A: Coverage for your dwelling

Dwelling coverage

At a glance: If you own your own home, your home insurance policy will provide coverage to repair or rebuild your house if it’s damaged or destroyed by an insured peril.

In addition to the “Dwelling Building”, most insurers in Ontario include coverage for some of other structures and equipment on your premises, such as your garage, your pool, plants and trees .

What does dwelling insurance cover?

  1. The house itself: The dwelling building, from The foundation, walls, flooring, windows, doors, and roof of your home.
  2. Attached structures: Such as an attached garage, deck, or porch.
  3. Outdoor equipment: Permanently installed outdoor equipment such as children’s swings and sprinkler systems.
  4. Outdoor swimming pools: Outdoor swimming pools and other domestic water containers, such as hot tubs and saunas as well as attached equipment
  5. Outdoor trees, plants, and shrubs: Ontario insurers typically offer coverage of 5% to 10% of the amount of insurance on your dwelling to be applied to trees, plants and shrubs on your premises. Limits for any one tree, plant or shrub range from $500 to $2,000, depending on your policy. Insured perils for trees, plants, and shrubs are usually limited to fire, lightning, explosion, impact by aircraft or land vehicle, riot, vandalism or malicious acts. Always check your policy for specific details.
  6. Building fixtures and fittings: Ontario insurers typically offer coverage of up to 10% of the amount of insurance on your dwelling to insure building fixtures and fittings temporarily removed from the premises for repair or seasonal storage. The specific definition of ‘Fixtures and Fittings’ will be up to your insurer; however these are generally items that are fixed, or can’t easily be removed, and have essentially become part of the property typical examples include:
    • Wardrobes
    • Fitted kitchens
    • Built-in appliances
    • Cupboards
    • Bathtubs
    • Shutters
    • Wall heaters

Which perils are covered for dwellings?

Most home insurance policies in Ontario will insure you for all risks on your building(s) except for the perils specifically excluded in your policy. You can normally expect to be insured for the following:

  • Collapse due to weight of snow, sleet or ice
  • Electricity
  • Explosion
  • Falling objects
  • Fire/smoke
  • Hail
  • Impact by aircraft or land vehicle
  • Lightning
  • Riot
  • Theft
  • Transportation of personal property
  • Vandalism
  • Water damage from some appliances and systems
  • Windstorm
  • Window breakage

Be sure to ask your broker about conditions and exclusions regarding insured perils. Optional coverage can be added to your policy for sewer backup, overland flooding, earthquakes, and more.

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B: Coverage for additional buildings

Other covered structures on your property: Other buildings on your property that aren’t attached to your home are usually covered for 10% – 20% of the amount of insurance on the main dwelling building. Examples of Detached Private Structures include:

  • Detached garages
  • Gazebos
  • Sheds
  • Greenhouses
  • Guest houses
  • Boathouses
  • Guest cottages

See all home insurance coverage options in Ontario

To learn more about home insurance protection, contact us here at Mitch Insurance Brokers. We’ll be happy to review your existing homeowners policy to help you understand your coverage, limits, exclusions. as well as explore options for protecting the place you call home.