Understanding the coverage your homeowners insurance policy provides is an integral part of responsible home ownership. In the event of a disaster, you need a robust policy to ensure sufficient coverage for your house and other structures on your property. Attorney Bill Voss discusses why it’s essential to make sure your policy fully protects detached structures such as barns, sheds, or outbuildings from potential damage due to a covered disaster.
Structures Covered Under Your Texas Homeowners Insurance Policy
Insurance policies can be complex and complicated, but understanding the protection your policy provides is essential. Dwelling coverage protects your home from damage due to severe weather, smoke, theft, or vandalism. However, not all kinds of damages are covered. For example, you’ll need an additional or supplemental policy to protect your home from earthquake or flood damage. But what happens when damage occurs to detached structures like sheds or barns? Will your existing homeowners insurance policy cover the cost of repairs? Usually – but the amount that’s covered may be less than you expect. Carefully reading the “Other Structures” section of your policy can provide invaluable insight into what’s protected.
Examples of Other Structures
- Barns
- Sheds
- Detached garages
- Carports
- Greenhouses
- Poolhouses
- Gazebos
- Guesthouses
- Sidewalks
- Patios
- Landscaping
- Fences
Other structures insurance coverage generally covers a portion of damages caused by fire, high winds, hail, or theft. However, damages caused by issues like mold, depreciation, floods, or sewer backups are not covered. Additionally, this type of coverage traditionally does not pertain to structures used for business purposes or rented to another party.
How Much Coverage is Available For Other Structures?
Read your homeowners policy carefully to determine if it automatically includes a certain percentage for other structures coverage. If you can’t tell, ask your insurance agent to explain your current policy. Most homeowners insurance policies include 10 percent coverage for damage to barns, sheds, and other structures. For example, if your home is worth $200,000, the maximum you could get for damage to an outbuilding or other structure is $20,000. Would 10 percent cover the cost to repair damage to detached structures on your property? If not, you may want to consider adding additional coverage.
Steps to Take If Your Claim is Denied
The cost to repair detached structures or outbuildings can be significant. If you filed a claim to recover the cost of repairing disaster-related damage, but the insurance company denied you full coverage, it’s time to explore your legal options. Insurers are legally obligated to act in good faith but, unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. Some companies put profit ahead of claimants, acting in bad faith and denying claims without just cause to save money and avoid paying policyholders what they deserve. Sound familiar? A knowledgeable and experienced Texas insurance litigation attorney can help you protect your rights and determine if you have grounds to file a lawsuit. For more information on the dangers of dealing with an insurance company without your lawyer serving as an intermediary, request a complimentary copy of our guide, Tricks of the Trade: How Insurance Companies Deny, Delay, Confuse, and Refuse Claims.
Contact a Texas Insurance Claims Lawyer For Help
If outbuildings or detached structures on your property sustained damage in a disaster, the related repair costs can be astronomical. The last thing you need is for your insurance company to deny you full and fair coverage. When an insurer wants to play games, there’s far too much at stake to go it alone. Fortunately, you don’t have to. The Voss Law Firm, P.C. has been protecting policyholders’ rights for the past 16 years and, in that time, we’ve recovered billions of dollars in settlements for our clients. Ready to find out what we can do for you? Complete our online contact form or call our office at 888-614-7730 to schedule an appointment for a free initial consultation with a member of our legal team. We work on contingency, so you pay nothing unless we win your case.
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