Annual Probability of Earthquake Damage to a Home (US)

While the United States experiences about 20,000 earthquakes per year (most too small to be felt), damaging earthquakes are relatively rare. Approximately 0.2% of US homes experience some degree of earthquake damage in a given year, though this risk is heavily concentrated in seismically active regions.

The USGS estimates that about 143 million Americans (about 43% of the population) live in areas with significant earthquake hazard. California has the highest risk, with a 99.7% probability of a magnitude 6.7+ earthquake within the next 30 years. The Pacific Northwest (Cascadia subduction zone), Alaska, Hawaii, the New Madrid seismic zone (central US), and parts of the Southeast also face significant risk.

Only about 13% of homeowners in earthquake-prone areas carry earthquake insurance, largely due to high premiums and deductibles (typically 10-20% of the home's value). The California Earthquake Authority is the largest provider of residential earthquake insurance. Retrofit measures including foundation bolting, cripple wall bracing, and securing water heaters can significantly reduce damage risk and may qualify for insurance premium discounts.