Education Instructor
Catherine Hiles is a freelance writer covering insurance, personal finance, and home improvement. A Certified Financial Education Instructor, Catherine is committed to providing readers with empowerment and insight when facing insurance decisions.
Her work has been published in TIME, The Penny Hoarder, BobVila.com, Tom's Guide, and Angi. She has a bachelor's degree in communication studies from the University of Chester in the United Kingdom. Catherine lives in Ohio with her husband, two children, and two energetic dogs.
Sara Getman is an Associate Editor at Insurify and has been with the company since 2022. Prior to joining Insurify, Sara completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature at Simmons University in Boston. At Simmons, she was the Editor-in-Chief for Sidelines Magazine (a literary and art publication), and wrote creative non-fiction.
Outside of work, Sara is an avid reader, and loves yoga and knitting.
Licensed property and casualty insurance agent
10+ years editing experience
NPN: 20461358
John is Insurify’s Chief Copy Editor, helping ensure the accuracy and readability of Insurify’s content. He’s a licensed agent specializing in home and car insurance topics.
Featured in
