Earthquake insurance necessary in Bend??? (Klamath Falls: spring break, houses, buying)

[khunguni]

Do most home owners in the Bend area carry earthquake home insurance? I presume it would be prudent and recommended? I know the Willamette Valley and Klamath Falls areas are susceptable to earthquakes, but not sure about the Bend area. Thank you for any input.

[delta07]

We just bought a house in Bend and I'm pretty sure earthquake insurance was part of our homeowners policy. I don't think earthquakes are as common as the coast, but I could be wrong.

[Silverfall]

Originally Posted by delta07

We just bought a house in Bend and I'm pretty sure earthquake insurance was part of our homeowners policy. I don't think earthquakes are as common as the coast, but I could be wrong.

I doubt earthquake cover is part of your regular insurance. Floods and earthquakes require a separate rider.

[Bendite]

We don't carry earthquake insurance. All of Oregon experiences earthquakes but those in Deschutes County have historically been very mild. I think that if we lived on one of Bend's hillsides, like those houses that seem to hang off a cliff on Archie Briggs Road, we might consider it. Here's an interesting report that projects earthquakes/damage in Oregon over the next 500 years:

http://www.oregongeology.org/sub/ear...P29SUMMARY.pdf

[PNW-type-gal]

While Bend has not had a really big quake in recent memory, there is a ton of earthquake activity and very recent - in the last 1,000 years or so - volcanic activity.

Building codes in Oregon changed to reflect earthquake hazards somewhere in the late 90s, after the Spring Break quake and the Kfalls quake (and the work on the potential damage from a large subduction zone quake). A newer house, built since at least around 2000 and later, will have all of that built in - Simpson strong tie in just about every conceivable place, much more effective joining of the framing to the stem walls and much higher sheer strength ties. Older houses are more of a risk, especially if they have a lot of unsupported masonry fascia.

You have to weigh financial cost versus risk comfort level versus potential benefit with earthquake insurance. Last I looked at a policy, it was structure only, had a $30,000 deductible and was something like $150 a month. Policies and times may have changed.

[pw72]

As this map shows, there is a kind-of belt across central Oregon where quakes don't happen as often. Bend is in it!

Earthquake Probability Map

[PNW-type-gal]

That map is only based on 94 years of data - not enough to get an accurate picture. If you looked at only 94 years of data for the Oregon coast, you wouldn't think there was much of a hazard there, either.

[pw72]

Were you planning on buying a 94-year policy?

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I lived in Klamath Falls in the 1990's when we were hit with 3 large earthquakes, causing a lot of damage.

Earthquakes are few & far between, but being so close to a major mountain range makes me think it's a good idea.

[khunguni]

Thanks to everyone for the insight and information. I believe it was an additional $34 per year to add it to our homeowners policy. For that amount, we are going to add it our policy, and hope we never use it!