Property and valuation
Personal property coverage
Personal property coverage insures the movable contents belonging to the insured, subject to its own limit and to special limits on certain categories of property.
Reviewed September 2026 · Exam outline effective September 1, 2026
In plain English
Contents coverage handles what would leave with the occupant rather than what is built into the structure. Furniture, clothing, and electronics sit here; installed cabinetry does not.
Special limits are the part that surprises people. Categories such as jewellery or currency often carry internal caps well below the overall contents limit, and scheduling is how that gap gets closed.
Why the exam tests it
Special limits are a favourite exam device because they produce a correct answer that is lower than the obvious one, rewarding candidates who read past the headline limit.
The trap
Applying the full contents limit to a category that carries its own internal special limit. Check for a category cap before calculating.
Worked example
A theft loss includes furniture and a jewellery collection. The furniture draws on the general contents limit, while the jewellery is capped by the applicable special limit unless it was separately scheduled by endorsement.
Full course
Study this with the complete Texas All-Lines course
This concept is covered in depth in the "Buildings, Personal Property & Other Structures" lesson, alongside every other topic on the content outline.
Related terms
- Dwelling coverageDwelling coverage insures the residence structure itself, including materials and fixtures attached to it, up to the dwelling limit shown on the declarations.
- Other structuresOther structures coverage insures structures on the residence premises that are separated from the dwelling, such as detached garages, fences, and sheds, subject to its own limit.
- EndorsementAn endorsement is an attached form that modifies the base policy by adding, restricting, or clarifying coverage, and it controls over conflicting language in the form it amends.
- Policy limitA policy limit is the maximum amount an insurer will pay for a covered loss under a particular coverage, stated on the declarations page.
Compared side by side
Exam topics using this term
- Policy limits and deductibles on the Texas All-Lines examHow limits cap payment, how deductibles shift the first layer of loss, and why the exam rewards candidates who check which limit actually applies.
- Homeowners policy coverage parts on the Texas All-Lines examHow the exam tests assignment of damaged property to dwelling, other structures, personal property, and loss of use before any valuation happens.
Sources
- Pearson VUE — Texas Department of Insurance licensing exams
Scheduling, candidate handbook, content outlines, test-center rules, and application timing. Reviewed 2026-07-21.
Requirements, fees, forms, exam details, and deadlines can change. Verify the current rule with the linked authority before scheduling, applying, renewing, or handling a real claim.
For exams on or after September 1, 2026. If your exam is scheduled earlier, use the outline that applies to your exam date. Texas Exam Academy is independent exam preparation and is not affiliated with or approved by the Texas Department of Insurance or Pearson VUE. Verify current eligibility, fees, forms, and requirements with the responsible authority.