How Earthquake Insurance Works in California
Every homeowners policy in California excludes earthquake damage, so the coverage is bought separately. Most residential earthquake policies here come through the California Earthquake Authority, sold by your existing carrier. The deductible works as a percentage of your coverage, not as a flat dollar figure.
You'll know what's excluded before you sign.
In insurance since 1981Independent agencyCA Lic. 0606906
How Earthquake Insurance Works in California
Every homeowners policy in California excludes earthquake damage, so the coverage is bought separately. Most residential earthquake policies here come through the California Earthquake Authority, sold by your existing carrier. The deductible works as a percentage of your coverage, not as a flat dollar figure.
You'll know what's excluded before you sign.
In insurance since 1981Independent agencyCA Lic. 0606906
How Is Earthquake Coverage Structured Here?
As a separate policy sold alongside your homeowners policy, with its own limits and its own deductible.
Your homeowners policy excludes it
Earthquake shake damage is excluded on every standard homeowners form. Fire following an earthquake is generally handled differently, which is a distinction worth understanding.
The California Earthquake Authority
The CEA is a publicly managed provider whose policies are sold through participating residential carriers. You buy it through the company that writes your home policy.
The deductible is a percentage
It is calculated as a percentage of your dwelling coverage rather than a flat amount, so a larger dwelling limit means a larger deductible. Choosing the percentage is your decision.
What the policy pays for
Coverage centers on the dwelling. Personal property and loss of use are available at selectable levels, and structures such as detached garages are handled separately.
What Should I Look At Before Buying?
Four questions decide whether earthquake coverage makes sense for your household and at what structure.
The house itself
Construction and age drive both the risk and the retrofit conversation.
- When was the home built, and has it been bolted to its foundation?
- Does it have a raised foundation or a cripple wall that could be braced?
- Have you kept documentation of any retrofit work?
The financial side
This is the part most people skip and later regret.
- Could you cover the percentage deductible from available funds if you had to?
- What would it cost to rebuild, not to buy, your specific house?
- Do you owe more on the home than you could absorb losing?
The policy choices
Each of these is selectable, and each changes the premium.
- Which deductible percentage do you want?
- How much personal property coverage do you need?
- Do you want loss-of-use coverage while the home is being repaired?
Earthquake Insurance — FAQ
Is earthquake coverage included in my homeowners policy?+
How does a percentage deductible work?+
Does a retrofit change anything?+
Can renters and condo owners buy it?+
Talk to a licensed agent.
Call or send a note and tell us what you need covered. A licensed agent gets back to you — not a queue — with which carriers can write it, what the policy excludes, and what happens next.
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