Don’t count on your homeowners insurance policy in the face of an earthquake—neither quakes nor losses resulting from earth movement are covered under standard policies. Supplemental coverage is available, however, and you may want to consider it if you find that you live in an…

Don’t count on your homeowners insurance policy in the face of an earthquake—neither quakes nor losses resulting from earth movement are covered under standard policies. Supplemental coverage is available, however, and you may want to consider it if you find that you live in an area with potential for quakes.

According to the U.S Geological Survey (USGS), earthquakes pose significant risk to 75 million Americans in 39 states. While California carries two-thirds of the nation’s earthquake risk, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III), earthquakes hit many other parts of the country, too.

Historical norms aren’t always a good guide. If recent weather conditions, like droughts and flooding, are not corresponding to historical norms, who’s to say fault line activity won’t diverge from historical norms as well?

Take Superstorm Sandy: Many of the impacted areas weren’t prone to extensive flooding prior to the storm. Because of this, many residents did not have flood insurance. When these homeowners fell victim to flooding and wind damage from the powerful storm, it was too late to get coverage.

Earthquakes are no different. It’s not just Californians who may want to think about coverage. East Coast residents, for example,...