SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — A 5.2 magnitude earthquake that struck south of Julian on Monday, the strongest to hit San Diego County since 2010, has homeowners reassessing their insurance coverage.

The tremor has reignited interest in earthquake insurance, a separate policy from standard homeowners insurance that specifically covers earthquake damage.

“Well, it’s definitely a wake-up call,” said Karl Susman, an independent insurance agency owner. “That’s the cliche phrase that we hear every time there’s an earthquake. But it’s really true.”

Susman emphasized that typical homeowners insurance does not cover earthquakes. “It’s specifically excluded, so the only way to have coverage in the event of an earthquake is to buy a separate earthquake insurance policy,” he explained.

The California Earthquake Authority, a non-profit organization set up by the state but not state-funded, is the largest provider of earthquake insurance in California. However, private insurance companies also offer earthquake policies. “It definitely makes sense to shop around from these different companies, because one rate could be very different than another,” Susman advised.

Key points about earthquake insurance:
• Lower deductibles result in more expensive policies.
• Homes worth over $1 million or built before 1980 have a minimum 15% deductible with the California Earthquake Authority.
• Policies are designed for significant damage, not minor incidents.

“These policies aren’t designed to pay for, you know, the lamp that falls over, or something minor that happens,” Susman noted.

Unlike wildfire insurance, earthquake coverage is currently readily available from multiple providers for California homeowners.