Homeowner's Insurance Policy
Definition of "Homeowner's insurance policy"
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.
Popular Real Estate Terms
Something that is illegal. An example is an unenforceable debt because it has exceeded the statute of limitations. ...
Limitation or prohibition such as on what a tenant in an apartment may not do. Local laws may also restrict certain actions such as failing to use the property for gambling purposes. ...
Air penetrating crevices in a structure. Penetration of water into the earth or through a structure. For example, water infiltrates the basement of a house causing it to be damp. ...
Tendency to go to the party or situation of the lowest level of opposition. ...
Absence of a personal liability such as when a creditor may seize an office building used as security for the obligation but cannot attach any other assets of the debtor. ...
The modified gross lease is a hybrid type of lease agreement most commonly used in rental real estate where there are several rental units, for example, office buildings. These leases ...
Property owned and held jointly and equally shared by each spouse. It is purchased during their marriage, regardless of the wage-earning situation of either spouse. A spouse may not make a ...
A long-term lease of only land. ...
A certificate of ownership in a real estate company. Pledged assets for a borrowing. An example is an office building serving as collateral for the mortgage. Way of protecting property ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.