Protect Your Home From Earthquake Damage

A. Though California has nearly 16,000 known earthquake faults, you are not required by state law to carry earthquake insurance. Your basic homeowners and renters insurance policies do not cover earthquake damage. Without separate earthquake insurance coverage, you will be responsible for all of the cost to repair your home and replace your belongings after a damaging earthquake occurs.

Earthquake insurance coverage guards against financially devastating shaking events. 

CEA earthquake policies cover houses, mobilehomes, condo-units, and rental homes. Buy separate earthquake insurance coverage in California through your home insurance provider.

Our residential earthquake insurance policies offer coverage for:

• Repairs to your home/mobilehome/condo-units.
• Costs of living elsewhere while repairs are being made to your house/mobilehome/condo-unit/rental home after an earthquake.
• Replacement of the valuable contents in the home you own or rent.

Buy CEA earthquake insurance today to protect your life savings.

A. If you've never felt an earthquake tremor in your life, do you really need California earthquake insurance coverage?

Consider this.

• Damage from a minor quake is most often limited to broken windows and dishes.
• But a big quake may trigger catastrophic damage to your home’s structure and foundation—and may require use of your hard-earned life savings to repair damage to your home.
• Scientists say larger earthquakes are a matter of when, not if. Earthquakes are a certainty in California.

Your basic homeowners policy does not cover earthquake damage. Californians must purchase a separate, companion earthquake insurance policy. Without earthquake insurance coverage in California, you will be responsible for 100 percent of the cost to repair your home, and replace your belongings after a damaging earthquake strikes.

Given the potential cost to repair shake damage, the cost of a CEA policy may be an easy expense to justify. According to a Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast  study, there is more than a 99% chance of one or more magnitude 6.7 or greater earthquakes striking California.

Ask yourself: after a major earthquake, could you:

1. Afford to repair or replace your home without insurance;
2. Cover the full costs of living elsewhere—while still paying your mortgage—during the time repairs are being made; and
3. Replace the valuable contents of your home?

Compare those big-ticket expenses to an investment in earthquake insurance coverage—combined with the value of having peace of mind when the big one strikes.

A. Live in the San Francisco Bay Area, Central Coast, Central Valley, Sierra Mountains or SoCal? Then you live in areas of greater earthquake risk.

Still, all of California is earthquake country.

Most Californians live within only 30 miles of an active earthquake fault. There are nearly 16,000 known faults, and scientists continue to find new faults.

Consider this likely scenario with a large earthquake:

• Earthquakes can cause extensive damage to the foundation, siding and roof of homes. Older homes built before 1980 on a raised foundation are especially vulnerable if they are not retrofitted.
• Without residential earthquake insurance you will be responsible for all repair and/or rebuilding costs.
• Government disaster assistance, if available, only comes in the form of a small grant or capped loan, which may cover only a portion of your repair costs.
• Without Loss of Use earthquake coverage—which includes covering additional expenses of living elsewhere—you’d still be paying your mortgage plus temporary housing rent during the time repairs are underway.

CEA earthquake insurance policies protect you against financially devastating shaking events. 

A. CEA offers the best affordable and flexible earthquake policies. Choose the kind of coverage that fits your budget. Residential earthquake insurance typically pays for damaged walls, foundations, and ceilings. Options can also cover household items that are destroyed or need repair due to an earthquake, such as electronics and appliances.

Our residential earthquake insurance rates are based on the latest science, not profit. Premiums are determined by many factors, including:

• Your home’s age.
• Its location near a fault.
• Foundation type (raised, slab or other).
• Construction (masonry or frame) type.
• Roof type.

Find out about CEA’s premium discounts for retrofitted older homes and mobilehomes.  Grants to help pay for a house retrofit are available to people with eligible houses in select ZIP Codes from the Earthquake Brace & Bolt (EBB) program, and the CEA Brace + Bolt (CEA BB) program.

A. Have you been looking for a discounted rate for earthquake insurance?

CEA offers residential earthquake insurance premium discounts for older houses (up to 25%), and mobilehomes (21%) that have been properly retrofitted to better withstand earthquakes. A seismic retrofit involves strengthening your dwelling to make it more resistant to shaking.

Find out about CEA’s discounts for retrofitted older homes. Mobilehomes that are properly retrofitted are also eligible for premium discounts. Grants for retrofitting may also be available.

CEA’s affordable and flexible earthquake insurance policies allow you to choose the kind of coverage and deductibles that fit your budget.

A. CEA policy billing, payments, changes and renewals are not handled by CEA. The servicing of your policy—including any accommodations due to the ​COVID pandemic—is handled by the residential property insurance company that issued your CEA policy. You will need to contact that insurance company for details on how they are managing grace periods, late payments, or other policy issues that may arise related to COVID-19.

Read the California Insurance Commissioner's latest bulletin on grace periods, and contact your insurance company directly for more information.