6 Ways Your Home Insurance Could Protect You

This article is sponsored by Plymouth Rock Assurance.

Most home insurance policies come with six standard coverages.

Each of these coverages is designed to protect homeowners from a different type of accident or loss.

Think kitchen fires or a guest taking a tumble on your driveway.

You might not need these coverages every day, but when something goes wrong, you’ll be glad you have them!

Here’s how these six standard home insurance coverages could help you:

Dwelling is your most important coverage.

It protects against damage to the physical structure of your home, as well as permanently installed systems like plumbing, wiring, heating and air conditioning.

Examples of dwelling claims:

• Fire or smoke damages your walls and flooring
• A tree falls and punches a hole in your roof 
• A pipe freezes and suddenly bursts 
• A hailstorm damages your roof 

👉 Learn more about dwelling coverage at Plymouth Rock.

The other structures portion of your policy covers structures on your property that aren’t connected to your main house.

Examples include garages, fences and sheds. While these structures may not be as valuable as the house itself, they can still be expensive to repair. 

Examples of other structures claims:

• Heavy winds knock down your fence
• A vehicle crashes into your fence
• Snow and ice buildup causes your shed roof to collapse
• A tree falls and damages the roof of your detached garage

👉 Learn more about other structures coverage at Plymouth Rock.

Personal property coverage pays to replace your belongings if they’re damaged or stolen due to a covered event, such as fire or theft.

Items protected by this coverage include furniture, electronics, clothing and appliances—pretty much everything you own.

Examples of personal property claims:

• Your living room furniture is damaged in a fire
• Your laptop is stolen from your car while parked at work 
• A pipe freezes and bursts, ruining your carpet 

👉 Learn more about personal property coverage at Plymouth Rock.

If your home is badly damaged, you may need to live somewhere else while repairs are being made.

Loss of use coverage can reimburse you for temporary housing and other expenses during this time. 

Also known as additional living expenses coverage, it’s usually 20% of your dwelling coverage amount.

Possible loss of use expenses:

• Temporary housing: Helps pay for your hotel, motel, apartment or rented house
• Food and meals: Covers the increase in spending above your normal food budget
• Other expenses: Includes storage units, pet boarding fees and higher commuting costs

👉 Learn more about loss of use coverage at Plymouth Rock.

Personal liability insurance is one of the most important coverages provided by a home insurance policy.

It can cover legal and medical costs if you’re responsible for injuring someone or damaging their property. It can also pay for injury or damage caused by your pets.

Examples of personal liability claims:

• A guest slips on your icy driveway and breaks their leg
• Your mailman trips on your stairs, breaks their arm and sues 
• Your child breaks a neighbor’s window while playing baseball 
• Your dog injures someone at a park

👉 Learn more about personal liability coverage at Plymouth Rock.

Medical payments coverage helps pay for expenses related to minor injuries to others, whether you’re responsible for the accident or not.

Expenses could include hospital visits, dental work and X-rays. Because it helps to resolve minor incidents quickly, this coverage may prevent lawsuits from being filed. 

Examples of medical payments claims:

• A guest trips on your deck while texting and chips their tooth
• A neighbor slips on your icy driveway and sprains their ankle
• A delivery driver trips on your walkway and hurts their wrist
• You accidentally hit someone with a golf ball in the park

👉 Learn more about medical payments coverage at Plymouth Rock.

Final Thoughts

Home insurance isn’t just one layer of coverage. It’s six essential coverages working together to help safeguard your home, belongings and finances when the unexpected happens.

From structural damage to everyday accidents, knowing what your policy includes can make all the difference when it matters most.

👉 Switch to Plymouth Rock home insurance today. People who do save $421* on average.

*Amount based on average annual savings reported by Plymouth Rock home customers in multiple states who switched between 1/1/2025 and 12/31/2025. Your premium may vary due to the state and underwriting company in which your policy is written, available discounts and other factors.