Most people think earthquake insurance should be an easy sell in California. But a lot of agents and brokers in the state know that this isn’t always the case. It might surprise some people to learn that, even though California has a 99% chance of experiencing a 6.7-magnitude earthquake or larger within the next three decades according to the US Geological Society, only about 12% of homeowners in the state have earthquake insurance.

So why don’t more people buy earthquake insurance? Here are a few reasons—and some strategies to counter these objectives in a sales situation.

The insurance industry has yet to catch up with the “sharing economy.” In particular, Airbnb has made the home and rental insurance picture more complicated for both insureds and insurers. There is a definite need for agents and brokers to ask whether an insured intends to use a property for Airbnb rentals.