Contents Coverage (Coverage C, Personal Property)
Also called: Coverage C, personal property coverage, contents inventory, replacement cost contents, special limits of liability
Homeland Public Adjusters · Last reviewed: October 2026
Contents coverage, Coverage C on a homeowners policy, pays for personal property (furniture, clothing, electronics, tools, kitchenware, everything that is not part of the building) damaged by a named peril, anywhere in the world. The limit is usually 50% of Coverage A (dwelling) on an HO-3 and a stated amount on renters and condo forms. Unless the policy has a replacement-cost contents endorsement, contents are paid at actual cash value, and the carrier pays only for items you list, prove and value.
Named perils, not open perils
On the HO-3 the dwelling is covered against all risks except exclusions, but contents are covered only for the named perils: fire, lightning, windstorm, hail, explosion, riot, aircraft, vehicles, smoke, vandalism, theft, falling objects, weight of ice and snow, accidental discharge of water or steam, sudden tearing apart of heating systems, freezing, artificially generated electrical current, and volcanic eruption. Flood and earth movement are not on the list; an HO-5 or an endorsement extends contents to open perils.
Special limits
| Category | Typical HO-3 limit | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Money, bank notes, coins | $200 | Schedule or accept |
| Securities, deeds, passports, tickets | $1,500 | Keep copies off site |
| Watercraft and trailers | $1,500 | Separate policy |
| Jewelry, watches, furs (theft only) | $1,500 | Scheduled personal property endorsement with appraisals |
| Firearms (theft only) | $2,500 | Schedule |
| Silverware, goldware (theft only) | $2,500 | Schedule |
| Business property on premises | $2,500 | Business endorsement |
| Electronic data / portable electronics in a vehicle | Varies | Read the form |
The inventory is the claim
Carriers pay what is on the inventory and nothing else. A good inventory lists each item with a description, quantity, age, purchase price, replacement cost today, and the evidence (receipt, photo, bank or card statement, manufacturer listing). After a fire or flood, rebuild it room by room from photos, videos, online order histories and memory; a public adjuster’s contents team does this on a spreadsheet the carrier’s software can read. Depreciation is then applied item by item; on a replacement-cost policy the holdback is paid as you replace items and submit receipts, which Florida’s §627.7011(3)(b) expressly permits the carrier to require.
Florida and New Jersey
Both states follow the policy. Florida’s payment-order and deadline rules apply (§627.7011, §627.70131); New Jersey’s N.J.A.C. 11:2-17.7 timing applies. Hurricane contents claims in Florida are subject to the single hurricane deductible along with the dwelling; see hurricane deductible. Condo unit owners (HO-6) and renters (HO-4) are contents-first policies: for them, Coverage C is most of the claim, and the association’s or landlord’s policy pays none of it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need receipts for every item?
Is my contents coverage replacement cost or actual cash value?
Are my belongings covered when they are not at home?
Does the mold or water sublimit cap my contents?
Related terms
Replacement cost value (RCV) is what it costs to repair or replace damaged property with new materials of like kind and quality today.
Recoverable depreciation is the money your insurer withholds from a replacement-cost claim payment until you repair or replace the damaged property.
A proof of loss is a sworn, signed statement from the policyholder setting out the date and cause of the loss, the property involved, the interest of the insured and others, other insurance, and the…
Additional living expense (ALE), the main part of a homeowners policy's Coverage D (Loss of Use), pays the necessary increase in living expenses you incur so your household can maintain its normal…
If this is your loss, call Homeland before you talk to the insurance company: Florida (305) 783-3777, New Jersey (732) 517-3777, 24 hours. A licensed public adjuster reviews the claim for free and calls you back right away. No Recovery, No Fee.
Sources
This article is for general information only and is not legal or insurance advice. Statutes, regulations and policy wording change, and how they apply depends on your own policy and the facts of your claim. Homeland Public Adjusters is a public adjusting firm, not a law firm.
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