What's an insurance declarations page?

The essential details of your auto insurance policy include the policy number, the date coverage goes into effect, and the expiration date. You should also see your agent's name and contact information if you bought your policy through an agent.

Your declarations page lists the names of all insured drivers. This includes the policyholder and any additional drivers covered under the same policy.

All cars covered by your auto insurance policy are listed on your declarations page. These are identified by make, model, year, and VIN.

Your policy may consist of several different types of car insurance coverages. If you've chosen different types and amounts of coverage for each vehicle, your declarations page can help you keep them straight.

Most coverages include a specific limit that you select when purchasing car insurance. You'll find each coverage limit for your policy listed on the declarations page. These may include per-person and per-accident limits for bodily injury liability and limits on any additional coverage types, such as uninsured motorist coverage or personal injury protection.

You'll see your deductible amount for comprehensive car insurance coverage and auto collision coverage on your declarations page as well if you added those coverages to your policy.

Auto insurance premiums are a sum of the individual costs of each coverage you've selected. Your declarations page breaks this down to show how much you're paying for every coverage type and vehicle. If you're eligible for certain car insurance discounts, you'll see those listed, too.

You'll find your homeowners insurance policy number, effective date, and expiration date clearly stated. If you purchased your policy through an agent, you can also refer to the document to locate your agent's information.

The address of the insured property can be found on your declarations page. You'll often see a note clarifying the type of dwelling, such as a single-family home, condominium, or mobile home.

You and any co-applicant covered by your home insurance policy will be listed.

If you finance your home, your lender's information will be included. Remember that since the bank owns part of your home, they're entitled to compensation in the event of a loss — known as a loss payee.

There are many different types of homeowners insurance coverages, including dwelling coverage, personal property coverage, personal liability coverages, and more. Your homeowners declarations page will list the various coverages that make up your policy.

For each coverage, you'll see a value limit that represents the maximum amount the insurance company will pay in the event of a loss.

The homeowners insurance deductibles you chose when you purchased home insurance will be stated on your declarations page. A deductible is the out-of-pocket amount you'll pay each time you file a covered claim.

Look to your home insurance declarations page to see how much you're paying in annual premiums and what type of payment plan you've agreed to, usually monthly or annually. Most insurers also make a note of the discounts you're receiving.