Dwelling Insurance for Your Property

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What Is Dwelling Coverage?

a happy couple sitting on their porch knowing their home is protected with dwelling coverageDwelling coverage, also known as coverage A, is the part of your homeowners insurance policy that helps cover the cost of rebuilding or repairs for your home and its attached structures after a covered loss, such as fire, smoke, vandalism and more.
 
More specifically, dwelling coverage covers the physical structure of your home and anything attached to it, like a porch. It also includes built-in appliances and internal systems like wiring, plumbing, and heating and air conditioning. Dwelling insurance coverage doesn’t cover damage to detached buildings, the surrounding land or personal belongings in your home.
 
To learn more about how the AARP® Home Insurance Program from The Hartford1 can protect your home, call The Hartford today at 877-422-2345.
dwelling insurance video

Insurance Illustrated – Home Dwelling

Learn more about what exactly is included under your home dwelling coverage.

What Is Covered by Dwelling Insurance Coverage?

So, what is dwelling coverage and what does homeowners insurance cover? For starters, home insurance policies cover damage from a variety of losses that can vary from state to state. A few examples of what’s typically covered include damage caused by:2
 
  • Fire
  • Lightning
  • Hail
  • Vehicles
  • Smoke
  • Vandalism
  • Theft
  • Weight of ice, snow or sleet
  • Accidental discharge or overflow of water from plumbing or HVAC system
  • Freezing of pipes
Dwelling coverage is the part of your home insurance policy that helps pay for the repair or rebuilding of the physical structure of your home and the structures directly attached to it, such as:
 
  • Attached garage
  • Chimney
  • Front porch
  • Built-in appliances
Also, with dwelling coverage, your walls, electrical wiring, plumbing, heating and air conditioning are all protected when a covered loss occurs.

If you live in a condo, it’s important to understand what’s already covered by your homeowners association or condo association’s insurance. This is usually called the master policy and it may help protect your roof, shared spaces, hallways, common rooms, gyms and pool areas. When it comes to your personal condo insurance policy, dwelling coverage can help protect the things you’re responsible for in your condo, like alterations or improvements you’ve made, along with your appliances and fixtures.
 

What Is Not Covered by Dwelling Insurance Coverage?

A typical homeowners insurance policy does not cover damage from:
 
  • Flooding. You will have to buy a separate flood insurance policy to keep your home protected in case of water damage caused by floods.
  • Earthquakes
  • Normal wear and tear
  • Pest damage (vermin, rodents, etc.,)
Beyond dwelling coverage, the AARP Home Insurance Program from The Hartford provides additional home insurance coverages to help protect you, your entire property, your belongings and your guests. These include:

Other Structures Insurance Coverage

This helps cover structures on your property that aren’t attached to your house. For example, if your shed collapses from heavy snow, other structures coverage can help cover the cost of damages.

Personal Property Insurance Coverage

Personal property coverage helps protect your personal belongings such as furniture, clothing and appliances. When you insure your personal property with replacement cost coverage, covered property that is stolen or damaged will be replaced with a comparable item at today’s value, not depreciated actual cash value.

Personal Liability Coverage

If someone who is not a resident of your household suffers an injury or property damage for which you are legally responsible, personal liability can help cover your legal defense costs and any court judgments against you, up to your policy limits.

Loss of Use Coverage

This coverage helps pay your living expenses, up to policy limits, if you cannot live in your home due to a covered loss or after suffering a loss. So, if your house is damaged from a fire and needs repairs, this coverage helps to cover the costs to stay in a hotel or rental.

Medical Payments Coverage

Medical payments coverage helps pay emergency medical bills if someone who isn’t a resident of your household is injured on your property. It also covers injuries caused by a member of your family or pet, regardless of where it happens. Bills are paid, up to policy limits, whether you’re legally responsible or not.3
 

What Is Considered Your Dwelling?

homeowner secure knowing What Is Considered Your DwellingTechnically speaking, a dwelling refers to the structure of your home and anything that is attached to it, like a porch. This definition does not include items that are not attached to the home’s structure.
 

How Much Dwelling Coverage Do I Need?

Home insurance policies from The Hartford require enough dwelling coverage protection to be able to fully cover the cost to rebuild your home from scratch in the event of a total loss. 
 
You may have heard of the “80% rule,” which suggests that you should have your replacement cost set to at least 80% of your home’s total value. However, The Hartford requires all homes to be insured to 100% of their rebuilding cost. Otherwise, you’re at risk of being underinsured if something happens to your home. 
 
