California homeowners who buy earthquake insurance through the state-run California Earthquake Authority (CEA) could see their premiums rise under a bill that passed an Assembly committee over opposition from the state treasurer and consumer advocates. When the California Earthquake Authority was established in 1996 two years after the Northridge earthquake, participating insurance companies were required to provide $2.2 billion to help underwrite it. They were to keep that money in reserve through Dec. 1, 2008.