3 Things You Should Know About Earthquake Insurance

1. Earthquake damage is not covered by a standard homeowners insurance policy.

Too many people find out the hard way that earthquake damage is not covered by their homeowners insurance policy. A standard homeowners insurance policy will cover your dwelling and your personal property against many perils. Things such as damage from hail or wind during a storm, theft or vandalism, even a car crashing into your house would be covered by a standard homeowners insurance policy.

But some things such as floods and earthquakes are not covered. To be covered for earthquake damage requires that you purchase additional insurance. The premiums for this type of insurance are generally pretty small but the deductibles can be high. If you choose to get earthquake insurance shop around for the best deal. Try to find a policy that offers the most coverage for a reasonable price and be sure to ask about how much the deductible will be.

2. California is not the only place that has earthquakes.

When you hear the word earthquake the first thing that pops into your mind may be California. But California is not the only place that gets earthquakes. Since 1900, 39 of the 50 states have had earthquakes and all 50 states have sustained damage due to earthquakes. Approximately 90% of Americans live in areas considered to be seismically active but a very small percentage of people actually care your earthquake insurance. Even in California where earthquakes are most likely to occur only about 12% of homeowners carry earthquake insurance.

3. Some easy things you can do to prepare for earthquakes.

Many times, especially in a small earthquake, there may be no structural damage to your house but some of your personal property inside the house may be damaged. In addition to property damage people can be seriously injured or killed by large pieces of furniture or other objects falling on top of them should an earthquake occur. It's a good idea to secure large pieces of furniture such as a bookshelf to the wall that they are up against. A few dollars worth of hardware and a few minutes of your time could save your life.

It's also a good idea to have some bottled water, flash lights, canned food, and first aid supplies on hand. If there is an earthquake there could be power outages and plumbing damage and it's good to be prepared for those possibilities.