Hi Tony & All,

Being the "professional insurance person" on this board, I have to say that insofar as I am aware there is absolutely no interest by any insurers in earthquake prediction.

They are interested in earthquake preparedness and most all of them circulate a great deal of written material to the public.

When the Northridge earthquake occurred they spent all of the premiums they collected since they started selling earthquake insurance and then some on this one single event. As a result they knew covering future events was going to be very difficult and so they stopped writing homeowners insurance because they were required to offer earthquake insurance every single time they wrote a policy.

Eventually the California Earthquake Authority was formed by the majority of the insurers and managed through the State of California. Its the bare bones catastropic coverage program with little to offer the public in coverage. There are extreme limitations and in the end, if the pool runs out of money, all of the policyholders could end up paying more than their premiums, as they can be assessed the difference.

There are still a few insurers out there who offer the old fashioned full coverage programs, but we have to realize the insurers know at any time something as costly or moreso than Northridge is right around the bend and footing the bill is going to be tough.

In the wake up and smell the coffee department we should all realize that a major quake that could affect Los Angeles or San Francisco could have an economic impact that reaches out through the entire US and also into foreign economies.

I have been thinking for more than a week that we haven't had a 7.0 quake in the world and one is just about to make its presense known at any time. I tried to imagine where it might occur and every time I do, I just come up with a blank. I have no idea at all. But my sixth sense tells me this next one will occur in a place that will seem unusual. Of course I can't explain that.

Petra