Jumpstart ratings and coverages

Jumpstart claims process

Jumpstart’s claims process is far different from a standard insurance company. Instead of dealing with an adjuster and getting a payout based on your damage, Jumpstart is designed to help you get back on your feet (not cover your full loss). With Jumpstart, there’s no paperwork, deductible or an adjuster — just a text message. If you’re confirmed to be in an area affected by an earthquake, you’ll just need to reply to the text and you’ll be paid.

Jumpstart says you can use the payout for things such as:

• Living Expenses
• Replacing Broken Items
• Moving Costs
• Child/Elder Care
• Home Repairs

Payment eligibility is determined on the shaking intensity of the earthquake. For areas to qualify, they must experience severe shaking of 30 centimeters per second or more, as reported by the USGS (not the insurance company). This is roughly equivalent to the "red zone" published on USGS shake maps.

More about Jumpstart

Jumpstart isn’t designed to replace other traditional earthquake insurance. If you experience a complete loss, Jumpstart Recovery doesn’t base its payout on your losses. Rather, Jumpstart is designed to simply get you back on your feet with immediate expenses directly after an earthquake. You can purchase Jumpstart even if you don't have conventional renter's or homeowner's coverage, or you can buy it as additional coverage to a traditional earthquake insurance policy.

On Jumpstart’s website, the company says about 10 percent of California residents are currently insured for earthquakes. However, not all residents with insurance will experience a payout because of deductibles.

Jumpstart plans to expand to additional states beyond California.