My home insurance company dropped me. What do I do now?

Being dropped by your insurer is stressful, but in most cases you have weeks or months to respond. These are the steps people commonly take, in roughly the order they take them.

In the first few days

1. 1

   Find the coverage end date

   Add reminders at 30 and 14 days before it.
2. 2

   Keep the letter and the envelope

   The postmark can show when it was mailed, which can matter for the notice period.
3. 3

   Check the notice period

   Compare the days between the notice date and the end date with your state's published rule. Our free notice check does this and links the official source.
4. 4

   Read the reason carefully

   Is it about your property, your claims, or the insurer's business?
5. 5

   Tell your mortgage servicer

   Most mortgages require continuous coverage.

In the next two to three weeks

1. 1

   Ask for the details behind the decision

   Request any inspection report, photos or claim records the decision relied on. Some states give you a formal right to this — in California, for example, a written request within 90 business days.
2. 2

   Gather documents

   Declarations page, receipts, permits, photos, and your claims history report if claims were mentioned.
3. 3

   Decide whether to ask for reconsideration

   Worth doing when the reason is about your property and you can show it is wrong or has been fixed. See can you appeal a non-renewal?
4. 4

   Start collecting quotes

   An independent agent can check several insurers at once. Start early — in some markets fewer insurers are writing new policies.

Before the coverage end date

1. 1

   Compare offers on coverage, not just price

   Check deductibles (including wind/hail or hurricane deductibles), exclusions and roof payment terms.
2. 2

   Look at your state's last-resort option if needed

   FAIR Plans, Citizens and similar programs exist for homes that can't get regular coverage. See can't find homeowners insurance.
3. 3

   Make sure the new policy starts on or before the old one ends

   Send proof of coverage to your mortgage servicer so it does not buy insurance for you.

If you have questions about the notice

Your state Department of Insurance answers questions for free and can look into complaints. For individual advice, a licensed insurance professional or attorney may be appropriate. State guides: California, Florida and Texas.