Earthquake Insurance

16 I can’t afford earthquake insurance. Are there other ways I can protect my home? Yes. There are many things you can do to protect your home and reduce the damage caused by earthquakes. Whether you buy earthquake insurance or not, you should do what you can to protect your home, your belongings, and your family. • Retrofit as much as you can. See page 9. • Secure breakable items with museum putty. • Put latches on china cabinets. • Bolt tall furniture, like bookcases and armoires, to the studs in the walls. • Tie down computers and TVs. • Look in your local hardware store for latches, putty, computer straps, and other devices to help you protect your belongings. • For more tips on protecting your home, go to www.earthquakeauthority.com and www.earthquakebracebolt.com. Do not wait until after the earthquake. Waiting until after an earthquake to buy insurance is not a good idea. It doesn’t protect you from the damage you have already had. Also, after an earthquake, insurance companies often do not sell earthquake coverage for a certain period. And when they start to sell it again, the premiums may be higher.