Yes — In Some Cases, You Can
One of the questions we hear from California property owners is:
“Can I buy earthquake insurance even if I don’t have regular homeowners insurance?”
The answer is yes, potentially — but it depends on the type of earthquake policy you purchase.
There are two important categories to understand: California Earthquake Authority (CEA) coverage and private standalone, or “monoline,” earthquake insurance.
CEA Earthquake Insurance Requires an Underlying Residential Policy
The California Earthquake Authority (CEA) does not sell standalone earthquake insurance.
To qualify for a CEA policy, you must have an underlying residential property insurance policy with a participating CEA insurance company. The earthquake coverage is then purchased through that participating insurer.
So, generally:
No regular residential policy → No CEA policy.
For example, if your home is insured through the California FAIR Plan, you can potentially obtain CEA coverage through the FAIR Plan, but you must have an in-force FAIR Plan policy to qualify. The FAIR Plan itself does not offer a standalone earthquake policy.
But Private Standalone Earthquake Insurance Is Different
Here’s where many homeowners don’t realize they have another option.
California’s Department of Insurance specifically recognizes standalone or monoline earthquake policies. These policies are separate from CEA and, depending on the carrier and underwriting requirements, can be purchased without buying your regular homeowners insurance from that same earthquake insurer.
That can be extremely useful when your regular property insurance situation is complicated.
For example, you might have:
Home Insurance: Company A
Earthquake Insurance: Company B
The two policies do not necessarily have to be issued by the same insurance company when you’re using a private standalone earthquake market.
What If I Have No Homeowners Insurance at All?
This requires a little more caution.
A private earthquake insurer may be willing to write standalone earthquake coverage depending on its current underwriting rules, but earthquake insurance is not a substitute for homeowners insurance.
Earthquake insurance is designed primarily for losses resulting from earthquakes. It doesn’t suddenly turn into an HO-3 homeowners policy and cover all the other exposures normally insured under homeowners coverage.
That’s particularly important because earthquake policies commonly exclude fire. California homeowners insurance generally covers fire damage caused by or following an earthquake.
So simply buying earthquake insurance and going without normal property insurance could leave enormous gaps in your protection.
Why Would Someone Have Earthquake Insurance With a Different Company?
This is actually a situation we see more frequently in California.
A homeowner may already have property insurance but want to shop separately for earthquake coverage because of:
Price, deductible options, dwelling limits, coverage for other structures, personal property coverage, loss-of-use coverage, or overall policy design.
Private earthquake insurance can sometimes provide coverage structures that differ considerably from CEA.
For example, GeoVera is one private provider offering standalone earthquake coverage; its earthquake insurance does not require the customer to have their homeowners insurance with GeoVera.
CEA vs. Private Earthquake Insurance
| CEA | Private / Standalone EQ | |
|---|---|---|
| Requires underlying residential policy? | Yes | May not require same-company home policy |
| Standalone policy? | No | Yes, with certain carriers |
| Carrier choices | CEA participating insurers | Private earthquake insurers |
| Deductible choices | Multiple options | Varies by carrier |
| Coverage options | Standardized CEA options | Can vary significantly |
| Underwriting | CEA eligibility rules | Carrier-specific |
This is why we don’t automatically assume CEA is the only earthquake insurance option for a California homeowner.
Does Regular Homeowners Insurance Cover Earthquakes?
Generally, no.
A standard California homeowners, condo, or renters policy typically does not cover direct earthquake damage. The California Department of Insurance specifically warns consumers that residential policies generally don’t protect against earthquake damage.
That’s why earthquake coverage needs to be considered separately.
One important exception is fire following an earthquake. California law requires homeowners and renters policies to cover fire damage caused by or following an earthquake.
What Does Earthquake Insurance Typically Cover?
Depending on the policy you choose, earthquake insurance may provide coverage for the dwelling, personal property and additional living expenses following a covered earthquake.
Private policies may offer additional options, but every carrier is different.
And remember: earthquake insurance doesn’t necessarily cover everything associated with an earthquake. Common exclusions can include flooding, land damage and vehicles. Coverage for pools, detached structures and other property also varies by policy.
What If I Have a Condo?
Condo owners should pay particular attention to earthquake coverage.
Your HOA’s master policy may not include earthquake insurance. And even when the association does have earthquake insurance, it may carry a substantial deductible that could potentially result in assessments to individual unit owners.
CEA condo coverage, for example, can provide Loss Assessment coverage of up to $100,000 for certain covered earthquake assessments.
Private earthquake policies can have different options, so this is an area where comparing the actual contracts matters.
What If I Have the California FAIR Plan?
Having the FAIR Plan doesn’t mean earthquake insurance is off the table.
If you have an active California FAIR Plan policy, the FAIR Plan says you may qualify for CEA earthquake coverage through it.
Depending on the property, you may also want an independent insurance broker to investigate private earthquake markets.
This can be especially valuable for California homeowners who have had difficulty finding traditional property insurance.
Should I Buy Earthquake Insurance in California?
The answer depends on your individual financial situation.
Some important questions include:
How much equity do you have in your property?
Could you afford major structural repairs yourself?
How much would it cost to rebuild your home?
What earthquake deductible could you realistically absorb?
Would you have enough money to live somewhere else during reconstruction?
Does your HOA have earthquake insurance?
Could you handle a large HOA earthquake assessment?
The more equity and assets you have exposed, the more important this conversation can become.
Don’t Assume CEA Is Your Only Option
This is probably the biggest takeaway:
You may be able to purchase private standalone earthquake insurance even when your regular homeowners insurance is with another company.
California’s Department of Insurance specifically notes that a few companies offer these standalone/monoline policies.
The availability, underwriting requirements, limits and pricing can vary significantly by property and insurer.
Let Starwest Compare Your California Earthquake Insurance Options
At Starwest Insurance Services, we can help California homeowners compare earthquake insurance options rather than looking at only one solution.
Whether you have a traditional homeowners policy, condo policy, landlord policy, California FAIR Plan, or another property-insurance arrangement, we can review the situation and determine what earthquake markets may be available.
Insurance Made Easy.
Starwest Insurance Services, LLC
Auto • Home • Business • Life • Earthquake
Contact us for an earthquake insurance review and quote.
Coverage availability and eligibility vary by insurer and property. This article is general information and is not a guarantee of coverage. Always review the actual policy terms, conditions, deductibles, limits and exclusions.