Certificate of financial planning from Boston University
Erin is a personal finance writer and journalist with work featured in major publications. Her writing explores investing, credit cards, mortgages, insurance, and more.
7+ years in business and financial services content
Chris is a seasoned writer/editor with past experience across myriad industries, including insurance, SAS, finance, Medicare, logistics, marketing/advertising, and many more.
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Many homeowners are surprised to learn that their standard homeowners insurance policy doesn’t cover damage from land movement, including earthquakes. While this isn’t a problem for much of the country, it could be one in places like Utah that experience many earthquakes.
Though you can’t feel most earthquakes in Utah, roughly 1,500 occur there each year.[1] But unfortunately, only about 14% of homeowners in the state have earthquake insurance.[2] If you live in Utah and haven’t purchased earthquake insurance yet, this guide can help you decide if it’s right for you.
Quick Facts
Utah doesn’t require earthquake insurance, but purchasing it may be a good idea because the state is prone to earthquakes.
Earthquake insurance covers your home, personal belongings, and additional living expenses. It doesn’t cover damage from fire, flooding, or sinkholes.
If you have to file an earthquake insurance claim, be sure to communicate with your insurer early and provide a detailed list of the damage, including personal belongings.
What to know about Utah earthquake insurance
Utah has an abundance of fault lines and experiences an average of 13 quakes per year that are magnitude 3.0 or greater. Earthquakes can happen throughout all of Utah, and a strong earthquake can cause significant damage to your home.
Utah’s state law doesn’t require people to purchase earthquake insurance. But standard homeowners policies don’t cover damage from earthquakes. Instead, you have to purchase coverage separately. While many homeowners choose not to buy earthquake insurance, it can provide peace of mind that you and your family will have protection if disaster strikes.
The cost of earthquake insurance in Utah can run as much as $1,000 per year. Earthquake deductibles are also higher than traditional homeowners insurance, often ranging from 2% to 20% of the property value. But it’s often worth it if you live in an area prone to this natural disaster.
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What earthquake insurance covers
Earthquake policies provide three key types of coverage:
Dwellingandother structures: If an earthquake damages your home or other structures on your property, your earthquake insurance will pay to repair or replace it.
Personal belongings: Earthquake insurance will pay for any damaged personal items in your home after an earthquake, from furniture to clothing.
Additional living expenses: If you have to leave your home due to damage after an earthquake, your insurance will pay for your additional living expenses. This coverage is also known as loss of use coverage and includes temporary housing, such as a hotel stay.
What earthquake insurance doesn’t cover
Though your earthquake insurance will pay for damage directly from an earthquake, it won’t cover several types of damages:
Fire: Earthquake insurance won’t cover losses if a fire breaks out, even if the fire is due to an earthquake. But your standard homeowners insurance policy should cover this.
Vehicle damage: Earthquake insurance won’t pay for damage to your car from the earthquake, even if the damage is because it’s in your garage. If you have comprehensive coverage on your auto insurance policy, it should pay for this damage.
Flooding: If there’s any flooding due to the earthquake, your earthquake insurance won’t cover it. For that, you would need a separate flood insurance policy.
Sinkholes: Earthquake insurance won’t pay for damage to your land, including sinkholes. You may be able to purchase this coverage separately or add it to your standard homeowners insurance policy.
Masonry veneer: Unfortunately, earthquake insurance may not cover masonry veneer — including brick, rock, or stone — on the outside of your home. If you have that type of veneer on your home, the insurance company may deduct it from your insurance payout.
Earthquake insurance for renters
Like homeowners insurance, standard renters insurance policies don’t cover damage from earthquakes. Instead, you’ll have to purchase a different policy to cover this type of damage.
Because you don’t own the actual structure of your home as a renter, your earthquake insurance doesn’t need to include dwelling coverage. Instead, your earthquake insurance only covers your personal property and your additional living expenses if you need to stay somewhere else as a result of earthquake damage.
How to file a claim for earthquake damage
If you experience an earthquake and suffer damage to your home, it’s important to file your claim in a timely manner. Here’s a step-by-step guide for filing and completing your earthquake insurance claim:
1. Contact your insurance company
Your first step after an earthquake should be to contact your earthquake insurance agent or company. This will get the ball rolling on the claims process, and your insurer will assign a claims adjuster to your case.
2. Document your damage
When you file your claim, you’ll have to include a list of all the damage. In addition to the damage to your actual home, be sure to document damage to your personal belongings, including the estimated cost.
