John R. Wood Properties
Barry Dunleavy, John R. Wood PropertiesPhone: (239) 877-6445
Email: [email protected]

Dwelling coverage: What it is & why you need it

by Barry Dunleavy 09/15/2024

Dwelling coverage is a crucial part of every standard homeowners insurance policy. Dwelling coverage can help you in the event the physical structure of your home incurs serious damage. However, it’s important to understand what types of damage are covered.

Here is a basic guide to the types of damage covered by your dwelling insurance:

Why you need dwelling coverage

You can use dwelling coverage to pay for damage sustained from natural hazards, also called perils. You may be eligible for financial compensation if the main structure of your home is damaged by any of the following:

  • Fire/smoke
  • Windstorms
  • Lightning strikes
  • Hail
  • Snow, sleet or ice

Other than natural or weather related hazards, there are more types of damage covered under dwelling insurance. These hazards include:

  • Vandalism
  • Theft
  • Falling objects
  • Damage from motor vehicles
  • Damage from aircraft

If any of these perils cause damage to the structure of your home, your dwelling coverage is there to help you.

Important exceptions

Not all natural hazards are covered by dwelling insurance. For example, windstorms do not include tornadoes. If you live in a region prone to tornadoes, you will need to purchase a tornado-specific insurance policy.

Other major natural perils like earthquakes, mudslides and floods typically require their own specific policy. Other non-natural hazards might be covered by auto insurance or personal liability insurance.

Hopefully, you’ll never need to make a claim to your homeowners insurance for one of these issues. However, the more you know about what hazards are included in your dwelling coverage can give you greater peace of mind as a homeowner.

About the Author
Author

Barry Dunleavy

Over 25 Years in the Real Estate Industry. Former Senior Managing Director with responsibility for oversight of real estate businesses in Canada and Latin America including CEO of Canadian-based bank; prior to that Sr. Managing Director Construction Financing to large residential builders throughout the USA. He has a BA and MBA in Finance. Memberships include the Naples Board of Realtors, Graduate Realtors Institute, Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, Florida Realtors, and the National Association of Realtors. Community activities include New Horizons of Southwest Florida volunteer teaching math and reading to at-risk 3rd to 5th graders while being Chair of their 2016-2018 Golf Event and also involved with the Christian Businessmen's Connection. 2014 Awarded the Distinguished Volunteer for Collier County. He was a former Board of Governors of Hazeltine National Golf Club, host of the upcoming 2016 Ryder Cup Championship.