The portion of your homeowner’s policy that covers detached structures on your property — and one of the most consistently overlooked sources of legitimate covered storm damage in Colorado hail claims.
What Other Structures Coverage Is
Other Structures Coverage — formally designated Coverage B in a standard homeowner’s insurance policy — is the provision that covers structures on your property that are separate and detached from the main dwelling. Detached garages, storage sheds, fences, pergolas, gazebos, carports, and guest houses all fall under Coverage B when they are not physically connected to the main home.
Coverage B is a standard component of every homeowner’s insurance policy — it is not a special endorsement or optional add-on. It is simply a separate coverage bucket with its own limit that applies to everything on the property that is not the main house. For Colorado homeowners in the hail corridor, where storms damage everything exposed to them simultaneously, Coverage B is a significant and consistently underclaimed source of legitimate storm damage compensation.
How Coverage B Limits Are Set
Coverage B limits are typically expressed as a percentage of the Coverage A dwelling limit — most commonly 10 percent. This percentage-based structure means the Coverage B limit scales automatically with the home’s insured value:
- Home insured for $300,000 — Coverage B limit of $30,000
- Home insured for $400,000 — Coverage B limit of $40,000
- Home insured for $500,000 — Coverage B limit of $50,000
The Coverage B limit is a combined pool — it applies to all covered detached structures collectively, not individually. If a detached garage, fence, and shed all sustained storm damage in the same event, all three claims draw from the same pool up to the combined limit. This is relevant when multiple detached structures on the same property sustained significant damage — the combined claims must not exceed the Coverage B ceiling.
What Coverage B Covers in Colorado Storm Claims
After a hail or wind event in Colorado Springs or Pueblo, storm damage to detached structures is covered under Coverage B on the same terms as the main dwelling — subject to the same deductible, the same ACV vs. RCV provisions, and the same exclusions. Common Coverage B claims after Colorado hailstorms include:
Detached Garage Roof
The most common Coverage B claim in Colorado hail events. A detached garage roof sustains the same hail impact as the main dwelling roof — the same storm, the same hail, the same exposure. Yet detached garage roofs are among the most consistently omitted items in initial insurance estimates. The adjuster’s inspection often focuses on the main roof and either inspects the garage superficially or skips it entirely. Every inspection after a Colorado hailstorm should specifically address the detached garage roof as a separate Coverage B item.
Storage Sheds and Outbuildings
Tool sheds, garden sheds, workshop buildings, and similar outbuildings take direct hail impact on their roofs and walls. These structures are frequently omitted from initial estimates entirely — the adjuster may not even walk to them during the inspection. Document damage to every storage structure on the property with dated photographs and include them in the initial claim or as a supplement.
Fences
Wood and vinyl fences sustain hail damage — paint chipping, surface bruising, and cracking on wood rails and posts; denting and surface marking on vinyl fence components. Fences are collateral damage items under Coverage B that are consistently missed in initial estimates. The replacement cost of a long fence run can be significant, and the documentation is straightforward — photographs of hail impact patterns on fence surfaces.
Pergolas and Gazebos
Freestanding pergolas and gazebos take direct hail impact on their roof structures, lattice work, and horizontal members. Painted wood surfaces show clearly visible hail impact marks. These structures are covered under Coverage B and should be included in any comprehensive post-storm inspection and claim.
Carports
Freestanding carport structures — roof and supporting columns — sustain hail and wind damage that is covered under Coverage B. Metal carport roofs dent visibly from hail impact, providing clear photographic evidence. Include carport damage in the scope regardless of whether the carport is a premium structure — even a basic metal carport has replacement value worth claiming.
Guest Houses and ADUs
Detached guest houses and accessory dwelling units are covered under Coverage B provided they are not used as primary rental units generating income. Storm damage to the roof, siding, and other components of a detached guest structure should be documented and included in the Coverage B claim.
Coverage B vs. Coverage A — The Attached vs. Detached Distinction
Whether a structure falls under Coverage A or Coverage B depends on whether it is physically attached to or detached from the main dwelling:
- Coverage A — Dwelling: Attached structures — attached garage, covered porch, sunroom addition, enclosed patio — connected to the main dwelling by a shared wall, roof line, or foundation extension
- Coverage B — Other Structures: Detached structures — detached garage, shed, fence, pergola, carport — standing independently on the property without a physical connection to the main dwelling
This distinction matters because Coverage A and Coverage B have different limits and different coverage pools. Attached structure damage draws from the larger Coverage A limit. Detached structure damage draws from the smaller Coverage B pool. Correctly classifying each structure ensures the claim is structured against the right coverage provision from the start.
One Deductible Per Occurrence
Most Colorado homeowner’s policies apply a single deductible per storm occurrence — meaning one deductible applies to the combined claim for all structures damaged in the same storm event. A hailstorm that damages the main roof (Coverage A), the detached garage roof (Coverage B), and the fence (Coverage B) is a single occurrence with one deductible, not three separate deductibles for three separate claims.
This per-occurrence structure is favorable for homeowners with multiple damaged structures. The deductible cost is the same whether one structure or five structures were damaged by the same storm — which means including all damaged structures in the same claim does not increase the out-of-pocket deductible obligation.
Confirm this per-occurrence structure with your specific policy language — some policies do apply deductibles per structure rather than per occurrence. But the per-occurrence approach is the standard for most Colorado homeowner’s policies.
