✅ Does home insurance cover roof damage?

Roofs are covered by home insurance if the damage is caused by a covered peril like wind, hail or a fallen tree. However, home insurance won't cover roof damage from normal wear and tear, neglect or lack of maintenance.

💧 Does home insurance cover water damage?

Sudden, accidental water damage like a burst pipe or overflowing washing machine is typically covered by home insurance. But flooding from outside your home, sewer backups and gradual leaks are not covered unless you add specific endorsements.

🍄 Does home insurance cover mold?

Mold damage is usually excluded by homeowners insurance. If mold is the result of a covered peril, like a burst pipe that you addressed immediately, your policy might cover it. Mold from long-term leaks, humidity or neglected maintenance is not covered.

📋 Is home insurance required by law?

There’s no state law that requires you to have home insurance. But if you have a mortgage, your lender will require you to maintain coverage until the loan is paid off. Even without a mortgage, going without insurance is risky. You’ll need to pay out of pocket for things like damage to your home or stolen property.

💰 How much home insurance do I need?

Your dwelling coverage should match your home's replacement cost, which is what it would cost to rebuild your house from scratch today. This is often different from your home's market value.

🔄 What's the difference between replacement cost and actual cash value?

Replacement cost pays what it costs to repair or replace items at today's prices. Actual cash value (ACV) pays replacement cost minus depreciation, so a five-year-old TV would be worth much less. Replacement cost coverage is better but costs more.

Updated January 23, 2026

What Does Home Insurance Cover?

Home insurance protects you from paying thousands out of pocket when something happens to your house, whether that’s a tree falling on your roof, a burglar breaking in or a guest slipping on your stairs.

But home insurance doesn’t cover everything. Understanding what’s covered – and what’s not – can save you from an unpleasant surprise when you need insurance most.

Jerry has helped over 54,000 homeowners compare home insurance quotes in the last year, making it easy for them to get the coverage they need. Here’s what a standard home insurance policy covers, what it doesn’t and some optional protections you may want to add.

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What home insurance covers

A standard home insurance policy covers:

Your home’s structure, like the walls, roof and floors.
Other structures on your property.
Your personal belongings.
Legal fees and awarded damages if someone gets hurt and sues you.
Medical payments for a guest’s minor injuries.
Additional living expenses if you have to move out temporarily.

Here’s a quick snapshot of the six main types of home insurance coverage and our expert recommendations on how much you need of each.

Coverage type	What it covers	Recommended minimum
Dwelling (Coverage A)	Repairs or rebuilds your home’s primary structure after damage from fire, wind, hail, lightning or other covered perils.	Enough to rebuild your home at current construction costs.
Other structures (Coverage B)	Protects detached structures on the property like garages, sheds, fences and pool houses.	Typically 10% of your dwelling coverage is enough for most homeowners.
Personal property (Coverage C)	Replaces your belongings — like furniture, electronics, clothing and appliances — if they’re damaged, destroyed or stolen by a covered event.	Usually 50% to 70% of your dwelling coverage.
Loss of use (Coverage D)	Pays for temporary living expenses (hotel, meals, etc.) if your home becomes uninhabitable after a covered loss.	Typically 20% of your dwelling coverage.
Personal liability (Coverage E)	Pays legal fees, settlements and medical bills if you’re found at fault for injuring someone on your property, or you accidentally damage someone else’s property.	Jerry recommends limits of at least $300,000, or enough to cover everything you own.
Medical payments to others (Coverage F)	Covers minor medical expenses if a guest is injured on your property, regardless of fault.	Between $1,000 and $5,000 is standard and often sufficient for minor injuries.

Dwelling (Coverage A)

What it covers

Repairs or rebuilds your home’s primary structure after damage from fire, wind, hail, lightning or other covered perils.

Recommended minimum

Enough to rebuild your home at current construction costs.

Other structures (Coverage B)

What it covers

Protects detached structures on the property like garages, sheds, fences and pool houses.

Recommended minimum

Typically 10% of your dwelling coverage is enough for most homeowners.

Personal property (Coverage C)

What it covers

Replaces your belongings — like furniture, electronics, clothing and appliances — if they’re damaged, destroyed or stolen by a covered event.

Recommended minimum

Usually 50% to 70% of your dwelling coverage.

Loss of use (Coverage D)

What it covers

Pays for temporary living expenses (hotel, meals, etc.) if your home becomes uninhabitable after a covered loss.

Recommended minimum

Typically 20% of your dwelling coverage.

Personal liability (Coverage E)

What it covers

Pays legal fees, settlements and medical bills if you’re found at fault for injuring someone on your property, or you accidentally damage someone else’s property.

Recommended minimum

Jerry recommends limits of at least $300,000, or enough to cover everything you own.

Medical payments to others (Coverage F)

What it covers

Covers minor medical expenses if a guest is injured on your property, regardless of fault.

Recommended minimum

Between $1,000 and $5,000 is standard and often sufficient for minor injuries.

Key takeaway: These six coverages work together to protect your home, your belongings and your wallet. The most important thing? Make sure your dwelling limit covers what it would cost to rebuild your home.

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What home insurance doesn’t cover

This is where homeowners can get surprised, as there are home insurance exclusions. Unfortunately, that shock usually comes after something bad happens.

