Your insurer dropped you. Now what?
Getting a nonrenewal notice feels like a gut punch — but you have more options than you think. Here's what it means, what your state requires, and exactly what to do next.
Nonrenewal vs. cancellation: they're not the same thing
A nonrenewal means your insurer has decided not to renew your policy when it expires. They're not canceling mid-term — they're simply choosing not to offer you coverage for the next period. This is legal, and it's happening more often as carriers pull back from hail, wildfire, and flood-exposed markets.
A mid-term cancellation is different and more serious. Carriers can only cancel an active policy for specific reasons: nonpayment, fraud, or a material misrepresentation on your application. If you received a cancellation notice mid-policy, the rules and your rights are different.
Either way, you are not stuck. The independent insurance market is large, and carriers that specialize in higher-risk properties exist in every state we serve.
Why carriers nonrenew homeowners policies
Roof age or condition
Carriers increasingly nonrenew homes with roofs over 15–20 years old, especially in hail markets. An aging roof is the single most common trigger in Colorado and Minnesota.
Wildfire exposure
Carriers have exited or restricted coverage in high-risk wildfire zones across Colorado and Arizona. If your home is in a WUI (wildland-urban interface) zone, this is a growing risk.
Claims history
Multiple claims in a short period — even small ones — can trigger a nonrenewal. Carriers track claims at the property address, not just the policyholder.
Underwriting changes
Sometimes it's not about your property at all. Carriers periodically exit markets, tighten underwriting guidelines, or stop writing certain construction types. It's a business decision, not a personal one.
Vacancy or rental conversion
If your home became vacant or you started renting it out without notifying your carrier, a nonrenewal — or cancellation — may follow.
Your state's nonrenewal rules
Each state sets minimum notice requirements and consumer protections. Here's what applies in the three states RightQuote serves.
Nonrenewal notice required
45 days
Cancellation notice
10 days (nonpayment) / 30 days (other reasons)
Safety net
Colorado FAIR Plan
Carriers must give 45 days written notice before nonrenewing a homeowners policy.
The notice must state the specific reason for nonrenewal.
You can file a complaint with the Colorado Division of Insurance if you believe the nonrenewal was improper.
Colorado's FAIR Plan provides basic fire and extended coverage for properties that cannot obtain coverage in the standard market.
Hail and wildfire exposure are the leading drivers of nonrenewal in Colorado. The Front Range and mountain communities are most affected.
What to do in the next 30 days
Confirm whether this is a nonrenewal or a mid-term cancellation. Note the effective date. You have more time than you think — but the clock starts now.
An independent agent can shop your property across multiple carriers simultaneously. This is the fastest path to replacement coverage. Captive agents (State Farm, Allstate) can only offer one carrier's products.
If roof age or condition triggered the nonrenewal, a professional inspection report can help you qualify for coverage with other carriers — or document that your roof is in better shape than the carrier assumed.
Request a CLUE report (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) from LexisNexis. This is the claims database carriers use. Knowing what's on it helps you understand what you're working with.
Review quotes from the standard market, surplus lines carriers, and your state's FAIR Plan. FAIR Plan coverage is typically more expensive and less comprehensive — treat it as a last resort, not a first stop.
Do not let your policy lapse. A coverage gap — even a single day — creates a 'lapse in coverage' on your record that makes future coverage harder and more expensive to obtain.
FAIR Plans: the safety net, not the solution
Every state has a FAIR Plan (Fair Access to Insurance Requirements) — a state-backed insurer of last resort for properties that cannot obtain coverage in the standard market. If you've been nonrenewed and can't find standard coverage, a FAIR Plan can keep you from going bare.
But FAIR Plans come with real limitations. Coverage is typically basic — fire and extended perils only. Liability coverage is often excluded or limited. Premiums are frequently higher than comparable standard market policies. And FAIR Plans don't compete on service or claims handling the way private carriers do.
The right strategy is to use a FAIR Plan as a bridge while an independent agent works to find you standard market coverage — not as a permanent solution.
Got a nonrenewal notice? Let's find you coverage.
The RightQuote team specializes in hard-to-place properties in Colorado, Arizona, and Minnesota. We know which carriers are writing in your market right now.
No obligation. Colorado, Arizona, and Minnesota licensed.