Best Earthquake Insurance Companies
California Earthquake Authority, Allstate, and American Family Insurance are among the best earthquake insurance companies for homeowners.
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Emily Guy BirkenInsurance and Personal Finance Writer
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Over 12 years writing about insurance and personal finance
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Katie PowersLicensed P&C Agent, Senior Insurance Editor
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Reviewed byMacKenzie Korris
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MacKenzie KorrisLicensed P&C Agent, Insurance Copy Editor
Licensed property and casualty insurance agent
10+ years editing experience
NPN: 21630969
Updated
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The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that nearly 75% of the United States is at risk of earthquake damage.[1] An earthquake is a natural disaster that can level buildings, disrupt utilities, and trigger flash floods, sinkholes, fires, and tsunamis.[2]
Unfortunately, a standard homeowners insurance policy doesn’t cover earthquake damage. Without a stand-alone earthquake insurance policy or an earthquake damage endorsement added to standard home insurance coverage, policyholders may be stuck paying for repairs out of pocket after an earthquake.
If you live in a high-risk area for earthquakes, you should consider earthquake insurance to protect your home and personal belongings. Read on to learn how to find the right earthquake insurance policy for your needs.
Quick Facts
California Earthquake Authority and Allstate are two of the best earthquake insurance companies for homeowners and renters.
Residents in California, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Washington are at the highest risk of experiencing earthquake damage.
Earthquake insurance deductibles are a percentage of your coverage limit, rather than a dollar amount.
What is earthquake insurance?
Earthquake insurance typically covers damage resulting from seismic activity, which may include other events directly related to earthquakes, such as landslides.
Earthquake insurance coverage usually helps pay for repairs to your home, replacement of personal belongings, and loss of use if you must vacate your home while it is repaired.
How earthquake insurance works
Policyholders must purchase earthquake insurance either as a stand-alone policy or as an endorsement to a home insurance or renters insurance policy.
Whether your earthquake insurance policy is a stand-alone or rider, the coverage will only pay for damage that’s a direct result of the seismic activity. If an earthquake causes a fire, flood, sinkhole, or some other type of damage, an earthquake insurance policy won’t typically pay for those damages.
As with any insurance, policyholders must pay a deductible when making an earthquake insurance claim. But earthquake insurance deductibles are usually set as a percentage of the replacement value of the structure, rather than a basic dollar amount. For example, if your home’s replacement value is $250,000 and your earthquake insurance policy deductible is set at 5%, you’ll be responsible for the first $12,500 of repairs.
The cost of earthquake insurance also varies depending on your location, building type, and the age of your home. Homeowners who live closer to fault lines are more at risk of earthquake damage, and newer, wooden structures can typically withstand the stress of earthquakes better than older structures built of bricks or other materials.
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Best earthquake insurance companies
A combination of state-backed programs and private insurance companies offer earthquake insurance, which means the “best” option for your situation depends on your location, home structure, and other factors.
The best way to find the right earthquake insurance policy for your needs is to compare quotes. Consider starting your search with the following insurers, who are among the best earthquake insurance companies.
California Earthquake Authority: Best for California homeowners
California experiences some of the highest risk of earthquake damage within the United States and is home to six of the top 10 most expensive earthquakes over the past century.[3] California established the not-for-profit California Earthquake Authority (CEA) in 1996 after private insurers stopped offering earthquake coverage in the Golden State.
CEA provides two-thirds of all residential earthquake insurance policies in California. CEA offers deductibles ranging from 5% to 25%, in increments of 5%, at the policyholder’s discretion.[4] CEA offers coverage for homeowners, condo owners, mobile homeowners, and renters.
Pros
Standard policy includes building code upgrades
No deductible on first $1,500 of emergency repairs
Discounts for retrofitted older homes
Cons
Only available in California
Personal property coverage maximum limit of $25,000
Minimum deductible of 5%
Allstate: Best for insurance endorsements
| IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | 8.2 /10 |
|---|---|
| JD Power J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale. | 631 |
| $300,000 Dwelling A standard HO-3 home insurance policy typically includes dwelling, personal property, and liability coverage. The average rate displayed here reflects a policy with the following coverage limits: $300,000 dwelling; $25,000 personal property; $300,000 personal liability; $30,000 loss of use; and a $1,000 deductible for medical payments to others. | $208/mo |
| $500,000 Dwelling A standard HO-3 home insurance policy typically includes dwelling, personal property, and liability coverage. The average rate displayed here reflects a policy with the following coverage limits: $500,000 dwelling; $25,000 personal property; $300,000 personal liability; $30,000 loss of use; and a $1,000 deductible for medical payments to others. | $315/mo |
NAIC Index
Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.
