- Introduction: Understanding Homeowners Insurance
- Homeowners Insurance Coverage Types
- Coverage for Structures
- Personal Property Coverage
- Expenses Covered When You Can’t Stay Home
- Protection for Medical Bills and Lawsuits
- Homeowners Insurance Gray Areas
- Understanding Deductibles
- FAQ
Home insurance still covers the same core protections—your home, belongings, loss of use, and liability—but the way claims are calculated and what you pay out-of-pocket has shifted. Insurers now commonly use peril‑specific percentage deductibles (hurricane, named‑storm, and wind/hail) and tighter roof settlement terms (ACV on older roofs, age‑based roof surface schedules, separate roof deductibles) due to rising catastrophe losses and reinsurance costs. Hurricane and named‑storm deductibles typically run about 1%–5% of the dwelling limit and are triggered by state‑defined events; for example, Florida limits the hurricane deductible’s application to once per calendar year for a property (how hurricane/named‑storm deductibles work; Florida once‑per‑year rule). Inland, separate wind/hail deductibles are common in high‑hail states like Texas (Texas DOI consumer guidance). Roof payments increasingly depend on ACV vs. RCV and may include roof‑only deductibles where permitted (e.g., Florida roof deductible statute) (Florida §627.7011; ACV vs. RCV basics). These changes are occurring alongside a long‑running rise in large U.S. weather disasters (NOAA Billion‑Dollar Disasters).
Homeowners Insurance Coverage Types
| Type of Coverage | What’s Covered | Limits in Coverage | Deductible |
| Dwelling | Repair or rebuild the home (Coverage A) for covered perils (e.g., wind, fire). Roof settlement is increasingly subject to ACV for older roofs, age‑based roof surface schedules, or separate roof deductibles where allowed (state guidance on roof settlement; Florida roof deductible law). | Standard policies exclude flood and earthquake; flood is purchased separately via NFIP/private markets and earthquake via separate policy/endorsement (e.g., CEA in CA) (NFIP coverage/limits; CEA overview). | Yes — flat AOP plus special percentage deductibles for hurricane/named‑storm or wind/hail are common (often 1%–5% of Coverage A) (NAIC on catastrophe deductibles; III explainer). |
| Other Structures | Fences, detached garages, pools, and sheds (Coverage B) from covered perils. | Shares most exclusions and settlement rules with the dwelling; flood and earthquake require separate policies (NFIP/CEA/private) (NFIP; CEA). | Yes — special wind/hail or hurricane/named‑storm percentage deductibles may also apply to structures (TDI). |
| Personal Property | Furniture, clothing, electronics, etc. Contents often default to ACV unless you add an RCV endorsement. With RCV, insurers frequently pay ACV first and release recoverable depreciation after you replace items within policy deadlines (ACV vs. RCV). | Sub‑limits for categories like jewelry and firearms. NFIP pays contents at ACV only; you can schedule high‑value items to raise limits and broaden perils (NAIC consumer guidance; NFIP contents ACV). | Yes — subject to the AOP or applicable special peril deductible. |
| Loss-of-use | Additional Living Expense (ALE) when a covered loss makes your home uninhabitable; may include Fair Rental Value and Civil Authority/Prohibited Use (ALE basics). | Commonly capped as a percentage of Coverage A (often ~20%) or “Actual Loss Sustained” with a time cap (frequently 12–24 months). California guarantees at least 24 months for total losses after declared disasters, extendable to 36 months (NAIC; CA §2060). | No — but strict documentation of the “necessary increase” in living costs is required (III). |
| Personal Liability | Bodily injury/property damage lawsuits and related defense costs if you’re legally responsible. | Excludes auto accidents and many intentional/contractual risks. Insurers may restrict certain animal liabilities or require safety features for pools/trampolines; consider an umbrella for higher limits amid elevated claim severity (NAIC; market severity context; tort costs). | No. |
| Medical Payments | No‑fault medical expenses for guests injured on your property. | Low limits; not a substitute for liability coverage. | No. |
Coverage for Structures
Understanding dwelling coverage is crucial. In many coastal states, wind from hurricanes is covered but may be subject to percentage hurricane or broader named‑storm deductibles (commonly 1%–5% of Coverage A). Triggers differ by state law and filing; for example, Florida’s hurricane deductible applies only once per calendar year per property (III on hurricane/named‑storm deductibles; Florida statute). Inland, separate wind/hail deductibles are prevalent in high‑hail markets like Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado (TDI guidance). Roof loss settlement has also tightened: older roofs may be paid at ACV, many policies add roof‑surface age schedules, and some include a separate roof deductible where permitted (e.g., Florida) (roof settlement practices; Florida roof deductible law; ACV vs. RCV). These shifts reflect rising catastrophe losses, including severe convective storms and hurricanes (NOAA).
