Is homeowners insurance tax deductible?

Premiums

• Your primary or second home: not deductible.
• Rental property: deductible as a rental expense.
• Home office: the business share may be deductible for self-employed people who qualify.

Can you claim your insurance deductible on taxes?

Only in limited cases. Uninsured damage to your personal home, which includes the deductible you paid, is deductible only as a personal casualty loss. Those losses generally must result from a federally declared disaster or, starting in 2026, certain state-declared disasters. The loss is then reduced by $100 per event and by 10 percent of your adjusted gross income, and you usually must itemize. For most single-house roof claims, the deductible does not come close to clearing those hurdles. Large, widespread disasters are where it can matter.

Is the claim check taxable?

Insurance money that pays to repair damage to your home is generally not taxable income. It is reimbursement, not profit. Unusual cases, such as proceeds far exceeding your basis, have special rules.

Keep the paperwork

Save the insurer's estimate, payment letters, your contractor's invoice and proof of what you paid. If a disaster deduction ever applies, those documents are what your preparer needs. And if you are weighing deductibles, see percentage wind and hail deductibles and how claims affect premiums.

This is general information, not tax advice. Ask a tax professional about your specific situation.