Homeowner's Insurance Policy

Definition of "Homeowner's insurance policy"

Shon McGuire real estate agent

Written by

Shon McGuireelite badge icon

Adams Cameron & Co. Realtors


Homeowner’s insurance is a kind of property insurance that covers risks commonly encountered by homeowners.

There are several kinds of homeowner’s insurance policies:

Homeowners-1 (HO-1) - the most basic coverage. Basically, HO-1 provides homeowners protection against catastrophic losses only. HO-1 is a Named Peril Policy, that is; a policy that specifies exactly what it covers.

Homeowners-2 (HO-2) - known as a mid-range policy, the HO-2 provides broader coverage than the HO-1, but it’s not as robust as the HO-3, for instance. It is also a named peril policy.

Homeowners-3 (HO-3) - is the most common homeowner’s policy in the US. The HO-3 is midway between a named perils policy and an open perils policy. That is because under the HO-3, your personal properties (appliances, furniture, cars…) are insured via named perils but the house itself is insured under an Open Peril Policy, which is a list of exclusions of damages insured by the policy. If it’s not on the list, the insurance will cover it.

Homeowners-4 (HO-4) - also known as renter’s insurance,  the HO-4 is a policy made for people renting a property.

Homeowners-5 (HO-5) - the HO-5 is one of the most comprehensive homeowner's insurance available. An elite policy, the HO-5 is an upgraded version of HO-3, as it also includes the personal properties under the open perils policy and not just the house.

Homeowners-6 (HO-6) - the HO-6 is for people renting condos and townhomes. Also known as the condo insurance or the townhome insurance, the HO-6 is similar to the HO-4 in scope, but it deviates from it regarding the way some aspects are calculated.

Homeowners-8 (HO-8) - the HO-8 is designed to protect older homes and remodeled buildings that are difficult to replace if destroyed. It is similar to HO-1 as it is also a basic coverage, but the HO-1 usually evaluates the house via replacement cost approach, whereas it’s difficult to do that with HO-8, which typically uses the actual cash value.

 

Real Estate Advice:

Search our Glossary Terms
 for the specific definitions of all the types of homeowner's insurance.

And find a real estate agent to help you decide which type of homeowner's insurance is the best for you.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Goods that are freely substitutable. It is goods of a given class or type, any unit of which is as acceptable as another, and capable of satisfying an obligation expressed in terms of the ...

Individual who gives false statements under oath, which is a criminal act punishable by imprisonment and fine. An example is signing a tax return that fraudently understates rental income, ...

Roof having four triangular sides forming a point at the top of a pyramid. A pyramid roof is primarily used for steeples on top of churches or certain public buildings. ...

Also called all inclusive trust deed (AITD). A mortgage (trust deed) that encompasses existing mortgages and is subordinate to them. The existing mortgages stay on the property and the new ...

The term statute is a written law that is adopted by a legislative body from the country, federal, state, county, or city level. The statute definition can be a legislative written decree ...

An accessory building is an outdoor structure used by the occupants of the main building or house. They have different functions and can be detached or attached to the main building on the ...

Laws enacted by every state governing the activities and requirements of real estate salespeople and brokers. Upon satisfying the necessary age and residency requirements and satisfactorily ...

An individual appointed by a court to manage the affairs and property of a legally incompetent party. The conservator has full decision-making authority over the affairs of the property in ...

Land that has poor income potential, usually used in an agricultural sense meaning that the land is untellable, has poor access, is extremely steep, has suffered serious erosion, is ...

Popular Real Estate Questions