Firstly ensure that all the furniture in your house is firmly attached to the wall. Avoid placing heavy objects on high shelves, as these could cause damage in the event of an earthquake.

Ensure that there are no cracks in the wall and guarantee that any add-ons such as chimneys and cornices are well attached to the building. Water and gas installations should be in perfect working order and the electric cabling should also be firmly in place.

How to act in an earthquake
You should keep calm and try to exude calmness at all times, above all if there are children around. Look for refuge under solid furniture: under a bed or a table. You can also hide under the frames of a door or supporting pillar. Never rest near windows or furniture that may fall on you.

During the earthquake do not try to leave or enter any building. If the tremor has surprised you in the house, do not leave until it ends. If you are outside do not enter as the cornices
 or windows could fall causing serious injury. Also do not use the lifts.

After the earthquake
Tremors of lower intensity may follow an earthquake, so make sure you find a safe refuge. Leave the building and look for open spaces.

Never light a candle, match or similar as the tremor may have broken gas pipes and could cause an explosion. If  you have time to change shoes, put on some thick boots to enable you to step on broken glass and other material that may have fallen.

Try not to use the telephone. Switch on the radio and wait for instructions from the authorities. If you are in a car, keep away from bridges, cracks or mountain slopes. If you are trapped, bang some object to alert the rescue teams where you are and ration any food and water as it could be hours before the rescue teams reach you.

How you insurer will react
When the shock is over, it is time to calculate how much damaged has been caused in your home. If you have a home insurance policy, you should be aware that most exclude damage caused by natural catastrophe such as earthquakes or landslides. However Spanish law requires these companies to pay for extraordinary damage such as this, with the companies later being reimbursed by the Consorcio de Compensaci�n de Seguros (Insurance Reimbursement Consortium).