An insurance declaration page is a piece of paper which provides basic information about an insurance policy. Typically, the first page of an insurance policy is a declaration page, and people can also receive a copy as a standalone item. The declaration page is not the same thing as the proof of insurance which people may be required to carry with a vehicle or present when they want to make a claim on a health insurance policy. The proof of insurance carries some of the details of the declaration page, but it is less detailed.
Essentially, the insurance declaration page is like a quick guide to the insurance policy, providing all of the basic information the policyholder needs to know. It includes the name and address of the insurance agency, with information about the issuing agent, and it includes the contact information for the insured individual. It also states what is insured, for how much, under which circumstances, and for how long. For example, a car insurance declaration document might declare that a vehicle has comprehensive insurance for the dates of 1 January 1969 through 1 January 1970.
The declaration page also includes endorsements, additions to the policy beyond the basic coverage already described. To use the example of car insurance again, the insurance policy could state that the car also has an auto glass endorsement, specifically covering damage to the windows, and a towing package, which will cover towing of the vehicle in the event that it is disabled.
It is important to review an insurance declaration page when a copy of an insurance copy is issued. If information on this page is erroneous, it means that the insurance company does not have the right information on file, and this could become a problem if a claim needs to be made against the policy. If the amount of coverage looks wrong, the contact information is incorrect, the description of the item being covered is wrong, or there are other problems, the errors on the insurance declaration page should be brought to the attention of the insurance company so that they can be corrected.
It is a good idea to store insurance policies, certificates of title, and other important legal documents such as birth certificates and passports in a safe deposit box in a secure facility, so that they cannot be stolen or damaged. However, since this information sometimes needs to be accessed quickly, many people make copies of their basic information and keep them on file at home or in the office so that they can pull up the information quickly when they need it.
