How California’s SB 824 Protects Homeowners After Wildfires

In the aftermath of devastating wildfires, homeowners face numerous challenges—losing insurance coverage shouldn’t be one of them. Thanks to Senate Bill 824 (2018), authored by then-State Senator and current Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, California has enacted a critical consumer protection law. This legislation mandates a one-year moratorium on insurance companies canceling or non-renewing residential policies in areas affected by wildfire emergencies declared by the Governor.
What Is the California One-Year Insurance Moratorium?
“Losing your insurance should be the last thing on someone’s mind after surviving a devastating fire,” stated Commissioner Lara. “This law gives millions of Californians breathing room and hits the pause button on insurance non-renewals while people recover.”
When the Governor declares a state of emergency, the Department of Insurance collaborates with CAL FIRE and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) to identify wildfire perimeters and adjacent ZIP codes. Homeowners in these areas receive one year of protection against insurance cancellation or non-renewal, starting from the date of the emergency declaration.
This safeguard applies to all residential policyholders in the designated areas, even if they experience no property loss. For those who endure a total loss, additional protections are available under the law.
How to Determine Your Eligibility
Since the law’s implementation, Commissioner Lara has applied the moratorium to multiple wildfires from 2019 to 2021. Homeowners can check if they are covered by reviewing the list of fires and affected ZIP codes published in the Commissioner’s Bulletins. Residents in the specified areas cannot have their insurance canceled or non-renewed due to wildfire risk for one year following the Governor’s declaration.
A comprehensive list of fires and ZIP codes is available, including Bulletins and Pre-Bulletin Notices for the most recent wildfire seasons. The Department of Insurance continues to work with CAL FIRE and CalOES to identify eligible areas for the one-year moratorium, ensuring maximum protection for homeowners.
If your ZIP code is included in the moratorium and you received a notice of cancellation or non-renewal for wildfire risk, you should contact your insurance company to seek a reinstatement of the policy. If your insurance company refuses, you are encouraged to contact us and file a Request for Assistance.
Is My Zip Code Included in the California Insurance Moratorium?
2025 Wildfires
- January 7, 2025 Declaration (Palisades, Eaton and Other Fires in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties)
2024 Wildfires
- November 7, 2024 Declaration (Mountain Fire in Ventura County)
- November 1, 2024 Declaration (Bear Fire in Sierra County; Shelly Fire in Siskiyou County)
- Sepember 29, 2024 Declaration (Boyles Fire in Lake County)
- September 11, 2024 Declaration (Airport Fire in Orange and Riverside Counties; Bridge Fire in Los Angeles and San Bernadino Counties)
- September 7, 2024 Declaration (Line Fire in San Bernadino County)
- July 30, 2024 Declaration (Borel Fire in Kern County)
- July 26, 2024 Declaration (Gold Complex Fire in Plumas County and Park Fire in Butte and Tehama Counties)
- July 3, 2024 Declaration (Thompson Fire in Butte County)
2023 Wildfires
- August 29, 2023 Declaration (Smith River and Happy Camp Complex Fires)
2022 Wildfires
- November 19, 2022 Declaration (Route Fire)
- September 19, 2022 Declaration (Mountain, Barnes and Fork Fires)
- September 8, 2022 Declaration (Fairview and Mosquito Fires)
- September 2, 2022 Declaration (Mill Fire)
- July 30, 2022 Declaration (McKinney and China 2 Fires)
- July 23, 2022 Declaration (Oak Fire)
- July 1, 2022 Declaration (Alisal & Colorado Fires)
2021 Wildfires
- July 16, 2021 Declaration (Lava & Beckwourth Complex Fires including Dotta and Sugar)
- July 23, 2021 Declaration (Dixie, Fly and Tamarack Fires)
- August 5, 2021 Declaration (Antelope and River Fires)
- August 10, 2021 Declaration (McFarland, Monument and Dixie Fires)
- August 17, 2021 Declaration (Caldor Fire in El Dorado County)
- August 30, 2021 Declaration (Caldor Fire in Alpine, Amador and Placer Counties)
- September 7, 2021 Declaration (Cache Fire)
- September 27, 2021 Declaration (Fawn Fire in Shasta County)
- October 22, 2021 Declaration (River Complex, French, Washington, Windy, Colony, Paradise and the Hopkins Fires)
2020 Wildfires
- August 18, 2020 Declaration (W-5 Cold Springs; Sheep; Moraine; SQF Complex; Coyote; Volcano; Moc; Flint; Dolan; Butte, Tehama, Glenn Lightning Complex; North Complex; Creek; Salt; 3-19; Woodward; Carmel; Bell; BlueJay; SHF Lightning; Red Salmon Complex; SCU Lightning Complex; Murphy; Holser; 4-8; Beach; Jones; LNU Lightning Complex; August Complex; River; CZU Lightning Complex; Hills; Whale; and Loyalton Fires)
- September 6, 2020 Declaration (Creek, El Dorado and Valley Fires)
- September 10, 2020 Declaration (Slater Fire including Devil, Schoolhouse, Shackleford and Fox Fires)
- September 25, 2020 Declaration [Bobcat; Oak; and Slater (Del Norte County) Fires]
- September 28, 2020 Declaration (Glass and Zogg Fires)
- November 18, 2020 Declaration (Mountain View Fire)
2019 Wildfires
- October 11, 2019 Declaration (Sadderidge, Eagle, Sandalwood, Reche, & Wolf Fires)
- October 25, 2019 Declaration (Kincade and Tick Fires)
- October 27, 2019 Declaration (Getty, Hill, Old Water, 46, Hillside, Easy, Maria, Sky and Glen Cove Fires)