One of the most predictable aftereffects of a hurricane or earthquake, such as the weekend’s California earthquake, is a spike in interest by homeowners in getting, or improving, their existing insurance coverage.
And there is a lot of room for improvement in California, when it comes to earthquake insurance. The costliest earthquakes in the U.S. have occurred in the state. But just 10% to 11% of California homes with homeowners insurance have earthquake coverage, which must be obtained on top of the standard homeowners policy, according to the California Earthquake Authority, a state-managed earthquake insurer.