Declarations page

What is a declarations page?

Often shortened to the dec page, it is the one or two page summary that comes with your policy and at each renewal. It condenses a long contract into the terms that actually apply to you.

Everything else in the policy explains how coverage works. The declarations page tells you which coverages you bought and at what limits.

What should you look for on it?

Five items on a New Jersey declarations page carry the most weight after a crash.

• Your lawsuit option, either Limitation or No Limitation on Lawsuit
• PIP limit, deductible and whether health insurance was elected as primary
• Bodily injury liability limits, shown as two numbers for per person and per accident
• UM and UIM limits
• Every listed driver and vehicle, plus any named driver exclusion

Why do attorneys ask for it first?

Because it determines the shape of the entire claim before any medical records are reviewed. The lawsuit option tells you whether a threshold fight is coming, and the UM and UIM limits tell you what is recoverable if the at fault driver is uninsured or carries little coverage.

It can also reveal problems worth knowing about immediately, such as an exclusion that removes a household driver from coverage or a health insurance primary election that changes how medical bills are routed.

How do you get a copy?

Request it from your insurer or agent directly, and most carriers make it downloadable from an online account. Ask for the version in effect on the date of the accident rather than the current one, since coverage may have changed at renewal.

Gather the declarations pages for every policy in the household as well. Coverage can come from a relative's policy, and the option on that policy may govern your claim.

Common questions

What if I cannot find my declarations page?

Your insurer must provide a copy on request, and an attorney can obtain it as part of investigating the claim. Not having it on hand does not delay getting help.

What do the two numbers next to bodily injury mean?

The first is the maximum paid to any one injured person and the second is the maximum for the entire accident. In a crash injuring several people the second number is often the real constraint.

Does the declarations page show what the other driver has?

No, it covers only your policy. The other driver's limits are obtained through the claim process or in discovery once a lawsuit is filed.

How often should I review my declarations page?

At every renewal is sensible, since coverage can change and selections made years ago may no longer suit your circumstances. It takes only a few minutes, and it is the only opportunity to affect what a future claim will be worth, because the coverage in effect on the accident date governs.

What if my insurer sends only a summary?

Request the full declarations page in effect on the accident date rather than a renewal summary, which may not show every selection. If the summary and the policy conflict, the policy language controls.