Do Detached Structures Count Toward Home Insurance in Oklahoma City?

Tanya and Eric didn’t think twice when they added a new shed in their backyard last spring. It was a place to store tools, holiday decorations, and their kids’ sports gear. But after a nasty windstorm rolled through Oklahoma City, that shed took a hit—literally.

​Siding was torn off, the roof partially lifted, and the contents were soaked. When they filed a homeowners insurance claim, they were surprised to learn that their detached structure wasn’t covered the way they expected.
That shed might seem small, but it’s a big reminder of why homeowners in Oklahoma City and surrounding areas like Moore, Edmond, and Yukon need to know exactly what their insurance policy does—and doesn’t—cover when it comes to detached structures.

get the best okc home insurance!

What Counts as a Detached Structure?

In the insurance world, a detached structure refers to any building on your property that isn’t physically attached to your main house. That includes:

• Detached garages
• Storage sheds
• Barns
• Pool houses
• Gazebos
• Fences

These are usually listed under what’s called “Coverage B” in a standard homeowners insurance policy.

How Much Coverage Do You Actually Get?

Most standard policies provide coverage for detached structures up to 10% of the dwelling coverage (the amount it would take to rebuild your home). So, if your home is insured for $300,000, you’d typically get $30,000 in coverage for your detached structures.

But There’s a Catch

That default 10% isn’t always enough. If you have multiple structures or higher-end builds—like a finished workshop or a pool house with plumbing and electricity—that 10% can fall short quickly.

What’s Typically Covered

Your insurance policy may provide protection for detached structures against:

• Fire
• Windstorms (though deductibles and limits can vary)
• Vandalism
• Falling objects
• Lightning

But the structure must be used for personal, not commercial, purposes. If you’ve turned that detached garage into a full-blown workshop for your side business, your insurance company may not cover damage unless you’ve added the right endorsement.

What’s Usually Not Covered

There are plenty of situations where your policy might leave you high and dry:

• Wear and tear or poor maintenance
• Flooding (you’d need a separate flood insurance policy)
• Earthquake damage (also a separate policy)
• Business-related losses unless you have specific business coverage

When You Need to Increase Your Coverage

If you’ve upgraded or added a detached structure recently, it’s time to review your insurance policy. A simple call to your agent could help you:

• Adjust the coverage limit for detached structures
• Add endorsements for unique buildings (like a home gym in the shed)
• Add business property protection if you run a small operation from a detached garage

Real Talk: Your Detached Structures Are Investments

That storage shed may have been a $2,000 investment. But what’s inside it? Lawn equipment, power tools, bicycles, decorations—it all adds up. If that shed disappears in a tornado or gets vandalized, you might not just lose the structure, but everything inside it too.
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Many homeowners policies treat the contents of detached structures the same way they treat other personal property, but there are limits. You might need to raise your personal property coverage or schedule high-value items separately.

Detached Structure, Different Deductible?

In some cases, especially after severe weather, your claim might be subject to a different deductible than your standard homeowners policy. Oklahoma is no stranger to wind and hail storms, and some policies now carry separate deductibles specifically for wind or named storms. Make sure you understand how your coverage applies and what it’ll cost you if you need to use it.

Be Proactive, Not Reactive

Here’s what you can do today:

• Take inventory of all your detached structures
• Estimate their value (structure + contents)
• Check your current policy’s Coverage B limit
• Talk to an independent insurance agent about whether that’s enough

​If it’s not, make the change now. You don’t want to discover the shortfall after the next Oklahoma storm rolls through.

Serving Oklahoma City and Surrounding Communities

At Oklahoma Insurance Professionals, we help homeowners across Oklahoma City, Edmond, Norman, Moore, Mustang, and surrounding areas get the coverage they need—not just for their homes but for everything on their property.

​Detached structures are often overlooked until something goes wrong. Let us help you get ahead of the risk and protect what matters.
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Reach out today for a personalized review of your homeowners insurance. We’re here to help you understand your policy inside and out—and make sure nothing slips through the cracks.

get the best okc home insurance!

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Scott Godwin
Founder

Oklahoma Insurance Professionals LLC serves Oklahoma City and the surrounding Oklahoma communities by protecting the people we work with just like we protect our own family members. Home insurance, auto insurance, business insurance, and more. We can help you find the coverage you need. ​