Homeowners Insurance Coverages

Dwelling coverage may pay for damage to your house and structures permanently attached to it.

Example: A windstorm damages your home’s roof. Dwelling coverage may pay to repair or replace what's damaged.

Other structures coverage includes detached garages, gazebos, patios, sheds, pergolas, fences, and driveways.

Example: During a windstorm, a tree falls and damages your shed. Other structures coverage may pay to repair or replace the unattached structure that was damaged.

Personal property coverage may cover your personal belongings damaged by a covered peril.

Certain limits may apply to your more expensive items like jewelry, art and collectibles but additional coverage may be available by purchasing an endorsement.

Example: Someone breaks into your garage and steals your bicycle and camping equipment. Your home insurance may pay to replace the stolen items, up to the limits of your policy and minus your deductible. Learn more about how home insurance covers theft.

Loss of use coverage covers expenses above what you'd normally pay, up to your policy’s limits, if your home is damaged from a covered loss and you can't stay there while it’s being repaired or rebuilt.

Example: There's a fire in your home, and you can't stay there for two weeks while it is being repaired. If you spend $1,000 eating out, loss of use may cover the food bill beyond what you normally spend, and your rent/hotel expenses. Make sure you keep your receipts.

Personal liability coverage protects you financially if you are responsible for someone’s injuries or damage to their property.

Example: A delivery person falls because of a loose railing at your house and sues you for their medical bills, lost wages, and damaged merchandise. Personal liability may cover you.

Medical payments to others coverage may pay for medical expenses if someone is injured due to a covered occurrence.

Example: Your child's friend breaks her arm at your house, and their parents ask you to pay the medical bill. Medical payments may cover the medical costs.

Some homes have sump pumps in their basements/crawl spaces, which are designed to pump water out from underneath and around your foundation. Sump pumps, plumbing and sewers can get backed up. Water back-up coverage may pay for damage to your belongings and water removal.

Example: Your sump pump breaks down, and water backs up, overflows, or discharges into your basement, damaging your carpet, furniture, belongings, etc. Water back-up coverage may pay for the sewage removal and damage to your property.

Learn about how homeowners insurance covers water damage.

Personal injury covers your legal fees and additional damages from:

• Slander or libel lawsuits (something you say/write that damages a person's reputation or business)
• Malicious prosecution
• Wrongful eviction or wrongful entry
• False arrest, detention, or imprisonment

Example: Your teenage child damages their teacher's reputation by spreading a rumor. So, the teacher decides to sue you. Personal injury may cover your lawyer, court fees, and any damages you have to pay.

• Fire or Lightning
• Smoke
• Damage from tornadoes
• Power surges
• Damage from the weight of ice, snow, or sleet
• Volcanic eruption
• Windstorms or hail
• Theft
• Explosions (e.g., aerosol can or gas grill)
• Vandalism or malicious mischief
• Vehicles/aircraft crashing into your home
• Damage from falling trees or other objects
• Accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam (damage from leaking roofs, bursting pipes, or broken appliances, but not floods)

Learn more about covered perils.

Home insurance policies won’t cover floods (if you live in a flood plain, your lender will likely require this insurance) earthquakes, landslides, mudslides or sinkholes.

General wear and tear typically won’t be covered by your policy, like if your roof is old and simply needs to be replaced. However, a roof damaged in a storm and heavy winds may be covered, up to your dwelling coverage limit minus any applicable deductible

Learn more about what homeowners insurance covers and how home insurance works.