Understanding the coverage that a homeowners insurance policy provides is an integral part of responsible home ownership. In the event of a disaster, you need a strong policy to ensure that your home and other buildings on your property are adequately covered. Attorney Bill Voss discusses why it is necessary to ensure that your policy fully protects detached structures such as barns, sheds, or outbuildings from potential damage due to a covered disaster.
Structures Covered by Texas Homeowners Insurance
Insurance policies can be complex and complex, but understanding the protection your policy provides is essential. Dwelling coverage protects your home from damage from bad weather, smoke, theft or vandalism. However, not all types of damages are covered. For example, you will need an additional or supplemental policy to protect your home from earthquake or flood damage. But what happens when damage occurs to separate structures such as sheds or sheds? Will the current homeowner’s insurance cover the cost of the repairs? Usually – but the amount covered may be less than you expect. Carefully reading the Other Structures section of your policy can provide invaluable insight into what is protected.
Examples of other structures
- barns
- sheds
- separate garages
- garage
- greenhouses
- swimming pools
- booths
- guest houses
- sidewalks
- patios
- Landscaping
- fences
Other structures insurance coverage generally covers a portion of damage caused by fire, high winds, hail, or theft. However, damages caused by issues such as mold, depreciation, flooding, or sewage backups are not covered. In addition, this type of coverage traditionally does not relate to structures used for commercial purposes or leased 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 of coverage for other structures. If you can’t figure it out, ask your insurance agent to explain your current policy. Most homeowners insurance policies include 10 percent coverage for damage to sheds, sheds, and other structures. For example, if your home is worth $200,000, the maximum you can get for damage to an outbuilding or other structure is $20,000. Will 10 percent cover the cost of repairing 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 of repairing detached structures or outbuildings can be significant. If you file a claim to recover the cost of disaster-related damage repair, but the insurance company declines full coverage, it’s time to explore your legal options. Insurance companies are legally obligated to act in good faith but, unfortunately, this does not always happen. Some companies advance the profit before claimants, act in bad faith and deny claims without good reason to save money and avoid paying what they are owed to policyholders. looks 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 about the risks of dealing with an insurance company without your attorney acting as a mediator, order a free copy of our guide, Scams of the Trade: How Insurance Companies Deny, Delay, Confuse, and Deny Claims.
Contact an insurance claims attorney in Texas for assistance
If outbuildings or detached structures on your property are damaged in a disaster, the related repair costs can be astronomical. The last thing you need is to deny your insurance company full and fair coverage. When an insurance company wants to play games, there’s a lot at stake to do it alone. Fortunately, you don’t have to. Voss Law Firm, PC has been protecting the rights of policyholders for the past 16 years, and in that time, we’ve recovered billions of dollars in settlements for our clients. Ready to see what we can do for you? Complete the online contact form or call our office at 888-614-7730 To schedule a free initial consultation with a member of our legal team. We work in emergencies, so don’t pay anything unless we win your case.
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