How much will the FAIR Plan's October 15, 2026 rate increase change my renewal?

California's Department of Insurance approved FAIR Plan dwelling rates 29.1% higher on average, varying by home, for new policies and renewals on or after October 15, 2026. The Plan's dwelling policy covers homes of one to four units, whether the owner lives there or rents it out, and condo units.

The Plan announced the approval in a statement in May 2026. It said that "not every FAIR Plan customer will see their premium rise by this amount."

The Department's rate filing record shows the Plan asked for 35.6%. It lists the filing as approved and closed on April 6, 2026.

The Plan said its filing generally followed the state's Sustainable Insurance Strategy rules. Those rules let it use Department-approved models of future wildfire losses and count the net cost of reinsurance, the insurance the Plan buys for itself.

Each FAIR Plan rate needs the Insurance Commissioner's written approval in advance, under the Plan's own rules. The Plan says state law and those rules require a new dwelling rate filing at least every two years.

The new rates reach an existing policy at its first renewal on or after October 15, 2026. A renewal dated before that day is priced at the earlier rates, and the new rates arrive at the renewal after it.

A new FAIR Plan policy that starts on or after October 15, 2026 is priced at the new rates from its first day.

Your renewal invoice is where your own number appears. It lists the amount due under each payment plan. Paying the first amount for a plan puts you on that plan for the policy year.

The FAIR Plan says the biggest part of the change is in the wildfire portion of the price. It also says homes at significant wildfire risk see a bigger increase than homes at lower risk, and some homeowners see a decrease.

Other changes can sit on top of the new rates. A higher rebuild amount, a new deductible (the part of a claim you pay yourself), or added wind and hail coverage all move the price. The guide to why a FAIR Plan renewal jumps walks through each line of the notice.

Wildfire safety work lowers the wildfire portion. The FAIR Plan's discount sheet says a dwelling policy with all 12 discounts can get as much as 16.4% off the wildfire portion. The discounts apply to policies that start on or after November 15, 2025.

The Department of Insurance says savings for finished work begin at the start of the next policy period. You may need proof of the work, or an inspection. So tell your broker about finished work before your renewal date.

The Plan's 12 discounts reward work like this.

• A Class A fire-rated roof, enclosed eaves, and ember- and fire-resistant vents.
• Multi-pane windows or working shutters, and 6 inches of noncombustible material at the bottom of outside walls.
• Around the house: a cleared 5-foot zone, only noncombustible fences and gates within 5 feet, and a clear space under decks.
• In the yard: sheds more than 30 feet away where possible, and trees and brush that meet state and local defensible space rules.
• A home in a Firewise USA site or a Fire Risk Reduction Community, which earns a community discount.
• A completion discount once all 10 home and yard items are done.

The Plan's website, cfpnet.com, has a dwelling premium calculator. It gives a first look at a price from the facts you type in.

The Plan says the result "is not a contract, binder or an offer of coverage." Your renewal invoice is the number that counts.

The calculator needs a verified street address. Have these facts ready before you start.

• The address and ZIP code, and the building type: a house, mobile home, floating home, or condo or apartment.
• The construction, frame or masonry, and the year the home was built.
• How the home is used (owner, tenant, seasonal, or vacant) and the number of units.
• The deductible, and the coverages and amounts you want, such as fire alone or with wind and hail.
• The miles to the responding fire station, and whether a public fire hydrant is within 1,000 feet.

The step that matters most is to shop before the renewal date. On August 3, 2026, the Department of Insurance said FAIR Plan customers should "shop the market regularly rather than assume the FAIR Plan remains their only option."

Check standard insurers first, then specialty insurers. Standard insurers file their prices with the state. Specialty insurers (the technical name is surplus lines) take many homes the standard ones turn down, and you reach them through a licensed agent.

Work in this order before the renewal date.

• Find your declarations page, the summary at the front of your policy, and keep the renewal invoice when it arrives.
• Ask your broker to apply every wildfire discount the home qualifies for, with proof of the work.
• Have a licensed agent check standard insurers first, then specialty insurers, at the same rebuild amount so the prices compare.
• If a replacement turns up, start it first, send it to your mortgage servicer, then cancel the FAIR Plan in writing.
• If nothing turns up, pay the first amount on the renewal invoice so the home stays insured.

Yes. You can cancel a FAIR Plan policy at any time, in writing, and the Plan refunds the unused part of the year. Start the new policy first, so there is no gap.

A full homeowners policy from another insurer can cover more than the Plan does. A FAIR Plan policy covers fire and smoke, plus wind and hail if you add them. It does not cover water damage from a burst pipe, theft, or someone getting hurt on your property.

Insurers can also make offers through the Plan's clearinghouse. The Department of Insurance reported only 730 residential properties moved that way from June 2021 through April 30, 2025.

From January 1, 2027, a state law, AB 69, adds a notice from the Plan to every new policy and renewal. The notice says you have the right to shop around.