Hi all RE experts,
We bought our house @ 1 year back.
I was watching TV news today and saw a news item which showed California Firefighters preparing hard for earthquake situations. News item also said that experts have found the following:
Two of the Bay Area’s most infamous and potentially deadly earthquake faults may be linked, potentially packing a greater punch than even the 1989 Loma Prieta temblor.
The pair-up is troubling: once thought to be two miles apart under the bay, the Rodgers Creek Fault, running from near Santa Rosa into the San Pablo Bay, and the Hayward Fault, stretching from below San Jose through the Oakland and Berkeley hills into West Contra Costa County, may indeed form one 99-mile-long fault that could deliver a blow greater than the sum of its parts.
Our property was built in 1971. We have the regular home insurance. My question is what are your opinions on Earthquake insurance? Do people have earthquake insurance? Under what circumstances should we consider it?
A wood frame house built in 1971 is pretty safe, especially a one story on firm soils…Rates have come down… price out insurance…Used to be $1/sf/year…check the fault maps, and soils maps
My problem with earthquake insurance is the outrageous deductible. I believe my offer was 15% deductible. For me, this means the first $50,000+ in damages are not covered.
Personally I dont think its worth the cost…Because if you do some minor retrofit and figure in the loss of the deductible you will way ahead in 10 years. .like $50k in deductibles and $30k in savings from not paying insurance…plus in a great quake like 1906 the insurance companies only paid 10 cents on the dollar…the fund was depleted. .So you won’t collect on the great or little quakes…only the goldilocks quakes…Say from a 6.8 to a 7.8…maybe 20% chance of a 30% chance of one happening in the next 30 years…6% chance that the insurance companies will have to pay anything in 30 years. .good bet for them…not great for the average homeowner.
So - i’m revisiting this question. From my reading they put a 62% chance that a major earthquake will happen in northern california in the next 30 years. That is a high probability. We had 5 tremors in 1 day in San jose last thursday.
Earthquake insurance in california is now administered by a non-profit agency CEA. They have 15 billion in funds and say they can cover the 1906,loma prieta or northridge claims if were to happen today. The deductibles have come down too - they now offer 5%,10%,15% deductibles. They are also offering $3k for retrofit to certain high risk zones.
A retrofit is a cheaper option definitely. However will retrofit protect you against fires that are likely if gas pipes break, your neighors house collapsing on yours etc. Also will retrofit protect against sink holes etc?
My scenario - 1962 single storey (1400sq ft) in san jose. San jose houses are bolted already. Cost to rebuild ~350k. Deductible (10% - $35k), premium $1.2k includes $25K for loss of use.
Wonder how the landlords in this forum are protecting their rentals against such an event.
The best insurance is preparedness. You can get an auto shutoff for your gas meter . Price insurance make a judgement. Diversify out of the BA…one story house do fine in quakes…plenty of options
