Personal Insurance
Understanding Your Home & Auto Coverage
Home and auto policies contain a lot of details, but a useful review starts with a few fundamentals: what is protected, how much protection you have, and what you would be responsible for after a loss.
Start with liability
Liability coverage helps protect you financially when you are responsible for injuries or property damage to someone else. Your limits should be viewed in the context of what you need to protect—not simply the minimum available.
Know your deductibles
A deductible is the amount you agree to pay toward certain covered losses. Higher deductibles can affect premium, but they should still be amounts your household could reasonably handle after an unexpected claim.
Look beyond the declarations page
A declarations page is a useful summary, but endorsements, exclusions, replacement-cost provisions, and special limits can materially affect how a policy responds.
- Ask how your home and belongings are valued after a covered loss.
- Confirm who and what vehicles are listed on the policy.
- Review umbrella coverage when additional liability protection makes sense.