Southampton - The earthquake on Cutchogue has prompted HUB International Northeast to encourage residents to mitigate risk by stepping up their natural disaster protection policy.

"Someone living in New York, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania may think the risk of earthquakes is low because there hasn't been a severe quake there for decades. In reality, the Ramapo Seismic Zone sits atop earthquake fault lines that run through these states and can prove problematic at anytime," says Damian Testa, president, New Jersey and Pennsylvania operations of leading risk management and insurance brokerage firm HUB International Northeast. "Without insuring against the risk, one could suffer terrible financial consequences."

According to the advisory, "dozens of small quakes have been felt in Manhattan," with a 2.4 magnitude earthquake occurring in 2001. The advisory further states that "magnitude 5 earthquakes occur in New York about every century," and that an 1884 quake "toppled chimneys and its shock was felt from Virginia to Maine."

Few insurers offer coverage in high-risk locales, including East Coast areas that are only remotely exposed to the threat of hurricanes. But HUB's High Risk Homeowners' Coverage for Earthquake and Wind Storm offers insurance that protects against natural catastrophes and covers wind or flood exposures.

HUB identifies carriers willing to work with homeowners and business owners to fully assess each individual's or entity's risks and develop a comprehensive plan to protect against them. Adding earthquake coverage to a policy is typically inexpensive in the northeast region; however, windstorm coverage can be more costly and harder to come by.