What Home Insurance Covers in Texas
Homeowners' insurance in Texas protects your property from a variety of risks, offering financial security against damage, theft, and liability. While policies can differ by provider, most standard Texas home insurance policies include several core types of coverage. Understanding what's normally included and what's not can help you make informed decisions about your policy and any needed add-ons.
Dwelling Coverage
Dwelling coverage pays to repair or restore your home if it's damaged by a covered peril. In Texas, this typically includes fire, windstorms, hail, lightning, and vandalism. However, damage from floods and earthquakes isn't included in standard policies and must be purchased separately. Given Texas's frequent storms and tornadoes, this portion of your policy is critical for protecting the physical structure of your home.
Other Structures
This covers detached structures on your property, like fences, garages, sheds, and guest houses. Like dwelling coverage, damage must result from a covered peril. If, for example, a hailstorm damages your detached garage, your policy would likely help pay for repairs.
Personal Property Coverage
Texas home insurance also protects your belongings, including furniture, electronics, and clothing, if they're stolen or damaged by a covered event. Many policies will reimburse you based on either the item's actual cash value or its replacement cost, depending on your policy type. It's wise to create a home inventory to make sure everything is adequately covered.
Loss of Use (Additional Living Expenses)
If your home becomes unlivable because of a covered peril, loss of use coverage helps pay for temporary living arrangements such as hotel stays, meals, and transportation. This can be especially helpful during major disasters like hurricanes or wildfires, which occasionally strike parts of Texas.
Liability and Medical Payments
Home insurance policies in Texas typically include personal liability coverage in case a person is injured on your property and sues you. It also covers legal costs and court judgments, up to your policy limits. Medical payments coverage, on the other hand, pays for minor injuries to guests, regardless of who was at fault.
Conclusion
Texas home insurance provides a strong defense against a wide range of typical threats, but it is not comprehensive. Depending on where you live, flood and windstorm insurance may need to be acquired separately, but standard plans cover your home, other structures, possessions, loss of use, and liabilities. To guarantee complete protection, carefully review your policy and take into account add-ons.