Wisconsin FAIR Plan: what it covers, what it costs, who qualifies

Does Wisconsin have a FAIR Plan?

Yes. Wisconsin's FAIR Plan is the Wisconsin Insurance Plan (WIP), official site www.wisinsplan.com ↗. It exists as the insurer of last resort for property owners who can't get coverage in the standard ("admitted") market.

What does it cover?

Three product lines (per Wis. Admin. Code § Ins 4.10): (1) Homeowners — a homeowners-type package 'at least equivalent to a modified coverage form (HO-8-type) homeowners policy' for owner-occupied 1–2 family principal residences, which DOES include personal liability ($100,000) and medical payments to others ($1,000); (2) Dwelling — dwelling-fire / extended-coverage property insurance ('coverage provided in the customary fire policy and the customary extended coverage'); (3) Commercial. Perils on the property side: fire or lightning; extended coverage (windstorm or hail, explosion, riot or civil commotion, aircraft, vehicles, smoke); vandalism or malicious mischief; and theft. Settlement on the dwelling/HO-8-type forms is on a repair-cost/actual-cash-value basis rather than full replacement cost. Covers 1–4 family residences (owner- or non-owner-occupied; at least 50% of living units occupied daily), mobile homes on a permanent foundation, vacant/unoccupied residences undergoing active rehabilitation, seasonal dwellings, secondary homes, renters' personal property, and condominium unit-owner personal property. Does not cover flood.

How much will it cover?

The current cap on a single dwelling policy is Habitational risks (Dwelling and Homeowners lines): up to $350,000 on the dwelling/building (with the customary percentage limits for other structures and loss of use) and up to $175,000 on personal property at any one location; on the Homeowners line, personal liability is fixed at $100,000 and medical payments to others at $1,000. Any other eligible (commercial) risk: up to $500,000 combined building + business personal property. Eligibility cap: a dwelling/HO property must have a market value of $350,000 or less (not including lot or other structures) — properties above that are not eligible for the Plan. (The $350,000 figure was raised from a prior $200,000 limit by an update to Wis. Admin. Code § Ins 4.10.) (Wis. Admin. Code § Ins 4.10 (Wisconsin Insurance Plan) / Wisconsin Insurance Plan, verified 2026-05-11).

Who is eligible?

Available to property owners and tenants with an insurable interest in Wisconsin property who have had their coverage cancelled or denied in the standard insurance market. Property must meet basic insurability standards. Ineligible property types: motor vehicles, manufacturing properties, farms, vacant properties (not undergoing active rehabilitation), and properties with market value exceeding $350,000 (for dwelling/HO policies). 'Occupied' means the residence has people eating and sleeping in at least 50% of the living units daily. Wisconsin law (Wis. Stat. § 631.36) requires that non-renewal notices for homeowners policies include information about how to apply for Wisconsin Insurance Plan coverage.

How do you apply?

Through a licensed Wisconsin insurance producer/agent. The Wisconsin Insurance Plan does not sell directly to consumers. Agents who receive a non-renewal notice must provide WIP contact information to the insured under Wis. Stat. § 631.36. WIP administrator phone: 414-291-5353.

Need a broker who writes the WI FAIR Plan? →

How much does it cost?

Generally more expensive than the standard market for ACV-only, basic-named-peril coverage. A last resort, not a price-competition fallback. Wisconsin Insurance Plan policies do not offer replacement cost coverage — an important cost gap for policyholders with newer or rebuilt homes. As of October 1, 2025, payment processing fees: credit card $6.48, debit card $2.86, checking/savings $2.49.

What is changing right now?

FAIR Plan habitational policies approximately 5,246 / total exposure approximately $860 million per Insurance Information Institute FY2024 reporting (may reflect a slightly earlier fiscal year). Wis. Admin. Code Ins. 4.10 was updated to raise the eligible property market-value cap to $350,000 (up from the prior $200,000 limit) — allowing WIP to serve higher-value properties. As of October 1, 2025, online payment processing fees changed (credit card $6.48, debit $2.86, bank transfer $2.49). Wisconsin faced significant hail and severe storm losses in 2023–2024 (Wisconsin had over $1.7B in insured catastrophe losses from severe convective storms in 2023), which drove standard-market rate increases and some underwriting tightening — likely increasing WIP demand in higher-risk areas.

Do you also need a wrap (DIC) policy?

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What to do this week if you just got a non-renewal notice

1. Read the notice fully. Note the cancellation date — that's your runway.
2. Call your current agent and ask why. Some non-renewals are reversible (a minor issue, a missed inspection); most aren't.
3. Get quotes from at least three other admitted carriers before going to the FAIR Plan. If you're rural / WUI / coastal you may strike out; that's normal.
4. If admitted carriers decline, contact a broker who writes the Wisconsin Insurance Plan (WIP). They can submit on your behalf the same week.
5. Don't let coverage lapse. A lapse triggers force-placed insurance from your lender — much more expensive and worse coverage.

For the full playbook see I just got a non-renewal notice →