California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has ordered insurance companies to preserve residential property coverage for roughly 50,000 policyholders in Tuolumne, Stanislaus and Calaveras counties, shielding them from non-renewal after the Dove Fire prompted a statewide emergency declaration from Governor Gavin Newsom.
Who Qualifies and for How Long
The protection applies to anyone living within the Dove Fire perimeters or in adjoining ZIP Codes, according to Action News Now. Officials say the order bars insurers from cancelling or refusing to renew policies for one year from the date of the governor's emergency declaration, regardless of whether a policyholder actually suffered a loss from the fire. The California Department of Insurance describes the measure as shielding those living within the fire perimeters or adjoining ZIP Codes from non-renewal or cancellation on that same one-year timeline.
Lara said he is acting to protect thousands of Californians from losing insurance coverage in the wake of a wildfire emergency, framing the move as necessary while the state works to restore insurance options statewide, especially for those who need it most. Consumers who were non-renewed before the emergency declaration was issued can still contact the department for help understanding their options and tools if they can't obtain insurance or are dissatisfied with their current coverage, per the same report.
A Pattern Seen Earlier This Year
This isn't the first time Lara's office has stepped in after a wildfire. Following the Gann Fire, the department protected more than 64,000 Californians across Calaveras, San Joaquin, Amador, Tuolumne and Stanislaus counties from non-renewals, the department's own release states. The state's broader residential moratorium law, enacted in 2019, has protected more than 1.2 million homeowners in 2025 alone, and more than 4 million statewide since the law took effect, according to the California Department of Insurance.
California also has a commercial property insurance moratorium that covers certain policies carrying less than $25,000 in annual premium for homeowners associations, apartment complexes, student housing and senior living facilities. That protection traces back to the Business Insurance Protection Act, which Lara sponsored in 2025 and which took effect January 1, 2026.
Insurers Staying in Fire-Prone Areas
Officials point to what they call Lara's sustainable insurance strategy as evidence that insurers are not fleeing high-risk regions altogether. Twelve insurance groups have announced they are staying and growing in wildfire-affected parts of California, including Farmers, Mercury, Auto Club of Southern California, CSAA, USAA, Liberty Mutual and Travelers. The list also includes Pacific Specialty, Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange, California Casualty and Horace Mann, along with MS Transverse and Trusted Resource Underwriters Exchange of Ohio.
Consumers can check the Department of Insurance website to see whether their ZIP Code falls within the moratorium zone. Anyone who suspects an insurance-law violation or has questions about a claim can contact the department at 800-927-4357, through online chat or by email.
