How to read your auto or home insurance declarations page

Drivers, cars, and house details
- Policy information. You’ll see your policy number, policy period, effective date, and your mortgage company, if you have one.
- Drivers’ names. These are the people the policy covers if your car is stolen or damaged. Add any new drivers and remove drivers if they move out permanently.
- Car year, make, model, and VIN. Add cars as you buy them and remove any you no longer own.
- Home address, age, square footage, construction type (siding or brick), and roof age. If any of these aren’t correct, let your agent know. Your premium could change if you need a different amount or type of coverage for repairs.
Premium and discounts

You’ll see your premium amount and any discounts you get. Ask your agent each year if there are any new discounts you might qualify for.
Coverages

Look through the coverages, amounts, deductibles, and premiums. They’ll all be listed. If you have extra coverage, it’s probably listed near the end.

On your auto declarations page, look at the coverages. Are they enough or too much? Are there any you don’t need, like gap coverage?

Look at the coverages on your home declarations page too. You might see coverage like water backup, identity theft, and home sharing. If you have “additional living expense” coverage, it pays if you can’t stay in your house during repairs that your insurance is paying for.
Deductibles

Next to your listed coverages, you’ll see your deductibles. Agreeing to higher deductibles could save you money on your premium. But if you make a claim, you’ll have to pay more out of pocket.

Your home policy will show separate deductibles for your house and its contents (like clothes and furniture). You might have separate deductibles for damage from wind and hail (tornadoes and hurricanes) and “other perils” like fire and theft.

Drivers, cars, and house details

Premium and discounts

Coverages

Deductibles

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