As for how much you can expect your homeowners insurance to pay after a break-in, that depends on your policy.

Coverage limits and deductibles

The first thing to understand is that each coverage in a homeowners policy has a limit. A limit is the maximum amount your insurer will pay toward a covered claim. Also, keep in mind that some coverages have a deductible. A deductible is your share of the cost for a covered claim. Your insurance provider can help you choose or adjust your homeowners insurance limits and deductibles to fit your needs.

Dwelling coverage to help repair break-in damage

When it comes to dwelling coverage, most policies help pay to repair or replace burglary damage with same-quality materials. Odds are, the damage to your house caused by a break-in won't reach the dwelling coverage limit you have on your home, because it may be as high as the amount required to rebuild the structure.

Personal property coverage to help replace stolen belongings

If you have "replacement cost" coverage for your belongings, your insurer would help reimburse you for the cost of repurchasing the item at today's prices. But if you have "actual cash value" coverage, your insurer will likely deduct for depreciation, paying only what the stolen item would sell for today —not the cost to buy a new one.

Sub-limits on certain valuable items

Most home insurance policies provide personal property coverage for your possessions at about 50 to 70 percent of the amount of insurance you have on your home, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III). However, certain types of property, like jewelry or silverware, will likely have their own lower sub-limits. For instance, jewelry coverage might be capped at $1,000 or $2,000, the III says.

So, if someone steals your TV in a covered break-in, your personal property coverage would help reimburse you to buy a new one. But, if a high-value item, like a ring, is stolen, you'd only be reimbursed up to the sub-limit, and you'd have to pay the rest out of pocket. Your insurance provider can help you understand the limits on your coverages.

You may be able to purchase scheduled personal property coverage to increase your coverage limits on certain high-value items. And you may find that you won't need to pay a deductible before your insurer pays for the loss of a scheduled item.

Other structures coverage to help with garage break-ins

Other structures coverage comes standard on most home insurance policies. Covered structures may include a detached garage, a shed or a fence.

Your other structures coverage limit may be a percentage of your overall dwelling coverage limit —for example, 10 percent. So, if your dwelling coverage limit is $400,000, in this example you would have up to $40,000 in other structures coverage to help protect against break-in damage.

Keep in mind that other structures coverage does not cover tools or equipment that are stolen from your garage or shed. They are likely covered by your personal property coverage. Similarly, if your property is stolen from your car in the garage, your personal property coverage may help pay to replace it.

Finally, if your car that's parked in the garage is damaged during a break-in, you'd need to make a claim on your car insurance policy. If you have comprehensive coverage, it may help pay to repair damage done to your car during a break-in.