Trinity County survey finds many homeowners on California Fair Plan; supervisors urged to push for outreach and state advocacy

Skyler Fisher, coordinator of the Trinity County Fire Safe Council at the Trinity County Resource Conservation District, told the Trinity County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 7 that an anonymous survey of 381 local homeowners identified unusually high dependence on the California Fair Plan, widespread premium increases and frequent policy cancellations or nonrenewals.

Fisher said the survey, conducted Nov. 4–Dec. 4, 2024 and promoted through the Fire Safe Council’s social channels, community pages, a newsletter and county supervisors, found that “over a quarter of respondents in the survey reported that they are on the California Fair Plan, and 13% reported that they had no homeowners insurance,” and that roughly 30–32% reported either cancellation or nonrenewal in the prior three years.

The survey was presented as a snapshot rather than a statistically weighted sample. Fisher noted a striking contrast with statewide data: “in our research for this presentation, we found, at least as of 2021, it was reported that about 3% of the overall residential insurance policies in California were for the Fair Plan,” and said Trinity County’s reported share was materially higher in the council’s 2024 snapshot.

Why it matters

Officials and residents told the board the…