Do You Need Earthquake Insurance in WA, OR?

According to a recent poll done by Pemco Insurance, while 52 percent of Washington state residents think they are somewhat prepared in the event of an earthquake, very few have insurance for it.

It's estimated 14 percent of people in Western Washington have quake insurance, 2 percent in Eastern WA. Even in CA, only 15% have it.

We have had some tremors in the last couple of years, but given what's said to be building off the Pacific Coast, one might think people would get it--at least on the West side.

The difference between regular insurance policies, says Pemco, is most of them don't cover the following if an earthquake causes damage:

Rebuild your home and outbuildings
Replace your belongings
Cover temporary housing expenses
Remove debris
Stabilize land.

And, another tip: If you live in a tsunami zone (like the Oregon or WA Coast) damage caused by waves triggered by an earthquake will not be covered by quake policies. That requires flood insurance.

It can result in expenses some are not willing to pay for, but given what's being watched off the Coast, might be worth it for those on the West side. The Cascadia Subfault, which is about 60 miles off the coast, has been under close surveillance for a number of years now; we reported on it back in 2019.

To see more about the Cascadia fault (which make San Andreas look like a paper cut) click on the button below.

Cascadia subfault