🏠 Your Home Is Covered—But What About Your Lifestyle?
When Colorado homeowners think about home insurance, they often focus on protecting the structure of their house. But what happens when a covered claim makes your home temporarily unlivable? That’s where Additional Living Expense (ALE) coverage steps in.
Also known as Loss of Use coverage, ALE is a crucial part of most homeowners insurance policies. It ensures you can maintain your normal standard of living while your home is being repaired or rebuilt after a covered loss—such as fire, hail, windstorm, or water damage.
What Does ALE Cover?
If your home is uninhabitable due to a covered claim, ALE may help pay for reasonable increases in your day-to-day living costs. This can include:
✅ Temporary Housing (e.g., hotel, short-term rental)
✅ Increased Meal Costs (if you’re eating out more often)
✅ Laundry & Storage expenses
✅ Pet Boarding
✅ Mileage for extra commuting
The key? These are expenses above your normal cost of living, due to the displacement.
Real-Life Colorado Example
Imagine a family in Broomfield whose home is damaged in a kitchen fire. Their homeowners insurance covers the repairs—but those will take six weeks. ALE coverage helps them pay for a short-term apartment rental, meals while they don’t have a kitchen, and even pet boarding for their golden retriever.
Key Things to Know
- ALE coverage limits vary by policy – often 20–30% of your dwelling limit.
- It only applies to covered losses – not general maintenance or voluntary renovations.
- Receipts and documentation are crucial – track everything you spend during displacement.
- It’s meant to maintain—not exceed—your normal lifestyle.
Why ALE Matters in Colorado
From wildfire-prone areas to hail-heavy storms along the Front Range, Colorado homeowners face unique risks that can leave homes uninhabitable. ALE ensures you’re not financially burdened twice—once by the damage and again by the cost of living elsewhere.
How Conexus Can Help
At Conexus Insurance Partners, we help Colorado homeowners understand exactly what their home insurance covers—and what it doesn’t. We’ll walk you through your homeowners insurance policy to ensure your ALE limits are sufficient and your coverage aligns with your real-life needs.
Because protecting your home means more than just the walls—it means protecting the life you’ve built inside them.