Property Insurance

First Floor Parking

First Floor Parking is identified as a parking area on the first floor of a structure. To qualify as “first floor parking”, the parking area must:

1. have at least three walls that provide shear strength,
2. have either a garage door or garage door size opening for vehicle access,
3. no large openings in the wall (i.e. exhaust venting areas)

Soft First Floor Parking

Soft First Floor Parking is similar to First Floor Parking in configuration and location. However, the construction feature that delineates it from First Floor is the absence of perimeter load bearing walls. The two photographs show perimeter walls in the parking areas that do not have shear walls. Instead of a shear wall the perimeter is comprised of open space, with support columns.

Tuck Under Parking

Tuck Under Parking is distinguished by its open configuration. One wall of the parking area is open with no garage door. Most Tuck Under areas have living space abutting the rear wall of the parking area. To compensate for the lack of shear on the open face of the parking area support columns are used. A high quality Tuck Under Parking area will have support poles between each parking space, and will have two columns between the opening and the rear wall. Tuck Under Parking does not have garage doors. If more than one wall is open, the parking area is considered Soft First Floor Parking.

Habitation Over Garage (HOG)

Habitation Over Garage parking areas are often located in townhouse and apartment buildings. The parking area is located in a first floor area, and has a living space constructed above it. Each parking area is accessed via an individual garage. The parking area has a wall constructed between the two garages. The wall is constructed for privacy and does add a degree of shear strength.

Detached Garages

Detached garages are parking areas that are separated from the risk. The parking areas have privacy entrances such as garage doors, as each tenant has their own parking area. A detached garage must have four solid walls (One wall may house the garage door).

Carports

Carports are stand-alone structures that are used to protect vehicles form the elements. Carports are configured with open perimeters. Some carports may have shear walls on the perimeter. However, there is no structure above the carport. Carports are usually constructed of lightweight materials, and may or may not be attached to the risk.