2.08
A.M. Best
A.M. Best analyzes an insurer’s financials, operating performance, business profile, and other factors to generate an opinion-based rating of a company’s financial and credit strength. Ratings range from A++ (exceptional) to D (poor).
A-
Why we picked this company
As one of the largest insurers by market share, Allstate offers insurance policies throughout all 50 United States, as well as Washington, D.C.
Although information online about its earthquake insurance offerings is scarce, Allstate does partner with CEA and authorizes its agents to work with specialty insurance company American Modern, which provides earthquake insurance policies in every ZIP code.
Allstate itself also offers multiple add-on coverage options, including water backup, yard and garden, and a green improvement reimbursement that replaces damaged or destroyed items with more energy-efficient items.
American Family Insurance: Best for discounts
| IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | 8.6 /10 |
|---|---|
| JD Power J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale. | 638 |
| $300,000 Dwelling A standard HO-3 home insurance policy typically includes dwelling, personal property, and liability coverage. The average rate displayed here reflects a policy with the following coverage limits: $300,000 dwelling; $25,000 personal property; $300,000 personal liability; $30,000 loss of use; and a $1,000 deductible for medical payments to others. | $183/mo |
| $500,000 Dwelling A standard HO-3 home insurance policy typically includes dwelling, personal property, and liability coverage. The average rate displayed here reflects a policy with the following coverage limits: $500,000 dwelling; $25,000 personal property; $300,000 personal liability; $30,000 loss of use; and a $1,000 deductible for medical payments to others. | $274/mo |
NAIC Index
Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.
0.72
A.M. Best
A.M. Best analyzes an insurer’s financials, operating performance, business profile, and other factors to generate an opinion-based rating of a company’s financial and credit strength. Ratings range from A++ (exceptional) to D (poor).
A
Why we picked this company
American Family Insurance offers earthquake insurance coverage in the 19 states where it operates. The insurer also offers a long list of discounts to its customers, allowing them to save money by bundling, having a security system, owning a new home, being a loyal customer, and more.
Nationwide: Best for bundling
| IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | 8.4 /10 |
|---|---|
| JD Power J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale. | 641 |
| $300,000 Dwelling A standard HO-3 home insurance policy typically includes dwelling, personal property, and liability coverage. The average rate displayed here reflects a policy with the following coverage limits: $300,000 dwelling; $25,000 personal property; $300,000 personal liability; $30,000 loss of use; and a $1,000 deductible for medical payments to others. | $280/mo |
| $500,000 Dwelling A standard HO-3 home insurance policy typically includes dwelling, personal property, and liability coverage. The average rate displayed here reflects a policy with the following coverage limits: $500,000 dwelling; $25,000 personal property; $300,000 personal liability; $30,000 loss of use; and a $1,000 deductible for medical payments to others. | $441/mo |
NAIC Index
Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.
1.51
A.M. Best
A.M. Best analyzes an insurer’s financials, operating performance, business profile, and other factors to generate an opinion-based rating of a company’s financial and credit strength. Ratings range from A++ (exceptional) to D (poor).
A+
Why we picked this company
As another large insurer, Nationwide can be a good option for homeowners who want to add earthquake protection to their home insurance policy.
While the company doesn’t provide a great deal of information online about what to expect from its earthquake insurance policy, Nationwide does offer a tempting discount when you bundle a home or renters insurance policy with an auto insurance policy.
Liberty Mutual: Best for mobile policy management
| IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | NR |
|---|---|
| JD Power J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale. | 596 |
| A.M. Best A.M. Best analyzes an insurer’s financials, operating performance, business profile, and other factors to generate an opinion-based rating of a company’s financial and credit strength. Ratings range from A++ (exceptional) to D (poor). | A |
NAIC Index
Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.
4.87
Why we picked this company
For policyholders who prefer to handle their insurance tasks online or via an app, Liberty Mutual may be the right fit for you. The company allows you to buy and manage your policy and submit claims online, which can make a big difference if you have lost the use of your home after an earthquake.
Earthquake insurance coverage is also available as an endorsement to Liberty Mutual’s homeowners insurance and renters insurance policies.
