What Is the Insurance Limit for Coverage B Other Structures?
Usually 10 percent of your dwelling coverage, covering detached structures like a garage or shed. Your declarations page lists the exact amount.
Free to compare
Since Coverage B is set as a share of your dwelling coverage, it moves automatically when the dwelling amount changes, so you never pick it on its own. Walk the lot before closing and count what's actually there. A detached garage, a shed, a fence, even a detached carport all draw from this same limit. If those structures together would cost more to rebuild than the limit allows, most insurers let you raise it separately for an added cost. Whatever limit you land on should show up on the proof of coverage your lender receives.
Check the number before it's locked in
If the structures on your lot would cost more to rebuild than your current limit allows, that gap is yours to cover. Comparing policies before closing lets you find one with a limit that actually fits your lot.
What counts as a structure under Coverage B
Coverage B pays for things on your lot that aren't attached to the house and aren't used as living space. A detached garage, a toolshed, a freestanding fence, a gazebo, a well house, even a paved driveway or a retaining wall can fall under this coverage depending on how your policy defines it. A deck or porch attached to the house is usually part of dwelling coverage instead, since it's physically connected to the structure you live in.
Trees, plants, and lawns are handled separately, often under a much smaller sublimit within the same policy. Don't expect Coverage B to pay for a tree that falls on your shed. The shed itself would likely be covered, but the tree that damaged it typically would not be, unless your policy has a specific provision for storm damage to landscaping. This is the kind of detail that's easy to miss when you're focused on closing dates and loan paperwork, so it's worth asking directly rather than assuming.
A structure used for business, like a detached building you rent out or run a shop from, often isn't covered the same way a personal-use shed or garage would be. If part of your lot includes something like that, mention it when you're getting quotes, since it may need a separate endorsement or policy entirely. The same goes for anything unusually expensive to rebuild, like a detached guest house with its own plumbing and electrical.
Before closing, it helps to walk the lot with a plain list in hand. Write down what's there, roughly what each structure would cost to rebuild, and whether any of it is used for something other than storage or parking. That list is what turns a default limit into one that actually matches what you own. Your declarations page will show the final number once the policy is in place, but the lot is where the real counting happens.
What Coverage B does and doesn't pay for
Coverage B pays for things on your lot that aren't attached to the house and aren't used as living space. A detached garage, a toolshed, a freestanding fence, a gazebo, a well house, even a paved driveway or a retaining wall can fall under this coverage depending on how your policy defines it. A deck or porch attached to the house is usually part of dwelling coverage instead, since it's physically connected to the structure you live in.
Trees, plants, and lawns are handled separately, often under a much smaller sublimit within the same policy. Don't expect Coverage B to pay for a tree that falls on your shed. The shed itself would likely be covered, but the tree that damaged it typically would not be, unless your policy has a specific provision for storm damage to landscaping. This is the kind of detail that's easy to miss when you're focused on closing dates and loan paperwork, so it's worth asking directly rather than assuming.
A structure used for business, like a detached building you rent out or run a shop from, often isn't covered the same way a personal-use shed or garage would be. If part of your lot includes something like that, mention it when you're getting quotes, since it may need a separate endorsement or policy entirely. The same goes for anything unusually expensive to rebuild, like a detached guest house with its own plumbing and electrical.
Before closing, it helps to walk the lot with a plain list in hand. Write down what's there, roughly what each structure would cost to rebuild, and whether any of it is used for something other than storage or parking. That list is what turns a default limit into one that actually matches what you own. Your declarations page will show the final number once the policy is in place, but the lot is where the real counting happens.
Before you sign off on a quote
Pull up the declarations page and find the Coverage B number. Compare it to what the garage, shed, or fence on your lot would actually cost to rebuild. If it's short, ask about raising the limit before closing.
