• Dwelling (Coverage A): The structure of your home — walls, roof, foundation, and built-in appliances — against covered perils like fire, wind, lightning, and vandalism.
• Other Structures (Coverage B): Detached garages, fences, and outbuildings.
• Personal Property (Coverage C): Your furniture, electronics, clothing, and belongings, both at home and away.
• Loss of Use (Coverage D): Additional living expenses if your home is uninhabitable due to a covered loss — hotel bills, restaurant meals, and temporary rental costs.
• Personal Liability (Coverage E): Protection if someone is injured on your property and sues you.
• Medical Payments (Coverage F): Pays medical bills for guests injured on your property, regardless of fault.

• Flood damage — Temple Terrace’s location along the Hillsborough River, the city’s network of drainage canals, and numerous drainage canals creates flood risk in many neighborhoods during heavy rainfall and tropical events. Flood damage is never covered by standard homeowners insurance — a separate flood policy is essential protection. Learn about flood insurance in Temple Terrace.
• Sinkhole damage — Standard policies exclude sinkholes; separate sinkhole coverage is available and strongly recommended in Hillsborough County.
• Normal wear and tear — Maintenance issues are not covered.

When shopping for home owners insurance, Temple Terrace residents often make the mistake of using the purchase price of the home as the basis for the amount of coverage they request. Often times, the purchase price of the home is not the same as its replacement cost. This is especially true if the house was purchased several years ago. As building codes change and inflation pushes up the price of materials and labor, replacement costs tend to become higher than purchase price or even market value. Make sure you are dealing with an agent that understands these differences, and will write you a policy with adequate coverage to replace your dwelling in the event of a total loss.

Also Consider Extended Replacement Cost in Case of Disaster: If a major disaster strikes your area, it is wise to carry extended replacement cost on your homeowner policy to account for a possible spike in material costs to rebuild the home.

Yes — a wind mitigation inspection is one of the most effective ways to reduce your homeowners insurance premium in Florida. Wind mitigation inspections are a smart investment for Temple Terrace homeowners. Roof upgrades, hip roof construction, and impact windows can all generate premium credits that offset the cost of the inspection many times over.

A licensed home inspector evaluates features of your home that reduce wind damage risk, including:

• Roof shape — Hip roofs (sloped on all four sides) receive better credits than gable roofs.
• Roof decking — The thickness and nailing pattern of your roof decking.
• Roof covering — The type and age of your roof materials.
• Roof-to-wall connection — Hurricane straps or clips that secure the roof structure to the walls.
• Opening protection — Impact windows, impact doors, and hurricane shutters that protect against wind-borne debris.

The inspection typically costs $150–$300 and the savings can pay for it many times over. Ask your Cornerstone agent whether your home is a good candidate.

No. The standard homeowners insurance policy Temple Terrace residents carry does not include flood coverage. If your home is damaged by flooding — whether from a tropical storm, heavy rain, or rising water from the Hillsborough River or the city’s network of drainage canals — you would be responsible for the full cost of repairs out of pocket unless you carry a separate flood policy.

Temple Terrace’s network of rivers, creeks, and drainage canals means flood risk exists even in neighborhoods that aren’t in a FEMA-designated high-risk zone. To make sure you are fully protected, we recommend purchasing a separate flood insurance policy. Flood coverage is available through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and select private flood carriers. Your Cornerstone agent can help you determine whether your property is in a FEMA flood zone and which option provides the best protection for your situation.

Make sure you have high enough individual liability limits in case someone is injured on your property and submits a claim against you. In general, you should carry at least enough liability coverage to match your financial net worth. If your net worth exceeds the maximum liability coverage on your homeowners policy, Temple Terrace residents should consider an umbrella policy to provide the additional liability protection they need.

Most Florida homeowners insurance policies include a hurricane deductible expressed as a percentage of your home’s insured dwelling value — typically 2%, 5%, or 10%. For example, if your home is insured for $300,000 with a 2% hurricane deductible, you would be responsible for the first $6,000 of hurricane damage out of pocket before your insurance coverage applies.

Key considerations for Temple Terrace homeowners:

• A higher deductible (5% or 10%) reduces your annual premium but requires more cash out of pocket if a hurricane strikes. Only choose a higher deductible if you can comfortably cover that amount in an emergency.
• A lower deductible (2%) provides more financial protection after a storm with less out-of-pocket cost, but results in a higher annual premium.
• Temple Terrace’s position in the Tampa Bay hurricane corridor, Hillsborough County’s tropical storm and tornado risk, and the region’s rising replacement costs and aging housing stock all make the hurricane deductible one of the most consequential decisions for homeowners in this area.

Your Cornerstone agent can model the premium difference between deductible levels so you can make an informed choice.

Cornerstone is appointed by many of the top homeowners insurance carriers actively writing policies in Florida. Our carrier lineup includes:

• American Integrity Insurance
• American Strategic Insurance (ASI)
• American Traditions Insurance
• Edison Insurance
• Florida Peninsula
• Heritage Insurance
• Manatee Insurance Exchange
• Monarch Insurance
• Olympus Insurance
• Ovation Home Insurance Exchange
• Progressive Insurance
• Safepoint Insurance
• Security First Insurance
• Slide Insurance
• Tower Hill Insurance
• Universal Property and Casualty

All carriers we represent are licensed and regulated by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) and maintain financial strength ratings that meet Florida’s statutory requirements.

Cornerstone’s carriers provide a comprehensive range of personal insurance products for Florida residents, including:

• ATV Insurance
• Auto Insurance
• Motorcycle Insurance
• Flood Insurance
• Condo Insurance
• Umbrella Insurance
• Renters Insurance
• Comprehensive Liability Insurance
• Boat & Watercraft Insurance
• RV Insurance
• Term Life Insurance
• Wedding / Special Events
• Horse Liability
• Vacant Home Insurance
• Golf Cart Insurance
• Dwelling Fire Insurance
• And More

Sinkhole coverage is strongly recommended for Temple Terrace homeowners. Hillsborough County is one of the most sinkhole-active counties in Florida due to its underlying limestone karst geology. Standard homeowners policies do not cover sinkhole damage. Florida law does require carriers to cover catastrophic ground cover collapse — but that only applies when the ground opening results in structural damage severe enough for a government authority to condemn the building.

A separate sinkhole coverage endorsement provides broader protection for structural damage caused by sinkhole activity, even when the home is not condemned. The cost of the endorsement varies by carrier and location, and a sinkhole inspection may be required before coverage is issued. Ask your Cornerstone agent about adding sinkhole coverage to your Temple Terrace homeowners policy.

A 4-point inspection evaluates four major systems in your home: roof, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC. Most Florida insurance carriers require a 4-point inspection for homes 20 years or older before issuing or renewing a homeowners policy.

In Temple Terrace, where established neighborhoods throughout the city contain homes built in the 1950s through 1980s, this inspection is commonly required. It typically costs $100–$200 and is completed by a licensed home inspector. The results help the carrier assess the condition and remaining useful life of your home’s core systems. If any system shows significant deterioration — such as a roof nearing end-of-life or outdated wiring — the carrier may require repairs or upgrades as a condition of coverage.