What is a home insurance declaration page?

What is a homeowners insurance declarations page?

A homeowners insurance declarations page is a summary document that lists your coverage types, limits, deductibles and total premium. It appears at the front of your policy documents and provides an at-a-glance overview without requiring you to read the full policy. Review it when your policy arrives to confirm the address, coverage amounts and deductibles are correct.

“A homeowners declaration page is the page that explains the coverage you bought. It's not all of the details of exactly what's covered and when, but it gives the outline of the coverages you're paying for, how much coverage you have, what deductibles you're responsible for in an accident, and how much each piece costs,” said Kate Terry, co-founder and CEO of Surround Insurance.

Although it is called a declarations "page," the document can run two to four pages depending on your insurer and the complexity of your coverage. Review all pages before assuming you have seen the full summary.

“It can be two or three or four pages. So keep flipping if you're not sure that you've gotten all the way to the end,” said Terry.

What is included in the homeowners declarations page?

A homeowners declaration page typically includes the following:

Name of the insured
Address of the insured property
Policy number and coverage period
Areas of coverage
Coverage limits
Deductibles
Discounts
Premiums/total policy costs

The exact information on a homeowners declaration page can vary depending on the provider, but the document generally covers the same basics.

When reviewing a homeowners declaration page, ensure that everything is accurate, including confirming that the location of the insured property is correct. If the insured address on your declarations page is incorrect, your coverage applies to the listed address rather than your actual home. Verify the address on your declarations page as soon as you receive it and contact your insurer immediately if it is wrong.

“Because if the address is wrong, then you'll have coverage someplace else, not your own home. I've seen that happen,” said Terry.

Also, you should confirm that the limits for different coverage areas align with your needs.

Coverage A is the dwelling coverage limit: the amount your policy will pay to rebuild your home if it is completely destroyed. This figure is based on replacement cost, not market value, and does not include the value of the land. Coverage for other structures and personal property are set at percentages of this amount. Critically, neither your insurer nor your agent is responsible for verifying that the Coverage A amount is sufficient. You are responsible for ensuring it reflects current replacement cost, including inflation and labor.

“It covers the cost to rebuild your home if it was totally destroyed,” said Terry. “It's not the market value of your property. It doesn't include the land, but it does include rebuilding the home. And what is critically important is that your insurance company and your insurance agent are not responsible for making sure that number is correct.”

Raising your Coverage A limit generally results in a modest premium increase, per Terry. Ask your insurer for a current replacement cost estimate and request a quote for the difference in premium before your next renewal.

What do the coverage letters on a homeowners declarations page mean?

The coverage letters on the declarations page represent the various parts of coverage on the policy: dwelling, other structures, personal property, loss of use, personal liability and medical payments.

Coverage letter	Coverage represented	What it covers
Coverage A	Dwelling	The structure of your home, including walls, roof and attached structures
Coverage B	Other structures	Detached garages, fences, sheds and other structures on your property
Coverage C	Personal property	Your belongings, including furniture, clothing and electronics
Coverage D	Loss of use/additional living expenses	Additional living expenses if your home is uninhabitable after a covered loss
Coverage E	Personal liability	Legal and medical costs if someone is injured on your property
Coverage F	Medical payments	Medical expenses for guests injured on your property, regardless of fault

What is not included on the homeowners declarations page?

The declarations page does not list exclusions or define what each coverage type covers in detail. The full policy documents, which follow the declarations page, contain that information and should be read carefully before a claim occurs.

“It does not tell you what is excluded, and it doesn't really tell you what's explicitly included as well,” says Terry. “Usually behind the declarations page, you'll find the policy documents.”

Those policy documents more explicitly lay out what’s covered and what’s excluded, rather than just listing your coverage types and limits, as the declarations page does. Full policy documents typically run 10 to 50 pages. They are written in plain language but contain detailed legal definitions and exclusions. Read them in full and ask your agent to clarify any terms you do not understand. "Those are a little bit harder to read, obviously, because they're more detailed, although they're supposed to be written in plain language,” said Terry.

Pay close attention to the exclusions section of your policy documents. If your policy excludes a type of damage or loss, your insurer will not pay for it under any circumstances, regardless of the cause. Contact your agent or insurer directly if any exclusion or coverage term is unclear.

“You definitely should ask your agent or carrier if there are pieces that you don't understand. It's their job to explain them and you should pay very careful attention to exclusions because if something is excluded, an insurance company will not pay for it under any circumstance,” Terry added.

Why is the declarations page of a homeowners insurance policy so important?

The declarations page of a homeowners insurance policy is important because it lays out the key aspects of your coverage and can often be used as proof of homeowners insurance. If someone needs to verify that you have a certain amount of coverage for given areas, like personal liability, then the declarations page could easily provide that information.

The declarations page is also a useful tool when shopping for new coverage. It shows your current coverage types, limits and deductibles in one place, allowing you to make a direct comparison against quotes from other insurers.

“The other reason to use a declarations page is if you're shopping for insurance,” said Terry. Looking at what’s laid out on the declarations page can help you see your exact coverage today compared to what another provider is offering in areas like deductibles and policy limits. “You always want to start with the same apples-to-apples comparison so that you have a sense of which one is truly less expensive,”

When do you need a homeowners declarations page?

You most commonly need your homeowners declarations page when providing proof of coverage, such as during a mortgage refinancing. Lenders, real estate agents and contractors may also request it to verify that active coverage is in place.

When proof of coverage is requested, the requester may ask for either the declarations page or a certificate of insurance. These are different documents. A certificate of insurance is issued directly by the insurer and is sometimes required in place of the declarations page. Ask the requesting party which format they require before contacting your insurer.

“Sometimes whoever's asking you for proof of coverage may want a declarations page, or they may want a certificate from the insurance company. But they'll usually tell you which they want if they care,” said Terry.

How to get a home insurance declarations page

To get your homeowners insurance declarations page, contact your insurance agent or carrier directly and request a copy. You will automatically receive one at each renewal. Most insurers also allow you to download a current copy by logging into your account on their website or mobile app. If your insurer does not offer online access, call the customer service number on your policy documents to request a copy by email or mail.