Your insurance policy is a contract. Knowing what it says — and what it means — is the difference between a fair settlement and getting shortchanged.
Coverage A: Dwelling
This covers the structure of your home — roof, walls, floors, built-in appliances. It's based on the cost to rebuild your home, not its market value. This is the number most claims are paid against.
Coverage B: Other Structures
Detached garage, fence, shed, pool equipment. Usually 10% of your dwelling coverage. Often overlooked in claims — make sure these are included if damaged.
Coverage C: Personal Property
Your belongings — furniture, clothing, electronics. Usually 50-70% of dwelling coverage. Important for fire and water damage claims where contents are affected.
Coverage D: Additional Living Expenses (ALE)
If you can't live in your home during repairs, ALE covers hotel, meals, and other costs above your normal living expenses. Don't forget to claim this.
Ordinance & Law (O&L) Coverage
This is the most underused coverage in Louisiana. When repairs trigger building code upgrades (and they often do in older homes), O&L pays for bringing the damaged area up to current code. This can add thousands to your claim value. Not all policies include it — check yours.
Your Deductible
Standard deductibles are flat amounts ($1,000, $2,500, etc.). Hurricane/named storm deductibles are usually a percentage of Coverage A (2%, 5%). A $300,000 home with a 2% hurricane deductible means a $6,000 deductible — know this number before you file.
Common Exclusions
Most homeowner policies exclude flood damage (requires a separate flood policy), earth movement, normal wear and tear, and gradual damage from lack of maintenance. The key word is "sudden and accidental" — if the damage happened suddenly from a covered event, it's likely covered.