Buying a home is one of life’s biggest investments, and protecting it should be a top priority. That’s where homeowners insurance comes in. Homeowners insurance helps protect your investment by covering unexpected damage, loss, or liability.
If something happens – like a fire, burst pipe, or break-in – your homeowners insurance helps pay for repairs, replaces lost belongings, and can even cover temporary housing while your home is being fixed. It’s one of the smartest financial protections a homeowner can have.
Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or simply reviewing your current coverage, this guide will help you better understand what homeowners insurance is, what it covers, and what isn’t typically covered in standard policies.
What is homeowners insurance?
Homeowners insurance is a policy that helps cover the cost of repairing or replacing your home and belongings. It typically covers damage to your property, liability for injuries or damage you cause to others, and sometimes additional living expenses if your home becomes uninhabitable after a covered event.
If something happens, your homeowners insurance can help you recover from the unexpected without wiping out your savings. You pay a monthly or annual premium, and in return, your insurance company agrees to cover certain types of losses, up to the limits outlined in your policy.
How homeowners insurance works
When you purchase a homeowners insurance policy, you agree to pay a set premium in exchange for financial protection against specific types of losses. If a covered event happens, you file a claim with your insurer. They’ll review the details, possibly send an adjuster to assess the damage, and then pay for repairs or replacements minus your deductible (the amount you pay out of pocket).
What does homeowners insurance cover?
Homeowners insurance covers the cost to repair, rebuild, or replace your home and belongings after certain unexpected events, called covered perils. It also helps protect you financially if someone is injured on your property or if you can’t live in your home temporarily after a covered loss.
A standard homeowners insurance policy provides a combination of property protection (for your house and belongings) and financial protection (for liability and living expenses). Below is a breakdown of the main types of coverage included in most policies and how each one works.
1. Dwelling (structure) coverage
This is the core of your policy as it protects the physical structure of your home. Dwelling coverage pays to repair or rebuild your house if it’s damaged or destroyed by a covered event, such as fire, lightning, wind, hail, or vandalism.
It includes major parts of your home like the roof, walls, floors, foundation, and built-in systems such as plumbing, heating, cooling, and electrical wiring.
When choosing your dwelling coverage limit, aim for the amount it would cost to rebuild your home from the ground up at current construction prices, not its market or assessed value. Rebuilding costs often exceed what your home could sell for, especially when you factor in materials, labor, and local building codes.
2. Other structures coverage
This portion of your policy covers detached structures on your property, so think structures that aren’t physically connected to your main home. That includes things like:
- Fences and gates
- Detached garages
- Garden sheds or workshops
- Guesthouses or gazebos
Other structures coverage usually equals about 10% of your dwelling coverage, but you can increase that amount if you have significant detached buildings or outdoor features that would be expensive to replace.
For example, if your home’s dwelling limit is $400,000, you might automatically have $40,000 to cover other structures. If a windstorm knocks down your fence or a fallen tree crushes your shed, this coverage helps pay to repair or replace it.
3. Personal property coverage
Your home isn’t just the structure – it’s everything inside it. Personal property coverage protects your belongings if they’re damaged, destroyed, or stolen. That includes furniture, clothing, electronics, appliances, décor, and more.
Most policies automatically set personal property coverage at 50% to 70% of your dwelling coverage, but you can adjust it to match your lifestyle and possessions.
It’s also important to know that your belongings are typically covered even when they’re not at home. For example, if your suitcase is stolen while you’re traveling or a bike is taken from your car, personal property coverage can likely help replace it.
However, there are limits. Most policies cap payouts for certain valuables like jewelry, artwork, collectibles, and firearms. If you own high-value items, you can add a scheduled personal property endorsement to list them individually for their full worth.
4. Loss of use coverage
If your home becomes unlivable due to a covered loss, loss of use coverage – also called additional living expenses (ALE) – helps cover the cost of temporary housing and day-to-day expenses while repairs are made.
This can include:
- Hotel or short-term rental costs
- Meals and restaurant expenses
- Laundry, pet boarding, or storage fees
- Increased transportation costs
For example, if a burst pipe causes damage and forces you out of your home for a month, ALE can cover your hotel stay and extra costs that go beyond your normal living expenses. This coverage typically continues until your home is rebuilt or you permanently relocate, up to your policy limit.
5. Personal liability coverage
Homeowners insurance typically includes personal liability coverage, which protects you financially if someone is injured on your property or if you accidentally cause damage to someone else’s property.
Personal liability coverage helps pay for things like:
- Medical expenses for injuries
- Repair or replacement of damaged property
- Legal defense costs if you’re sued
6. Medical payments to others
This coverage is designed for minor injuries that happen on your property, regardless of who’s at fault. If a guest twists their ankle on your stairs or a neighbor’s child gets scratched by your pet, medical payments coverage helps pay for their immediate care.
