Most homeowners policies don’t cover earthquakes.

You might think an earthquake event would be covered by your homeowners insurance, but that’s not usually the case. The vast majority of policies specifically exclude it, mainly because it’s a low-risk event, which means any payout is likely to be extremely high.

Covers damage or destruction caused by an earthquake.

The good news is that you can buy specific earthquake insurance to cover damage and destruction to both your home and your building. Generally, the deductible is far higher than with ordinary household insurance. Although policies cover damage to homes, the main aim of earthquake insurance is to cover the risk of total destruction.

Factors to consider when getting earthquake coverage.

Depending on your location, you may need to shop around for an earthquake policy. For example, in California, your homeowners insurance provider is required to also offer earthquake insurance, although they won’t necessarily offer the best deal. One thing to watch for is insurers that stop taking on new policies in an area several weeks after a major earthquake because of the increased risk of aftershocks.

How is the cost of earthquake coverage determined?

The costs of earthquake coverage depend on your specific location, the value of your property and the materials it is built from.

For more details about your earthquake policy options, contact us today.