Earthquake Insurance Lawyers

Homeowners¿ Insurance Generally

Before moving into a home, you must purchase homeowners¿ insurance.  You must get homeowners¿ insurance before you can even get a loan.  However, just because you pay for a certain amount of coverage does not necessarily mean that you will be covered for anything that happens to your house.  Generally, such a policy will include the repair or replacement of your house and belongings, in addition to extra living expenses (e.g., staying in a motel). 

Does my Coverage Extend to Earthquakes?

It is unlikely that your basic homeowners¿ insurance policy will cover damage due to earthquake.  In fact, even an all-risk policy may explicitly exclude earthquakes from coverage.  Thus, if your home is destroyed by an earthquake, you are not necessarily covered.  Earthquakes and other natural disasters are treated differently due to the difference in their perils.  This leaves many consumers confused.  However, that does not mean that earthquake insurance is not available.  For example, in California, a high-risk earthquake state, insurance carriers are required to offer earthquake coverage to anyone who carries one of their policies.  Usually, this takes the form of paying an extra fee to expand the coverage (called an ¿earthquake endorsement¿).  These endorsements, however, are not inexpensive, and their price depends on the location of the house and the materials used in its construction.  In other states, earthquake endorsements can be very cheap, but most people do not buy them because they do not think they will need them.

What Should I Do if I Want Earthquake Insurance?

If you want to be insured against property damage due to earthquakes, you should purchase additional insurance.  This is especially true for those homeowners living in a high-risk area for earthquakes. 

Do I Need an Insurance Lawyer?

An insurance lawyer may be helpful. If you live in a high-risk area, it may be helpful to consult an attorney to discuss your options.