Home Insurance in Oklahoma City: What Happens If Your Detached Garage or Shed Is Damaged?

When the Parkers in Edmond walked outside after a summer hailstorm, they saw the roof of their detached garage pocked with holes and their riding mower drenched in rainwater. The garage wasn’t attached to their home, so they weren’t sure if their homeowners policy would pay for repairs or for the equipment inside.
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This scenario is common in Oklahoma City and surrounding areas, where many homes include detached garages, sheds, or workshops. These buildings often hold valuable tools, vehicles, or personal belongings — but coverage for them isn’t always as straightforward as coverage for the main house.

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What Counts as an “Other Structure”?

Home insurance policies divide coverage into categories. Your house is insured under dwelling coverage, but detached buildings fall under other structures coverage. This includes:

• Detached garages
  
• Storage sheds or workshops
  
• Fences and gazebos
  
• Pool houses or cabanas
  

Because they aren’t physically attached to your home, they’re insured differently.

​How Much Coverage Do You Have?

Most Oklahoma City homeowners policies automatically include other structures coverage worth about 10% of your dwelling limit. For example, if your home is insured for $250,000, your detached garage and shed together are covered for $25,000.
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That might be plenty for a simple shed. But if you’ve built a workshop, store expensive tools, or park vehicles inside, that coverage can run out fast.

What’s Covered Under Other Structures

Just like your main home, detached structures are typically covered for:

• Storm damage from wind, hail, or lightning
  
• Fire or smoke damage
  
• Vandalism or theft
  
• Falling objects, such as tree limbs
  

Personal belongings inside may also be covered, but under personal property coverage — which could come with its own limits.

​What’s Not Covered

Some homeowners are surprised to find that not every scenario applies. For example:

• Business use: If you run a workshop out of your detached garage, that may need special coverage.
  
• Flooding: Standard homeowners policies do not cover flood damage — you’d need separate flood insurance.
  
• Wear and tear: Normal aging, rot, or poor maintenance aren’t covered.
  

​Why Detached Structures Matter in Oklahoma City

Oklahoma weather makes detached structures especially vulnerable. Wind and hail are frequent, and tornadoes can cause widespread damage in neighborhoods. Many homeowners use detached garages for storage of vehicles, lawn equipment, and tools — all of which could be costly to replace if coverage isn’t high enough.

Protecting Your Detached Spaces

To make sure your garage or shed is properly covered, homeowners should:

• Review coverage limits with their agent each year.
  
• Consider increasing other structures coverage if you’ve added buildings or upgraded existing ones.
  
• Keep an inventory of the items stored inside.
  
• Ask about endorsements if you use the space for a business or hobbies with expensive equipment.
  

Local Agents Who Know Local Risks

At Oklahoma Insurance Professionals, we understand the risks Oklahoma homeowners face. From summer hailstorms in Edmond to tornadoes near Norman, we’ve seen how quickly detached structures can be damaged. We work with you to make sure your policy not only protects your home but also the buildings and belongings outside of it.
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Contact Oklahoma Insurance Professionals today to review your coverage and make sure your garage, shed, or workshop is protected before the next storm rolls through.

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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. ​