Why Coverage B Claims Are Consistently Missed
Despite being standard coverage in every homeowner’s policy, Coverage B claims after Colorado hailstorms are consistently incomplete. Several factors contribute:
- Adjuster focus on the main roof — adjusters manage time-pressed post-storm inspections by focusing on the primary dwelling. Detached structures receive less inspection time or none at all.
- Homeowner focus on the main roof — homeowners who contact their carrier about hail damage typically describe the main roof. Detached structure damage may not be mentioned because the homeowner does not realize it is covered or does not think to raise it.
- Distance and access — detached structures are physically separate from the main roof inspection area. An adjuster who does not specifically walk to the detached garage will not inspect it.
- Assumption of minor damage — homeowners sometimes assume that minor denting on a shed or fence is not worth claiming. In a hail event significant enough to damage the main roof, the cumulative Coverage B claim value across multiple structures is often more substantial than the homeowner expects.
Documenting Coverage B Damage
Coverage B claims require the same documentation quality as Coverage A claims — the structures are covered under the same policy and the same evidence standards apply:
- Photograph every detached structure — all four elevations of each structure, close-up shots of impact damage on roofing surfaces, siding, and painted wood
- Photograph fence damage systematically — each fence section, close-up shots of hail impact on rails and boards, documentation of the full run length
- Measure the Coverage B structures — area of detached garage roof, linear footage of fence, dimensions of shed roof — the quantities needed for accurate estimate pricing
- Document all structures before any repairs — once temporary repairs or cleanup begins, the as-found damage condition is altered. Photograph first.
- Confirm what falls under Coverage A vs. Coverage B — correctly classifying each structure at the beginning of the claim process prevents coverage allocation issues later
Coverage B and the Initial Insurance Estimate
Initial insurance estimates frequently omit Coverage B items entirely or address only the most prominent detached structure — sometimes the garage roof but not the fence, shed, or pergola. A complete estimate should include separate line items for every damaged Coverage B structure, scoped and priced independently from the Coverage A claim.
When Coverage B items are missing from the initial estimate, submit a supplement specifically identifying each omitted structure, its damage, and the Xactimate line items required to restore it. Supplements for detached structure damage are among the most straightforward to support — the damage is visible, the structures are clearly covered, and the carrier cannot argue that Coverage B does not apply.
Common Coverage B Questions
My deductible is $8,000 and my Coverage B claim is only $3,000. Is it worth filing?
Coverage B damage should be included in the same claim as the Coverage A roof damage — it is the same storm occurrence and subject to the same single deductible. The Coverage B claim does not generate an additional deductible obligation. Adding Coverage B items to the same claim increases the total settlement amount without increasing the deductible. In your example, $3,000 in Coverage B items added to a $25,000 Coverage A claim does not change the $8,000 deductible — it increases what you receive above the deductible.
My detached garage has a flat roof. Is that covered under Coverage B?
Yes — the detached garage roof, regardless of pitch or roofing material, is covered under Coverage B. If the garage roof is low-slope and uses modified bitumen or another specialty material, the estimate should reflect the correct low-slope roofing system — not standard shingle pricing. A Coverage B flat roof claim priced at shingle rates is understating the actual replacement cost. Verify the material specification in the estimate.
Can I file Coverage B claims for all my damaged structures separately, or do they all go into one claim?
All structures damaged in the same storm occurrence should be included in the same claim — they are part of the same covered loss event. Filing them as separate claims would apply the deductible multiple times to the same occurrence, which is not how per-occurrence deductibles work and would not be to your advantage. Include all damaged structures — Coverage A and Coverage B — in a single claim for the storm event.
My fence was damaged in a hailstorm last year and I did not file a claim. Can I still file now?
Potentially — if the damage occurred during an active policy period and you are within Colorado’s statute of limitations (generally one to two years from the date of loss). However, delayed claims face more scrutiny on causation — establishing that specific fence damage occurred during a specific prior storm requires dated storm data, photographs, and possibly a professional inspection. The longer you wait, the harder causation becomes to establish. File promptly if you have covered damage that has not been claimed.
How Claim Advocacy Helps With Coverage B Claims
Coverage B claims require systematic inspection of the entire property — not just the main roof — and specific documentation of each covered structure to ensure nothing is left out of the settlement.
- Full property inspection — systematically inspecting every detached structure on the property for storm damage as part of the post-loss assessment
- Coverage classification — confirming whether each structure is attached (Coverage A) or detached (Coverage B) and structuring the claim accordingly
- Independent documentation — photographing and measuring every Coverage B structure to support the scope regardless of whether the adjuster inspects them
- Supplement preparation — submitting Coverage B supplements for structures omitted from the initial estimate, with photographs, measurements, and Xactimate line item references
- Coverage B limit verification — confirming the combined Coverage B limit before filing to ensure the total claim value stays within the available pool
Related Glossary Terms
- Dwelling Coverage (Coverage A)
- Dwelling Extension Coverage
- Blanket Coverage
- Collateral Damage
- Scope of Loss
- Deductible
- Supplemental Claim
- Low-Slope Roof
- Declarations Page
- Documentation
Have Detached Structures That Were Not Included in Your Estimate?
Detached garages, sheds, fences, and pergolas are covered under the same policy that covers your main roof — and they are consistently omitted from initial Colorado roof insurance estimates. A free inspection covers every structure on your property so you have the documentation needed to include all covered damage in your settlement before it is finalized.
📞 Call to discuss your claim: (719) 210-8699
📧 Email: gerald@winik.io