Detached structures feel simple. A shed in the back. A garage across the drive. A workshop you added years after moving in. Easy, right? Nothing to worry about? Not so fast. From a home insurance point of view, “detached” isn’t just a description; it’s a classification. And that classification changes how risk is evaluated.
At DJ Kauffman Agency, we often see Hutchinson, KS, homeowners assume that anything on their property is automatically treated the same way as the house. But that’s not how insurers look at it.
Why Separation Changes the Insurance Conversation
When a structure isn’t physically connected to the home, insurers stop treating it as part of one unified risk. Separation and distance introduce different exposures. Fires spread differently, access control changes, and monitoring is often weaker.
Detached structures are typically evaluated on their own terms, including:
- Construction type and condition, which often don’t match the main home
- Contents inside the structure that are often overlooked during reviews
- Access frequency, especially if doors are left unlocked or shared
- Environmental exposure, like trees, fencing, or neighboring properties
That’s exactly why two homes with identical square footage on the same street can look very different to an insurer if one has detached buildings.
‘On the Property’ Isn’t the Same as ‘On the Policy’
But that’s not the biggest blind spot. Detached structures are often added later, after the original home insurance has been set up. If that addition is not explicitly added to your home insurance policy, coverage assumptions can lag behind reality. Insurance doesn’t automatically update just because something has been added to your yard.
At DJ Kauffman Agency, we work with homeowners throughout Hutchinson, KS, understand how detached structures fit into their home insurance picture. Call us. We’re here to help.
