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Protecting Yourself and Your Family First, check to be sure that no one in the family is injured. Start first aid immediately if injuries are found. Be prepared for aftershocks which are normal following an earthquake. Stay away from beach areas because of the danger of tsunamis (large seismic sea waves).  Protecting Your Property  Check utility lines and appliances for damage. If you smell gas, open the windows and turn off the main gas valve. Do not turn on electric lights or appliances until the gas has dissipated. They can cause sparks that might ignite the gas. If electric wires are shorting out, turn off the power. Clean up flammable liquids inside buildings. Check to see that sewage lines are intact and working before flushing toilets. Check chimneys for cracks or other damage before using them. Notify your insurance agent or company representative as soon as possible. If you have vacated the premises, make sure your representative knows where to contact you. Tak

Earthquake Insurance Basics Standard homeowners and renters insurance does not cover earthquake damage. Earthquake coverage is available in the form of a separate policy or an endorsement from most private insurers and, in California, the California Earthquake Authority (CEA). A homeowners or renters policy will, however, generally cover losses from fire following a quake. If the fire makes the home unlivable, there may also be coverage for additional living expenses should it be necessary to live away from your home while it is being repaired. Earthquake insurance is, of course, important to have if you live near a fault line. But keep in mind that earthquakes can also have widespread impact, affecting areas far from major fault lines. If your house is at any risk from quake-related shaking, damage to foundations, wall collapses and contents could result and you may want to consider buying an earthquake insurance policy. Cars and other vehicles are covered for earthquake dam

While earthquakes are most commonly associated with California, they have occurred in 39 states over the last 100 years, and have inflicted damage in all 50 states. In fact, each year there are about 5,000 earthquakes. The potential cost of earthquakes has been growing because of increasing urban development in seismically active areas and the vulnerability of older buildings which may not have been built or upgraded to current building codes. Earthquakes are not covered under standard homeowners or business insurance policies. Coverage, however, is available in the form of an endorsement to a home or business insurance policy. In California, homeowners can get coverage from the  California Earthquake Authority (CEA) , a privately funded, publicly managed organization, and about 30 percent of earthquake policies are written by private insurers. Nonetheless, only about 13 percent of homeowners currently buy the coverage.” Earthquake insurance provides protection from the shaking

Protecting yourself and your family Be sure that all family members know how to turn off utilities (gas, water and electricity) in an emergency. Make sure every family member knows where safe spots are in each room, such as under sturdy tables or desks or in strong doorways. Identify danger zones in each room, such as windows, bookshelves and furniture, that may fall over and cause injuries. Protecting your property Check to see that your house has been properly "tied" to the foundation. Extensive damage is often done to homes that shift and slide on the foundation during an earthquake. A contractor can advise you about this and suggest whether lateral bracing of the house walls is necessary. Be sure that water heaters and other gas appliances are properly bolted down or supported on the floor or wall. Put the heavier, breakable items on lower shelves. Search the ceiling and foundation for deep plaster cracks. Make the necessary repairs if there are signs

EARTHQUAKE PROTECTION Earthquakes are a real threat to your home, possessions, and safety. Learn simple ways to improve the security of your home against this disaster. Spokespersons: Jeanne Salvatore, Insurance Information Institute; Harvey Ryland, Institute for Business & Home Safety.

The price you pay for your auto insurance can vary by hundreds of dollars, depending what type of car you have and the insurance company you buy your policy from. Here are some ways to save money. 1. Shop Around Prices vary from company to company, so it pays to shop around. Get at least three price quotes. You can call companies directly or access information on the Internet. Your state insurance department may also provide comparisons of prices charged by major insurers. (State insurance department phone numbers and Web sites can be found on the back cover.) You buy insurance to protect you financially and provide peace of mind. It’s important to pick a company that is financially stable. Check the financial health of insurance companies with rating companies such as A.M. Best (www.ambest.com) and Standard & Poor’s (www.standardandpoors.com/ratings) and consult consumer magazines. Get quotes from different types of insurance companies. Some sell through their own agents.

Accounting is a system of recording, analyzing and verifying an organization’s financial status. In the United States, all corporate accounting is governed by a common set of accounting rules, known as generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, established by the independent Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) currently requires publicly owned companies to follow these rules. Over time, both organizations intend to align their standards with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Accounting rules have evolved over time and for different users. Before the 1930s corporate accounting focused on management and creditors as the end users. Since then GAAP has increasingly addressed investors’ need to be able to evaluate and compare financial performance from one reporting period to the next and among companies. In addition, GAAP has emphasized “transparency,” meaning that accounting rules must be understandable by