Lara Orders Insurers to Keep 50,000 Policies
California's insurance commissioner ordered coverage preserved for policyholders near the Dove Fire in three counties.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Insurance
Live Poll
Do you trust your insurance company to keep covering you after a wildfire?
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara ordered insurers to preserve residential property coverage for about 50,000 policyholders in Tuolumne, Stanislaus and Calaveras counties after Governor Gavin Newsom issued an emergency declaration for the Dove Fire. The order bars non-renewal or cancellation for one year from the declaration date, regardless of whether a loss was suffered.
Why it matters
The moratorium is intended to shield residents within the fire perimeters from losing insurance after a wildfire emergency. It also extends to certain commercial property policies, which the state's Department of Insurance says protects homeowners' associations, apartment complexes, student housing and senior living facilities.
The order covers about 50,000 residential policyholders for one year from the emergency declaration date. Commercial coverage applies to policies with annual premiums below $25,000, and the department reports 1.2 million homeowners protected in 2025 alone.
The players
Ricardo Lara
California Insurance Commissioner who ordered the coverage preservation and sponsored the Business Insurance Protection Act.
Gavin Newsom
Governor of California who issued the emergency declaration for the Dove Fire that triggered the moratorium.
The details
The order applies to residents living within the Dove Fire perimeters or adjoining ZIP codes in Tuolumne, Stanislaus and Calaveras counties. Consumers can check whether their ZIP code is included on the Department of Insurance website.
Timeline
2019: Residential moratorium law enacted, with more than 4 million homeowners protected since.
January 1, 2026: Business Insurance Protection Act took effect, extending the moratorium to certain commercial policies.
November 10, 2026: Emergency declaration issued for the Dove Fire, starting the one-year moratorium.
Roadmap
The order builds on the residential moratorium law enacted in 2019, which the state says has protected more than 4 million homeowners. Its extension to commercial policies through the Business Insurance Protection Act, effective January 1, 2026, widens that protection to small property owners and multifamily housing.
Residents in the covered ZIP codes can check their eligibility on the Department of Insurance website. Anyone who believes an insurer is violating the moratorium can call 800-927-4357 or use the department's online chat or email.
The takeaway
Policyholders in wildfire-affected ZIP codes should confirm their coverage status now, because the moratorium bars non-renewal for one year. Those who suspect a violation can report it directly to the department.
Further reading
For more on how coverage rules work after disasters, see Insurance coverage.
More information
Check your ZIP code on the California Department of Insurance website.
Live Poll
Do you trust your insurance company to keep covering you after a wildfire?
