CEA Public Meetings
CEA hosts regularly scheduled public meetings of its Governing Board and Advisory Panel, as well as other meetings on specific topics.
Interested in attending our next public meeting? Visit the meeting page:
We invite you to join any of our scheduled meetings in person, through Zoom, or by livestream, and to sign up for meeting notifications.
Already a CEA policyholder?
Get the information you need to manage your policy.
Protect your Home & Future WITH CEA
Explore earthquake risk in your area and learn how to prepare and protect your home.
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Earthquake Risk
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Prepare
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About CEA
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Protect
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Top FAQs
What are the earthquake risks near
?
Select your county from the dropdown menu above, or click on your county on the California map to the left to learn more about California earthquake risk and faults near you.
*The probability is based on a 30-year period, beginning in 2014.
*The probability is based on a 30-year period, beginning in 2014.
*The probability is based on a 30-year period, beginning in 2014.
*The probability is based on a 30-year period, beginning in 2014.
*The probability is based on a 30-year period, beginning in 2014.
*The probability is based on a 30-year period, beginning in 2014.
*The probability is based on a 30-year period, beginning in 2014.
*The probability is based on a 30-year period, beginning in 2014.
*The probability is based on a 30-year period, beginning in 2014.
*The probability is based on a 30-year period, beginning in 2014.
*The probability is based on a 30-year period, beginning in 2014.
Be Prepared for an Earthquake
Earthquakes are unpredictable, but you can prepare yourself and your family now, before the next one hits. Practice earthquake safety with your family and make an earthquake preparedness plan today.
Personal Preparedness
There are easy steps you can take now to be earthquake ready:
- Create an earthquake safety plan for you and loved ones, including pets.
- Identify safe places in each room of your home.
- Know your risk for earthquakes in your area and what to do to stay safe.
- Make or purchase earthquake safety kits.
- Practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On with each member of your household.
Earthquake safety involves being prepared and knowing what to do. Practicing earthquake safety at home and creating a disaster safety kit before the next earthquake is crucial to your family’s safety.
About California Earthquake Authority (CEA)
CEA’s not-for-profit mission makes California residential earthquake insurance affordable and flexible. We help homeowners, mobilehome owners, condo-unit owners, and renters before and after the big one strikes.
We educate, mitigate, and insure:
- Learn about earthquake risk.
- Increase your personal safety.
- Prepare your home before a damaging earthquake strikes.
- Find out how CEA earthquake home insurance policies can help with recovery when the big one hits.
- Get a free estimate now.
After the 6.7 magnitude 1994 Northridge earthquake—which damaged or destroyed thousands of homes—CEA was created by the California Legislature in 1996 to offer earthquake insurance coverage in California.
Our affordable and flexible policies—based on the best available science—have expanded over two decades. We work with participating residential insurance companies to offer California homeowners, mobilehome owners, condo-unit owners, and renters home insurance policies.
Earthquake safety involves being prepared and knowing what to do. Practicing earthquake safety at home and creating a disaster safety kit before the next earthquake is crucial to your family’s safety.
Protect Your House Against Earthquake Damage
When an earthquake strikes, it shakes the ground and can cause damage to houses and other structures.
Learn about the potential hazards for you and your home and what you can do to prepare:
- Protect the inside of your home, including securing your water heater according to state law.
- Know your geologic hazards, such as ground shaking and liquefaction, that could damage your property.
- Understand your home type to know its potential structural risks, and how to prevent damage.
Strengthen Your House with a Seismic Retrofit
Earthquake shaking can cause houses to slide or topple off their foundation, especially older homes that were built before modern building codes were in place. A seismic retrofit involves strengthening your house to make it more resistant to earthquakes.
- CEA has grants that can help fund a seismic retrofit.
- CEA policyholders who have completed a seismic retrofit are eligible for a discount on their premium.
- For people who already have a house retrofit and need it verified, CEA has a list of Inspection Professionals for you to hire to inspect your home.
No area of California is without earthquake risk, but there are many ways to prepare your house to lower its risk of structural damage from an earthquake.
Top Questions and Answers
Top FAQs
We've gathered the most frequently asked questions to help you understand how a CEA policy can help you recover from the next damaging earthquake.
A. Though California has nearly 16,000 known earthquake faults, you are not required by state law to carry earthquake insurance. Your basic homeowners and renters insurance policies do not cover earthquake damage. Without separate earthquake insurance coverage, you will be responsible for all of the cost to repair your home and replace your belongings after a damaging earthquake occurs.
Earthquake insurance coverage guards against financially devastating shaking events.
CEA earthquake policies cover houses, mobilehomes, condo-units, and rental homes. Buy separate earthquake insurance coverage in California through your home insurance provider.
Our residential earthquake insurance policies offer coverage for:
- Repairs to your home/mobilehome/condo-units.
- Costs of living elsewhere while repairs are being made to your house/mobilehome/condo-unit/rental home after an earthquake.
- Replacement of the valuable contents in the home you own or rent.
