What Is a Homeowners Insurance Declarations Page?

What a declarations page is

A declarations page is a short summary at the front of your homeowners insurance policy. People often call it the "dec page." The Texas Department of Insurance says the declarations page shows the name and address of your insurance company, the location of the insured property, the dates your policy is in effect, and the amounts and types of coverage. ^[1]

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) says the declaration page identifies the policy number, the effective dates, the address of the insured property, the mortgage holder, the coverages, coverage limits, the premium, and any discounts. ^[2]

The declarations page is a summary. It is not your full policy. Your full policy includes the policy form, every endorsement, and the conditions that explain what your insurer covers and what it does not cover.

The page matters because your lender, your adjuster, and your own records all rely on it. Your mortgage lender checks the declarations page to confirm you carry enough coverage on the home that secures the loan. Your adjuster checks it to confirm your coverage limits before paying a claim. An error on the page, such as a wrong property address or an outdated coverage limit, can slow down a claim payment or leave you underinsured after a loss.

Where to find your declarations page

• Check the first few pages of the paper or digital policy packet your insurer sent you.
• Log in to your insurer's website or mobile app and open the policy documents section.
• Call your agent or your insurer's customer service line and ask for a current copy.
• Ask your mortgage lender. Many lenders keep a copy of your declarations page on file to confirm you carry coverage.

Your insurer sends a new declarations page each time you buy a policy, renew a policy, or change your coverage during the policy period.

If your lender cannot confirm you carry homeowners coverage, it can buy a policy on your behalf and bill you for it. This is called lender-placed or force-placed insurance. It often costs more than a policy you buy yourself and may cover less. Send your lender a current declarations page each time you renew or switch insurers to avoid this.

What each line on the page means

A homeowners declarations page lists several items in a set order. The coverage letters below match the standard HO-3 homeowners form that most insurers use.

• Named insureds: the people the policy covers by name.
• Policy period: the start date and the end date of your coverage. ^[1]
• Mortgagee or loss payee: the name of the lender that holds your mortgage, if you have one. ^[2]
• Endorsements: a list of forms added to your base policy that change or add coverage.
• Premium and any discounts applied to your rate. ^[2]

The named insureds section lists the people your insurer agrees to pay under the policy. Most policies name the homeowner and a spouse or co-owner. A claim check usually must go to every named insured and to the mortgagee listed on the page, so check this section when you set up direct deposit or endorse a claim check.

The limit for each coverage letter is the most your insurer will pay for that type of loss, before your deductible. A separate limit may apply to specific items inside a broader coverage, such as a cap on jewelry or firearms inside your Coverage C personal property limit. Check your policy form for any sub-limit that applies to high-value items.

The endorsements list on your declarations page names every form that changes your base coverage. Common endorsements add coverage for water backup, scheduled personal property, or an increase to your dwelling limit. Pull the actual endorsement form, not just its name on the list, to read what it adds or removes.

How to read your deductibles

Your declarations page lists a deductible for most types of covered loss. The deductible is the amount you pay before your insurer pays the rest of a covered claim.

The Texas Department of Insurance requires your insurance company to list the exact dollar amount of each deductible in your policy. The declarations page, or a separate page, must also list any part of your policy that changes a deductible amount. ^[1]

Many policies in windstorm and hail states carry a separate percentage deductible for wind or hail damage instead of a flat dollar amount. The North Carolina Department of Insurance says this deductible is a percentage of your Coverage A dwelling amount. ^[4]

Percentage deductible rules differ by state and by insurer. Read your own declarations page and policy form to find your deductible, or ask your agent to explain the figure shown for your policy.

Some policies in coastal states carry two separate wind deductibles. One deductible applies to a named storm, such as a hurricane that the National Weather Service has named. A second, usually lower, deductible applies to all other wind or hail loss. Ask your agent whether your policy splits the deductible this way, and confirm which deductible applies to your date of loss.

How to read the page during a claim

1. Confirm the policy period covers the date of loss.
2. Confirm the address on the page matches the damaged property.
3. Find the coverage letter that applies to your loss, such as Coverage A for dwelling damage or Coverage C for damaged belongings.
4. Find the limit for that coverage. This is the most your insurer will pay before any deductible.
5. Find the deductible for that type of loss and subtract it from the limit to estimate your net recovery.
6. Check the endorsements list for any added coverage that might apply to your loss, such as water backup or scheduled personal property.

An adjuster reads the declarations page early in a claim to confirm your coverage limits. ^[2] Keep a copy on hand when you call your insurer or meet an adjuster.

If your claim payment seems low, compare the number your insurer gives you against the limit printed on your declarations page for that coverage letter. A payment below the limit is normal when repair costs are below the limit or when a deductible and depreciation apply. A payment that ignores a limit or an endorsement you can see on the page is worth a follow-up call to your insurer.

What the page does not tell you

The declarations page is a summary. It does not list your policy's exclusions, which are the losses your policy does not cover. It does not list the conditions, which are the rules you must follow to keep your coverage and to file a claim.

You may request a complete copy of your policy from your insurance company at any time. ^[1] Read the full policy form and every endorsement to learn what your policy excludes and what conditions apply to your claim.

The conditions section of your policy sets out duties you must perform after a loss, such as protecting your property from further damage and giving your insurer documents it asks for. The exclusions section lists causes of loss your policy does not cover, such as flood under a standard homeowners form. None of this detail prints on the declarations page, so a short dec page does not mean a short list of rules.

How to request a certified copy

If you need a certified copy of your policy for a claim or a dispute, contact your insurance company directly. Ask for a complete copy, including every endorsement and form listed on your declarations page.

Ask your insurer or agent in writing for a complete copy of your policy: the declarations page, the policy form and every endorsement. Ask for a certified copy if you need it for a dispute. Keep the request and the reply. If the insurer does not send it, contact your state insurance department.

Other states set their own rules. Contact your state insurance department and ask what your state requires an insurer to provide after you send a written request for your policy.

Put your request in writing, by letter or email, and keep a copy. State the policy number from your declarations page, the property address, and the date of loss if you have an open claim. Ask the insurer to include every endorsement and the full policy form, not just the declarations page, so you have the complete contract for your records or for your attorney.

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