When the shaking starts, it’s rarely the structure of a house that causes the most immediate harm. It’s what’s inside it. The everyday items sitting in most living rooms, bedrooms, and kitchens are consistently the first things to move, fall, or break, and often the first things to cause injury before a home’s structural damage even becomes a concern.
1. Bookcases and Tall Furniture
Unanchored bookcases, dressers, and cabinets are near the top of every earthquake safety checklist for a reason. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), securing furniture that can topple with “L” brackets, corner brackets, aluminum molding, or eyebolts, and placing heavy or large objects on lower shelves reduces the chance of anything falling from height during an earthquake or its aftershocks.
2. TVs and Electronics
Flat-screen TVs and other electronics are common tipping hazards, particularly when placed on unsecured stands or shelving. According to Ready.gov, securing heavy items like televisions the same way as bookcases and other furniture matters, since a falling TV can cause injury well beyond the cost of replacing it.
3. The Water Heater
It’s easy to overlook, but a water heater that isn’t strapped down can tip over, rupture a gas line, or cause a leak. The CDC recommends securing the water heater with a wide metal strap around the top, attached to wall studs, along with a labeled valve wrench nearby so the water line can be shut off quickly if needed.
4. Cabinets, Shelves, and Hanging Items
Cabinet doors can swing open during shaking and send contents crashing to the floor, and mirrors or picture frames hung above beds or seating areas can become falling hazards of their own. The CDC recommends installing sliding bolts or childproof latches on cabinet doors and moving heavy mirrors or pictures away from beds and chairs, or anchoring them into wall studs with wire through eye screws instead.
The Coverage Standard Policies Skip
Securing the furniture is a smart first step, but it’s worth knowing that a standard homeowners policy generally doesn’t cover earthquake damage to your home or belongings. That gap catches a lot of people by surprise after the fact, since many homeowners assume their existing policy already accounts for it. A separate earthquake policy is the way to close that gap, and it’s worth understanding before you need it rather than after.
Earthquake insurance is designed to cover the kind of damage a standard homeowners policy leaves out. It generally includes coverage for the structure of your home and personal belongings inside it, as well as living expenses, which covers extra costs if your home isn’t habitable and you need to live elsewhere while it’s repaired.
Get an earthquake insurance quote or contact a Westwood agent to get started.
Please note: This article is for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not represent any specific insurance policy and does not modify any provisions, limitations, or exclusions of any current policy.
