California Earthquake Authority (CEA)

The cost of your policy depends on many factors such as the earthquake risk where you live and the coverages and deductibles you choose. CEA offers expanded coverage choices as well as more deductible options to help you find a policy that best meets your needs and budget. Use CEA’s Premium Calculator for a free estimate.

You can buy a CEA earthquake insurance policy through one of CEA’s participating residential insurance companies. CEA does not offer stand-alone policies.

The not-for-profit CEA is one of the world’s largest providers of residential earthquake insurance. Our rates are based on science, not profit, enabling us to use the best science available to determine competitive earthquake insurance rates.  CEA is actuarially sound and could pay all covered claims if the 1906 San Francisco, 1989 Loma Prieta, or 1994 Northridge earthquake reoccurred today.

In California, your residential insurance policy doesn’t cover your home or your belongings against earthquakes. If you don’t have earthquake insurance, you’re not covered for earthquake damage or any additional costs needed to live elsewhere while your home is being repaired or rebuilt. Contact your residential insurer today to get the earthquake insurance you need.

If your single-family house:

• Was built before 1979,
  
  
• Is on a raised foundation, and
  
  
• You've completed an earthquake retrofit, and a licensed contractor or structural engineer has signed the Dwelling Retrofit Verification Form (PDF), stating the retrofit is in accordance with required standards.

If your mobilehome:

• Has been reinforced by an earthquake-resistant bracing system certified by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).

How your house is built and its foundation type determine what type of retrofit your house needs. Houses with a raised concrete perimeter foundation that lack sill plate anchors and/or cripple wall bracing may follow existing state building code (CEBC, Appendix Chapter A3) or standard plan sets, which also provide step-by-step directions. 

The following types of houses may require an engineer to design a retrofit:

• Soft-story row houses
• Houses on hillsides
• Houses with living space over the garage
• Post and pier foundation houses

California has two-thirds of our nation's earthquake risk. Structures that lack adequate sill plate bolting and cripple-wall bracing are more susceptible to earthquake damage.

The frames of older houses are often not bolted to their foundations, and their cripple walls may lack bracing. Houses without adequate bolting and bracing can slide or topple off their foundation during an earthquake, requiring potentially very expensive repairs. But this serious damage can be prevented with a proper seismic retrofit.

There is no such thing as an “earthquake-proof structure.” But there are straightforward measures that will likely reduce the potential for (or severity of) earthquake damage. The California Existing Building Code (CEBC) states that its retrofit provisions are "minimum standards intended to improve the seismic performance of residential buildings; however, they will not necessarily prevent earthquake damage."

The cost of a retrofit depends on the size of the cripple wall (height, length, width) and the cost of materials and labor. The cost also depends on whether there is any damage or rot in the existing wood-frame members of the house or if the foundation needs repair.

There are thousands of known faults in California, and scientists continue to discover new ones. Since earthquakes can happen anywhere in California, damage to your home and personal property is always possible. Check to see earthquake risk near you and take steps to get prepared!

The Earthquake Brace + Bolt program was created by the California Residential Mitigation Program (“CRMP”). Earthquake Brace + Bolt offers up to $3,000 for homeowners to seismically retrofit their houses. To be considered for participation in the program once registration opens, homeowners must complete the qualification questionnaire located on the website at www.earthquakebracebolt.com.

California has two-thirds of our nation's earthquake risk. Structures that lack adequate sill plate bolting and cripple-wall bracing are more susceptible to earthquake damage.

The frames of older houses are often not bolted to their foundations, and their cripple walls may lack bracing. Houses without adequate bolting and bracing can slide or topple off their foundation during an earthquake, requiring potentially very expensive repairs. But this serious damage can be prevented with a proper seismic retrofit.