Earthquake insurance?

[Dirigible]

You can bolt the frame to the foundation and add cripple walls without spending too much. You can do it yourself if you're handy.

Insurance won't help much if you're killed by your collapsing house.

How liable to liquefaction is the land where you are?

 

[Sukhoi]

Many people in CA avoid earthquake insurance as it is typically much cheaper to retrofit a house than pay the premiums for year after year. In your situation with a house that sounds difficult to retrofit and a desire to sell soon, you may be better off paying for earthquake insurance until you sell. Earthquake retrofitting does not seem to be a concern to the majority of buyers, so you're probably not going to get your money back on that.

Just last night I heard an ad on the radio from the CA earthquake authority/whatever saying that you don't necessarily have to pay your deductible before you can get a payout from earthquake insurance (which makes no sense). So I need to look into that a little more.

One pretty cheap thing you can have done is put a seismic-activated auto shutoff on your gas line. Yeah the fire damage is already covered by homeowners, but it still could save a huge hassle.

 

[Newbian]

I'm no expert, but from what I've heard/seen, fire forensics often incriminates those who attempt that kind of fraud. That can't possibly be the "best option."

They really need a /facepalm smiley here.

 

[thesmokingman]

They really need a /facepalm smiley here.

Blame it on the internet, it turns everyone into a contrarian.

 

[Muse]

You can bolt the frame to the foundation and add cripple walls without spending too much. You can do it yourself if you're handy.

Insurance won't help much if you're killed by your collapsing house.

How liable to liquefaction is the land where you are?

I'm not sure it's possible to bolt the frame to the foundation, such as it is. The frame is there but the foundation, in most places, is not AFAIK conducive to being bolted-to. It's mostly stones and mortar at the periphery and concrete piers on the interior, many of which have sunk a good deal. There may be some things I can do to make the house more safe in terms of it not killing or injuring someone inside (me!) or being destroyed or seriously damaged in a major quake. However, I haven't heard much that I recall, however the first guy I had look at the house (he did the original assessment before I bought the house, and he at the same time wrote up a bid to fix everything, pretty much), commented when we went into the attic that I could add shear (SP?), being, I believe, plywood nailed to the freestanding vertical 2x4s.

Liquefaction? Yeah, it's a concern. These factors:

1. The house has been sinking in the middle, where the main thing holding it up is the interior concrete piers. I believe that when it's been raining a great deal and the ground becomes saturated, the house sinks some. More and more, I've been having problems with doors not closing because things are shifting. It happens a LOT!!!

2. When I went down to the city surveyor's office, I found out that there used to be a stream that went approximately down the center of the street in front of the house. Thus, the house is likely built on the stream bed and is therefore alluvial.

3. I know a woman who lives about 2 blocks from me and she tells me that this whole area is built basically on alluvial soil. I don't know if it's landfill exactly, I think it's more likely soil that was built up over millenia as a result of runoff. Whatever the geological explanation, she contends that the soil is alluvial, so not solid as on rock.

Insurance won't help much if you're killed by your collapsing house.

Indeed, and I've thought of that a lot. Maybe I can improve my odds. Absent that, I'm just hoping I survive or am not home when a major quake hits! The insurance won't affect that but presumably I'd be in much better shape financially. I know, I should really move.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Have you made an agreement of such insurance before?

Very indelicate question. His home was destroyed last year in a devastating earthquake and he lost his entire Lego collection. Your question is in very bad taste.

 

[highland145]

Very indelicate question. His home was destroyed last year in a devastating earthquake and he lost his entire Lego collection. Your question is in very bad taste.

This but....I now have a number to call Dr. Pizza and ask WTF.