Homeowners insurance generally does not cover the land itself. The primary focus of homeowners insurance is to protect the structures on your property (like your house and any attached or detached structures) and your personal belongings, as well as to provide liability coverage. Here’s a breakdown:
What Homeowners Insurance Covers:
– Dwelling Coverage: This covers the physical structure of your home (the building) from certain perils like fire, wind, or vandalism.
– Other Structures: This might cover detached structures like a garage or shed.
– Personal Property: Covers your belongings inside the home.
– Liability Protection: Covers legal responsibility for injuries or damage you cause to others.
– Loss of Use: Pays for additional living expenses if your home is uninhabitable due to a covered loss.
What Homeowners Insurance Does Not Cover:
– The Land: The land your home sits on is not covered by homeowners insurance. This is because the land itself is not susceptible to the same risks as the structures or personal property. For example, the value of the land does not diminish in the same way a home might if it were damaged by a fire.
– Landscaping and Yard: While the land isn’t covered, some policies might offer limited coverage for landscaping features like trees, shrubs, and other plants, but this is often capped at a certain amount.
Additional Considerations:
– Land Value: When determining the amount of insurance you need, the land’s value should not be included in the calculation of your home’s replacement cost. The replacement cost only needs to cover the rebuilding of the home itself and other structures, not the land they are on.
For more specific details, it’s always best to review your policy or speak with your insurance agent, as coverage can vary depending on the policy and the insurer【29†source】【30†source】.