Is Earthquake Damage Covered by Home Insurance?

Every year, the Indian subcontinent faces numerous natural calamities. Flash floods, cyclones, and droughts are some of the common calamities. However, India happens to be closely situated to the infamous Ring of Fire, a zone well-known for its repeated earthquakes. The Indian plate is also constantly colliding with the Eurasian plate, which causes earthquakes in the northern part of India. Earthquakes are devastating and can cause huge damage to both public and private infrastructure. If an earthquake were to take place near your home, the damage caused could be incalculable. Having home insurance can ensure appropriate financial coverage from natural calamities. * But is the damage caused due to earthquakes covered by the policy? Let’s find out.

What is Home Insurance?

Home Insurance is a type of insurance policy designed to protect your home and belongings from unexpected damages or losses. It provides financial coverage for risks such as fire, theft, natural disasters, vandalism, and other unforeseen events. Home insurance typically includes coverage for the physical structure of your house, personal belongings, liability for accidents on your property, and additional living expenses if your home becomes uninhabitable. Depending on the policy, it may also cover specific risks like floods or earthquakes. It offers homeowners peace of mind by safeguarding their most valuable asset against potential financial burdens.

Is Earthquake Damage Covered in the Policy?

Earthquakes, earlier, used to be considered an ‘Act of God’ by insurers. However, now insurance companies have also started to offer financial coverage for damage caused by earthquakes. The damage caused to your house due to an earthquake can be quite extensive and would cost you a lot to repair. In such situations, the earthquake coverage in your home insurance policy can help you take care of the damages. *

Causes of Earthquakes

1. Tectonic Plate Movements: Most earthquakes occur due to the movement of tectonic plates. When plates collide, slide past, or move away from each other, stress builds up and is eventually released as seismic waves.
2. Volcanic Activity: Volcanic eruptions can trigger earthquakes. These are caused by magma movement beneath the Earth's crust, which creates stress and fractures in nearby rocks.
3. Fault Lines: Faults are fractures in the Earth's crust where blocks of rock have moved. Sudden movements along these faults can result in earthquakes.
4. Human Activities: Activities like mining, reservoir-induced seismicity (due to the weight of large dams), and underground nuclear testing can induce earthquakes.
5. Elastic Rebound Theory: The Earth's crust stores energy until it reaches a breaking point. When released, it causes the ground to shake, resulting in an earthquake.
6. Subduction Zones: When an oceanic plate sinks beneath a continental plate, intense pressure and stress build up, causing powerful earthquakes.
7. Isostatic Rebound: When heavy glaciers melt, the Earth's crust adjusts and rebounds, which may lead to earthquakes.

These causes highlight the natural and human-induced factors that contribute to seismic activity globally. Also Read: Does Your Home Insurance Policy Cover Landslides?

What are the Inclusions and Exclusions of this Coverage?

Inclusions

1. Damage caused to the property, both internally and externally, by an earthquake is covered.
2. Damage caused to your valuables, which can range from furniture to electronics, is covered.

Exclusions

1. If you have rented the property, the loss of rent would not be covered in the event of damage being caused to the property.
2. If your house suffers additional damage due to floods following the earthquake, those damages would be excluded.
3. If you were occupying the house during the earthquake and plan to live in temporary accommodation, those expenses would not be covered.
4. The removal of debris which would be required after the earthquake is excluded.

How to File a Claim under this Coverage?

The steps to file a claim under home insurance are as follows:

1. Get in touch with your insurer

Inform your insurer immediately about the damage caused to your property. You can get in touch with them either through their claim helpline number or through their website by accessing the claims section.

2. Submit the details

You are required to submit details about your house and insurance policy when you file a claim. Make sure you submit the photographs and videos of the damage as evidence supporting your claim.

3. Get the house inspected

Once your insurer receives your claim, an insurance surveyor will inspect the damage. They would do a thorough inspection of your property based on your claim. They would collect the details and forward them to the insurer.

4. Get the compensation

If the insurer is satisfied with the claim based on the details verified by the surveyor, they would disburse the claim which would get credited to your account. *Standard T&C apply

Should You Opt for this Cover?

While the cover does provide you with financial assistance for damage caused by an earthquake, it does increase your home insurance quote. You should opt for the coverage only if you are residing in an area which is prone to earthquakes. However, if you are residing in an area not prone to earthquakes, you can opt for the coverage voluntarily. Also Read: Does Home Insurance Policy Cover Flood Damages?

Conclusion

This is what you get under the earthquake coverage in this policy. If you wish to purchase the policy, you can use the home insurance calculator to get a quote. * Insurance is the subject matter of solicitation. For more details on benefits, exclusions, limitations, terms, and conditions, please read the sales brochure/policy wording carefully before concluding a sale. *Standard T&C apply