The East Coast was rattled by an unexpected and rare earthquake this week. The seismic event sowed worry amongst a populace that has never experience such a thing before. The manner in which residents of the East Coast reacted to the quake drew criticisms from Californians, most of whom are accustomed to such events. Despite earthquakes being common in the state, the California Earthquake Authority is taking this opportunity to spread awareness of earthquake insurance. Given the frequency of earthquakes on the West Coast, one would think that earthquake insurance…
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Virginia earthquake raises questions regarding the importance of insurance coverage
A 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck the heart of Virginia Tuesday, sending ripples throughout much of the Eastern U.S. Tremors could be felt as far as 100 miles away from the quake’s epicenter in Mineral, Virginia. Residents of the East Coast, whom are unaccustomed to the ground beneath their feet shaking, flocked to Twitter and Facebook to document their experiences. Tremors reached New York City, causing mild panic among those that had never witnessed such an event. The quake took its toll in Virginia, but no inordinate amount of damage was…
Read MoreDestructive weather and natural disasters makes shopping for homeowners insurance a challenge
The variability of destructive weather forces from one state to the next has meant that homeowners can expect the property insurance marketplace to be quite complex, and they will need to do their homework in order to choose the best policy. According to vice president Don Griffin of the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI), the variability in severe weather among the states and within the states makes it “worthwhile to do comparison shopping from time to time to make sure the premium you are paying and the coverages…
Read MoreCat bonds still steady even with major disasters
After the devastation in Japan two months ago, investors were keeping a watchful eye on the stock and bond market. It appears though, that the catastrophe bond (CAT bonds) division has been holding strong. Analysts and brokers have commented that no drastic price decreases or large spreads have occurred to cause them to be worried. The recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan were what investors are calling the biggest adversity to happen since the financial woes of the Lehman Brothers filing for bankruptcy. The catastrophe bond sector is still strong…
Read MoreCalifornia fault line research reveals how far away earthquakes effect us
A United States Geological Survey (USGS) team has been working with researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology (GIT) to study what effect a large quake has in triggering smaller, slow moving tremors, deep along the San Andreas Fault line. It is possible that a sizeable quake far away could trigger episodes deep in the San Andreas Fault line. An earthquake is a vibration that travels through the earth’s crust. This is usually the result of movement in pieces of the earth’s surface, called tectonic plates. Other things can…
Read MoreU.S. Nuclear Plants…how exposed are we?
The people of Japan knew they were at risk for a large scale earthquake, and even a tsunami. They took painstaking measures to prepare for this possible, “once in a lifetime” event. We watched the tragedy and devastation that was taking place, in one of the most prepared countries in the world. One hundred twenty seven million people experienced an event of historical proportions. All the planning and scenarios had been done for a “worst case disaster.” But as one disaster turned into two, and then two turned into three,…
Read MoreNew California earthquake bill promises lower rates and more coverage
After seeing earthquakes rip through Japan and New Zealand, California is now being eyeballed as many realize how under-insured residents truly are. A new bill backed by California senators, Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, is promising high insurance premiums to be cut by 30% and a reduction of large deductibles for homeowners – without having to come out of the tax-payers pocket. The bill proposes that the California Earthquake Authority, a state run non-profit insurance program, will be allowed to apply for what’s called a, “guaranteed federal loan” in the event…
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