- What is the declarations page of an auto insurance policy?
- How to find your car insurance declarations page
- What's included on an insurance declarations page?
- What isn’t covered on your insurance declaration page?
- Expert tips for understanding your insurance declarations page
- Frequently asked questions: Auto insurance declarations page
What is the declarations page of an auto insurance policy?
A car insurance policy declarations page is an easy reference page that outlines the policy limits, deductibles and coverage dates. It provides an overview of the policy in a single page.
“Think of the declarations page as a summary of the entire policy,” says Evan W. Walker, Esq. of California’s Law Office of Evan W. Walker. “Or think of it like a Cliff Notes version of the policy which is tailored to you and your cars.”
In addition to the existing coverage, it also shows any additional coverage that you may have declined. You might hear an insurance agent refer to it as the "dec page" for short.
How to find your car insurance declarations page
Your insurance declarations page is the first page of your policy, serving as an introduction to the more in-depth language that follows.
If you increase or decrease coverage, you should receive a new, updated declarations page each time from your insurance provider. If your declarations page is not included with your policy, you should contact your insurance company immediately to obtain a copy. Many insurance companies also offer online or mobile app services that allow you to access your policy’s declarations page.
What's included on an insurance declarations page?
Your declarations page includes several critical pieces of information regarding your car insurance policy, such as your personal details, vehicle information, and insurance specifics. Listed along the top, you should find your policy number and even previous policy numbers for easy reference.
Types of information on an insurance declarations page
- Named insured(s) and loss payee
- Vehicle details
- Coverage with limits
- Endorsements
- Deductibles
- Insurance premiums
- Discounts
- Policy term (start and end date and time)
Named insured(s) and loss payee
The named insured on your car insurance policy is the person who is insured by the policy. Multiple people may be named as insured, such as a spouse or children.
If you have an active car loan, your lienholder’s information is typically included, as well. The lienholder is listed as a loss payee since they have a financial interest in the vehicle.
Vehicle details
Your insurance declarations page will include the following details about your vehicle:
- Make and model
- Year
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Your car insurance company may include additional relevant details.
Coverage with limits
Your declarations page includes the type of auto insurance coverage you have selected, such as liability-only or full coverage.
Common types of car insurance coverage included on a declarations page include:
- Liability insurance: This covers any damages or bodily injury that you may cause another driver.
- Personal injury protection (PIP): If you or any of your passengers are injured, this covers applicable medical expenses regardless of fault.
- Collision coverage: Collision coverage will pay for repairs to your car when you are in an accident with another vehicle.
- Comprehensive coverage: This pays for other damages that can happen to your vehicle, such as theft or weather-related events, like hail.
- Underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage: Some states also require that you carry underinsured/uninsured insurance so that your damages are still paid even if the other driver does not have active insurance to pay for them.
Your insurance declarations page will include the policy limits for each type of coverage you purchase. Known as the limits of liability, this figure is the maximum amount that your auto insurance company will pay if you experience a loss.
On your declarations page, coverage is separated out by maximum limits for both per person and per accident values, such as $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident maximums.
There are also additional optional protections that you can elect to add to your insurance policy at an additional cost. Some popular options include:
- Gap insurance
- Custom parts and equipment
- New car replacement
- Rental car reimbursement
- Roadside assistance
Endorsements
Auto insurance endorsements are additional types of coverage that you can purchase to better personalize your policy. On your declarations page, the endorsement can include a special reference code unique to your car insurance provider.
Deductibles
Your car insurance deductible the amount that you have to pay out-of-pocket before your insurance coverage kicks in to pay for a loss.
Insurance premiums
This is the cost of your insurance. Even if you pay monthly, your full term premium will be listed on the declarations page.
Discounts
The auto insurance declarations page can also include any auto insurance discounts that may apply to your policy.
Some popular types of car insurance discounts include these savings programs:
- Bundling
- Good driver
- Loyalty
- Membership
- Multiple vehicles
- New customer
- Payment discounts
- Professional
- Safe driving
- Student
- Vehicle security features
What isn’t covered on your insurance declaration page?
Because your declarations page works as a summary of your policy, you will have to read further to find the exact details of your coverage. The declarations page will not dig into the terms and conditions or any detailed exclusions and restrictions that may apply.
“We advise caution in assuming that the declaration page is controlling in all circumstances,” says Dennis E. Sawan, an insurance and personal injury lawyer at Sawan & Sawan. “Remember that everything contained in the declaration page is further defined in the long-form policy and subject to a laundry list of exclusions. In simplistic terms, the declaration page tells you how much coverage you have, while the policy language tells you what that coverage applies to (and more importantly, doesn’t apply to).”
That is why it is so important to read the entirety of your policy and not just the declarations page.
Making changes to your car insurance policy
There are times when you may make changes to your policy. You may need to add or remove a driver, or maybe you purchased a new car that requires upgraded insurance coverage.
Whatever the reason, you should receive a new declarations page every time you alter your coverage to ensure that your policy has been appropriately adjusted.
Expert tips for understanding your insurance declarations page
Check your endorsements: “The one other thing that isn't included in the declarations page but could be very important to the policy is any endorsement that the policy may have,” says Jaime Arias, an actively licensed insurance agent at Dynamic Insurance Solutions. “Endorsements are documents appended to the end of a policy that amends or change some aspects of the policy. These are generally done after the fact and can include things such as adding an additional driver or an additional car.”
Understand what you are buying: “Let’s face it - insurance policies are not easy to read,” says Dennis E. Sawan, an insurance and personal injury lawyer at Sawan & Sawan. “They can be extremely long, seemingly contradictory and written in confusing legalese. The declaration page is important because it relays vital information about your insurance coverage in plain and simple terms. While it is certainly not a ‘one-stop shop’ for all information about your policy, it provides you with the important basics to understand what you’re paying premiums for.”
Consider state laws: “Every state has different laws of what coverages you are required to have for car insurance,” says Haydn Sessions, Owner and Agent for Sessions Insurance in Utah. “For example, in the state of Utah, you are required to hold at least $25k of bodily injury liability per person, $65k total bodily injury, and $15k of property damage.”
Ask for help: David Aylor, Founder and CEO of David Aylor Law Offices, says you might need help reading your policy. “It is a critical document full of jargon, which can discourage policyholders from reading it closely,” he explains. “If you don’t understand the terms, grab a lawyer or trusted professional to walk you through it. It’s better to take the time to understand now rather than try to make a claim later and find you’re out of luck because you didn’t read the fine print of your contract.”
Frequently asked questions: Auto insurance declarations page
Is my policy declaration page proof of car insurance?
Your declaration page can serve as proof of car insurance, although an insurance card is likely more convenient to carry with you.
How is an insurance declaration page different from an insurance policy?
A declarations policy is part of your policy, serving as an overall introduction and overview of your policy.
What should you do with your declarations page?
After you review your declarations page in detail, you should store your declarations page in a safe place where it can be easily accessed if needed. You may need it for comparison purposes when shopping for new car insurance, or you can use it as proof of insurance.
What if I can’t find my auto insurance declarations page?
If you do not have your declarations page or cannot find it, you can contact your insurance company for a new copy. Most companies also allow you to log in online or use a mobile app to download a copy yourself.
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