After checking out the profiles and prices of the different companies, you should evaluate your own situation: how close do you live to the danger zone? How old is your home, what is it made of (wood, brick etc)? With a newly built, healthy and nicely maintained home with earthquake resistant structure, you are due to get better offer from insurance companies. Try to look for policies which can provide the necessary coverage to fully reimburse the damage in other words providing the costs of a new construction/rebuilding. An adequate policy should include the following:

- coverage for damage or loss of the building, its contents as well as outbuildings
- temporary accommodation expenses in case your house is badly damaged in an earthquake
- coverage for the costs of repairing or rebuilding
- medical costs in case you are injured in the earthquake
- losses which occur in case of evacuation

Mitigation

The term mitigation means your own personal awareness regarding the structure of your home that is trying to build or to buy a house which meets the engineering requirements of general seismic safety standards. Improvements on one's home (structure, outbuildings etc) seem to be a financial burden for many, but it will offer a better protection against earthquakes. These improvements might be: strengthening your water heaters, installing perpendicular panels, bolting your foundation. Insurance companies also reward those people who are concerned about the resistance of their homes, thus you can enjoy the lower rates and lower costs of any future repairs. However, before making any improvement ask for the opinion of your insurer, as seismic safety standards vary from area to area. Seismologists, engineers continuously examine and interpret the latest data. Thus, professional advice from licensed, experienced specialists is always welcome.

Where to get earthquake insurance from?

When choosing the right company you can have many options: you can buy it from the same agency with which you have a general home insurance. In this case, you may have to opt for this type of policy as an extra package of the pre-existing buildings insurance. You can also choose an individual agency, which has its terms and conditions specialized in earthquake insurance. If you live in a quake-prone area look after something like the Local Earthquake Association. This organization can provide you useful information, as well as an adequate insurance policy.

Why to get earthquake insurance?

Most people believe earthquakes are not likely to occur in their lifetime. Even if they survive an earthquake, and buy an insurance policy, as time passes they'll forget to renew it, just like they forget the previous traumas. It is precisely this uncertainty and improbability inherent in this type of natural calamity that makes unaware of the dangers. Although it can be a hard financial decision for some to take out this type of policy, you should always consider the worst case: what happens if your house is fully damaged? Where will you get the money from to rebuild it? And when you think nothing can be worse than this scenario you should also think about the mortgage that is the money you lent from the bank to buy or build you home. In this case, earthquake insurance can save you from at least one financial burden.