Coverage Resource Portal
A reference for the parts of a policy nobody explains.
Short, plain entries on how coverage is structured, what the common terms mean, and the questions worth asking before a policy is in force.
Index
- I.How a policy is put togetherDeclarations, coverage parts, exclusions and endorsements — which section governs when two of them appear to disagree.
- II.Reading a quote line by lineWhy two quotes for the same car differ, and which of the differences are cover and which are just payment terms.
- III.Deductibles and what they trade awayThe arithmetic of a higher deductible, and the circumstance in which the saving stops being worth it.
- IV.Exclusions worth reading twiceEveryday situations people assume are covered — lending a car, driving for work, an unlisted household driver.
- V.When and how to make a claimWhat to record at the scene, what the insurer will ask for, and where delay causes problems.
Common terms
The summary at the front of a policy listing who and what is covered, for how much, and for what period. The quickest place to check a limit.
A written change to the standard policy. It overrides the base wording, so an endorsement is worth reading before the policy it amends.
A situation the policy explicitly does not cover. Exclusions are where most surprises live, and they are usually short enough to read in full.
What you pay for the policy. Set from the cover selected, the vehicle, and the rating factors the insurer applies to the driver.
Entries are kept short on purpose and updated when the wording they describe changes. Corrections are welcome.
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