Use dotted terms for definitions. You can also browse the glossary.
Before you decide
- Earthquake has its own coverage definitions and conditions.
- A percentage deductible needs the actual basis and application rule.
- Tenant housing and owner rental income are separate interests.
Prepare an address and structure inquiry
Provide construction, age, foundation, structural improvements, occupancy and ownership. Obtain qualified structural advice where appropriate. California’s insurance regulator explains residential earthquake coverage as a separate review; eligibility and terms for a rental or commercial property must be confirmed.
Do not treat all ground movement, landslide, subsidence, tsunami or flood as one insured cause. Ask how the proposed contract defines the event and related exclusions.
Read the financial mechanics
| Provision | Question |
|---|---|
| Building and contents | Which interests and limits are selected? |
| Deductible | Percentage of what amount; separately by coverage or building? |
| Event | How are shocks and time periods grouped? |
| Income | Owner lost rent included, separate or absent? |
| Code and special property | What restrictions or sublimits apply? |
Run a reserve scenario
Illustrative arithmetic only: a 10% deductible applied by contract to a $500,000 building amount equals $50,000. It is not automatically 10% of the repair bill. Confirm the real basis, event treatment and any separate contents deductible.
Use that amount with uninsured costs and payment timing to assess cash needs. No regional hazard statement or retrofit alone establishes an insurer’s price or claim payment.
Sources & scope
- California Department of Insurance: Earthquake insurance guide
California residential context. Confirm rental eligibility, deductible bases and building/income terms in an actual proposal.
Sources checked October 24, 2026. General descriptions do not replace the policy, endorsements, declarations or an insurer’s coverage determination. Examples are hypothetical unless explicitly identified otherwise.
Continue your field guide
Print or save a private copy using your browser’s print command.