During the recent wildfires in South Carolina, homeowners who had either been evacuated from their homes or lost them to the fires were able to take some comfort in Coverage D-Loss of Use, an important coverage provided to them by their homeowners insurance policy.

If the dwelling described in the homeowners policy is damaged by an insured peril and becomes unlivable, the named insured and the insured's family will be reimbursed for additional living expenses actually incurred and for fair rental value actually lost.

Additional living expense is the additional cost of maintaining the insured's normal standard of living after a covered loss. The additional cost refers to those expenses above the insured's usual amount of expenses before the loss, which could include reimbursement for the cost of temporary lodging, meals and transportation.