Insuring Your Home's Structure

Protecting Your Home & Personal Property with Insurance

At your home, you rely on having a safe, comfortable place to live. When you purchase a home insurance policy, it should contain a description of your home's structure and a list of excluded events that may not be included. It's important to ensure you understand what is included in your coverage and any additional options you may want to consider.

Your Residence Type Matters

Structures vary so widely that a different policy is usually required for each type of home. For instance...

A Condo policy typically covers interior structures like wallboard and lighting fixtures. Depending on your state, your association by-laws, and insurer, external walls may not be covered.
Within a Home insurance policy, usually a home's entire structure is covered along with sheds and detached garages.
For Manufactured Homes, the entire structure is usually covered, while sheds and garages may require an optional policy.
A Renters insurance policy typically has no physical structure coverage at all, but it often provides essential liability and contents coverage.

Most Unfortunate Events are Covered

Most insurance companies offer coverage for the same events that may damage the structure of your home, including fire, smoke, lightning, wind, hail, frozen plumbing, theft, explosion, vandalism, the weight of ice and snow, and a few others. Talk to your agent about the different coverage options available to you.

To learn more about the most common types of disasters or claims in your area (and the most expensive ones), use our interactive tool Allstate's Common & Costly Claims site.

Excluded Events are Named in the Policy

An agent should explain the events that would not be covered by your specific policy based upon your home's structure. Typically, floods and earthquakes are excluded from basic policies, but in some areas, you may be able to get supplemental insurance policies for those situations. A few other conditions most companies specifically exclude are mold, fungus, wet rot, dry rot and bacteria.

Articles

Reimbursed Living Expenses
A benefit that can help lessen the hardship of living elsewhere while your home is under repair.

Coverage Limits and Deductibles
These help determine how much you are paid if you file a covered claim.

Any potential exclusions/limitations shown on this site are intended to be hypothetical examples and educational in a general nature only. They are not intended to represent an exhaustive list of actual exclusions present or not present in any Allstate policy. Carefully read your policy as the definitions, coverages and limitations contained in your policy supersede any information provided on this website.

Excess Flood Insurance coverage may currently be available but only in the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington. In order to qualify for an Excess Flood Insurance Policy, you first need to purchase a National Flood Insurance Policy through Allstate. Excess Flood Insurance is provided by one or more insurance carriers not owned by or affiliated with Allstate Insurance Company. Excess Flood Insurance is subject to availability and qualifications. Other terms, conditions and exclusions may apply. Contact your local Allstate agent to find out whether Flood Insurance coverages are available in your area.