Standard home insurance won't cover:

Floods. Even a few inches of water can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage, but standard policies don’t cover it. You’ll need separate flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private insurer.
Earthquakes. If you live in a quake-prone area, like California, you’ll need to add earthquake coverage or get a separate policy. It’s not included by default.
Wear and tear or neglect. Home insurance covers unexpected damage, not things that break down over time. It’s your responsibility to maintain an aging roof or old water heater.
Pest damage. Termites, mice and other critters aren’t covered because insurers consider infestations preventable. Regular inspections and pest control are your best defense.
Sewer backup. If water backs up through your drains, you’re not covered unless you add a water backup endorsement to your policy.

It’s important to note that homeowners policies come in different forms with varying levels of protection:

Basic Form (HO-1) covers only a short list of named covered events, like fire and theft.
Broad Form (HO-2) expands that list to include more risks, like falling objects and water damage from appliances.
Special Form (HO-3) is the most common policy. It uses “open perils” coverage for your dwelling, meaning you’re covered unless the damage is specifically excluded.

Always review the covered perils on your policy so you know exactly what’s protected and where you might have gaps.

Key takeaway: Don’t assume you’re fully covered. Floods, earthquakes and sewer backups all need separate coverage, so be sure to check for gaps in your coverage before disaster strikes.

Cover your home with Jerry

Getting the right home insurance coverage shouldn’t mean calling ten different companies. With Jerry, you can compare quotes from 10+ insurers in one place and buy your policy entirely online, with no phone calls required.

Want to bundle your home and car insurance? Jerry makes it easy to mix and match carriers to get the right coverage at the best price. You can bundle with the same carrier for a discount, or combine options to fit your needs. And if you ever want help, our licensed agents are just a chat away.

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Optional coverages worth considering

These add-ons, also called “endorsements”, aren’t part of your standard policy, but you can add them for extra protection:

💧 Water backup coverage
Pays for damage when water backs up through your drains or sump pump fails; highly recommended if you have a basement.

💍 Scheduled personal property
Covers high-value items like engagement rings, art or collectibles.

🔧 Service line coverage
Covers underground pipes and utility lines running from your home to the street.

🏗️ Building code coverage
Pays the extra cost to bring your home up to current building codes when rebuilding after a covered loss.

🏠 Extended dwelling coverage
Adds extra protection if rebuilding costs exceed your dwelling coverage limits.

🔒 Identity theft coverage
Helps cover expenses like legal fees, lost wages and credit monitoring if your identity is stolen.

💻 Cyber protection coverage
Covers losses from cyber attacks, online fraud or data breaches that affect your personal devices and accounts.

Why it matters: Some of the most common and costly home issues aren’t covered by a standard policy. Adding a few optional coverages now could save you from a major out-of-pocket expense later.

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FAQ

✅ Does home insurance cover roof damage?

Roofs are covered by home insurance if the damage is caused by a covered peril like wind, hail or a fallen tree. However, home insurance won’t cover roof damage from normal wear and tear, neglect or lack of maintenance.
💧 Does home insurance cover water damage?

Sudden, accidental water damage like a burst pipe or overflowing washing machine is typically covered by home insurance. But flooding from outside your home, sewer backups and gradual leaks are not covered unless you add specific endorsements.
🍄 Does home insurance cover mold?

Mold damage is usually excluded by homeowners insurance. If mold is the result of a covered peril, like a burst pipe that you addressed immediately, your policy might cover it. Mold from long-term leaks, humidity or neglected maintenance is not covered.
📋 Is home insurance required by law?

There’s no state law that requires you to have home insurance. But if you have a mortgage, your lender will require you to maintain coverage until the loan is paid off. Even without a mortgage, going without insurance is risky. You’ll need to pay out of pocket for things like damage to your home or stolen property.
💰 How much home insurance do I need?

Your dwelling coverage should match your home’s replacement cost, which is what it would cost to rebuild your house from scratch today. This is often different from your home’s market value.
🔄 What’s the difference between replacement cost and actual cash value?

Replacement cost pays what it costs to repair or replace items at today’s prices. Actual cash value (ACV) pays replacement cost minus depreciation, so a five-year-old TV would be worth much less. Replacement cost coverage is better but costs more.

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Our experts

Ben Moore

Ben Moore is a writer and editor at Jerry and an auto insurance expert. He previously worked as a writer, editor and content strategist on NerdWallet’s auto insurance team for five years. His work has been published in The Associated Press, Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times, MarketWatch, Nasdaq and Yahoo News. He also served as a NerdWallet spokesperson, with appearances on local broadcast television and quotes in Martha Stewart and Real Simple magazine.

Ben has an extensive background in digital marketing, working on affiliate and programmatic advertising campaigns for brands like Cabela’s, H&R Block and Sears. He holds a bachelors degree in marketing from Olivet Nazarene University.

^†Over the past 12 months, 25% of drivers who switched with Jerry paid $89 or less per month. Not all customers find savings. Savings depend on state, policy features, coverage, driving history and other factors.

Editorial Note: This article was written by a paid member of Jerry’s editorial team. Statements in this article do not constitute advice or recommendations. You should consult with an insurance professional about your specific circumstances and needs before making any insurance decisions.