Other Structures Coverage

Other structures coverage protects things in your yard not created by mother nature, like your driveway, fence, shed, or detached garage.

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other structures

Other Structures coverage is part of your homeowners insurance, and it protects things on your property or connected to your home not created by mother nature or connected to your home—like your driveway, fence, pool, shed, detached garage, tree house, and so on.

What is other structures coverage?

If structures on your property are damaged, your other structures coverage (or ‘coverage B’ in insurance lingo) can pay for the repairs.

And what types of damages are your other structures covered for? The same perils as your home! So if your dwelling coverage (insurance lingo for coverage for your home’s structure) says you’re covered for risks like theft, fire, and vandalism, your other structures will most likely be covered too.

How much other structures coverage do I need?

You’ll notice your other structures coverage defaults to 10% of your dwelling coverage limit. For instance, if you’ve got $500,000 worth of coverage on your home, you will automatically be provided with $50,000 of coverage on your other structures.

While many smaller structures such as fences and small sheds can typically be replaced in the event of a loss for less than 10% of the average dwelling coverage limit, some structures may require additional coverage. Think  in-ground pools, sport courts (such as basketball or tennis), outdoor kitchens or fixed barbeques, pool houses, detached garages, and stables or barns.

5 tips for estimating your other structures replacement cost

  1. Consider the size, construction materials, and construction quality of your structures. 
  2. For dwelling-like other structures (think pool houses and the like), consider how their size and construction quality compare to your house itself.
  3. If you recently had a structure installed, the price you paid for it may be appropriate to use as long as it has not changed since the installation, but keep inflation and other market changes in mind.
  4. When in doubt, consult a local contractor or business that specializes in the construction of the structure for an estimate.
  5. If you have multiple other structures, you’ll need to add the replacement cost of each of those structures together to determine the total amount of coverage you’ll need for your ‘other structures’. This includes structures such as fencing, hardscaping, landscaping walls, patios, carports, decks, driveways, fountains, hot tubs, portable buildings, solar panels, storage sheds, and sidewalks.

What if you don’t have any ‘other structures’?

Even if you don’t have any “other structures,” you’ll still be provided other structures coverage with a limit of 10% of your dwelling coverage limit. This amount is automatically included in your homeowners policy at no additional cost. 

If any other structures are added to your property, you’ll want to consider increasing your ‘other structures’ coverage limit if the cost to replace all other structures exceeds 10% of your dwelling coverage limit. 

Please note: Lemonade articles and other editorial content are meant for educational purposes only, and should not be relied upon instead of professional legal, insurance or financial advice. The content of these educational articles does not alter the terms, conditions, exclusions, or limitations of policies issued by Lemonade, which differ according to your state of residence. While we regularly review previously published content to ensure it is accurate and up-to-date, there may be instances in which legal conditions or policy details have changed since publication. Any hypothetical examples used in Lemonade editorial content are purely expositional. Hypothetical examples do not alter or bind Lemonade to any application of your insurance policy to the particular facts and circumstances of any actual claim.