Do we still need this with a $15 million exemption?

Most California couples do not, and that is worth saying plainly. With the federal exemption at $15 million per person in 2026 and California imposing no estate tax of its own, an estate below those thresholds has no federal estate tax to fund. Where it still earns its place is an estate near or above the exemption, or one concentrated in a business, ranch, or property nobody wants to sell quickly. Your CPA should confirm where you sit. Current as of August 2026.

Can one spouse be in poor health?

Often yes, and that is one of the practical reasons couples look at it. Because the payout waits for the second death, underwriting can sometimes accommodate a health history that would make an individual policy expensive or unavailable. It is not automatic and the rating still reflects both lives. Send us the health picture for both people before assuming either way.

Is it cheaper than two individual policies?

Usually, because the insurer is pricing one death rather than two. Insuring two lives on one contract with a single payout at the second death generally costs less than two separate policies of the same total face amount. Whether that is the right comparison depends on what the money is for. Two individual policies pay twice and protect the survivor; this pays once and protects the estate.

When does a second-to-die policy pay?

Only on the death of the second insured, not the first. That is the whole design. The unlimited marital deduction means no federal estate tax is generally due at the first death, so the money is timed to arrive when a bill actually can. It also means the surviving spouse receives nothing from this policy, which is why it sits alongside individual coverage rather than replacing it.

I own a condo. How does earthquake coverage work?

Differently, because you do not own the building. Your association's master policy covers the structure, and where the association carries earthquake coverage, its deductible is typically assessed back to individual owners. A condo earthquake policy is built around that: loss assessment coverage for your share of the association's deductible and uncovered damage, plus your personal property and loss of use. The CEA writes condo coverage as a companion to a condo unit policy with a participating insurer. Your CC&Rs and the association's master policy declarations decide how much of the loss reaches you, so read both before setting limits.

Does earthquake insurance cover a detached garage, pool, or driveway?

Not automatically. Earthquake policies are built around the dwelling, personal property and loss of use. Detached structures, hardscape, pools, retaining walls and exterior features are commonly limited or excluded unless specifically added, and the treatment differs between CEA and private forms. What is covered, and to what limit, appears on the declarations page rather than being safe to assume.

What does earthquake insurance cost in California?

There is no rate card, because the premium is built from the specific property. What moves it most: the age and construction of the home, whether it sits on a slab or a raised foundation, soil type and fault proximity at the address, the dwelling limit, and above all the deductible percentage. A 5 percent deductible costs considerably more than a 25 percent deductible on the same home. Rather than quote a range that would not survive contact with your address, we can price the same home at several deductible levels so you can see the trade directly.

If I buy earthquake insurance right after a quake, am I covered for the aftershocks?

There is no moratorium on buying CEA coverage, which is the most common misconception in California earthquake insurance. A CEA policy can be bought anywhere in the state, at any time, by anyone whose home insurer participates. The Department of Insurance has had to correct insurers who described a purchase moratorium that does not exist. What does apply is narrower. A new policy does not cover earthquakes that are seismically related to a prior event for 360 hours, which is 15 days, after it is written. That is an aftershock provision, not a bar on buying, and the distinction matters if you are deciding whether to act after a headline quake.

Why is the earthquake deductible a percentage instead of a dollar amount?

Because earthquake losses arrive region-wide rather than one house at a time. In an ordinary fire, one home is affected. In a significant quake, tens of thousands of claims land at once, and the percentage deductible is part of what keeps the coverage available at all. It is calculated against your dwelling limit, so 15 percent on a $600,000 limit is $90,000. That number is why the coverage is built for a structure-threatening event rather than for cosmetic cracking, and it is the first figure to compare when weighing options.

Does a seismic retrofit reduce my earthquake insurance premium?

Yes, by up to 25 percent on a CEA policy, and it can do more than lower the premium. The CEA offers a hazard reduction discount once a code-compliant brace-and-bolt retrofit is complete. For a pre-1980 home on a raised foundation, a verified retrofit can also move you out of the restricted 15 to 25 percent deductible band and into the lower ones, which changes what you would pay after a quake rather than only what you pay each year. Separately, the state's Earthquake Brace + Bolt programme provides grants of up to $3,000 toward the retrofit itself, with a supplemental grant of up to $7,000 for income-eligible households. The work has to meet the programme standard and be documented before either benefit applies, so keep the paperwork. Private carriers assess retrofits too, though the credit is set by each carrier rather than by a published schedule.

FAQs FAQ Listings | Schneiderman Insurance Agency

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Do we still need this with a $15 million exemption?
Most California couples do not, and that is worth saying plainly. With the federal exemption at $15 million per person in 2026 and California imposing no estate tax of its ...
Read MoreRead More
Can one spouse be in poor health?
Often yes, and that is one of the practical reasons couples look at it. Because the payout waits for the second death, underwriting can sometimes accommodate a health history that ...
Read MoreRead More
Is it cheaper than two individual policies?
Usually, because the insurer is pricing one death rather than two. Insuring two lives on one contract with a single payout at the second death generally costs less than two ...
Read MoreRead More
When does a second-to-die policy pay?
Only on the death of the second insured, not the first. That is the whole design. The unlimited marital deduction means no federal estate tax is generally due at the ...
Read MoreRead More
I own a condo. How does earthquake coverage work?
Differently, because you do not own the building. Your association's master policy covers the structure, and where the association carries earthquake coverage, its deductible is typically assessed back to individual ...
Read MoreRead More
Does earthquake insurance cover a detached garage, pool, or driveway?
Not automatically. Earthquake policies are built around the dwelling, personal property and loss of use. Detached structures, hardscape, pools, retaining walls and exterior features are commonly limited or excluded unless ...
Read MoreRead More
What does earthquake insurance cost in California?
There is no rate card, because the premium is built from the specific property. What moves it most: the age and construction of the home, whether it sits on a ...
Read MoreRead More
If I buy earthquake insurance right after a quake, am I covered for the aftershocks?
There is no moratorium on buying CEA coverage, which is the most common misconception in California earthquake insurance. A CEA policy can be bought anywhere in the state, at any ...
Read MoreRead More
Why is the earthquake deductible a percentage instead of a dollar amount?
Because earthquake losses arrive region-wide rather than one house at a time. In an ordinary fire, one home is affected. In a significant quake, tens of thousands of claims land ...
Read MoreRead More
Does a seismic retrofit reduce my earthquake insurance premium?
Yes, by up to 25 percent on a CEA policy, and it can do more than lower the premium. The CEA offers a hazard reduction discount once a code-compliant brace-and-bolt ...
Read MoreRead More

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