Coverage A Through F (Homeowners)

Standard homeowners policies are organized into six lettered coverage sections, each protecting a different category of loss. Understanding what each letter covers helps you read your declarations page intelligently and spot gaps before a loss occurs.

Coverage A is dwelling coverage, protecting the physical structure of your home -- the walls, roof, foundation, built-in appliances, and attached structures like a garage. Coverage B is other structures, covering detached buildings on the property such as a separate garage, fence, shed, or gazebo, usually set at 10 percent of Coverage A. Coverage C is personal property, covering your belongings inside the home -- furniture, clothing, electronics, kitchen items. Coverage D is loss of use, paying the extra cost of living somewhere else while your home is being repaired after a covered loss.

Coverage E is personal liability, which pays for injuries or property damage you cause to other people -- whether on your property or elsewhere. It also covers your legal defense costs if someone sues you. Coverage F is medical payments to others, a small no-fault benefit (typically $1,000 to $5,000) that pays a guest's medical bills after an injury on your property, without requiring any finding of fault. It is designed to handle small injuries quickly without triggering a formal liability claim.

When reviewing a homeowners renewal or comparing quotes, check every limit across all six sections. A high Coverage A limit with inadequate Coverage C, a missing Loss of Use provision, or a personal liability limit below $300,000 are common gaps that only surface when it is too late to correct them.