State Farm won't renew homeowners coverage for 72,000 California homes and apartments (2024)

State Farm out on California home insurance

Sacramento, Calif. — State Farm will discontinue coverage for 72,000 houses and apartments in California starting this summer, the insurance giant said this week, nine months after announcing it wouldn't issue new home policies in the state.

The Illinois-based company, California's largest insurer, cited soaring costs, the increasing risk of catastrophes like wildfires and outdated regulations as reasons it won't renew the policies on 30,000 houses and 42,000 apartments, the Bay Area News Group reported Thursday.

"This decision was not made lightly and only after careful analysis of State Farm General's financial health, which continues to be impacted by inflation, catastrophe exposure, reinsurance costs, and the limitations of working within decades-old insurance regulations," the company said in a statement Wednesday.

"State Farm General takes seriously our responsibility to maintain adequate claims-paying capacity for our customers and to comply with applicable financial solvency laws," it continued. "It is necessary to take these actions now."

The move comes as California's elected insurance commissioner undertakes a yearlong overhaul of home insurance regulations aimed at calming the state's imploding market by giving insurers more latitude to raise premiums while extracting commitments from them to extend coverage in fire-risk areas, the news group said.

The California Department of Insurance said State Farm will have to answer question from regulators about its decision to discontinue coverage.

"One of our roles as the insurance regulator is to hold insurance companies accountable for their words and deeds," Deputy Insurance Commissioner Michael Soller said. "We need to be confident in State Farm's strategy moving forward to live up to its obligations to its California customers."

It was unclear whether the department would launch an investigation.

Last June, State Farm said it would stop accepting applications for all business and personal lines of property and casualty insurance, citing inflation, a challenging reinsurance market and "rapidly growing catastrophe exposure."

The company said the newly announced cancellations account for just over 2% of its California policies. It did not say where they're located or what criteria it used to determine that they wouldn't be renewed.

State Farm won't renew homeowners coverage for 72,000 California homes and apartments (2024)

FAQs

Why did State Farm cancel my homeowners policy? ›

The insurer blames the rising risk of natural disasters like wildfires in California and the state's outdated regulations.

Why does home insurance get Cancelled? ›

Your insurance company can cancel or non-renew your homeowner's policy for a few reasons, including nonpayment or increased risk surrounding your home. In some cases, an insurance company may stop selling policies in a certain area or non-renew policies in that area due to risk.

Is it illegal to not have homeowners insurance California? ›

You're not required by law to have home insurance, but banks do require it as a condition of your mortgage. Home insurance can help you protect yourself from enormous financial loss. It can also help cover the cost of paying for bodily injury to others or damage to their property.

Who is California's largest home insurer? ›

State Farm, California's largest home insurance company, announced it would be discontinuing coverage for 72,000 homes and apartment policies in the state starting this summer. The insurer blamed inflation, regulatory costs, and the increasing risks from catastrophes for its decision to scale back in the blue state.

Is State Farm pulling out of California? ›

State Farm General Insurance Company has announced that it will non-renew approximately 30,000 California homeowners, rental dwelling, and other property insurance policies.

What happens if a homeowner lets his or her insurance policy lapse? ›

A lapse in your coverage means that you are uninsured. It could be days or weeks, but the risk is the same; if something happens during the lapse period, you will not have any financial protection from homeowners insurance and will have to pay the expenses and losses out of pocket.

Is it hard to get homeowners insurance after being dropped? ›

If your insurer nonrenewed or cancelled your policy because your house needs repairs or you filed too many claims, you may have difficulty finding an insurance company willing to insure your home.

When can an insurance company cancel your policy California? ›

Premiums After a residential policy has been in effect for sixty days, the insurance company can only cancel a policy for reasons specified by law, which include; nonpayment of premium, fraud , material misrepresentation , or physical changes in the insured property that increase any hazard insured against.

Why would an insurance company cancel insurance? ›

If at any time: you fail to pay the premium by the due date. you obtained the policy through misrepresentation or fraud. anyone insured on the policy violated the terms or conditions of the policy.

Why are insurance companies not selling homeowners insurance in California? ›

High rebuild costs, increasingly severe wildfires and high prices of reinsurance are all risks that insurance companies might be willing to take on. But only for the right price. Increases in insurance premiums in California are approved or denied by the state's elected insurance commissioner, Ricardo Lara.

What is the cheapest homeowners insurance in California? ›

The average cost of homeowners insurance in California homeowners is $1,405 a year, well below the national average. Allstate has the cheapest average home insurance rates in California at $886 a year. State Farm is the best home insurance company in California overall.

Why are insurance companies not insuring homes in California? ›

Why it's so difficult to find home insurance in California. From surging climate disasters to government regulations to ongoing problems with the supply chain, here's a rundown of the various issues plaguing California's home insurance market.

What is the best homeowners insurance company in California? ›

After in-depth research, we at the Guides Home Team found the following providers to offer the best and cheapest homeowners insurance in California:
  • Hippo: Our pick for fast quotes.
  • Liberty Mutual: Our pick for discounts.
  • Farmers: Our pick for customizable coverage.
  • Nationwide: Our pick for inclusive standard coverage.
Apr 12, 2024

Is AAA writing homeowners insurance in California? ›

Insurance products in California are offered through AAA Northern California Insurance Agency, License #0175868, in Montana by AAA Montana, Inc., License #9756, in Nevada by AAA Nevada and in Utah by AAA Utah.

What is the average homeowners insurance cost in California? ›

How much is homeowners insurance in California? The average cost of homeowners insurance in California is $1,383 per year, or roughly $115 a month, for an insurance policy with $300,000 in dwelling coverage.

Does home insurance refund if Cancelled? ›

What is a homeowners insurance refund check? You may receive a refund check from your prior homeowners insurance company if you cancel your policy before it expires, reimbursing you for the coverage you already paid for. You may also receive a refund in the event your lender makes a payment to your old insurer.

Why was i denied homeowners insurance? ›

Living in a high-risk location, having hazardous home features, home maintenance issues, your home's history of insurance claims, and more can be reasons an insurance company may determine a house to be uninsurable.

Does State Farm charge to cancel a policy? ›

If you've already paid your premium for the policy period in full, State Farm will refund the unused portion. State Farm does not impose a cancellation fee or penalty for early termination. Finally, it's important to remember that you don't need to cancel your policy just because you're going through some life changes.

Does homeowners insurance cancel when you sell? ›

Homeowners Insurance and Selling Your Home

If you sell your home, your insurance coverage will remain in effect until the final payoff is sent in by the mortgage company. Any excess escrowed insurance money will be paid back to you.

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