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A standard homeowners insurance policy includes four essential types of coverage. They include:

• Coverage for the structure of your home.
• Coverage for your personal belongings.
• Liability protection.
• Additional living expenses.

1. The structure of your house

This part of your policy pays to repair or rebuild your home if it is damaged or destroyed by fire, hurricane, hail, lightning or other disaster listed in your policy. It will not pay for damage caused by a flood, earthquake or routine wear and tear. When purchasing coverage for the structure of your home, it is important to buy enough to rebuild your home.

Most standard policies also cover structures that are detached from your home such as a garage, tool shed or gazebo.

2. Your personal belongings

Your furniture, clothes, sports equipment and other personal items are covered if they are stolen or destroyed by fire, hurricane or other insured disaster. Most companies provide coverage for 50% to 70% of the amount of insurance you have on the structure of your home.

3. Liability protection

Liability covers you against lawsuits for bodily injury or property damage that you or family members cause to other people.

The liability portion of your policy pays for both the cost of defending you in court and any court awards—up to the limit of your policy. You are also covered not just in your home, but anywhere in the world.

Your policy also provides no-fault medical coverage. In the event a friend or neighbor is injured in your home, he or she can simply submit medical bills to your insurance company.

4. Additional living expenses

This pays the additional costs of living away from home if you can’t live there due to damage from a fire, storm or other insured disaster.
It covers hotel bills, restaurant meals and other living expenses incurred while your home is being rebuilt.
If you rent out part of your house, this coverage also reimburses you for the rent that you would have collected from your tenant if your home had not been destroyed.