It typically covers smaller bills like doctor visits, X-rays, or ambulance fees, and usually comes with limits between $1,000 and $5,000.
These core coverages form the backbone of most homeowners insurance policies. But what they cover depends heavily on what events the policy includes and what it excludes.
Events that are typically covered
Homeowners insurance protects you against many unexpected events, often called “covered perils.” These are the specific causes of damage or loss your policy will pay for. Anything outside that list (or specifically excluded) won’t be covered.
Most standard homeowners insurance policies cover sudden and accidental damage caused by events that are out of your control. While every policy varies, the most common covered perils include:
- Fire and smoke damage
- Windstorms and hail
- Lightning strikes
- Explosion
- Falling objects (like tree branches)
- Theft or vandalism
- Weight of snow, ice, or sleet
- Water damage from burst pipes or appliance leaks
- Damage caused by vehicles or aircraft
- Accidental discharge of water or steam from household systems
- Freezing of plumbing or HVAC systems
- Sudden electrical surges or short circuits
If one of these events damages your home or belongings, your insurer typically helps pay for repairs or replacements, up to your policy limits.
For example: If a kitchen fire spreads smoke through the house, your policy covers cleanup and repairs. Or let’s say a heavy windstorm tears shingles off your roof – your insurer pays for roof repairs.
What’s not covered by standard homeowners insurance policies
Standard homeowners insurance doesn’t protect against every type of loss, especially those caused by long-term issues, lack of maintenance, or major natural disasters that require separate coverage.
Here are the most common exclusions:
- Floods: Damage from rising water, overflowing rivers, or heavy rainfall is not covered. You’ll need separate flood insurance for that.
- Earthquakes and land movement: Earthquakes, sinkholes, and landslides require an earthquake policy or endorsement.
- Normal wear and tear: Aging roofs, leaky plumbing, and general deterioration aren’t covered because they’re part of regular home maintenance.
- Pest infestations: Termites, rodents, and insects are considered preventable and not covered by insurance.
- Sewer or drain backups: Water that backs up through drains or sump pumps isn’t included unless you add a sewer backup endorsement.
- Mold or rot: Often excluded unless it results from a covered event, such as a sudden pipe burst.
- Neglect or poor maintenance: If the insurer determines the damage was preventable, your claim could be denied.
- War, nuclear hazards, or government action: Broad catastrophic risks like these are universally excluded.
Because every home and location are different, it’s important to review your policy carefully and talk with your insurance agent about add-ons or separate policies that fill these gaps, especially if your home is in a flood zone or if you live in a high-risk area.
This is also where the amount of coverage you carry becomes crucial. Even with the right types of protection, being underinsured can leave you paying thousands out of pocket after a major loss. Your policy should include enough dwelling coverage to fully rebuild your home, not just cover its market value, plus sufficient personal property and liability protection to safeguard your finances.
>> Read more: How Much Homeowners Insurance Do I Need?
Cost of homeowners insurance
The average cost of homeowners insurance in the U.S. ranges from $1,500 to $2,500 per year, but your rate depends on your home, location, and coverage choices.
Here’s what usually affects the price of homeowners insurance:
- Location: Homes in areas prone to storms, wildfires, or high crime cost more to insure.
- Home details: Size, age, and construction materials impact risk and price.
- Coverage and deductible: More coverage or a lower deductible increases your premium.
- Claims and credit history: Frequent claims or a lower credit score can raise rates.
- Safety features: Alarm systems, smoke detectors, and newer roofs often earn discounts.
Your premium reflects the risk your insurer takes on, and small adjustments to coverage, deductibles, or home safety can make a big difference in what you pay. A few ways you can lower your premium include:
- Bundling home and auto policies with the same insurer
- Raising your deductible if you can afford a higher out-of-pocket cost
- Maintaining good credit and a clean claims record
- Upgrading your home’s safety features, like storm shutters or security systems
Is homeowners insurance required when buying a home?
Legally, homeowners insurance is not required by federal or state law. However, most mortgage lenders require it before finalizing a home loan. Lenders want to protect their financial interest in your property – if your home is damaged or destroyed, they need assurance that it can be repaired or rebuilt.
Even if your home is paid off, keeping an active homeowners policy is a wise decision. Without insurance, you’d be fully responsible for repair, replacement, or liability costs that can easily total tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The post What Does Homeowners Insurance Cover? Understanding Your Coverage, Costs, and More appeared first on Redfin | Real Estate Tips for Home Buying, Selling & More.
