As many of you know, I have a new position as Claims Analyst with Insurance Company of the West.  The position involves, in addition to handling complex commercial claims, working on special projects.  My latest project is one that may be of interest to some of the long time adjusters on this site.  I could also use some advice from those who have worked earthquakes in the past (especially Loma Prieta and Northridge).  I was a green auto adjuster on his first staff cat assignment with State Farm during the Northridge quake.   

Here's the project I've been assigned:  Create a syllabus and presentation designed to train experienced adjusters from other disciplines (auto, work comp, surety, and casualty) to be useful augmentation to the property staff examiners in the event of a major earthquake cat event.

The exposure will be on our Difference In Conditions (Earthquake) and Commercial Property policies.  We have no homeowners business currently in force.  I'm just gathering materials and ideas for the presentation at this point.

Any ideas and stories from those of you withexperience with this type of event would be much appreciated.

Hi Steve,

I worked the Northridge quake for two years and then went back in 2001 for almost another two years when legislation went into effect that allowed policyholders to reopen their Northridge claims.

Are you looking for information on damage identification, scoping, estimating, policy or all the above. Scoping the loss was often very interesting to say the least. Nothing like being on your belly in a tight crawlspace during an after shock.

Try this Steve. Lots of good information.

http://www.sacsteel.org/design/fema267b/chap5-2.pdf

This is also an excellent book.

http://www.amazon.com/Earthquake-Damage-Inspection-Evaluation-Repair/dp/0913875422

To answer your question, Roy.

I am just beginning this project, so what I am looking for at this point is:

1.  What types of structural issues are particularly prevalent during earthquakes?  I plan to do some research into concrete construction, masonry veneer, how to tell a settlement crack from an earthquake crack, what are the various repair methods for concrete, etc,  when do you repair versus when do you replace.

2.  What are the unique features of earthquake damage?  e.g. Are aftershocks likely to create new damage, exacerbate damage done by the main earthquake, etc.

3.  Stories are also good as an anecdotal way of presenting some of the materials.

4.  Even though earthquakes are generally excluded on commercial forms such as CP 0010 Property Forms, CP 0030 Business income loss forms, or CP1030 causes of loss forms, are there areas where coverage may be afforded that is supplemental to the DIC forms specifically designed to cover earthquake?  I already have a pretty good working knowledge of the DIC and commercial property forms that we write.  I will be studying them in more detail to see if there are any wrinkles in them that might apply in unexpected ways.   Anyone who encountered any of those wrinkles during Northridge or Loma Prieta might be able to steer me in directions I mi9ght not otherwise consider. 

When I am done with the sylabus it is likely to become my job to present the training to those hand selected adjusters from other parts of my company.  Their role will be as claim examiners on the claims inspected and prepared by independents.  I want to make sure I equip these adjusters who are knowledgeable already  in their own fields to also be adequate or better property examiners.

Tom, the links are much appreciated and I will be checking them out in more detail soon.

Thank you all so far. With the advice I have gotten here plus a little extra help via private email, I am making a good start on this project. Digging out the California Earthquake Authority training course (which I believe was compiled by Dan Dyce, John) has been of some assistance as well.

In a quick side note:

I just closed a Northridge earthquake file today.  People have been trying to close this claim since 1999.  For those not yet in the choir, let me inform you that's what real catadjusters do.  They close claims.

That had to give you a pretty good feeling, Steve.  The difference now is...you've always had the gun loaded & the ammunition to back you up, but didn't have the authority to pull the trigger as an independent cat adjuster.  I remember the days well, when as a staffer I had full policy limit authority & the checkbook in the pocket to pay the claim on site.  You've been there just a few weeks now, and put an old dog to sleep.  Just goes to show that the people who hired you have a great deal of faith in your capabilities, and can look at themselves now as being pretty sharp judges of talent.