Foundation bolting and earthquake insurance
Foundation bolting — installing anchor bolts through the sill plate into the concrete foundation — is the most fundamental seismic retrofit for raised-foundation homes. Without it, the house can slide off its foundation during shaking. Carriers price unretrofitted raised-foundation homes with a surcharge; documented bolting is the most direct way to reduce it.
What the Best Earthquake wizard captures
The application documents all the details underwriters look for. Gathering the following before applying produces a stronger submission and faster broker review:
- Bolting completion: year, contractor or engineer, permit number
- EBB (Earthquake Brace + Bolt) certificate if applicable
- Foundation type and material (wood sill plate condition, concrete quality)
- Year built — pre-1940 homes may need engineer review for anchor placement
- Any prior foundation or structural settlement claims
From indication to bindable options
The Best Earthquake Insurance application gives a preliminary annual range anchored to CDI data, then submits a completed Covwell application to Bollinsure for broker review. A licensed California broker reviews your construction, retrofit, and loss details and shops multiple carrier markets to find the best available terms.
The indication is not a bindable quote — final coverage is subject to underwriting, carrier eligibility, and policy terms. But starting with a strong, complete application gives the broker the best possible foundation for market submission.
Ready to submit?
The 5-step application wizard takes approximately 5–8 minutes to complete. It walks through property and applicant details, coverage terms and deductible selection, construction and foundation type, retrofit and loss history, and a review-and-sign step where you can preview the completed PDF before submitting.
Your completed application is reviewed by a licensed broker who follows up — often the same business day — with market options and next steps.