Buy CEA earthquake insurance today to protect your life savings.
A. If you've never felt an earthquake tremor in your life, do you really need California earthquake insurance coverage?
Consider this.
- Damage from a minor quake is most often limited to broken windows and dishes.
- But a big quake may trigger catastrophic damage to your home’s structure and foundation—and may require use of your hard-earned life savings to repair damage to your home.
- Scientists say larger earthquakes are a matter of when, not if. Earthquakes are a certainty in California.
Your basic homeowners policy does not cover earthquake damage. Californians must purchase a separate, companion earthquake insurance policy. Without earthquake insurance coverage in California, you will be responsible for 100 percent of the cost to repair your home, and replace your belongings after a damaging earthquake strikes.
Given the potential cost to repair shake damage, the cost of a CEA policy may be an easy expense to justify. According to a Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast study, there is more than a 99% chance of one or more magnitude 6.7 or greater earthquakes striking California.
Ask yourself: after a major earthquake, could you:
- Afford to repair or replace your home without insurance;
- Cover the full costs of living elsewhere—while still paying your mortgage—during the time repairs are being made; and
- Replace the valuable contents of your home?
Compare those big-ticket expenses to an investment in earthquake insurance coverage—combined with the value of having peace of mind when the big one strikes.
A. Live in the San Francisco Bay Area, Central Coast, Central Valley, Sierra Mountains or SoCal? Then you live in areas of greater earthquake risk.
Still, all of California is earthquake country.
Most Californians live within only 30 miles of an active earthquake fault. There are nearly 16,000 known faults, and scientists continue to find new faults.
Consider this likely scenario with a large earthquake:
- Earthquakes can cause extensive damage to the foundation, siding and roof of homes. Older homes built before 1980 on a raised foundation are especially vulnerable if they are not retrofitted.
- Without residential earthquake insurance you will be responsible for all repair and/or rebuilding costs.
- Government disaster assistance, if available, only comes in the form of a small grant or capped loan, which may cover only a portion of your repair costs.
- Without Loss of Use earthquake coverage—which includes covering additional expenses of living elsewhere—you’d still be paying your mortgage plus temporary housing rent during the time repairs are underway.
CEA earthquake insurance policies protect you against financially devastating shaking events.
A. CEA offers the best affordable and flexible earthquake policies. Choose the kind of coverage that fits your budget. Residential earthquake insurance typically pays for damaged walls, foundations, and ceilings. Options can also cover household items that are destroyed or need repair due to an earthquake, such as electronics and appliances.
Our residential earthquake insurance rates are based on the latest science, not profit. Premiums are determined by many factors, including:
- Your home’s age.
- Its location near a fault.
- Foundation type (raised, slab or other).
- Construction (masonry or frame) type.
- Roof type.
Find out about CEA’s premium discounts for retrofitted older homes and mobilehomes. Grants to help pay for a house retrofit are available to people with eligible houses in select ZIP Codes from the Earthquake Brace & Bolt (EBB) program, and the CEA Brace + Bolt (CEA BB) program.
A. Have you been looking for a discounted rate for earthquake insurance?
CEA offers residential earthquake insurance premium discounts for older houses (up to 25%), and mobilehomes (21%) that have been properly retrofitted to better withstand earthquakes. A seismic retrofit involves strengthening your dwelling to make it more resistant to shaking.
Find out about CEA’s discounts for retrofitted older homes. Mobilehomes that are properly retrofitted are also eligible for premium discounts. Grants for retrofitting may also be available.
CEA’s affordable and flexible earthquake insurance policies allow you to choose the kind of coverage and deductibles that fit your budget.
Meet Your Peace Of Mind Providers
With more than 1 million policyholders, CEA is one of the world's largest providers of residential earthquake insurance. Since 1996, CEA has been encouraging California homeowners, mobilehome owners, condo-unit owners and renters to reduce their risk of earthquake damage and loss through education, mitigation and insurance.
An Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) Testimonial
The Mosers, from South Berkeley, said: "We've always erred on the side of protecting our investment and the roof over our head... Earthquake Brace + Bolt was a really smooth process. Our house has a better chance of surviving an earthquake." Learn more about their experience and how you may qualify for an EBB grant!
- Time
- Sunday, April 14, 2024
12:57 PM - Location
- 37.425°N 121.314°W
- Depth
- -0.33 km(-0.21 mi)
- Time
- Saturday, April 13, 2024
11:47 PM - Location
- 35.805°N 117.635°W
- Depth
- 1.15 km(0.71 mi)
- Time
- Saturday, April 13, 2024
9:08 AM - Location
- 33.36°N 116.306°W
- Depth
- 11.61 km(7.21 mi)
- Time
- Saturday, April 13, 2024
6:45 AM - Location
- 37.351°N 118.502°W
- Depth
- 9.28 km(5.77 mi)
- Time
- Friday, April 12, 2024
12:24 PM - Location
- 33.79°N 118.146°W
- Depth
- 13.95 km(8.67 mi)
We insure 1,041,406 California households
As of February 29, 2024