Earthquake insurance, a specialized form of property coverage, provides essential protection for clients living in seismically active regions. Standard homeowners’ policies typically exclude damage resulting from earthquakes, making earthquake insurance a must.
When evaluating the best earthquake insurance companies, this coverage provides a crucial layer of security that can make the difference between financial hardship and recovery.
This additional protection has become increasingly important as millions of Americans live in earthquake-prone regions, from California’s San Andreas Fault system to the New Madrid Seismic Zone in the central United States. Selecting from the best earthquake insurance companies ensures comprehensive coverage in these high-risk areas.
The following are the best earthquake insurance companies in the US, based on market share data taken from our IB Data Hub platform. You can see this data for yourself, and much more, in this data resource with options to filter by state, year, and other lines of business.
Market share: 13.5 percent
Direct premiums written: $571.3 million
FM Global reported a 2024 surplus of $26 billion and delivered $1.4 billion in membership credits, alongside achieving $1 trillion in total loss expectancy reduction.
The company maintained strong financial standing while emphasizing property-loss prevention and engineering, demonstrating robust performance and positive client results. This highlights their focus on resilience and risk management.
FM Global offers comprehensive all-risk property policies, including coverage for natural hazards like earthquakes. Among the best earthquake insurance companies, their approach integrates extensive engineering and research to tailor insurance solutions to specific business needs.
In 2024, AM Best reaffirmed FM Global’s A+ Financial Strength Rating and “aa” Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICRs).
Market share: 12 percent
Direct premiums written: $515 million
Palomar Holdings, Inc. capped an exceptional 2024 with a record-setting year. Gross written premiums increased 35 percent to $1.5 billion, and adjusted net income grew 43 percent to $133.5 million. The company achieved a 23 percent adjusted return on equity while expanding its presence and making strategic investments.
Palomar Holdings provides earthquake insurance for residential and commercial clients, covering damage to dwellings, other structures, and personal belongings. As one of the best earthquake insurance companies, coverage also includes additional living expenses and loss assessments.
Palomar secures substantial reinsurance, most recently $3.5 billion as of June 2025, to manage risk and claims.
Market share: 10 percent
Direct premiums written: $434.6 million
Zurich Insurance Group announced record 2024 earnings, driven by strong performances in property & casualty, life, and farmers businesses. They achieved a $7.8 billion business operating profit and a 24.6 percent return on equity while proposing an 8 percent dividend increase to CHF28 per share. The company achieved a 256 percent Swiss Solvency Test for the first quarter of 2025, an even better record from 252 percent in 2024.
Zurich Insurance provides earthquake coverage, typically as a policy add-on, covering building damage, household contents, and sometimes consequential losses. Recognized among the top earthquake insurance companies, policy specifics, including deductibles, vary significantly by region, such as Switzerland or California. Standard property insurance often excludes earthquake damage.
Market share: 8 percent
Direct premiums written: $338.4 million
State Farm Group reported a net income of $5.3 billion in 2024 – a huge improvement from a net loss in 2023. The property and casualty group saw earned premiums of $103 billion, with an underwriting loss of $6 billion—a considerable reduction from the prior year’s $14 billion loss, driven by improved auto lines.
State Farm offers earthquake insurance in most US states, supplementing standard homeowners’ policies that typically exclude quake damage. Consistently ranked among the top earthquake insurance companies, coverage generally includes:
Deductibles often represent a percentage of the insured value, typically ranging from 2 to 20 percent. While available nationwide, premiums vary based on regional seismic risk, with higher costs in earthquake-prone areas like California.
Market share: 5.3 percent
Direct premiums written: $224.3 million
Berkshire Hathaway’s 2024 performance saw robust operating earnings of $47.4 billion, representing a 27 percent increase from 2023. This surge was fueled by its insurance underwriting sector, which experienced a remarkable 300 percent rise in operating earnings in the fourth quarter. The company concluded 2024 with a record $334.2 billion in cash and short-term investments, demonstrating substantial financial strength.
Berkshire Hathaway’s insurance entities, such as Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance and Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies, offer this specialized property insurance. Among the best earthquake insurance companies, these policies cover damage caused by earthquakes—a peril typically excluded from standard homeowners’ insurance.
While earthquake insurance often features high deductibles, it remains crucial for protecting against severe, catastrophic losses. Coverage details and rates vary based on factors like location and property construction.
Market share: 5.2 percent
Direct premiums written: $220 million
Chubb had a record-breaking 2024, reporting $9.3 billion in net income, representing a 2.7 percent increase from the prior year. Core operating income reached $9.2 billion.
Property and casualty (P&C) underwriting income was a record $5.85 billion, up 7 percent. The company’s P&C combined ratio stood at an impressive 86 percent, reflecting strong underwriting discipline despite significant catastrophe losses, including $2.4 billion pre-tax from P&C catastrophes.
Chubb provides earthquake insurance as a specific offering, which operates separately from standard homeowners’ policies. Standing among the best earthquake insurance companies, their coverage aims to protect homes and personal property from damage caused by seismic activity, including the shaking and cracking of structures.
