Vast difference between Haiti and Chile earthquakes in terms of insurance coverage

The Insurance Information Institute came out today with an interesting analysis of the differences in insurance coverage between Haiti and Chile, both of which has suffered major earthquakes in recent days.

According to the I.I.I.'s Robert Hartwig, Chilean building codes are also among the strictest in the world, largely due to a devastating quake there in 1960.

The numbers are startling, both in terms of lives lost (Haiti 200,000+, Chile 723 so far) and insurance coverage ($2.3 billion in premiums for coverage in Chile in 2008, versus $19 million in Haiti).

What about us? Well, the group also notes that earthquakes in the United States are not covered under standard homeowners or business insurance policies, and that even in California, the state believed to be most at risk of a catastrophic quake, only 12 percent of homeowners carry quake coverage.

The link above also includes a list of 10 largest earthquakes in Chile in recent history, as well as a list of the 10 most costly quakes in the world.