What Does Homeowners Insurance Cover?
A standard homeowners insurance policy (HO-3) covers your dwelling — the physical structure of your home — against damage from covered perils like fire, windstorm, hail, lightning, and vandalism. It also covers other structures on your property (fences, garages, sheds), your personal belongings inside the home, liability if someone is injured on your property, and additional living expenses (ALE) if your home is uninhabitable after a covered loss. Most standard policies do not cover flood or earthquake damage — those require separate policies.