Why independent broker access matters for earthquake
Earthquake insurance isn't like auto coverage where most carriers write the same risk similarly. Each carrier has distinct appetite, underwriting criteria, and pricing models. CEA uses standardized California rates tied to the CEA form. Private admitted carriers like ICW price based on year built, construction, and foundation. Specialty non-admitted markets like Palomar and GeoVera write harder-to-place properties — older homes, hillside locations, masonry construction — that standard programs decline.
When you submit one complete application to us, licensed brokers match your specific property profile to the carrier most likely to offer favorable terms. A pre-1980 raised-foundation home in Oakland faces different underwriting than a 2010 slab-foundation home in San Diego — and different carriers write each of those risks well. Getting declined by one market doesn't mean you're uninsurable; it often means your risk hasn't reached the right underwriter.
We also review your retrofit documentation, explain deductible options, and flag coverage gaps before placement. The application is the beginning of the conversation, not the end.
Residential earthquake markets we access
Individual carrier pages explain each market's financial strength, appetite, what they write, and where they fit in a residential earthquake submission.
California Earthquake Authority
State-managed residential EQ program accessed through participating homeowners insurers. The largest residential earthquake insurer in the US.
Covwell
Application workflow partner for full residential earthquake submissions. Our wizard routes to the Covwell form for broker review and market placement.
ICW Group
California-domiciled, employee-owned admitted carrier. Regulated CDI rates and forms. Good fit for qualifying standard construction California residences.
Palomar Specialty
Specialty catastrophe insurer with wide California earthquake appetite including older homes, hillside, and non-standard construction. NASDAQ: PLMR.
GeoVera Insurance
California residential earthquake specialist, now part of the SageSure group. Dedicated earthquake underwriting expertise for California residential risks.
Munich Re EQ
World's largest reinsurer providing capacity for high-value residential and complex earthquake risks through specialty broker channels.
QBE Insurance
Global specialty insurer providing earthquake capacity through program administrators and wholesale channels in California.
AXIS Capital
Bermuda-domiciled global specialty insurer with strong property catastrophe operations. AM Best A+ — accessed through specialty channels.
One submission, the entire market
A direct quote from CEA or any single carrier gives you one answer — that carrier's appetite, pricing, and form. If your property doesn't fit, you're declined with no alternatives. An independent broker submission routes the same application to every eligible market simultaneously. Your property gets matched to the carrier with the right combination of appetite, pricing, and form — not the first one that answers.
For older homes, non-standard construction, hillside locations, and properties with prior claims or damage, broker access is often the only path to bindable coverage. The specialty markets — Palomar, GeoVera, Munich Re, AXIS — only work through brokers. You can't reach them directly.
About earthquake insurance market access
How do you decide which carrier to place a risk with?
After reviewing the full application, we match the property profile to the carrier whose appetite, pricing model, and form best fit your specific situation. County, year built, construction type, foundation, deductible, and limit all factor in. For standard properties CEA or ICW may be the clear fit; for complex or older properties the specialty markets are often necessary. We explain the options before binding.
What if I was declined by one carrier — can I still get coverage?
Often yes. Each carrier has different eligibility criteria. A CEA declination doesn't mean Palomar or GeoVera will decline — specialty markets write risks that standard programs turn down. We will tell you honestly if a property is genuinely uninsurable in the current market, but a single declination is rarely the whole story.
Are all these carriers admitted in California?
Some are admitted (ICW Group, CEA); others are non-admitted specialty markets (Palomar for some programs, GeoVera for some forms, Munich Re, AXIS, QBE for specialty lines). Non-admitted carriers are not part of the California Insurance Guarantee Association, meaning claim-paying security relies entirely on the carrier's financial strength — which is why AM Best ratings matter for non-admitted markets.
Submit one application — we shop the market
Complete the application wizard, review your pricing indication, and sign. Our licensed brokers review your property details and bring back bindable options from the right markets.