3. Review your earthquake insurance policy
It’s important to know the contents of your policy as you go through the claims process. Be sure to review your waiting period, deductible, policy limits, coverage types, etc. You don’t want any surprises during the claims process and want to be able to advocate for yourself with your insurance company.
4. Have your adjuster inspect the damage
Once you’ve started your insurance claim, your claims adjuster will likely visit your house to inspect the damage. They should inspect for both cosmetic and structural damage and may hire a contractor or another licensed professional to help with this process. The adjuster will give an estimate for repairing the damage.
5. Get a second opinion
If you disagree with your insurance adjuster’s assessment, it’s okay to advocate for yourself. See if your insurer has an appeals process and consider asking for a home appraisal or hiring an attorney or public adjuster. If you’re still having issues, consider contacting the Utah Insurance Department.
6. File additional claims, if necessary
Your earthquake insurance should cover damage from any aftershocks within a 72-hour window after the initial earthquake. These are often considered one event. If you have damage from one of these aftershocks, you may need to add to your original claim.[3]
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How to protect your home from earthquake damage
You can’t prevent an earthquake from hitting your family’s home, but you can take steps to protect your home and possibly reduce the potential damage, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA):
Anchor heavy furniture. Make sure you’ve anchored any heavy or large furniture, including bookshelves, to the wall so they don’t fall during an earthquake.
Secure fixtures and electronics. Secure your electronics and other hanging items, including televisions, picture frames, and others, with wall studs, when possible.
Relocate heavy items. Keep heavy items off of top shelves and out of upper cabinets. Don’t keep anything heavy more than 4 feet off the ground.
Secure the water heater. Because your water heater could lead to potential flooding or fires in an earthquake, make sure to reinforce it properly.
Relocate flammable and toxic substances. If you have flammable or toxic substances in your home, store them somewhere securely.
Brace suspended ceilings. If your home has a suspended ceiling, be sure to brace and reinforce it.
Latch cabinets. Locks on your cabinets and drawers can prevent them from opening during an earthquake, which can cause injuries or major damage.
Anchor your home. Anchor your home, especially if you have a hillside home, to avoid it pulling away from its foundation during an earthquake.
Reinforce other structures. If you have other structures on your property, such as a garage or a porch, make sure they’re properly secured.
Keep a list of your personal belongings. While keeping a list of personal belongings won’t prevent damage, it will make it easier to file a claim when the time comes.
Utah earthquake insurance FAQs
Because Utah is prone to earthquakes, you may want to consider earthquake insurance if you live there. Here are a few other things to consider before purchasing a policy.
Is earthquake insurance required in Utah?
The state of Utah doesn’t require earthquake insurance for residents. However, because Utah experiences multiple earthquakes per year, insurance could make sense for a lot of people. These natural disasters can have devastating financial effects, and insurance can help lessen the blow.
Does home insurance cover earthquake damage?
Standard homeowners insurance doesn’t cover earthquakes. Instead, you’ll have to purchase separate coverage, either as an add-on to your current home insurance policy or as a stand-alone policy.
How much does earthquake insurance cost?
Earthquake insurance rates range from a few hundred dollars to more than $1,000 per year. Location is one factor that can affect your insurance costs. You might pay different rates in Salt Lake City than in Provo or Orem.
Other factors that affect premiums are similar to those that affect your standard home insurance costs, including your location, home size, replacement cost, deductible, coverage limit, and other risk factors.
Is Utah in an earthquake zone?
Yes, Utah is in an earthquake zone and is prone to earthquakes. While you can’t feel most of the more than 1,000 earthquakes Utah experiences annually, it has about a dozen each year that are magnitude 3.0 or larger.
KSL TV. "Gephardt: Is Earthquake Insurance Worth The Investment In Utah?."
NAIC. "Do You Know What to Do Before and After an Earthquake?."
Erin Gobler
Erin Gobler is a personal finance writer and journalist based in Madison, Wisconsin. With more than five years of experience, Erin has covered topics such as investing, credit cards, mortgages, insurance, and more. Her work has been featured in major publications like Business Insider, Fox Business, and Time. Erin received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 2013, studying journalism and political science. She also received a certificate of financial planning from Boston University in 2022.
7+ years in business and financial services content
Chris is a seasoned writer/editor with past experience across myriad industries, including insurance, SAS, finance, Medicare, logistics, marketing/advertising, and many more.
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