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1. Estimate your risk
Earthquakes are a risk that we accept as part of living in the
Bay Area. We face many other risks in our lives, and we routinely
take precautions to reduce our losses from them; for example, we
wear seat belts to reduce the risk of injury during automobile accidents.
This is an action that most people have come to accept as a reasonable
precaution.
Earthquake hazards can also be reduced significantly by taking
appropriate action. Such actions can be taken by individuals, businesses,
and governments. The basic actions described in What
to Do Right Now to Prepare are reasonable precautions that should
be taken by all residents of the Bay Area. Other actions - such
as strengthening or replacing a dangerous building and choosing
to live in a safer building or in a safer part of your city - may
involve significant expense and some disruption. Yet, damage to
buildings and other structures is the primary cause of death, injury,
and financial loss during a large earthquake.
To decide how much action is required to reduce earthquake hazards,
you must estimate your risk. Earthquake risk varies from location
to location, from structure to structure, from person to person.
- Is there a risk of serious injury or even death for occupants
of a specific building?
- What would be the cost of repairing or replacing a building
after a large earthquake?
- What would be the cost of not being able to use a building after
a large earthquake?
- What are the odds that time and money spent on action today
will prove cost-effective within your lifetime and within the
lifetimes of existing structures?
- If a structure will be replaced by normal development within
10 years, is strengthening it to resist earthquake damage cost-effective?
- Is such strengthening required by a governmental agency, is
it legally reasonable, or is it morally necessary?
These are difficult questions. The sections on the following pages
are designed to help you assess your risk from earthquakes and determine
how much action is appropriate for you. We can live more safely
with earthquakes by understanding the risks and by taking reasonable
precautions.
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Modern criteria for seismic design and construction
have been included in the Uniform Building Code since
1973. The 1988 edition has the most up-to-date requirements.
Construction of nearly all new buildings in California
complies with this or a similar code.
The code requires greater strength for essential facilities
and for sites on soft soil where shaking intensity is
increased. The code sets minimum requirements that assure
life safety but allow earthquake damage and loss of
function. Owners who desire less potential damage and
continued use of the building after severe earthquakes
should insist on higher standards for design, construction,
and inspection. Discuss with an architect or a civil
or structural engineer what level of damage will be
acceptable.
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The most common type of earthquake insurance is normally
added as an endorsement on a standard homeowners insurance
policy. Typically, there is a deductible of 5 to 10
percent, and sometimes 15 percent, of the value of the
home. This means that for a home currently insured at
$200,000, you would have to pay $10,000 to $30,000 on
damages before the insurance company would pay anything.
Separate deductibles may apply to contents and structure.
An important coverage is temporary living expense, which
pays for motel and meals if you have to move out of
your home. There is usually no deductible on this coverage.
The yearly cost of residential earthquake insurance
is normally about $1.50 to $3.00 per $1,000 of coverage
on the structure.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, 30 to 40 percent of
homeowners have purchased earthquake insurance. The
percentage drops to about 25 for all of California.
To find out more about earthquake insurance, ask your
insurance agent or call the California State Department
of Insurance at (800) 233-9045.
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