Personal Property (C)
Your stuff — furniture, clothes, electronics — at home and often anywhere in the world.
Coverage C is everything that would fall out if the house were turned upside down — furniture, dishes, electronics, the contents of every closet. On a homeowners policy it is usually set as a percentage of the dwelling limit, commonly somewhere between 50 and 70 percent. On a renters policy it is the headline number, chosen by the renter.
The coverage travels. Belongings are generally protected away from home as well — a suitcase in a hotel, a laptop in a car — though many forms reduce the limit for property kept at another residence, often to a small percentage of the Coverage C amount.
Perils are where people get caught. Even in policies that cover the house on an open peril basis, contents are usually written on a named peril basis, meaning only listed causes such as fire, theft, windstorm, or vandalism are covered. Dropping a television is generally not one of them.
Inside the total limit sit smaller category caps. Theft of jewelry and watches is often capped near $1,500; cash is often capped near $200 for any cause, with separate ceilings for firearms, silverware, and business property. These are limits within the limit, not extras on top of it. Scheduling an item lists it individually and lifts its cap.
Then there is how payment is figured. Some policies settle contents at actual cash value, subtracting depreciation, while a replacement cost endorsement pays what the item costs new today. On an eight-year-old sofa, that gap can be most of the original price.
In real life
A renter carries $30,000 of personal property with a $500 deductible and replacement cost settlement. A break-in takes a $1,300 laptop, a $900 television, and a $4,000 engagement ring. The laptop and television are paid at replacement cost. The ring runs into the jewelry theft cap, often around $1,500, so that is what it pays. On a $6,200 loss, about $3,200 comes back once the deductible is applied.
Common questions
Does renters insurance cover my stuff outside my apartment?
Usually yes. Standard renters and homeowners forms extend personal property coverage worldwide, so a laptop stolen from a car or a bag taken at an airport is generally treated as a covered loss when the cause is a listed peril. Property usually kept at another residence, such as a vacation home, is often limited to a small percentage of the total. The deductible still applies.
Is jewelry covered by homeowners insurance?
It is covered, but with a low cap for theft. Many policies limit jewelry and watch theft to somewhere around $1,500 in total, no matter how many pieces are taken, so a $6,000 ring stolen in a burglary would typically pay out at that cap. Listing the ring as scheduled property, usually with an appraisal, raises its limit and often removes the deductible for that item.
How much personal property coverage comes with a home policy?
On most homeowners policies it is calculated as a percentage of the dwelling limit — commonly 50 to 70 percent, varying by insurer and form. A $300,000 dwelling limit might carry $150,000 to $210,000 of contents coverage. The exact figure appears on the Coverage C line of the declarations page, and the amount can generally be adjusted.
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Definitions describe how these terms are generally used across the U.S. market. Wording, limits and exclusions vary by insurer, policy form and state — the policy you hold is what controls. See the full Insurance Glossary.