The CEA Brace + Bolt (CEA BB) program was developed to help qualified CEA policyholders lessen the potential for damage to their older house during an earthquake and save money on their insurance premium.*
CEA BB provides qualified policyholders up to $3,000 to complete a code-compliant brace and bolt retrofit of their home. As part of the program, policyholders may also qualify for up to a 25% discount on their CEA earthquake insurance premium once their retrofit is complete.
A residential seismic retrofit strengthens an existing older house, making it more resistant to earthquake activity such as ground shaking and soil failure. The seismic retrofitting involves bolting the house to its foundation and, when necessary, adding bracing around the perimeter of the crawl space.
A typical retrofit may cost between $3,000 and $7,000 depending on the location and size of the house, contractor fees, and the amount of materials and work involved. Most homeowners decide to hire a contractor to do the retrofit work instead of doing it themselves, but if the homeowner is an experienced do-it-yourselfer, a retrofit can cost less than $3,000.
- Learn more about the CEA BB program.
- Contact Us or call 800-584-BOLT (2658) for specific questions.
- Already participating in CEA BB? Log in to your Policyholder Dashboard to access documents and other information.
*Disclaimer
An earthquake or other natural disaster can occur at any time. CEA and the California Residential Mitigation Program (CRMP) provide monetary grants to assist qualified homeowners in securing structural home improvements in an effort to reduce (but not eliminate) damage or collapse in the event of an earthquake.
Anyone who accesses the information on this website acknowledges and accepts that CEA and CRMP are not offering technical earthquake or seismic engineering advice with regards to any specific home; that the information on CEA and CRMP websites are intended solely as general educational information regarding the potential benefits of homeowners interested in earthquake safety, and that none of the information may or should be construed as a guarantee of the efficacy of any particular seismic retrofit or service provider.