The Deductible Nobody Reads, Until the Ground Moves.
June 22, 2026
A new Beyond the Policy episode on Cansure’s enhanced Earthquake Deductible Buydown
An earthquake doesn’t send a warning. Their deductible shouldn’t be a surprise either. Yet most commercial property owners cannot say what their earthquake deductible would actually cost them. On a high-value building, a percentage deductible can be a six or seven figure exposure that sits entirely with the insured, often the single largest uninsured number on their balance sheet, and most have never read it.
In our latest Beyond the Policy episode, Sarah Mitchell and Liam Fraser unpack the number nobody reads: the commercial earthquake deductible. They walk through why it matters, how big it can get, and how Cansure’s enhanced Earthquake Deductible Buydown changes the math for clients in seismic zones.
The number, made real
In the episode, Sarah uses one example that makes it land. A commercial property owner has a large facility in an earthquake-prone region. Their property policy carries a 15% earthquake deductible on a building insured at $30 million. In the event of an earthquake, they would be responsible for the first $4.5 million before insurance applies. With the Buydown reducing that deductible to as low as 3%, the out-of-pocket figure drops to $900,000, a saving of $3.6 million per event.
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Original Deductible (15%) | $4,500,000 |
| EQ Deductible Buydown Limit | $3,600,000 |
| New Deductible with Buydown (3%) | $900,000 |
| Client Savings per Event | $3,600,000 |
Same team, stronger coverage
As Liam and Sarah discuss, this is the same Cansure Earthquake Deductible Buydown brokers have always relied on, now enhanced and backed by the national scale of SPG Canada, which Cansure is part of. The underwriters and expertise have not changed; the coverage has only grown stronger, with buy-down capacity up to $5 million, deductibles as low as 3%, and availability across all commercial occupancies coast to coast, excluding Quebec.
What else the episode covers
- Why a percentage-based earthquake deductible is the exposure most owners overlook.
- What falls outside the program, including buildings on docks, wharves, piers, or pilings, and strata earthquake deductible assessment, which is a separate exposure and a separate product.
- The one question that opens the conversation: what would your earthquake deductible cost you today?
Questions or submissions: EQ@spgcanada.ca, Quote, bind, and issue 24/7 at portal.spgcanada.ca.
Listen to the full episode.
Beyond the Policy is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major podcast platforms.
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