While policy specifics and availability vary by location, Chubb’s earthquake insurance covers direct physical loss to property from an earthquake. Deductibles can be substantial, often calculated as a percentage of the dwelling’s value.
Market share: 4.8 percent
Direct premiums written: $205.2 million
Travelers Group had an exceptional 2024, achieving a record core income of $5 billion, or $21.60 per diluted share. This performance delivered a 17.2 percent core return on equity, even amid record catastrophe losses.
The company also saw a record $4.5 billion in after-tax underlying underwriting income, representing a nearly 40 percent increase from the previous year. Net written premiums rose 8 percent to a record $43.4 billion, marking 15 consecutive years of growth.
Travelers offers earthquake insurance—a specialized coverage that protects against property damage and losses caused by seismic activity. As one of the best earthquake insurance companies, this insurance typically covers structural damage to homes and damage to personal belongings inside.
While standard homeowners' policies often exclude earthquake damage, Travelers’ coverage provides financial assistance for repairs, replacements, and additional living expenses if a home becomes unlivable after an earthquake. Deductibles can be substantial.
Market share: 4.5 percent
Direct premiums written: $191.4 million
QBE Insurance Group delivered a strong financial performance in 2024, with net profit after tax surging to $1.78 billion, up from $1.35 billion in 2023. Gross written premiums increased 3 percent to $22.4 billion, supported by renewal rate increases and new business. The combined operating ratio improved to 93 percent, reflecting favorable catastrophe experience and resilient underwriting results.
QBE offers earthquake insurance, particularly for commercial properties, with substantial capacity. This specialized coverage protects against physical damage to buildings and contents caused by seismic activity.
While typical property policies exclude earthquake damage, QBE’s offerings provide financial protection for repairs and replacements. Policies may include coverage for various perils, and details can vary by region.
Market share: 3.6 percent
Direct premiums written: $152.3 million
GeoVera Holdings, Inc. underwent significant structural changes in 2024 and early 2025, impacting its reported performance. AM Best upgraded SafePort Insurance Company’s financial strength rating to “A” (Excellent) in February 2025, which joined the GeoVera Nova Insurance Group. This followed GeoVera Holdings’ definitive agreement in April 2024 to sell its managing general agent (MGA) business and its insurance companies, aiming for enhanced capital efficiency and strong performance within the newly formed GeoVera Nova Holdings, Inc.
GeoVera specializes in residential earthquake insurance, offering comprehensive coverage in earthquake-prone states like California, Oregon, and Washington. Their policies, such as Quake Select Flex Limit and Single Limit EQ, cover dwelling, other structures, personal contents, and additional living expenses if a home becomes unlivable.
Deductibles range from 2.5 to 25 percent of the dwelling limit, providing flexibility. GeoVera is recognized for its online quoting and claims processes.
Market share: 3 percent
Direct premiums written: $122.2 million
Liberty Mutual Group saw its 2024 net income reach $4.4 billion, representing a significant increase from $213 million in 2023. The company’s total revenue for 2024 was $50.2 billion, up 1.6 percent. A key factor in this improvement was a 17 percent reduction in catastrophe losses, contributing to a combined ratio of 96 percent, down from 102.7 percent in the previous year.
Liberty Mutual offers earthquake insurance, particularly as an optional add-on to renters’ insurance, covering damage to personal property from earthquakes and aftershocks.
The insurer provides specialized parametric earthquake coverage solutions, often incorporating sensor-based technology for real-time data and expedited payouts. This innovative approach aims to reduce the typical delays in traditional claims processing.
Individual insurers like FM Global tailor all-risk policies through extensive engineering, while Palomar Holdings bolsters its offerings with significant reinsurance. Despite these different approaches, common threads run through earthquake insurance coverage provided by the best earthquake insurance companies.
A primary commonality is that standard homeowners’ policies do not cover earthquake damage. The best earthquake insurance companies such as State Farm and Berkshire Hathaway explicitly state this, requiring homeowners to get earthquake coverage as a separate policy or an add-on.
The following video discusses the concept of fairness and reasonableness in insurance policies, particularly concerning differing rates for high-risk areas. The conversation explores the complexities of insurance pricing based on geographical risks like fire and earthquakes.
Core coverage typically includes dwelling protection, covering the structural integrity of the home itself. Beyond the main residence, many policies extend to other structures on the property, such as detached garages, sheds, and retaining walls. These are highly susceptible to earthquake forces.
When a quake renders a home unlivable, loss of use or additional living expense coverage is common. It provides financial support for temporary housing and increased living costs. Liberty Mutual, for example, highlights this for its renters’ earthquake policies, often covering costs exceeding normal rent.
Another consistent characteristic across the best earthquake insurance companies is the presence of high deductibles.
Berkshire Hathaway’s offerings, for instance, note that deductibles often represent a significant percentage of the coverage limit, meaning policyholders bear substantial initial costs.
Meanwhile, companies like GeoVera focus on delivering robust solutions to help homeowners in high-risk areas like California, Oregon, and Washington, emphasizing that the protection against catastrophic loss outweighs initial out-of-pocket expenses. This specialized, add-on coverage from these earthquake insurance companies provides a financial safety net against an unpredictable force of nature.
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