Earthquake Insurance for homes and condos typically carries a requirement that the dwelling be bolted to the foundation. Many older homes were not built this way and require a specialized contractor to retrofit a home for earthquake safety. A recent article in the Pasadena Star News interviews one such contractor:
Highlights:
- Typical cost to retrofit a home for earthquake safety is: $4,000
- Many homes in San Marino and Beverly Hills already are bolted, but most other areas are not.
- Bolts should be space 6ft apart for one-story dwellings, and 4ft apart for 2 story dwellings.
- Foundations made of brick or river rock (as opposed to concrete) may require a new secondary foundation, which costs much more, ~$25,000.
Greg Sylvis retrofits homes to make them earthquake safe – SGVTribune.com.
Earthquake Insurance can be quite costly, often equal to or more than the homeowners policy, but some rates are decreasing.
The California Earthquake Authority (CEA) has announced that its statewide rates will decrease on average 12.5%, effective Jan. 1, 2012, for new and renewal CEA policies.
The California Earthquake Authority (CEA) is a publicly managed, largely privately funded organization that provides catastrophic residential earthquake insurance through private insurance companies, including to Safeco’s property insurance customers.
There are other alternatives to the CEA, including GeoVera Insurance Company, Travelers Insurance, and CIG Insurance companies, and rates vary widely between companies depending on the specific address of each home.
Jonathan Edewards 