An earthquake endorsement is needed because a standard homeowners form:

Explanation

Earth movement, including earthquake, is excluded from the standard form, so the peril has to be added by endorsement or bought as a separate policy. The exclusion does not reach an ensuing fire: if a quake topples a heater and the house burns, the fire loss is covered because fire is an insured peril. The answer that denies fire following a quake states the exclusion far too broadly.