Unlike hurricanes, floods, wildfires and other natural disasters, earthquakes don't have an annual season that homeowners can prepare for. But they do hit certain parts of the country more than others.
Your homeowners insurance policy typically won't cover earthquakes or landslides. To protect your home and your belongings, you'll need earthquake insurance — either a standalone policy or a rider to your existing home policy.
Here's what earthquake insurance covers, how much it costs and how you can buy a solid policy.
Earthquake insurance
Does homeowners insurance cover earthquakes?
No, standard homeowners or condo insurance will cover common perils like fire and wind, but it doesn't cover damage from earthquakes. Some policies might cover fire or other secondary damage resulting from an earthquake. To be fully protected, however, you'll need to a separate earthquake insurance policy or an rider that adds earthquake coverage to your existing policy.
This is particularly important in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada and Washington, the states where earthquakes are most common. In California, insurance companies are required to offer earthquake insurance to homeowners. The California Earthquake Authority (CEA) is a nonprofit organization that works to provide affordable coverage to residents, though rates are still quite high.
What does earthquake insurance cover?
Earthquake insurance can cover damage to the physical structure of your home and other non-attached structures caused by tremors or aftershocks. It can also reimburse you for damages to your belongings and pay for living expenses if you need to relocate while your home is being repaired.
An earthquake policy also pays to clear debris, stabilize the land under your home, address emergency repairs and bring your home up to code.
However, earthquake insurance typically does not cover:
- Damage to your land, such as landscaping
- Damage to vehicles, fences or pools
- Flooding, tsunamis, or secondary disasters like fires or landslides caused by earthquakes
How much is earthquake insurance?
According to Policygenius, $100,000 of earthquake insurance in California, the second most earthquake-prone state after Alaska, costs between $500 and $1,000 a year.
With the statewide median home price at just over $900,000, that means a policy could easily run you $4,500 to $9,000 a year.
Hawaii, Nevada, and Washington state are the third, fourth and fifth most earthquake-prone states, respectively, and residents also pay a premium for protection.
In other areas, it can be much more affordable: A policy in Texas averages between $500 and $800 a year, according to LendingTree. On the East Coast, you could pay less than $300 per year.
How to buy earthquake insurance
Earthquake insurance can be purchased in one of two ways: as a standalone policy or as a rider to your existing homeowners insurance.
Start shopping with your homeowners insurance provider. In California, state law requires homeowners insurance companies to offer earthquake insurance. Often, it's in conjunction with the California Earthquake Authority.
Amica, one of our top homeowners insurance providers, offers earthquake insurance as an add-on to your home coverage. Additional options include replacement cost coverage and enhanced electronics coverage that can pay for accidental damage.
Amica Homeowners Insurance
Coverage
Dwelling, other structures, personal property, additional living expenses, personal liability and medical payments.
Policy highlights
Amica's Platinum Choice plan comes with 130% dwelling coverage, increased valuable coverage and higher limits for liability and medical payments.
Add-ons
Dwelling and property replacement, coverage for computers, identity fraud, water backup and home businesses
Bundling discount
Up to 30% when you combine auto, home and life insurance
Availability
Amica offers homeowners insurance in all U.S. states except Alaska and Hawaii.
Farmers Insurance offers standalone policies that can be paired with homeowners, condo or renters insurance, although you'll need to work with an agent to buy a policy.
Farmers Homeowners Insurance
Cost
The best way to estimate your costs is to submit your information for a quote
Maximum coverage
Not disclosed
App available
Yes
Policy highlights
Policy covers your home and property damages, personal liability and loss of use
Does not cover
Damage resulting from earth movement, water, nuclear hazard, failure to make repairs, war and fungi — see here for the complete list; contact a Farmers Insurance agent for a list of any exclusions specific to your state
Terms apply.
Read our Farmers homeowners insurance review
Other insurers that partner with the CEA include:
- Allstate
- AAA of Northern and Southern California
- Foremost
- Liberty Mutual
- Mercury
- Nationwide
- Progressive
- State Farm
- USAA
To get a quote, you'll need to provide some information about your home, including its age, location and construction materials.
You'll also have to choose an amount of dwelling coverage that would cover rebuilding your home. If you're getting your homeowners insurance and earthquake insurance from the same company, your dwelling limits are typically the same across both policies.
Both renters and owners will need to choose a coverage limit for belongings and agree to a deductible. Unlike homeowners insurance, which typically has a flat, dollar-amount deductible, the deductible for earthquake insurance is typically 10% to 25% of your homeowners or renters policy's dwelling coverage.
While your homeowners insurance company is a good place to start when shopping for earthquake insurance, you should get quotes from several other providers to get the best rate.
Earthquake insurance FAQs
Is earthquake insurance worth it?
Earthquake insurance can be expensive and you may never need to use it. But it's still cheaper than paying for repairs and replacements out of pocket.
Does renters insurance cover earthquakes?
No, standard renters insurance does not cover earthquake damage. While your landlord will be responsible for damages to the structure of the building, you'll need separate earthquake insurance or an add-on to your renters policy to get reimbursed for damage to your possessions and to cover living expenses if you're temporarily forced to relocate.
Which insurance companies offer earthquake insurance?
Many top homeowners insurance companies also offer earthquake coverage, including Allstate, Amica, AAA, Farmers, Foremost, Liberty Mutual, Mercury, Nationwide, Progressive, State Farm and USAA.
Money matters — so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox. Sign up here.
Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every insurance article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
Catch up on CNBC Select's in-depth coverage of credit cards, banking and money, and follow us on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date.
