Loss of Use Coverage by Insurance Carrier: Time Limits and Policy Language
Last updated October 7, 2026.
Every homeowners policy pays for temporary housing when a covered loss makes the home unlivable, but each insurance company words it differently and sets its own clock. Find your carrier below for what its policy says, how long it pays, and where that language comes from.
How long does each insurance company pay for temporary housing?
Most policies pay for the shortest time needed to repair the home or settle somewhere new. Some add a month cap on top of that. The table shows the time limit as each policy reads, and the document it comes from. Select a carrier for the full guide.
| Carrier | What the policy calls it | Time limit | Where the language comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Farm | Coverage C, Loss of Use | Shortest of repair time, resettlement time, or 24 months | State Farm form HW-2136, Oklahoma 2017 edition, hosted by the Oklahoma Insurance Department |
| Allstate | Additional Living Expense, under Additional Protection | Least of repair time using due diligence and dispatch, resettlement time, or 12 months | Allstate policy jacket APC220 and endorsement AP1290, hosted by the Maine and Nevada insurance regulators |
| USAA | Coverage D, Loss of Use Protection | Up to 12 months, extended to 24 months when the event carries a Property Claims Service catastrophe code | USAA form HO-3R(02), 07-08 edition, Nevada specimen hosted by the Nevada Division of Insurance |
| Farmers | Coverage D, Loss of Use | Shortest time reasonably needed, capped by the time period printed on your declarations | Farmers Smart Plan Home form 56-5640, Nevada specimen hosted by the Nevada Division of Insurance |
| Erie | Additional Living Expenses | Erie publishes up to 12 months on standard ErieSecure Home policies and up to 24 months with Select or Plus bundles | Erie's own published statements. Erie's policy form is not public |
| Liberty Mutual and Safeco | Coverage D, Loss of Use (Liberty Mutual); Coverage D, Additional Living Expense and Loss of Rent (Safeco) | Liberty Mutual sample form: shortest time, no month cap. Safeco sample form: shortest time, not exceeding 24 months | Liberty Mutual form FMHO 943 and Safeco form HOM-7030, sample forms hosted by the Nevada and Maine insurance regulators |
| American Family | Coverage D, Loss of Use | Shortest time to repair, replace, or permanently relocate, with no month cap in the current-generation form | American Family form HO 80 03 01 14, Nevada specimen hosted by the Nevada Division of Insurance |
| Travelers | Property Coverage D, Loss of Use | Lesser of the shortest time to repair or relocate, or 24 months | Travelers Quantum Home 2.0 form HQ-P03 CW (05-17), hosted by the Maine Bureau of Insurance |
| Chubb | Additional living expenses | Ends at the earliest of the reasonable restoration time, the time to settle elsewhere, or up to two years from the date of loss | Chubb Masterpiece Deluxe House Coverage forms (Illinois, Alabama, Florida editions) from issued policies in public court records |
| Nationwide | Coverage D, Loss of Use | Shortest time to repair or relocate, not to exceed actual loss sustained or 24 months from the date of loss | Nationwide form H 00 03 07 16, read in three issued policies in public court records |
| Auto-Owners | Coverage D, Additional Living Expense and Loss of Rents | Shortest time to repair, replace, or permanently relocate, with no month cap in the 2-96 edition | Auto-Owners Homeowners Policy Form 3, 17903 (2-96), from an issued policy in public court records |
Policy editions vary by state and change over time. Your own declarations page lists the forms on your policy, and those control your claim.
Where do you find your own limit?
On your declarations page, the short personalized section at the front of your policy. Most carriers list loss of use as Coverage D. State Farm lists it as Coverage C. Allstate lists additional living expense by name with no letter. Chubb uses a Coverage Summary instead.
The number there was set when the policy was written. It is usually one total for every part of loss of use, so money spent on a hotel in the first weeks is money not available later in the repair. For how the coverage works in general, see our guide to loss of use coverage (ALE).
Can you choose your own temporary housing with any of these carriers?
Yes, as long as the choice is reasonable. None of these policies tells you where to live. They pay the increase in your living costs needed to keep your household at its normal standard of living. Get the housing and the rate approved in writing before move-in, and we coordinate that approval with your adjuster or housing agency.
More on what makes a choice reasonable: you can choose your own reasonable temporary housing. For a sourced cost comparison of every option, see what temporary housing actually costs, by region.
Carrier not listed, or not sure what your policy says?
Call us at (614) 655-4286. We will go through your declarations page with you and work out what your coverage pays for housing on your own property.