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What is a declaration page for auto insurance?
Here's what you need to know...
- Managing your auto insurance has never been easier in this day and age
- When you buy auto insurance, the insurance company will send you permanent ID cards and a declarations page
- While both documents are important, the declarations page includes a lot more information than an ID card because the ID card is just a document to prove that a car is insured
- Some of the information that you can find on the declarations page are your name, address, VIN, vehicle features, drivers in the household, policy surcharges, discounts, term, coverage options, coverage limits, and the premiums charged for each coverage that you carry
- If you’re shopping for auto insurance with other carriers, having your declarations page will ensure that you can thoroughly complete a price comparison
- When your auto policy renews, be sure to look over your declarations page for errors so that you can correct them before the new term starts
When you buy auto insurance, you receive a thick envelope full of documents. These papers include everything from your policy contract and disclosures that are required by law to ID cards and declarations pages that show information specific to your policy.
You might instantly think of all of the paper that’s wasted every time someone buys insurance, but each document has helpful information you should be familiar with.
It’s tempting to file your car insurance documents away without ever looking at them.
After all, you don’t need to understand the policy language until you need to file a claim. Fight that temptation.
Review your declarations page in detail, so you know exactly how much coverage you carry and how much you’re paying.
Make sure you have compared quotes for your insurance. Get started now by entering your ZIP code in our FREE comparison tool!
Table of Contents
When You Buy Auto Insurance, You Are Entering Into a Legal Contract
Auto insurance isn’t a tangible product. When you apply for coverage and pay your first premiums to a licensed insurance carrier, you’re entering into a legally binding contract.
To protect itself, the insurance company will write out exactly what it will pay for in a very detailed indemnity contract.
You receive the contract when you apply for insurance, and the carrier accepts your offer. The contract comes in the form of a policy booklet, which includes definitions, the agreement, and the terms and conditions of the policy itself.
How does a declarations page differ from an insurance contract?
The Personal Auto Policy contract includes terms and conditions that apply to all of the standard auto insurance policies that are issued by a specific carrier.
While the policy terms are the same across the board for all of the policies issued, every policy has information that is personal to the insured who buys the coverage.
You can find personal information about you and your covered property on the declarations page. The key information found on the declarations page will vary from client to client.
That’s why this document is also referred to as the information page by some agents and representatives.
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Is the declarations page the same thing as an insurance ID card?
You will receive both a declarations page and an ID card in the envelope that contains your new policy documents. Each form has a different purpose.
The declarations page is meant to give you the most detailed information on your policy.
Your ID cards, on the other hand, are designed to prove that you have insurance that complies with state law.
What type of information can you find on the declarations page?
To grasp the difference between ID cards and declarations pages, it helps to know about the document itself.
One of the main reasons why the declarations page can be so helpful is because it lays out all of the information that’s used to rate you as a risk. The information found on the page does have an effect on premiums.
This information includes:
- Policyholder name and address
- Policy number
- Policy term
- Insured vehicle information (VIN, year, make, model, odometer, annual mileage, and safety features)
- Schedule of coverage options on each vehicle
- Premiums for each coverage carried
- Total policy premium
- Policy forms and endorsements
- Discounts on the policy
- Surcharges for tickets and accidents
- Drivers listed on the policy with vehicle assignments
When will a declarations page be helpful?
There are a few instances when a declarations page will be helpful you review your coverage or prove that you have coverage that’s required by a loss payee.
Here are some of the scenarios where you might need your information page:
- You’re buying a new car and need to prove you have full coverage
- You want to see if there are errors on your policy ratings
- You need to verify the loss payee clause is accurate
- You’re shopping for insurance, and you want to compare premiums and coverage options
If you’re interested in shopping for coverage, it’s easy to compare premiums by using an online rate comparison tool.
Simply enter the information that you can find on your declarations page, review instant car insurance quotes, and modify your limits if you want more protection.
Receive instant comparison quotes for insurance by entering your ZIP code in our FREE tool below!
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