There’s no doubt that the earth is moving. Monday morning, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake rocked Java, Indonesia. Last week, Southern Californians also received a fairly substantial reminder that we are in an earthquake hot zone. Although we are used to daily tremors that range up to the magnitude of 2.8, last week, the coast off of Los Angeles was rocked with a 4.1 magnitude earthquake. Those living on the Westside of Los Angeles felt the distinct jolt at approximately 10:15pm.
On May 30, 2012, as I sat in the family room of my home, I looked up in concern as the shelves which contain a few valuables rocked back and forth. Luckily, nothing was knocked over or lost. Like many other Southern Californians, the very next day I called my insurance broker to make sure my earthquake insurance coverage was in full effect. While on the phone, my broker indicated there are many different things a homeowner can do to prevent personal property damage: securing shelves to a wall, using museum putty to hold down valuables on shelves, and using fishing line to hold the top of the shelves in place. These tips are important and can be found on many earthquake preparedness websites such as ready.gov.
As I routinely monitor California Earthquakes on my ipad, I notice that more areas of California are active. Preparing for an earthquake requires preparation, and making sure your home or business has earthquake coverage. Earthquake insurance can be obtained through many carriers of the California Earthquake Authority. Although earthquake coverage is expensive, if you live in California, its something that should be explored.