What earthquake insurance covers
Most earthquake insurance policies consist of a combination of several types of coverage, including:
Dwelling and other structures
This coverage will help pay to repair or rebuild your home and attached structures. It won’t typically cover separate buildings, fences, pools, and masonry.
Personal property
This coverage will help pay to replace your damaged personal belongings and will typically have a maximum coverage dollar limit.
Additional living expenses
Also known as loss of use, this coverage will help pay for the cost of temporary lodging while your home receives repairs. While this may vary from one insurer to another, CEA never sets a deductible on this coverage.
Debris removal
Most policies include debris removal coverage as part of a standard earthquake insurance policy.
Building code upgrades
Depending on your insurer, your policy may include coverage for building code upgrades. This covers the increased cost of repair on an older home to meet current building code standards.
The specific coverage limits for each of these types of insurance can vary by insurer and may depend on where you live. Homeowners who are closer to fault lines or other high-risk areas may face lower coverage limits than homeowners with a lower risk of earthquake damage.
How much does earthquake insurance cost?
The cost of earthquake insurance can vary a great deal depending on a number of factors. Where you live can affect your premium costs, since states like California, Alaska, Hawaii, and Washington are at much higher risk of earthquake damage than the rest of the United States.
Additionally, even within states prone to earthquakes, your proximity to fault lines can affect your costs. The closer you are to fault lines, the more you’ll typically pay for earthquake insurance.
The type of building construction can also make a difference in your premiums. Certain building materials, like wood, can better handle the stress of seismic movement than materials like brick or stone.
Finally, you can help lower your insurance premiums by increasing your deductible. A higher deductible can help keep insurance costs low — but remember that you’ll be on the hook for high out-of-pocket expenses if you need to make a claim, since earthquake insurance deductibles are set as a percentage rather than a dollar amount.
What earthquake insurance doesn’t cover
While earthquake insurance can help protect you from the specific damage of an earthquake, this coverage has some important exclusions. You may need to purchase add-on coverage to fill the gaps not covered by your earthquake insurance.
If you’re in an area that’s high-risk for earthquake damage, make sure you know how you’ll pay for these earthquake insurance exclusions:
Earthquake Insurance Exclusion  | Can Another Type of Insurance Cover It? |
|---|---|
| Fire damage | Yes, home insurance |
| Flooding | Yes, flood insurance |
| Wear and tear | No |
| Land movement unrelated to earthquakes | No |
| Sinkhole | Yes, as a separate rider |
| Exterior landscaping | Yes, home insurance |
| Vehicles | Yes, car insurance |
| Expensive items | Yes, valuable items rider |
How earthquake insurance deductibles work
Insurers usually calculate deductibles on earthquake insurance as a percentage of your coverage limit rather than just a dollar amount. The percentage usually ranges from 2% to 20%. If you’ve insured your home for $200,000, and your deductible is 5% of your home’s replacement value, the insurer would deduct $10,000 from your claim payment.
In states with a higher-than-average risk of earthquakes, such as Washington, Nevada, and Utah, insurance companies often set minimum deductibles at around 10%.
For coverage and deductible purposes, policies also specify the time frame of a single event. For instance, insurers usually consider aftershocks that happen within 72 hours of an earthquake. So, if you need to file a claim against your earthquake coverage, you pay your deductible only once for damage that occurs within this time frame.
How to choose the best earthquake insurance for your home
The best earthquake insurance policy for you will balance premium affordability with realistic rebuilding costs. To help you determine how to find a policy that balances those priorities, follow these steps:
Check earthquake risk in your area. If you’re close to fault lines, insurance premiums will be more expensive because your property is more likely to suffer earthquake damage. You should consider a policy if your state experiences earthquake activity, even if you’re not in a high-risk area.
Review your homeowners insurance exclusions. Knowing what coverage you don’t have through your homeowners insurance can help you decide what kind of earthquake insurance endorsement or stand-alone policy will best fit your needs.
Compare deductibles and coverage limits. Make sure you know how much you’ll have to pay for your deductible and how much the insurer will pay for each claim.
Decide between state-backed versus private insurers. State-backed and private insurers have benefits and drawbacks. You may be able to get more coverage or higher coverage limits through private insurance, but a state-backed insurer is more likely to guarantee coverage through a state-backed insurer.
Consider seismic retrofitting discounts. Retrofitting your home to protect it from earthquake damage won’t only help you get a discount from most earthquake insurance companies, it’ll also help keep your home more secure in the event of an earthquake.
