As the winter storm moves into the metro this weekend, many people in Oklahoma City and Edmond felt more than just a cold front.
“It was like boom,” said Tammy Bryant of Edmond. “Deep down I was thinking it had something to do with the ice and cold or something.” It wasn’t, as Bryant’s outdoor security camera showed, it was an earthquake. “It was loud, but it definitely sounded louder on camera and on my video,” she said.
The quake was one of about 20 before the storm that began shaking parts of Edmond and Oklahoma City over the weekend. “I was laying in bed with all my pets and the whole bed shook, and it was so loud,” Brian recalls.
The epicenter of those quakes was in Edmond near Lake Arcadia, according to the US Geological Survey. The City of Edmond says the Department of Public Works conducted a visual inspection and found no impact on nearby bridges or crossings. The city also said in a social media post that the Corps of Engineers conducted a physical inspection of the Arcadia Lake Dam and that city engineers are awaiting the report. However, the dam is designed to withstand large seismic events.
Some News 9 viewers sent in photos of cracked walls and say the damage was caused by the quake swarm. According to the Oklahoma Department of Insurance, a standard homeowner’s policy does not cover earthquake damage. “It’s become more prevalent in the recent past because of all the activity we’ve done,” State Farm Insurance Underwriter Bill Holley said about the number of people signing up for coverage.
Holly says that after an earthquake, his office receives calls from clients about earthquake coverage. Although it’s not part of a homeowner’s standard policy, earthquake insurance is available as an endorsement or a stand-alone policy, he says. “You can choose from three deductible options of 5, 10 or 15 percent of your dwelling coverage,” Holley said.
Information from the OID website says that earthquake insurance covers repairs needed due to earthquake damage to your home, and that an Oklahoma homeowner can expect to pay $50 to $300 per year for earthquake coverage. “I’ve had it since I had a 25-year lease policy and never used it, but if there’s a significant event, FEMA will wait to come and help you if you don’t have some help from your insurance company,” Holley said.
The OID also says exceptions vary by policy. Review your earthquake coverage to understand what’s not covered or talk to your agent. For more information about earthquake insurance from OID, click here: https://www.oid.ok.gov/consumers/insurance-basics/disasters/earthquakes/