Personal Property Coverage
Your policy can cover personal belongings such as clothing, jewelry, and electronics, but claims are paid differently depending on ACV vs. RCV. Many policies default to ACV for contents; adding a replacement cost endorsement converts to RCV, which often pays ACV first and then releases recoverable depreciation after you replace items within policy deadlines (commonly 180–365 days, per policy) (III: ACV vs. RCV; NAIC homeowners guide; United Policyholders on recoverable depreciation). Standard sublimits apply to categories like jewelry and firearms; scheduling high‑value items can increase limits and broaden covered causes of loss. Note: NFIP flood policies pay contents strictly at ACV (NFIP contents ACV).
Expenses Covered When You Can’t Stay Home
Loss‑of‑use (Coverage D) pays the necessary increase in living costs—hotel or rental, meals, laundry, pet boarding, extra transportation—when a covered loss makes the home uninhabitable. Many policies cap ALE at a percentage of Coverage A (often ~20%); others use “Actual Loss Sustained” with a time limit (commonly 12–24 months). Benefits typically end at the earliest of: when the home is repaired, you permanently relocate, or the policy’s time/dollar cap is reached. Civil Authority/Prohibited Use may pay for a shorter period when access is barred by order. California requires at least 24 months of ALE for total losses after declared disasters, extendable to 36 months for good cause (III: ALE examples; NAIC on ALE limits; California Insurance Code §2060).
Protection for Medical Bills and Lawsuits
Personal liability covers bodily injury/property damage you’re legally responsible for and pays defense costs; Medical Payments covers smaller, no‑fault guest injuries. Because claim severity and jury awards have been elevated, many homeowners consider higher liability limits or a personal umbrella policy for extra protection (market trends; tort cost context). Policies may include exclusions/conditions—for example, restrictions for certain dog breeds, or safety requirements for pools/trampolines—so confirm your declarations and endorsements (NAIC consumer guidance).
Homeowners Insurance Gray Areas
Key gray areas depend on your state and endorsements. Flood and earthquake are excluded from standard homeowners; NFIP offers up to $250,000 for building and $100,000 for contents with a typical 30‑day waiting period, while earthquake is purchased separately (in California, many buy through the CEA with 5%–25% deductibles) (NFIP limits/waiting period; CEA deductibles). Wind losses are generally covered but may use special deductibles that vary by state: Florida’s hurricane deductible applies once per calendar year for a property; New York clarifies when hurricane vs. windstorm deductibles may be used; Texas commonly uses separate wind/hail deductibles even inland (Florida §627.4025; NY DFS Circular Letter No. 8; TDI). In some high‑risk coastal areas, residual markets (e.g., Florida Citizens; TWIA in Texas) may be the primary wind option (Citizens data & reports; TWIA). Carriers also increasingly use wildfire‑related deductibles/requirements in high‑risk zones, and tighten sublimits or exclusions—making add‑ons like water backup/sump overflow, service line, equipment breakdown, ordinance or law/code upgrade, and mold more important to consider (Swiss Re sigma on nat‑cat and market responses).
Understanding Deductibles
Deductibles are what you pay before coverage responds. Most policies list a flat All‑Other‑Perils (AOP) deductible and separate percentage deductibles for catastrophe perils: hurricane, named storm, or wind/hail (commonly 1%–5% of Coverage A; some states/insurers offer higher options). Florida statute specifies allowable hurricane deductible options for homeowners forms (2%, 5%, or 10%) and limits application to once per calendar year for a property; New York defines when hurricane deductibles may be used; Texas highlights separate wind/hail deductibles even far from the coast (NAIC overview; III explainer; Florida statute framework (deductible options); Florida once‑per‑year rule; NY DFS triggers; TDI wind/hail). Earthquake is different: it uses its own separate percentage deductible, often 5%–25% of the dwelling limit (e.g., options via CEA), and is not tied to AOP (CEA). To estimate out‑of‑pocket costs, multiply the percentage by your Coverage A: a 5% hurricane deductible on a $400,000 dwelling equals $20,000 before the policy pays for covered hurricane damage. Rising catastrophe losses documented by NOAA help explain why these percentage deductibles are now common (NOAA disasters database).
