Georgia's insurance regulator has barred insurers from cancelling policies for non-payment across more than 90 wildfire-affected counties.
Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King issued two emergency directives on April 23, 2026, one day after Governor Brian Kemp declared a State of Emergency for several South Georgia counties due to active wildfires and hazardous fire conditions. The ongoing wildfire threat has already displaced many families and, at the time of the directives, remained less than 10% contained.
The first order, Directive 26-EX-1, is addressed to all licensed insurance companies in the state and applies across all lines of coverage. The rationale is simple: in a significant number of the affected counties, residents will be unable to access mailing and postal services, leaving them in no position to ensure prompt payment of their premiums. Commissioner King directed insurers not to cancel policies for non-payment from policyholders in those counties until further advised by the Department. There is no set expiration date.
The geographic scope of the directive is worth pausing on. It names 91 counties stretching across South Georgia, including Chatham, Glynn, Muscogee, Bibb, Dougherty, and dozens more, from Appling and Atkinson all the way to Wilkinson and Worth. That is a substantial portion of the state's southern half, and for insurers writing personal or commercial lines in those areas, the operational impact is immediate. Cancellation workflows tied to premium non-payment will need to be paused across every line of business for policyholders in any of the listed counties.
The second order, Directive 26-EX-2, addresses a different but related concern: claims handling. The Department encouraged insurers to promptly acknowledge receipt of all wildfire-related claims and make appropriate assignments for their investigation. The expectation is that policyholders should continue to receive the timely service they expect and should not experience delays in receiving the benefits they deserve based on the volume of claims filed with a particular insurer.
For carriers with exposure in South Georgia, the message from the regulator is uncomplicated: keep policies active, acknowledge claims promptly, and do not let the volume of claims become a reason for delays. The moratorium carries no end date, and as of the directives, the wildfires remained less than 10% contained. Until the Department advises otherwise, insurers are expected to keep affected policies in force regardless of whether premium payments have been received.
