How Can I Get Homeowners Insurance After a Non-Renewal?

It’s difficult not to feel like your back is against a wall when your insurer doesn’t renew your home insurance policy, but don’t worry. There are ways to work around a non-renewal. Keep reading to discover why your insurer may have decided not to renew your policy, what to do with a non-renewal, and how you can get homeowners insurance after your renewal is declined.

A non-renewal of your home insurance policy may be sent for various reasons, some within your control and others beyond it. The most common reasons for a non-renewal have nothing to do with you as a policyholder and everything to do with your insurer. If an insurer decides to downsize, has had an excess of claims, or is pulling out of your state, they may choose not to renew your policy.

There are some reasons an insurer may decide not to renew your policy that concern you as a policyholder, though. If you have filed several claims, made payments late, missed payments altogether, or haven’t passed an insurance inspection, your insurer may decide not to renew your policy.

Depending on the reason for non-renewal, which your insurer will almost always state in their non-renewal notice, you should be able to get a new policy without much issue. If your insurer didn’t renew your policy because you missed payments, you might have difficulty finding a new insurer. 

If you receive a non-renewal notice from your home insurance company, you will likely have one to six months to figure things out before your renewal date. This notice should explain why your insurer won’t renew your policy. From there, you can start your search for a new insurer or decide to dispute the non-renewal.

If your homeowners insurance company isn’t renewing your policy, there’s a good chance you will be able to find coverage elsewhere, maybe even at a better rate. In most cases, your insurer will inform you about a month before they decide not to renew your policy, so you have time to gather your bearings. 

Your next course of action will depend on why your insurer has decided not to renew your policy. If they’re no longer writing policies in your area or are downsizing as a company, you should have no problem finding another insurer with equal or better rates.

However, if your insurer is no longer writing policies in your area because it’s a high-risk area, there’s a chance you will find other insurers leaving your area for the same reason. If that’s the case, you may need to research private homeowners insurers or ask your neighbors what company they use.

If you receive a non-renewal on your home insurance policy because you have filed an excess of claims or have missed payments, you may have a tough time proceeding with the search for a new insurer, as you will likely have been deemed a high-risk person to insure.

If your home insurance company sends you a non-renewal notice, you have a few ways to proceed. You can make improvements to your home if that’s the reason for the non-renewal, dispute the non-renewal, or shop around for a new policy. While a non-renewal of your homeowners insurance may feel like the end of the world, it isn’t. Now let’s take a look at your options.

Suppose your insurer doesn’t renew your homeowners insurance policy due to an issue with your home, such as faulty or old HVAC or a leaky roof. In that case, you may salvage your policy by making necessary improvements to your home.

If you’re replacing a problem fixture or area in your home and have over-budgeted your project, it may be a good idea to go ahead and upgrade other aspects of your home, too. Upgrades are especially advantageous for those who live in older homes, as insurers are more likely not to renew policies on older homes than they are to decline policy renewals for newer homes.

Some things you may want to focus on when making improvements to an older home are roofing, HVAC and plumbing systems, or adding fire-resistant materials to the structure of your home. You may also decide to make any special renovations to protect your home against natural disasters unique to your location, like hurricanes or floods.

If you believe your home insurance company isn’t renewing your policy based on unfounded reasoning, you can dispute the non-renewal. To dispute a non-renewal, you must present your insurer with proof against their claim.

For example, suppose your insurer isn’t renewing your policy because your home is in an area at high risk for hurricanes. In that case, you may be able to present them with evidence of precautions you have taken to protect your home against hurricane damage.

If you can’t rectify why your home insurance company won’t renew your policy, you will want to begin shopping for a new one. You can start your search by getting and comparing quotes online. While you’re at it, why not start your search here at Clovered with our proprietary quoting tool? Did we mention it’s free?

When you’re ready to switch your insurer, you can do it a few different ways. You can typically go through the entire process solely online, call an agent at your desired insurer, or send them an email to get the ball rolling. We would be happy to help you here at Clovered if you want to give us a call at 833-255-4117 or send us an email at agent@clovered.com. 

If your current home insurance company sent you a non-renewal notice due to excessive claims, or if you can’t afford any of the insurers from which you get quotes, you may want to check out surplus lines. Insurance through surplus lines is risky, but if you’re a high-risk insured, this may be a last resort or your only option.