CEA BB Program Rules
Policyholders, Contractors and Registered Design Professionals participating in the CEA Brace + Bolt (CEA BB) program are required to agree to and adhere to the full Program Rules and Terms of Use posted on the website.
Download the full program rules:
For policyholders these include, but are not limited to:
- You must have been invited by letter to participate in the CEA BB program,
- You must be losing the 5% and 10% deductible option for Coverage A (dwelling) on your property,
- You must have a valid CEA earthquake insurance policy on the qualifying house, and
- The qualifying house must be a pre-1980 house with pre-1980 construction with a raised or “other” foundation type in determining the CEA policy premium.
Contractors requirements include, but are not limited to:
- To qualify to do a CEA BB retrofit and the work to be eligible for the incentive payment, the work must be done by an owner-builder or a general building contractor that is licensed by the State of California with a Type A or B license.
- They must perform all retrofit work in accordance with California Existing Building Code Chapter A3 (“Chapter A3”).
- Retrofit work involves (1) bolting the house to its foundation and (2) bracing, as necessary, the perimeter of the crawl space.
- They must ensure that the performed retrofit must meet or exceed the Chapter A3 requirements for both sill plate anchorage and cripple wall bracing (if cripple walls are present).
Contractors may be removed from the Contractor Directory in the event CEA BB determines that the Participating Contractor has failed to meet the program requirements.
For Registered Design Professionals (engineers and architects) requirements include but are not limited to:
- They must maintain an active license.
- They must ensure all submissions (e.g. plans, designs, letters) completed for a CEA BB retrofit are in accordance with Chapter A3 of CEBC.
- They must ensure a stamped and signed letter is provided to the Policyholder or Participating Contractor or any licensed contractor hired by a Participating Policyholder affirming the retrofit plans are in accordance with Chapter A3 of the CEBC.
Design Professionals may be removed from the Directory in the event CEA BB determines that the Design Professional has failed to meet the program requirements.
*Resources for strapping and bracing your water heater: Earthquake Country Alliance
Participating Contractors, contractors, and Licensed Design Professionals hired by Participating Policyholders are not selected by, approved by, governed by, or in any way the responsibility of CEA or the CEA BB program.
The appearance of any Participating Contractor or Licensed Design Professional on the CRMP Contractor Directory or the CRMP Design Professionals Directory, access to which is available on the CEA website, is not an endorsement or approval by CEA or the CEA BB program.
CEA and the CEA BB program hereby disclaim any and all obligation to maintain, keep current, or monitor the CRMP Contractor or CRMP Licensed Design Professionals Directory or monitor the licensing, financial condition, contracts, or competence of any Participating Contractor listed on the CRMP Contractor or CRMP Licensed Design Professionals Directory or of any Contractor or Licensed Design Professional hired by a Participating Policyholder.