The declarations page

In plain English: the declarations page, often called the "dec page", is the summary sheet at the front of an insurance policy. It lists who is insured, which vehicles or property are covered, the coverages you bought, the limits, the deductibles and the policy dates.

What's on it

• Named insured(s) and address, plus any listed drivers
• Policy number and policy period, with start and end dates and times
• Covered vehicles, usually by make, model and VIN
• Coverages and limits, such as bodily injury liability, property damage, medical or PIP, uninsured and underinsured motorist, collision and comprehensive
• Deductibles for each coverage that has one
• Premium for each coverage and in total
• Lienholders or lessors, if the car is financed or leased
• Endorsements, meaning add-ons or changes, like rental reimbursement or roadside assistance

It doesn't contain the full rules. The definitions, exclusions and conditions sit in the policy wording that goes with it. When the two seem to conflict, you need to read both.

Why you need it after an accident

Your own dec page tells you what you can claim for straight away: whether you have collision cover, rental reimbursement, medical payments or underinsured motorist protection, and at what limits. People regularly miss benefits they've been paying for simply because they never looked. Pull yours out in the first days after a crash, before speaking at length to any insurer.

The at-fault driver's dec page matters too, because it shows their liability limits. In the US, whether you can get it before a lawsuit depends on the state; some require insurers to disclose limits on request, others don't. Once a case is in litigation, it's usually available through discovery.

UK and Canadian equivalents

In the UK, the same information is split between the policy schedule (cover level, excess, named drivers) and the certificate of motor insurance, which is the legal proof of cover. In Canada, you'll see a declarations or certificate page along with a proof-of-insurance card (in Ontario, commonly known as the pink slip).

How to get a copy

1. Check your insurer's app or online account; most let you download it.
2. Check emails from around your renewal date.
3. Ask your insurer or broker in writing for the declarations page in force on the accident date, not just the current one.

Next: insurance policy · coverage limits · claim number.

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