01
Dwelling (Coverage A)
Rebuild cost of the house — NOT market value. If construction would cost $250K to replace, that's your number. Many policies under-insure here. Update annually as costs rise.
Homeowners Insurance · cover what matters
Insurance for
the catastrophe.
Lenders require it. Most buyers under-insure on dwelling and liability, or over-pay on a low deductible they'll never use. Six coverages, four standard forms, and the pitfalls nobody walks you through.
· The six coverages
Six lines.
All matter.
02
Other structures (Coverage B)
Detached garage, fence, shed, gazebo. Usually 10% of dwelling. If you have substantial outbuildings (barn, pool house), boost it.
03
Personal property (Coverage C)
Your stuff. 50–70% of dwelling typically. Inventory the expensive stuff (jewelry, electronics, art) — items over the standard sub-limit need scheduled coverage.
04
Loss of use (Coverage D)
Hotel + meals if your house becomes uninhabitable after a covered claim. Usually 20–30% of dwelling. Real money during a long rebuild.
05
Liability (Coverage E)
Someone gets hurt on your property → you get sued. Standard policy is $100K–$300K. For most homeowners, $500K+ is right. Cheap to upgrade.
06
Medical to others (Coverage F)
Smaller payouts for injuries on your property without a lawsuit. $5K standard. Settles small claims fast.
· Standard policy forms
Four forms.
Pick the right one.
HO-3 (Special)
The standard. Open-perils on the structure (covers anything not specifically excluded), named-perils on contents. Most owner-occupied homes.
HO-5 (Comprehensive)
Open-perils on both structure AND contents. Best coverage. Costs more but worth it for newer / higher-value homes.
HO-6 (Condo)
For condo owners. Covers what the HOA's master policy doesn't (interior walls, fixtures, contents).
HO-4 (Renters)
For renters. Personal property + liability. Doesn't apply to homeowners but worth knowing if you rent out a unit.
· Watch-outs
Four pitfalls
that cost real money.
Pitfall 01
Insuring to market value, not rebuild cost.
Land doesn't burn. If your home is worth $400K but rebuild is $280K, insuring to $400K wastes premium. Insuring to $200K leaves you exposed. Get an actual rebuild estimate.
Pitfall 02
Sticking with the lender's force-placed insurance.
If you let coverage lapse, the lender buys for you — at 2–3x retail with worse coverage. Always have your own policy active.
Pitfall 03
Skipping flood insurance because 'it's not in a flood zone.'
FEMA flood maps are outdated. 25% of flood claims come from low-risk zones. Flood is excluded from standard homeowners. NFIP or private flood is cheap if you're not in a high-risk zone.
Pitfall 04
Choosing the lowest deductible.
$500 deductible costs significantly more than $2,500. Set the deductible to what you'd comfortably absorb. Premium savings often pay for themselves in 2-3 years.
Don't shop on price alone.
Shop on what's covered.
We'll connect you to insurance partners in your state who actually walk through the six coverages — not just sell you the cheapest quote.