Property Insurance Policies; notice required to be given a policyholder before the nonrenewal of his or her homeowners' insurance policy; increase the number of days
Summary
SB 35 amends Georgia’s insurance code to require homeowners’ insurers to give policyholders more advance notice before refusing to renew a policy. Under current law, the notice period is at least 30 days; this bill increases that minimum to 60 days, unless a longer period is already required by the policy or another statute. The notice must still be provided in writing and must state the effective date of nonrenewal and the reason or reasons for nonrenewal as required by existing law.
The bill also sets an effective date of January 1, 2026, and applies the new notice requirement to policies issued, delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on or after that date. In practical terms, it gives homeowners more time to find replacement coverage if their insurer decides not to renew, while preserving insurers’ ability to nonrenew policies for lawful reasons.
Impact
SB 35 directly amends Code Section 33-24-46 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, changing the minimum nonrenewal notice period for homeowners’ insurance policies from 30 days to 60 days. It affects property and homeowners’ insurance carriers, policyholders, and lienholders by requiring earlier written notice of nonrenewal and maintaining the existing requirement that insurers provide reasons for nonrenewal. The bill does not create a new nonrenewal standard; it changes the timing of notice and applies prospectively to policies beginning in 2026.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad bipartisan support and little visible opposition. It passed the Senate 55-0 and the House 168-0, indicating unanimous approval in both chambers. The lack of recorded committee debate in the provided materials also suggests the measure was viewed as a straightforward consumer-protection update rather than a controversial policy change.
Contention
No specific points of contention are reflected in the provided transcripts or vote history. The main policy tradeoff inherent in the bill is between consumer protection and insurer flexibility: homeowners gain more time to secure replacement coverage, while insurers must provide notice earlier before ending renewal coverage. However, the unanimous votes suggest that any such concerns were not significant enough to generate recorded opposition.