At National General Lender Services, we monitor wildfire activity across the portfolio and activate our response when an event has impacted a significant number of homes, structures, or drawn substantial media attention because of its scale and potential impact.

Once activated, we issue catastrophe bulletins identifying affected zip codes and estimated portfolio impact. Through our Homeowner Assist Program^SM, we provide proactive support to help impacted customers understand next steps and access recovery resources. When major events create widespread damage, our catastrophe claims response scales with resources such as extended bilingual claims call center hours, Mobile Claims Centers in impacted areas, and a nationwide network of 1,800 independent adjusters.

Wildfire damage rarely falls evenly across a fire perimeter. Portfolio-level estimates alone do not tell a servicer which properties are actually affected.

Through the Catastrophe Monitoring Center^SM, servicers can access property-level insights that help distinguish broad exposure from actual impact. For significant events, aerial imagery can provide additional insight into damage at the individual property level across the affected area, including locations where ground access may be restricted during active fire conditions. This view helps identify which properties sit inside a fire perimeter, which have sustained damage, and which appear unaffected. Servicers can then prioritize outreach and reporting instead of treating an entire region as equally impacted.

California’s insurance market has been under sustained pressure from significant wildfire events and a complex regulatory framework, which together have influenced carrier participation, underwriting practices, and risk management strategies across the state. These evolving market conditions can create additional challenges for servicers as they work to manage portfolio risk and maintain continuous property insurance coverage.

As standard carriers limit new business, tighten underwriting, or reduce exposure in wildfire-prone areas, customers may rely on coverage through the California FAIR Plan or, in certain cases, the surplus lines market. These policies can differ from standard admitted market policies in areas such as covered perils, limits, and exclusions. Our teams review coverage details carefully so servicers have a clear view of policy status and any potential gaps across affected loans.

State-mandated moratoriums also restrict cancellations and non-renewals in designated disaster areas for a defined period after a wildfire is declared. We track these developments as they take shape, identify affected areas, and adjust program operations to help servicers stay aligned with state requirements while maintaining consistent customer support.