You bought the policy. You pay the premium every month. And somewhere in the back of your mind, you figure you’re covered.
Most Texas homeowners think the same thing — until the moment they actually need to file a claim.
The truth is, standard homeowners insurance has limits, exclusions, and gaps that catch people completely off-guard. Here’s what you should know before that next hailstorm rolls through North Texas.
Your Policy Covers the Structure — But Maybe Not Enough of It
Here’s a number that surprises a lot of homeowners: your coverage amount should reflect what it would cost to rebuild your home from the ground up today — not what you paid for it, and not what it’s worth on Zillow.
With construction costs in DFW rising sharply over the last few years, many homeowners are sitting on policies that were accurate when they bought them but are now significantly underinsured. If you haven’t reviewed your dwelling coverage limit recently, it’s worth a conversation with your agent.
Rule of thumb: your coverage limit should equal your home’s replacement cost per square foot multiplied by your total square footage. A good agent will run this estimate for you.
Flood Damage Is Not Covered — Period
This one catches people every single time.
Flood damage — meaning water that enters your home from the ground up — is excluded from every standard homeowners policy in Texas. You need a separate flood insurance policy, either through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private carrier.
Here’s the catch: you don’t have to be in a designated flood zone to get flooded. Flash flooding is one of the most common weather events in North Texas, and it does not discriminate by neighborhood. If you’re in Celina, Prosper, McKinney, or anywhere in DFW, it’s worth a conversation about flood coverage — even if your mortgage doesn’t require it.
Hail Is Covered — But Your Deductible Might Surprise You
The good news: hail damage IS covered by standard Texas homeowners policies. And as anyone who has lived here for a full season knows, it’s one of the most important coverages you have.
The fine print: many Texas policies have a separate wind and hail deductible, which is often expressed as a percentage of your home’s insured value (commonly 1–2%) rather than a flat dollar amount. On a home insured for $400,000, a 1% wind/hail deductible means you’re paying the first $4,000 out of pocket before insurance kicks in.
Make sure you know your deductible before a storm hits — not after.
Personal Property Has Limits You Need to Know About
Your policy covers your belongings — furniture, clothing, electronics — up to a limit. But standard policies have sublimits on certain categories: jewelry, artwork, collectibles, firearms, and business equipment are commonly capped at amounts well below their actual value.
If you have items that fall into these categories, ask your agent about a scheduled personal property endorsement. It’s usually inexpensive and ensures those items are covered at their full appraised value.
The Bottom Line
A homeowners policy is not a set-it-and-forget-it product. Your home’s value changes. Construction costs change. Your belongings accumulate. Life happens.
At Fortex Insurance Group, we do a coverage review with every client at renewal — not just to find savings, but to make sure the policy actually does what you think it does when you need it most.
If you haven’t looked at your homeowners policy recently, give us a call at (469) 602-6272 or visit fortexinsure.com. It takes 15 minutes and could save you tens of thousands of dollars.