Property Protection · Calculator

Homeowners Coverage Calculator

Estimate the dwelling replacement cost your homeowners policy should reflect, plus the supporting limits for personal property, other structures, and loss of use—based on regional rebuild costs.

Your Home

Rebuild costs reflect New Jersey-area construction averages. Replacement cost differs from market value—it's what it would take to rebuild from scratch, not what the home would sell for.

Construction

Total finished square footage

sqft

Above-grade living space. Don't include garages, basements, or outbuildings here.

Build quality & finishes

Basic

Builder-grade, tract construction · $175/sqft

Standard

Mid-range materials, typical suburban · $250/sqft

Premium

Custom features, upgraded finishes · $375/sqft

Luxury

Architect-designed, high-end materials · $550/sqft

Supporting Coverages

Other structures (Coverage B)

Detached garages, sheds, fences. Standard policies default to 10% of dwelling.

Personal property (Coverage C)

Furniture, electronics, clothing. Standard default is 50%; consider raising for high-value contents.

Loss of use (Coverage D)

Hotel and additional living expenses while your home is uninhabitable. Default is 20%.

Liability

Personal liability limit

$300,000

Minimum recommended

$500,000

Common sweet spot

$1,000,000

Pair with umbrella

The maximum your policy pays for injuries or damage you cause to others. Anything beyond this should be backed by a personal umbrella policy.

Coverage A · Dwelling Limit

$600,000

Estimated rebuild cost — the primary anchor of your homeowners policy. The supporting limits below are derived from this number.

How We Got There

2,400 sqft × $250/sqft (standard build)

Companion Limits

Coverage B — Other structures (10%)$60,000
Coverage C — Personal property (50%)$300,000
Coverage D — Loss of use (20%)$120,000
Personal liability (separate)$500,000

Discuss This Estimate

For estimation purposes only. Results are not insurance quotes or offers of coverage. Replacement-cost estimators (Marshall & Swift, 360Value) used by carriers will produce a binding figure based on detailed home characteristics.

About the Method

Replacement Cost, Not Market Value

The single most common—and most expensive—homeowners insurance mistake is insuring to market value instead of replacement cost. Market value reflects land, location, comparable sales, and the broader real estate market. Replacement cost reflects only the labor, materials, and contractor margin needed to rebuild your home from a foundation up. In coastal New Jersey, the two numbers can diverge by hundreds of thousands of dollars.

This calculator multiplies your living area by a regional construction cost per square foot, tiered by build quality. It then layers on the standard supporting coverages every homeowners policy includes: other structures (detached garages and sheds), personal property (your belongings), and loss of use (hotels, restaurants, and storage while your home is being rebuilt).

What it deliberately does not model: ordinance and law upgrades (rebuilding to current code), extended replacement cost endorsements, scheduled personal property for jewelry and collectibles, flood (always separate), wind/hurricane deductibles, or service line and equipment breakdown coverages. Those endorsements often matter more than the base premium difference between two carriers.

Your dwelling estimate sets a starting point for contents coverage; a room-by-room inventory can help refine it.

The Next Step

Make sure your policy actually rebuilds your home.

Coverage A is the foundation, but the right endorsements—and a competent carrier—are what determine how a claim actually pays. Bring your number; we'll quote the market.

Ask about a Personal Review