Independent Insurance Agent, Grand Junction, CO
Earthquake Insurance in Colorado
Colorado is not California, and nobody should pretend otherwise. It is also not a state without seismic history, and earthquake damage is excluded from standard homeowners policies, which means the question is worth asking rather than assuming.
Bird Family Insurance helps homeowners across Grand Junction, Fruita, Palisade, Delta, Montrose, and Rifle understand what earthquake coverage does, what it costs to add, and whether it makes sense for their property. As an independent agency, we can tell you when a coverage is worth buying and when it is not.
Use our form or call us at (970) 549-2500 to get your quote.
Licensed in CO & AZ
Fully Independent
SIAA & Trusted Choice Member
Free, no-obligation quotes
Does Colorado actually have earthquakes?
Yes, though far less frequently and generally less severely than the West Coast. The Colorado Geological Survey maintains published mapping and guidance on earthquakes in the state, covering their causes and effects and what to do during one.
The Survey also makes a point that is easy to miss. Building codes rely on United States Geological Survey hazard maps, which are based on known earthquake events, fault locations, and seismic history, and because those maps are updated periodically, codes need regular review. In other words, seismic risk in Colorado is mapped and actively maintained rather than treated as nonexistent.
Key point: Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake damage. If you want it covered, it has to be added by endorsement or written as a separate policy. There is no version where it is quietly included.
What earthquake coverage can include
At a glance: The structure, your belongings, and the cost of living elsewhere during repairs. Earthquake coverage uses a percentage deductible rather than a flat one. Availability, limits, and eligibility vary by carrier.
The structure
Earthquake coverage generally applies to the dwelling itself, addressing damage from shaking such as cracked foundations, structural damage, and chimney or masonry failure.
Personal property and living expenses
Coverage can extend to your belongings damaged in the event, and to additional living expenses if the home cannot be occupied while repairs are made. As with any policy, limits and terms differ between carriers.
What it typically excludes
Earthquake endorsements are narrower than people assume, and the exclusions are consistent enough to be worth listing:
- Damage from flood or tsunami following an earthquake, which is a flood question rather than an earthquake one
- Land itself, including landslides and sinkholes in many policies
- Exterior features such as pools, patios, walkways, and fences on many forms
- Vehicles, which are covered under an auto policy’s comprehensive coverage rather than here
If you are concerned about ground movement generally rather than shaking specifically, say so, because the distinction determines which coverage would respond.
The deductible works differently
This is the part that changes the arithmetic, and it is the main reason we walk people through earthquake coverage rather than just adding it.
Earthquake deductibles are typically expressed as a percentage of your dwelling coverage rather than a flat dollar amount. On a policy with a substantial dwelling limit, a percentage deductible can be a significant sum, and it applies before the coverage pays anything.
The practical consequence is that earthquake coverage tends to respond to serious structural damage rather than to cosmetic cracking. That is not a flaw, but it does mean the coverage is best understood as protection against a major loss, not a repair plan for minor damage.
Worth knowing: Because the deductible is proportional, raising your dwelling limit also raises the amount you would pay out of pocket on an earthquake claim. It is one of the few places where those two numbers move together.
Is it worth it for your property?
We would rather answer this honestly than sell a policy nobody needs. Whether earthquake coverage earns its place depends on a few specific things.
It tends to be worth a closer look if:
- Your home is older masonry or brick, or has an unreinforced foundation
- You have significant equity in the property and limited liquidity to absorb a structural loss
- Your property sits in an area the hazard mapping treats as more exposed
- You would struggle to fund a rebuild without insurance
It tends to matter less if your dwelling limit is modest enough that the percentage deductible would absorb most of a realistic claim, or if the construction is inherently more resilient to shaking. We will say so if that is where you land.
What affects the cost
Earthquake pricing reflects the building and its location. It is shaped by the construction type, with wood frame generally treated differently from masonry, the age of the structure, the foundation, your location relative to hazard mapping, your dwelling limit, and the percentage deductible you select.
Because it is an endorsement or separate policy rather than part of the base homeowners premium, it is straightforward to quote alongside your home insurance and see what it adds. Choosing a higher percentage deductible generally lowers the cost, with the tradeoff described above.
Availability is not uniform across the market, and varies by area and construction type.
How to get an earthquake quote with Bird Family Insurance
As an independent agency, we compare carriers rather than presenting one company’s position.
Tell us about the property
Age, construction type, foundation, and your current dwelling limit.
We check what is available and on what terms
Availability varies by carrier, area, and construction.
You decide with the numbers in front of you
We will show you the percentage deductible in actual dollars so the decision is concrete rather than abstract.
Ready for a quote? Use the form at the top of this page, or request a quote here. Prefer to talk it through? Call us at (970) 549-2500.
We’ve Helped Locals Save Thousands On Their Insurance Policies
We’re The Trusted Choice For Western Colorado
“Marissa at Bird Family is Amazing!! She is fast and friendly when she is working on my business. Marissa and everyone at Bird Family always exceeds my expectations.”
Bonnie H
“Marissa was so very helpful, addressing all my questions with kindness & patience. Bird Family gave me excellent coverage at a good price. I look forward to doing business with them.”
Kim M
“Great company that seems to keep their customers needs at the forefront. I hadn’t checked pricing on my old insurer for many years, that was a mistake. … this agency saved me a TON of money with better coverages on both homeowners and our two vehicles. …”
John M
Frequently Asked Questions About Earthquake Insurance in Western Colorado
No. Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake damage, so coverage has to be added by endorsement or written as a separate policy. This is the same structure as flood, which is also excluded and bought separately. If you are not sure whether your current policy has an earthquake endorsement on it, we can check.
Yes, though less frequently and generally less severely than in the West Coast states. The Colorado Geological Survey publishes mapping and guidance on earthquakes in Colorado, and notes that building codes rely on United States Geological Survey hazard maps based on known earthquake events, fault locations, and seismic history. Those maps are updated periodically, which is why the Survey encourages regular review of local building codes.
Earthquake deductibles are typically a percentage of your dwelling coverage rather than a flat amount, so the figure scales with the size of your policy. On a home with a substantial dwelling limit, that can be a significant out-of-pocket sum before coverage pays. It is the main reason earthquake coverage tends to respond to serious structural damage rather than minor cosmetic cracking, and the reason we show you the deductible in dollars before you decide.
Often not. Many earthquake endorsements cover damage from shaking but exclude movement of the land itself, including landslides and sinkholes, and flood or tsunami following an earthquake is generally treated as a flood question instead. Because the distinctions are specific and vary by carrier, tell us what you are actually worried about and we will identify which coverage would respond.
It depends on the property rather than the state. It is worth a closer look on older masonry or brick homes, on unreinforced foundations, where you have significant equity and limited ability to fund a rebuild, or where hazard mapping treats your area as more exposed. If your dwelling limit is modest enough that the percentage deductible would absorb most of a realistic claim, we will tell you that rather than write it anyway.
No. Damage to a vehicle from an earthquake would fall under the comprehensive coverage on your auto policy rather than under a homeowners earthquake endorsement. If you do not carry comprehensive on a vehicle, there is generally nothing on the auto policy that would respond. We can look at both sides together so there is no assumption left in the middle.
Your Local Insurance Agent Across Western Colorado
We’re based on Grand Avenue in downtown Grand Junction, and we serve the whole of Western Colorado.
Proudly Serving:
Grand Junction
Delta
Montrose
Palisade
Rifle
And Greater Colorado
Bird Family Insurance Agency, Inc.
PHONE
TEXT
Fax
(970) 549-2700
Message
Address
