I live in California, and when the 6.4 magnitude quake hit last year, my phone lit up with clients. One had a marble torso that “walked” off its pedestal and shattered. His homeowner’s policy paid $0. Why? Because he didn’t have an Earthquake endorsement, and even if he did, the deductible was 15% of his home’s value.
Key Takeaways
- Standard Exclusion: HO-3 policies exclude “Earth Movement” (quakes, landslides) entirely.
- The Deductible Shock: Earthquake policies usually have percentage deductibles (e.g., 15%). On a $1M home, you pay the first $150k. Your $20k sculpture is essentially uninsured.
- Fine Art Floaters are the Hack: A standalone Fine Art policy (like Chubb or AXA) often includes earthquake coverage with a much lower deductible (often $0 or $1,000).
- Mounting Requirements: Insurers may require professional mounting (seismic wax or anchors) as a condition of coverage.
The “Why” (The Trap): The “Earth Movement” Exclusion
The language is absolute: “We do not insure for loss caused directly or indirectly by earthquake, landslide, mudflow, or earth sinking.”
This applies to the house and everything inside it.
However, a “Difference in Conditions” (DIC) policy or a Fine Art Floater overrides this for the specific scheduled items.
[IMAGE: Photo of “Museum Wax” and seismic tethers used to secure sculpture]
The Investigation: I Called Them
I compared options for insuring a sculpture collection in a seismic zone.
1. California Earthquake Authority (CEA)
- Coverage: Covers personal property.
- Deductible: High (5% – 25%).
- Verdict: Good for the house structure, terrible for specific art pieces due to the high deductible.
2. Chubb / Pure (Fine Art Floater)
- Coverage: “All Risk” (includes earthquake).
- Deductible: usually $0 or low fixed amount.
- The Catch: They will inspect your mounting. If a heavy sculpture is not bolted down, they may exclude breakage.
- Verdict: The only smart way to insure art in quake zones.
3. Palomar (Private Earthquake)
- Coverage: More flexible than CEA.
- Verdict: A middle ground, but still often has a property deductible.
Comparison Table
| Policy Type | Earthquake Coverage? | Deductible Structure |
| Standard Homeowners | No | N/A (Denied) |
| CEA / Earth Policy | Yes | % of Limit (e.g., $15,000+) |
| Fine Art Floater | Yes | $0 or Fixed (e.g., $500) |
Step-by-Step Action Plan
- Schedule the Art: Move valuable breakage-prone items off your general content policy and onto a Scheduled Floater. This bypasses the quake exclusion.
- Use Museum Wax: For small items, apply museum wax to the base. It holds through moderate tremors.
- Bolt Down Pedestals: The pedestal falls, the art falls. Anchor the pedestal to the floor, and the art to the pedestal.
- Check “Breakage” Clause: Ensure your policy covers “Breakage” (which is sometimes optional). Quake damage is technically breakage.
FAQ Section
If a quake causes a fire, is it covered?
Yes. Fire following an earthquake is usually covered by standard home insurance, even if the quake itself isn’t.
Does this apply to porcelain?
Yes. Porcelain is “fragile articles.” It absolutely needs a floater. Standard policies rarely cover broken plates/vases unless the house burns down.
What about tremors from construction?
If a neighbor’s blasting causes vibrations that knock art over, that is usually covered under “Explosion” or third-party liability, but it’s a fight.