Some factors to keep in mind when deciding how much coverage you’ll need include:
 
  • Your home's square footage, age and architectural style.
  • The number of rooms in your home.
  • Interior features such as cabinets or type of flooring.
  • Current price of construction and labor.
homeowners researching how much dwelling coverage do I needIt’s also important to determine your home’s market value versus replacement cost. Your home’s replacement cost is the amount to rebuild your house on the existing property with materials of similar kind and quality. This includes the price of labor and materials needed to rebuild the physical structure. It also includes the costs of cleanup and debris removal after a covered loss. Replacement cost is different from the market value of your home, which is impacted by factors like distance from emergency services and the local housing market.
 

Dwelling Coverage Deductibles and Limits

Like many other types of insurance coverages, dwelling coverage is subject to limits and deductibles. Determining your dwelling coverage limit is an important step in ensuring that you’re adequately protected. Keep in mind that your other structures coverage limit is usually a percentage of your dwelling coverage limit.

Home Dwelling Insurance Coverage FAQs

A good way to get a rough estimate of your coverage is to multiply the square footage of your home by the average cost per square foot to build in your area. You can find this information by contacting local builders. You may also need to factor in the cost to replace things like custom cabinets, appliances or other special upgrades. 
Replacement cost is the amount it would take to rebuild your home with materials of similar kind and quality on the existing property, including materials and labor needed as well as cleanup costs. Dwelling coverage, also known as Coverage A on your policy, helps cover the cost to repair or rebuild your home and its attached structures from covered perils or losses. When selecting how much dwelling coverage you need, you will want these numbers to be the same, otherwise you’ll have to pay out of pocket for any repairs or replacements. For even more peace of mind, The Hartford offers extended replacement cost coverage, which provides additional protection up to 125% or 150% of the Coverage A limit in the event of a total loss.
Dwelling coverage should cover the cost to fully rebuild your home in your area in the event of a total loss. Factors like inflation and increased building prices will increase the cost to rebuild homes, impacting the amount of dwelling coverage you may need.
A dwelling is a structure where people live, such as a house. It’s a term often used by insurance companies since it refers to the building and its attached structures, as opposed to personal belongings or unattached features. A “covered dwelling” simply means that the structure is protected by insurance, or dwelling coverage more specifically.
 

Get a Fast and Free Quote for Home Insurance From The Hartford

The Hartford is a trusted insurance company that’s been protecting AARP members and their homes for over 40 years. We can help if you have questions about your insurance quote, like “how much homeowners insurance do I need?” If you have information about your house ready, like square footage or any special updates, our specialists can even help you determine the amount of dwelling coverage you may want.
 
Get the coverage you need to protect the investment you’ve made in your home with the AARP Homeowners Insurance Program from The Hartford. Get a quote online in minutes or call a representative at 877-422-2345.
 
 
Last Updated: February 10, 2025
 
2 Insurance Information Institute, "Which disasters are covered by homeowners insurance?”
 
3 Medical payments are calculated on the basis of usual, customary and reasonable charges.
 
Additional disclosures below.
AARP® Homeowners Insurance
Quick Links
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Summaries of coverages and policy features are for informational purposes only. In the event of loss, the actual terms and conditions set forth in your policy will determine your coverage.
 
AARP and its affiliates are not insurers. Paid endorsement. The Hartford pays royalty fees to AARP for the use of its intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purposes of AARP. AARP membership is required for Program eligibility in most states.
 
The AARP Auto Insurance Program from The Hartford is underwritten by Hartford Fire Insurance Company and its affiliates, One Hartford Plaza, Hartford, CT 06155. It is underwritten in AZ, MI and MN by Hartford Insurance Company of the Southeast; in CA, by Hartford Underwriters Insurance Company; in WA, by Hartford Casualty Insurance Company; in MA, by Trumbull Insurance Company; and in PA, by Nutmeg Insurance Company and Twin City Fire Insurance Company. The AARP Home Insurance Program from The Hartford is underwritten by Hartford Fire Insurance Company and its affiliates, One Hartford Plaza, Hartford, CT 06155. It is underwritten in AZ, MI and MN by Hartford Insurance Company of the Southeast; in CA by Property and Casualty Insurance Company of Hartford; in WA, by Trumbull Insurance Company; in MA, by Trumbull Insurance Company, Sentinel Insurance Company, Hartford Insurance Company of the Midwest, and Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company; and in PA, by Nutmeg Insurance Company. Home product is not available in all areas, including the state of FL. Savings, benefits and coverages may vary and some applicants may not qualify. The Program is currently unavailable in Canada and U.S. Territories or possessions.
 
1 In Texas, the Auto Program is underwritten by Redpoint County Mutual Insurance Company through Hartford of the Southeast General Agency, Inc. Hartford Fire Insurance Company and its affiliates are not financially responsible for insurance products underwritten and issued by Redpoint County Mutual Insurance Company. The Home Program is underwritten by Hartford Insurance Company of the Southeast.
 
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