Earthquake insurance is not included automatically, rather it is an optional coverage that we recommend be added to your policy. It covers the cost of rebuilding your property and replacing your belongings that were damaged in an earthquake. The policy also covers extra living expenses should you need to temporarily reside somewhere else while your place is being repaired. It does not cover fires or floods that happen as an after effect of the earthquake. Most policies have a percentage deductible rather than a fixed dollar amount, meaning you will be responsible for a percentage of the damage, which can be quite high. Most policies start at 5%, however some insurers may require you to pay between 15-20% deductible. Let’s put this into perspective. If your earthquake coverage limit on your base policy is $300,000 and your deductible is 15%, you would be responsible for $45,000 before the insurance company would pay the rest. In a condo, your strata might require a similar amount. To combat this, we have a Buy-Back option which enables you to “buy down” or lower your deductible in the event of a major earthquake. This unique coverage is available to anyone who owns their own property with basic earthquake coverage added onto their primary policy. Depending on your situation, this extra coverage can cost as little as $20 per month.