Home insurance policy review checklist

Start with the declarations page: what is on it?

The declarations page (often called the “dec page”) is the one- or two-page summary at the front of the policy packet, and it is the fastest way to check what you bought without reading the full policy form. It lists the named insured(s), the insured property address, and the policy period — a start and end date, typically 12 months. Below that sit the coverage limits for each coverage letter, the deductibles that apply, and any mortgagee or loss payee (your lender, if the home is financed) who must also be notified of cancellation or paid out on a claim. The premium and payment schedule usually appear near the bottom.

Because the dec page is a summary, it references endorsement forms and exclusion language that live in the full policy booklet rather than spelling them out. Treat the dec page as the index: it tells you what limits and deductibles apply, then you check the endorsement list and exclusions section for the details behind each number.

Coverages A through F: which number is which?

Coverage A is dwelling coverage — the limit to rebuild the structure itself, and the figure most other limits are calculated as a percentage of. Coverage B is other structures, covering detached items like a fence, shed, or detached garage, typically written at around 10% of Coverage A unless increased. Coverage C is personal property — your belongings inside the home — commonly written around 50-70% of Coverage A. Coverage D is loss of use, which pays additional living expenses (temporary housing, meals) if the home becomes uninhabitable after a covered loss.

Coverage E is personal liability, protecting you if someone is injured on the property or you’re found legally responsible for damage to someone else’s property; it’s written as a standalone liability limit, not a percentage of Coverage A. Coverage F is medical payments to others, a smaller no-fault limit that pays medical bills for a guest injured on the property regardless of who was at fault. Confirm each letter’s limit on your dec page rather than assuming the standard percentages apply — carriers and endorsements can change any of them.

Which deductibles apply, and to which kind of loss?

Most Florida policies carry at least two deductibles, and the dec page should list both. The all other perils (AOP) deductible is a flat dollar amount that applies to non-hurricane claims — a burst pipe, a fallen tree limb, fire. The hurricane deductible is separate. It’s usually a percentage of the Coverage A dwelling limit, commonly 2%, 5%, or 10%, though a flat-dollar option is also required to be offered. It applies on a calendar-year basis to hurricane losses, triggered once the National Hurricane Center issues a hurricane warning for part of Florida. It does not stack with the AOP deductible on the same claim; only one applies.

Some policies also carry a separate deductible for named-storm wind, sinkhole loss, or water damage, so check the dec page for every deductible line rather than assuming AOP and hurricane are the only two. If a percentage deductible is listed, calculate the actual dollar figure against your Coverage A limit so you know what you’d owe out of pocket before coverage begins.

Which endorsements were added, and what did each one change?

Endorsements are forms that modify the base policy — adding coverage, removing it, or changing a limit — and the dec page typically lists each one by form number and title. Common endorsements on a Florida homeowners policy include water damage or backup of sewer/drain coverage (often limited or excluded by default and added back for a fee), scheduled personal property for jewelry or valuables above the base sublimit, ordinance or law coverage for the added cost of rebuilding to current code, and a service line or equipment breakdown endorsement.

Each endorsement listed on the dec page should have a corresponding form in the full policy packet explaining exactly what it changes. If an endorsement you expected — such as water backup coverage — isn’t listed, it likely was not purchased and that loss type may fall back to the base exclusions.

What is on the exclusions list?

Every homeowners policy excludes certain causes of loss entirely, meaning no endorsement brings them back under a standard HO policy — they require a separate policy instead. Flood is the most consequential exclusion in Florida; homeowners policies do not cover flood damage regardless of cause, which is why a separate flood policy (NFIP or private) is necessary in most cases. Earth movement, including sinkhole collapse in the broad sense, is also excluded unless sinkhole coverage was purchased separately (Florida requires carriers to offer catastrophic ground cover collapse coverage as a base feature, with broader sinkhole loss coverage available as an optional buy-up).

Other standard exclusions include wear and tear or gradual deterioration, mold beyond a small policy sublimit (typically a few thousand dollars unless increased), and damage arising from business use of the property. Reviewing the exclusions section alongside the endorsements list shows the gaps: what’s excluded by the base form, and whether an endorsement was purchased to close that gap.

Which form is this — HO-3, HO-6 or DP-3?

The policy form is usually printed near the top of the dec page or in the form number footer. HO-3 is the standard form for an owner-occupied single-family home; it covers the dwelling on an open-perils basis and personal property on a named-perils basis, with liability and medical payments included automatically. HO-6 is the condo unit-owner form; it covers the interior of the unit, betterments and improvements you’ve made, and personal property, since the condo association’s master policy covers the building structure itself. DP-3 is a dwelling fire form typically used for non-owner-occupied properties — rentals and seasonal or vacation homes — and it often makes personal property and liability coverage optional add-ons rather than automatic inclusions.

Confirming the form matters because it changes what’s automatic versus optional. An HO-3 buyer already has liability coverage built in; a DP-3 buyer on a rental property may need to add it. Checking the form number is a fast way to know which assumptions apply to your policy before reading further.