Updated: June 27, 2025
Advertising & Editorial Disclosure
Coverage B in homeowners insurance protects detached structures such as fences, sheds, detached garages and guesthouses, typically up to 10% of your dwelling coverage.
Business or rental use of other structures may not be covered under a standard policy. You may need endorsements or a separate policy for full protection.
Floods, earthquakes and maintenance-related damage to other structures are generally excluded from standard homeowners insurance coverage.
Homeowners insurance covers other structures through Coverage B, which protects detached structures on your property. This includes fences, detached garages, gazebos, sheds and guesthouses. This coverage is built into most standard home insurance policies but comes with limits and exclusions, so understanding what's protected is important.
Coverage B, also known as Other Structures Coverage, is a standard part of most homeowners policies that protects structures not physically attached to your main dwelling. This coverage generally includes:
Coverage B typically equals 10% of your dwelling coverage amount. If your home is insured for $300,000, your detached structures are covered up to $30,000.
Homeowners insurance covers other structures through Coverage B, protecting against damages from fire, lightning, vandalism, falling objects, water damage and vehicle collisions. You're covered when any of these included hazards causes the damage.
If a fire destroys your detached garage, Coverage B will help pay for rebuilding costs.
If someone runs their car into your fence and damages it, other structures insurance will cover the cost of repairs.
Coverage B may cover construction materials and supplies for new structures you're building on your property.
Even covered perils have limitations. For instance, your homeowners insurance policy won't cover damage to your shed if an unmaintained rotting tree on your property falls on it.
Coverage B doesn't protect everything on your property. Here's what it typically excludes:
If your other structures exceed the default 10% limit, or if you use them for business or rent, you may need to increase your coverage or purchase additional endorsements.
Talk to your insurance provider about:
While the best homeowners insurance protects you financially, preventing damage to other structures is even better. Hazard prevention can include preparing for extreme weather or maximizing security. Here are key preventative measures for your property's structures:
Prepare an emergency response plan for severe weather events like tornadoes, flash flooding or hailstorms to protect your other structures.
Invest in security measures and stay vigilant to reduce the risk of theft or vandalism to your other structures.
You can purchase homeowners insurance from major insurers like State Farm, Progressive and GEICO, as well as newer companies like Lemonade and Hippo. MoneyGeek recommends shopping around for home insurance and comparing quotes from different providers to find the best option for your needs.
People in the U.S. typically pay $175 per month for homeowners insurance, though your rate may vary based on your property's value. Use MoneyGeek's personal property calculator below to estimate your policy costs.
When figuring out how much renters insurance you need, experts recommend the standard $100,000 in liability insurance and enough personal property protection to cover your possessions. Use MoneyGeek's calculator to estimate the value of your possessions so you know how much personal property coverage to buy.
Clothes, shoes, bags, belts, hats, gloves, etc.
Coverage B, or Other Structures Coverage, in homeowners insurance protects detached structures like garages, sheds and fences. While it offers valuable protection, it’s usually limited to 10% of your dwelling coverage. If you have high-value or business-used structures, speak to your insurer about raising your limits or adding supplemental coverage to stay fully protected.
Our answers to frequently asked questions break down how homeowners insurance protects other structures, what Coverage B covers and when you need extra coverage.
Yes, under Coverage B (Other Structures Coverage). However, exclusions apply for commercial use or certain natural disasters.
Yes, most insurers allow you to adjust the limit if your detached structures are worth more than the default coverage.
Yes, if they're not attached to the home and meet your insurer's criteria for Coverage B.
Standard Coverage B may not apply. You'll likely need landlord insurance or a business-use endorsement.
No, flood damage isn't covered unless you purchase separate flood insurance.
MoneyGeek analyzed quotes from multiple insurance providers across the U.S. using a profile that reflects the average homeowner. By considering different locations and companies, we aim to give a reliable estimate of what homeowners can expect to pay — showing why it’s important to compare rates.
Homeowner Profile
For our analysis, we created a sample homeowner profile with the following characteristics:
Homeowners Insurance Coverage Details
Unless otherwise specified, we used the following coverage limits to collect quotes for our comparison:
We also compiled data for policies with broader coverage to determine the best companies for insuring expensive homes, upping limits to $1 million in dwelling coverage, $500,000 in personal property coverage and $1 million in liability coverage.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. With over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, he conducts original research and creates tailored content for all types of buyers. His insights have been featured in publications like CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.
Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!
Passionate about economics and insurance, he aims to promote transparency in financial topics and empower others to make confident money decisions.