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Is earthquake insurance worth it?
U.S. states don’t have mandates requiring you to have earthquake insurance coverage.
But it may be worthwhile to purchase earthquake insurance under the following conditions:
You live in one of the five states with the highest risk for earthquakes: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Washington.
You live near a fault line.
Earthquakes are a frequent occurrence in your area.
Your home’s structure, building materials, layout, or construction make it vulnerable to earthquake damage.
Local conditions, such as the type of soil, slope of the land, annual rainfall, or nearby bodies of water, make your home vulnerable to the aftereffects of earthquake damage.
You can’t afford to rebuild your home if an earthquake damages it.
You may decide earthquake insurance is not worthwhile if these conditions are true:
You live in one of the states at the lowest risk of earthquakes: Florida, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
Your home is newly built or built to withstand earthquake damage.
You have a robust emergency fund and can easily afford the cost of rebuilding your home.
Best earthquake insurance FAQs
If you’re looking to purchase earthquake insurance, the answers to the following questions can help you find the best policy for your needs.
What is the best earthquake insurance company?
There’s no one “best” earthquake insurance company for every homeowner. To find the best one for you, check what state-backed and private insurers offer earthquake insurance policies in your area and compare premiums, deductibles, and coverage options.
Does FEMA provide earthquake insurance?
No, FEMA doesn’t offer earthquake insurance. Unlike flood insurance, there’s no national program for earthquake insurance.
Does homeowners insurance cover earthquakes?
Homeowners insurance typically doesn’t cover earthquake damage. Homeowners must purchase either a separate earthquake insurance policy or an earthquake insurance endorsement for their homeowners insurance policy for earthquake damage coverage.
Why are earthquake insurance deductibles so high?
Earthquake insurance deductibles are a percentage of the coverage limit rather than a dollar limit, which makes it much higher than a traditional deductible. For example, if your coverage limit is $250,000 and your deductible is set at 5%, then you’ll have to pay $12,500 before your coverage kicks in.
Can you bundle earthquake insurance with homeowners insurance?
If your insurer offers earthquake insurance coverage, yes, you can generally bundle your earthquake policy with your homeowners insurance policy.
Do mortgage lenders require earthquake insurance?
Unlike homeowners insurance, which is usually a condition of the loan, mortgage lenders typically don’t require earthquake insurance.
Sources
- U.S. Geological Survey. "New USGS map shows where damaging earthquakes are most likely to occur in US."
- FEMA. "Earthquake Insurance Closing the Insurance Gap."
- FEMA. "Earthquake Hazard Maps."
- California Earthquake Authority. "CEA Homeowners Policy Coverages & Deductibles."
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners. "NAIC Complaint Index."
- J.D. Power. "Homeowners Insurance Premium Increases Threaten Customer Loyalty, Long-Term Profitability, J.D. Power Finds."
- AM Best. "AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of The Allstate Corporation and Its Core Subsidiaries."
- Google Play. "American Family Insurance App."
- American Family. "AM Best affirms American Family's 'A' financial strength rating and stable outlook."
- AppStore. "American Family Insurance App."
- AM Best. "AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Its Key Operating Subsidiaries."
- App Store. "Liberty Mutual Mobile."
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed rates from more than 180 home insurance companies sourced directly from Insurify’s partner companies and Quadrant Information Services. Rates span all 50 states and Washington, D.C., and quote averages represent the mean price for a given coverage level and geographic area. To ensure data reliability, only insurers meeting minimum quote thresholds were included in the analysis.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for homeowners with no prior claims and good credit with a home construction year of 1980. The default coverage assumptions include:
Default Coverage Assumptions
- Dwelling coverage: $300,000
- Deductible: $1,000
- Personal property limit: $25,000
- Liability limit: $300,000
Additional data points beyond these default values are sourced from Insurify’s proprietary database. Rates are updated monthly.
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Emily Guy BirkenInsurance and Personal Finance Writer
Plutus Award winner
Over 12 years writing about insurance and personal finance
Featured in
Katie PowersLicensed P&C Agent, Senior Insurance Editor
Licensed auto and home insurance agent
4+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
NPN: 20564519
Featured in
MacKenzie KorrisLicensed P&C Agent, Insurance Copy Editor
Licensed property and casualty insurance agent
10+ years editing experience
NPN: 21630969