California's Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) program provides homeowners with grants of up to $3,000 to seismically retrofit their houses. Since its introduction in 2014, the EBB program has seen a steady increase in applications as more and more homeowners discover the safety and financial benefits of seismic retrofitting. Unfortunately, the growing popularity of EBB has meant that many homeowners, among them CEA policyholders, have had to wait longer than they’d like to participate.
For this reason and others, CEA has moved its pilot Brace + Bolt program into a full-fledged retrofit grant program, with an invitation to over 14,000 policyholders. The CEA Brace + Bolt program (CEA BB) is modeled on California’s EBB effort. But unlike EBB, CEA’s program is available only to select CEA policyholders.
Up to $3,000 Available for Seismic Retrofitting of Older Houses
Like the EBB program, CEA’s Brace + Bolt program awards homeowners up to $3,000 to help pay for the cost of a retrofit. But the qualifications are different.
To qualify for CEA BB, a policyholder must meet the following criteria:
- Have been invited to participate by CEA, and
- Own a house with characteristics suitable for this type of retrofit in accordance with California Existing Building Code Chapter A3 (Chapter A3).
Learn more about program requirements for CEA BB.
Big Discounts on CEA Premiums for CEA BB Participants
In addition to providing grants to help your insureds afford the cost of a retrofit, CEA also extends generous premium discounts to CEA BB participants. Beginning July 1, 2019, these CEA policyholders will be able to reduce their premium payments by as much as 25 percent.
To qualify for these and other CEA BB benefits, participating homeowners who use a contractor must choose their contractor from the Contractor Directory located on the CEA BB website. This ensures the contractor has taken necessary seismic retrofit training. Of course, homeowners can do the retrofit themselves, but their work must also be permitted and inspected by their local building department.
It’s Easy for Your Insureds to Participate in CEA BB
Homeowners who qualify for enrollment in the CEA BB program will receive an invitation letter from CEA. Encourage your insureds to look for this letter, as it contains important information about how to register for CEA BB. Policyholders can also visit CEA Brace + Bolt or call 800-584-2658 to learn more. After registration, they will receive immediate notification if their house qualifies for this program, followed by a packet of information to guide them through the process.
Learn More about CEA BB
Now there’s another way to help your insureds upgrade to the current building codes for seismic safety, and make their older houses more resilient against earthquake damage. To learn more about CEA BB, and how your insureds can benefit from this new retrofit program, check out our CEA BB webinar.