Which Home Insurance Add-Ons Are Worth Asking About?

The Texas Department of Insurance’s home insurance guide says most companies offer endorsements that let you increase or add coverage. Its list of common endorsements: jewelry, fine arts or electronics; backup of sewers or drains; damage to foundations or slabs; extra repair costs to meet building codes; extra construction costs if the policy does not pay enough to rebuild; mold removal; and earthquake. TDI’s declarations-page guide adds water backup, identity theft and home-sharing coverage as examples of optional coverages that may be listed.

Match the add-on to the exposure

If your home or situation has…	Ask about…
A basement, floor drains or a sump pump	Water backup
Jewelry, art, collections or firearms	Scheduled personal property
An older home or a strict local code	Ordinance or law
Concern about rebuilding costs after a disaster	Extended replacement cost
Expansive soils or slab foundation	Foundation or slab endorsement, where offered
Earthquake risk	Earthquake coverage
Occasional short-term rental guests	Home-sharing coverage
Business equipment or customers at home	Home business coverage
Worries about fraud recovery costs	Identity theft coverage, where offered

Identity theft coverage

TDI’s declarations-page guide lists identity theft as an example of optional coverage, but that listing does not establish the benefits of a particular endorsement. Ask whether the proposed option covers identity-restoration expenses, lost wages, professional assistance, stolen funds, or only specified services. Request the limit, deductible and exclusions in writing; do not assume fraud losses or case-management services are included.

How to evaluate an endorsement

• What exactly does it add or change?
• What is its limit, and does it share a limit with anything else?
• Does it have its own deductible?
• What does it cost per year?
• Would it duplicate coverage you already have elsewhere?

The California Department of Insurance suggests asking your agent or broker about available endorsements and notes that some, such as building code upgrade, can greatly add to your protection after a loss.

Keep the scope honest

Endorsements available from one insurer may not be offered by another, and none of them turns a homeowners policy into flood insurance. When you call for a quote, ask the agent which endorsements are included, which are optional and which are not available for your home.

By phone

What happens when you call

A conversation lets the agent ask about your specific home instead of relying on a generic online estimate. There are no online forms to fill out.

1. 1

   Describe your home

   Share the address, size, age, construction, and roof or system updates. You do not need every detail to start.

2. 2

   Talk through coverage

   Explain what you want covered and ask about limits, deductibles, and exclusions that apply to your property.

3. 3

   Compare and decide

   Ask for the written quote terms and compare them before deciding. A call or a quote does not start coverage.

Sources and how this page was checked

Page updated October 23, 2026

This page is general information written from the public sources below. It has not been reviewed by an insurance company, attorney or licensed agent for your situation. Your policy form, endorsements, insurer and state rules decide what is covered.

Sources

• Texas Department of Insurance — Home insurance guideRetrieved and reviewed October 14, 2026. Texas consumer guidance; used for general policy concepts, with Texas-specific examples identified rather than generalized.
• Texas Department of Insurance — How to read your declarations pageRetrieved and reviewed October 25, 2026 for declarations-page contents, listed optional coverages (water backup, identity theft, home sharing) and separate deductibles.
• California Department of Insurance — Residential Insurance: Homeowners and Renters (Form 401, rev. January 2026)Retrieved and reviewed October 25, 2026 for Coverage A–F descriptions, special limits on valuables, renters and condo coverage, dwelling limits based on rebuilding cost rather than market value, actual cash value, guaranteed and limited/extended replacement cost, building code upgrade (ordinance or law) coverage, inflation guard, FAIR Plan, surplus lines and binder/quote definitions. California rules (notice periods, broker fees, CA-specific laws) are not generalized nationally.
• Texas Department of Insurance — What insurance do I need to run a business from home?Retrieved and reviewed October 25, 2026 for business equipment, business interruption, data breach, commercial auto and employee-related coverage gaps.

Before you rely on this page

• Read your declarations page, policy form and every endorsement; they control over any summary.
• Ask the insurer or agent to confirm limits, deductibles and exclusions in writing before you buy or cancel coverage.
• For state rules, deadlines or complaints, check your state insurance department directly.