Built 1950 or later
Wood frame, brick veneer, reinforced masonry, steel and reinforced concrete buildings qualify from 1950 onward, and concrete tilt up from 1980. Buildings on the historic registry are placed through a different market.
Condo & HOA Earthquake Insurance in California
The master policy excludes earthquake. Start with the building facts the dedicated California earthquake program reviews.
We shop the market for you, no broker fees
Eight relevant markets are shown for comparison. Availability depends on the risk and location, and a logo does not imply a direct appointment.
ICAT
Commercial and habitational earthquake
QBE
Commercial earthquake and difference in conditions
RLI
Specialty property and earthquake
ICW Group
California earthquake risks
AIG
Commercial property and earthquake
Palomar
Earthquake and catastrophe property
Zurich
Commercial property and earthquake
GeoVera
Residential and habitational earthquake
What the earthquake market writes in California
Values at full replacement cost
Building and contents values are listed at 100 percent of replacement cost, and policies are written at full limits with no coinsurance. It is the single most common reason a submission stalls, so the broker checks every value first.
Communities to roughly $24 million
Schedules up to about 21 to 24 million dollars in total insured values, depending on where in California the buildings sit. Larger communities are split across additional markets by the broker.
One dedicated form, more than shaking
Written as a difference in conditions policy that picks up earthquake, sprinkler leakage, ensuing loss and foundations, with optional flood outside the highest risk flood zones.
How it works
10 minute form
A few questions about your business or home.
We shop the market
We compare carriers and read the forms line by line.
Quote and bind
We pick the best policy and get you covered.
What boards learn after the ground moves
A typical association master policy covers fire and the other perils it lists and leaves earthquake out. Until that gap is either covered by insurance or formally declined, it stays with the board, and owners, buyers and lenders are increasingly asking which one it is.
The master policy exclusion is the whole problem
Your master policy stops at earthquake damage, but the buildings still have to be rebuilt either way. A separate earthquake policy closes that gap, with its own limit and a percentage deductible that in this market runs from 2 to 20 percent.
Boards carry the decision either way
California does not force an association to buy earthquake insurance, but the board still answers for the choice at budget meetings and in disclosure packets. A real quote on your actual buildings turns that conversation into a documented decision, whether you bind the coverage or decline it.
A quote runs on the buildings, not the paperwork
An underwriter prices the year built, the construction type, the number of buildings and units, and building values at full replacement cost. Values set below replacement cost stall more submissions than anything else, so your broker checks them before anything goes to a market.
Written for California associations and habitational owners, including:
- Condominium associations
- Townhouse and planned development HOAs
- Apartment building owners
- Mixed use buildings with residences
- Cooperative housing corporations
- Group and institutional housing
What changes your premium
These details help insurers assess your business and price the coverage. Terms and available options vary by insurer.
- Construction type and year built, with tilt up construction reviewed separately
- Number of buildings, stories and units
- Building values at full replacement cost
- Location and soil, priced by zip code
- The percentage deductible the board selects, commonly 2 to 20 percent
- Retrofit work such as bolting, bracing and soft story reinforcement
Questions we get asked
Does HOA insurance cover earthquake?
Almost never. The basic association master policy excludes earthquake damage, which is why HOA earthquake insurance is purchased as a separate placement with its own limit and percentage deductible.
Is earthquake insurance required in California?
No law requires an association to purchase it. The board assesses the exposure, and a documented quote supports the decision either way, in budget meetings and in disclosure packets.
What is difference in conditions (DIC) insurance?
The policy form commercial earthquake coverage is typically written on. A DIC policy sits alongside the master policy and covers the perils the standard forms exclude, earthquake most commonly, often with earthquake sprinkler leakage and optional flood on the same form.
What does an earthquake quote need from the association?
Year built, construction type, the number of buildings and units, and building values at replacement cost. A licensed broker reviews each value before anything is submitted, since undervalued buildings are one of the most frequent reasons a submission stalls.
What deductible should the board expect?
Earthquake policies in the California market use a percentage deductible, ranging from 2 to 20 percent of the insured values. The board picks the point on that scale that fits its reserves, and the quote prices the options side by side.
My HOA does not have earthquake insurance. What happens after a quake?
The association still owes the rebuild its governing documents assign to it, so damage from the quake usually comes back to the owners as a special assessment, with each owner paying a share of the repair costs. A real quote turns that scenario into a number the board can act on before the first tremor.
I own one unit. Is this the policy I need?
No. A unit owner covers interior improvements, contents and earthquake loss assessment through a personal earthquake policy purchased alongside the HO 6, and that loss assessment coverage works best when the association carries a master earthquake policy above it. Call the number provided above and a licensed broker will route it properly.
Ready to compare your coverage options?
Start your application online, or talk with a licensed broker about your situation.