Natural Disasters Underscore Importance of Homeowners Insurance Quotes

Earthquakes may have made news recently for the devastation they caused on the other side of the world, but an insurance information group is using it as an example of why shopping for homeowners insurance quotes and carefully choosing the right supplements can be so important.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, earthquakes have occurred in 39 states since 1900, including places like Illinois, which are not normally known for such activity.

The organization notes that California residents are statistically at the highest risk to suffer earthquake damage - especially in the southern part of the state. The 1994 earthquake in that state, which was focused around Northridge, was said to have caused as much as $29 billion in damage in 2008 dollars.

Homeowners who live in earthquake prone areas should consider whether to add such protection to their current policies as a supplement. Overall, typical homeowners policies do not cover against earthquake damage.

A variety of factors are said to contribute to the risk of earthquake-related property damage. For example, more development is said to be occurring in seismically active areas. Another issue the institute cites is the vulnerability of older buildings to damage from large earthquakes.

No matter what state one's home is in, the threat of damage from natural disaster and severe weather, such as hurricanes and wildfires, is never far. With that in mind, taking the time to shop for homeowners insurance quotes may be more important than ever.