For a stretch of years in the mid-2010s, Oklahoma had a strange new claim to fame: we were out-shaking California. Anyone living in Norman then remembers it — the rattle of dishes, the dog barking at nothing, the “did you feel that?” texts. Earthquake insurance went from an afterthought to one of the most-asked-about coverages in our office almost overnight.

Then the shaking slowed down, and now I get the opposite question: “Do I still need that earthquake coverage? Can I drop it?” It’s a fair question, and it deserves a real answer instead of a reflex.

What actually happened, by the numbers

The State of Oklahoma’s own tracking at earthquakes.ok.gov tells the story cleanly. Magnitude 3.0-or-greater earthquakes in Oklahoma ran 579 in 2014, peaked at a remarkable 903 in 2015, then fell to 623 in 2016 and 304 in 2017.

Read that sequence again: 903 quakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater in a single year. That’s not one memorable event — that’s multiple felt earthquakes per day, on average, across the state at the peak. The surge was linked in large part to wastewater disposal practices in the oil and gas industry, and after regulators directed changes to those practices, activity declined sharply — which the 2016 and 2017 numbers show plainly.

So both things are true: the earthquake swarm was real and historically extraordinary, and the trend since the peak has genuinely improved. Your coverage decision should account for both facts, not just one.

First, the part most homeowners don’t know

Whatever you decide, decide it knowingly: your standard homeowners policy excludes earthquake damage. Entirely. Cracked foundation, toppled chimney, shifted framing — if an earthquake caused it, the policy you already have pays nothing. Earthquake coverage only exists as a separate endorsement on your home policy or as a standalone policy.

This surprises people because tornado and wind damage are covered by default, so Oklahomans reasonably assume “acts of nature” are handled. Earth movement is the classic exception, and it has been for decades, everywhere — not just here.

How earthquake coverage works

A few things to understand before comparing quotes:

It has its own deductible, and it’s usually a percentage. Like wind/hail deductibles, earthquake deductibles are typically written as a percentage of your dwelling coverage rather than a flat dollar amount. The percentage varies meaningfully by carrier, and it’s the single most important term to compare — a low premium with a steep deductible may only respond to a catastrophic event.

It covers the damage other policies orphan. Structural damage, masonry and chimney damage, foundation cracking, and damaged contents from shaking are the core of what it picks up. Older homes — and Norman has plenty of beautiful ones — with unreinforced masonry or older foundations are exactly the construction types most vulnerable to shake damage.

It’s relatively affordable in Oklahoma. Pricing reflects risk, and with activity well off its peak, earthquake endorsements here generally cost a small fraction of what homeowners pay for their base policy. That’s precisely what makes the question worth revisiting: modest premium, real exclusion on the other side of the ledger.

So — keep it, add it, or skip it?

Here’s the honest framework I walk customers through:

Reasons the coverage still earns its keep:

  • The exclusion is total. Without the endorsement, your exposure to quake damage is 100% out of pocket, up to and including major structural repair.
  • The hazard declined; it didn’t vanish. Oklahoma still records earthquakes every year, and the geology that transmitted all that shaking didn’t go anywhere.
  • Foundation and masonry repairs are among the most expensive home repairs there are, and they’re exactly what shake damage produces.
  • While premiums are modest, the cost of being wrong is not symmetrical. Dropping a small premium to absorb an uncapped structural risk is a trade that should be made deliberately.

Reasons some homeowners reasonably skip it:

  • A newer, well-built frame home on a slab, with no masonry veneer issues, has less to lose from moderate shaking.
  • If the percentage deductible on offer is high, a homeowner with strong cash reserves may rationally self-insure the moderate scenarios the policy would barely touch anyway.
  • Budget is real. If a dollar of premium has to come from somewhere, adequate dwelling coverage and a sane wind/hail deductible come first in this state — earthquake is a supplement, not a substitute. (If you haven’t checked those lately, start with our home insurance overview.)

Notice what’s not on either list: “the swarm is over, so cancel it” and “the sky is falling, so buy it.” Both are reflexes. The real answer lives in your home’s construction, your foundation type, your deductible options, and your finances.

What we do differently

Because we’re independent and shop 22 carriers, we can pull earthquake endorsement pricing and — more importantly — deductible terms from multiple companies and lay them side by side. Sometimes the coverage you already have is priced fine and worth keeping. Sometimes another carrier offers a better deductible for similar money. And sometimes, for a particular home, we’ll tell you plainly that it’s a coverage you can reasonably pass on. We’ve been giving Norman families straight answers since 1997, and this topic is no exception.

Talk to us

If you’re carrying earthquake coverage you don’t understand — or skipping it without ever having seen a quote — that’s a ten-minute conversation worth having. Send us your current policy and we’ll run the comparison through our zero-hassle process while you get on with your day. Start a quote, read more on our earthquake insurance page, or call (405) 701-5368.