Your property policy would have to say in writing if your detached garage or shed is not covered
What it does
HB 1118 would let an insurer write a commercial or residential property policy without coverage for structures other than your main house, such as a detached garage, a shed, or another building sitting on the same land. An insurer could offer that extra coverage only if you affirmatively ask for it and it is written on the policy's declarations page or an endorsement form. Any policy that does not include other structures coverage would have to carry a notice on the declarations page stating that other structures are not covered by the policy. The changes would apply to policies delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2028, and the act takes effect September 1, 2027.
What it means for your community
If you have a detached garage, a shed, or another building on your property, you would need to check the declarations page to see whether it is covered at all, because it would no longer come automatically with the policy. If you want it covered, you would have to ask for that coverage by name when the policy is written. In a neighborhood with many detached garages and outbuildings, the gap can show up at the worst time, when something is damaged and a claim is filed.
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