California’s insurance rules are changing, but what matters most is how they affect homeowners. Here’s a plain-English breakdown of recent updates, what protections exist after a disaster, and what we see coming next in the California insurance market.

🔹 The FAIR Plan — Quick Answers First No, not everyone has to go on the FAIR Plan: It’s typically a fallback option when traditional coverage isn’t available. The FAIR Plan is limited coverage: It mainly covers fire and a few named perils—not a full homeowners policy. Most FAIR Plan policies need a companion policy: Additional coverage is usually required to fill the gaps. Cost and complexity are common complaints: Pricing and structure are different from traditional ins