The Palisades Fire, Eaton Fire, and others have devastated California for the past week. Thousands of acres have been burned and more than 9,000 structures have been destroyed as the fires continue to blaze.

The California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara published a bulletin declaring a moratorium on cancellations and nonrenewals of residential property insurance policies affected by the wildfires. Residential property insurance policies include homeowners, condo unit owners, mobile homeowners, and residential renters policies.

California Governor Gavin Newson declared a state of emergency on January 7, 2025, in response to the fires. This gave the Insurance Commissioner the power to declare a moratorium on cancellations and nonrenewals of residential property insurance policies, per California statutes. The moratorium will be in place for one year after the Governor’s state of emergency order.