What Does Your HO3 Policy Say About Other Structures On Your Property?

What Does Your HO3 Policy Say About Other Structures On Your Property?

Your insurance policy likely covers most damage to your home itself regardless of which carrier you use. However, when it comes to other structures on your property, coverage can vary. If you have multiple structures – either attached or detached – on your property, it is worth investigating to find out what is covered and what isn’t under your HO3 policy.

Attached Structures

Structures that are attached to your home include garages, carports, porches, and many types of pool enclosures. Not all policies treat these structures as part of your house and may exclude or limit coverage to actual cash value only (depreciated cost), or may only cover certain components instead of the entire structure.

Olympus covers most types of attached structures at full replacement cost, including attached pool enclosures or cages (both frames and screens). If the damage is caused by a covered peril (anything that your home would be covered against), the attached structures are generally covered as well.

Detached Structures

Detached structures can be classed in one of two ways:

• >Other structures considered to be buildings. These include but are not limited to tool and garden sheds, workshops, barns, detached garages, and boathouses.
• >Other structures not considered to be buildings. These include but are not limited to fences, docks, and other detached structures that are not buildings – open structures such as gazebos are generally determined on a case by case basis.

Olympus covers detached structures considered to be buildings at full replacement cost, meaning the amount required to cover the materials and labor to rebuild the structure to similar parameters. Other structures not considered to be buildings are covered at actual cash value, meaning the current market value of the dock or fence, which is depreciated based on age and condition.

Additional Coverages

Personal property kept inside other structures considered to be buildings is typically covered to the same extent as personal property kept in the main house. Personal property outside of a fully enclosed building may also be covered, depending on the cause of loss.

Coverage can be increased and expanded with Spartan Enhanced Coverage (available exclusively through Olympus) to include trailers used for other purposes than pulling watercraft. Personal property damaged by wind driven rain can also be covered through Spartan even if there are no holes in the roof or windows of the structure housing the items.

Ask your agent what your policy covers when it comes to other structures and help ensure you have the best coverage available for all structures and personal items located on your property.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not form a part of, replace, change or amend any terms, conditions, provisions or language within your Olympus Insurance policy. We encourage you to read your entire policy.