What are Additional Coverage in Home Insurance Policies?

Additional Protections

Section I of the homeowner's forms include additional extensions of coverage known as Additional Coverages. Although most of the extra coverages are common to all forms, some are present in some forms but not others.

Removal of Debris

The Debris Removal extra coverage pays for the costs of removing debris from insured property that an insured risk has damaged. Removing ash, dust, or particles from a volcanic eruption that has caused direct damage to the building or insured personal items is also covered. Assume that the insurance limit has been reached due to property damage. In that instance, the debris removal supplemental coverage offers an additional amount of insurance to cover debris removal up to 5% of the limit applicable to the property destroyed.

The Debris Removal add-on also covers removing some fallen trees from the premises, up to a total of $1000. Coverage is provided for the removal of trees that have been "felled" by the perils of windstorm, hail, the weight of ice, snow, or sleet, as well as trees belonging to a neighbor that has been felled by any of the named perils applicable to Coverage C (the contents coverage) if, in falling, the tree damages a covered structure, blocks a driveway denying access to the premises, or blocks a ramp or fixture that is needed. These are not risks for which tree damage is covered, and there is no indemnification for the loss of the tree itself, as stated later. In other words, the expansion only applies to the removal of trees that are not insured (for example, a neighbor's tree) or that sustain uninsured damage.