Did you know that home insurance companies in California MUST also offer you the opportunity to purchase Earthquake Insurance? It’s that important! And yet, many people ignore the offer. Why? Some say it costs too much, other say the coverage isn’t great, but most folks simply don’t think about it. Earthquakes are part of our landscape, we live with the little quakes all the time.
Last week’s 4.0 earthquake was a literal wakeup call. It occurred at 6:49 a.m. and it woke up a lot of East Bay residents. In the week since, we’ve answered many questions about Earthquake Insurance, so I thought I’d share a brief “how to” guide for obtaining a policy.
Earthquake insurance is available for both property owners and renters. Policies vary by the type of property you own or lease. In California, you’ll need 2 policies: one for fire, also referred to as Homeowners Insurance, and a separate policy for earthquake.
You’ll need an agent to help you purchase the policy. If you are purchasing your earthquake policy from the California Earthquake Authority, you’ll need to work with a partner insurance company like Farmers Insurance. At our agency, we work with several Earthquake insurance companies, so our clients have options.
Who can get earthquake insurance? Just about everyone. Renters, yes! Condo owners, yes! Homeowners, yes! Landlords, yes! Mobile home owners, yes!
For more information, call us.
Ruth Stroup Agency
3560 Grand Ave., Oakland, CA 94610, 510-874-5700
