To get an insurance declaration page, log into your insurer’s website or mobile app and download the PDF, or call your agent or the carrier’s customer service line and ask them to send it. The document is free, usually available within minutes, and insurers can fax or email it directly to a mortgage company, landlord, or escrow office if you need it delivered to a third party.
Your declaration page, often shortened to “dec page,” is the one-page summary at the front of your policy that lists coverage limits, deductibles, premiums, and the people or property covered. Lenders, landlords, and government agencies routinely ask for it, so knowing how to pull it up quickly matters when a deadline is close.
Four Ways to Request a Copy
Online Portal or Mobile App
The fastest route is logging into your insurer’s website or mobile app with your existing credentials. Most carriers place policy documents under a tab labeled something like “Policy Documents,” “My Policy,” or “Forms.” From there you can download a PDF of your current dec page or any prior version within the policy term.
If you have never set up an online account, you typically need your policy number and the ZIP code on file to register. Once you are in, the document is yours in a few clicks.
Through Your Agent or Broker
If you bought your policy through a local agent or independent broker, a quick phone call or email is often the simplest path. Agents have direct access to your policy records and can pull the dec page immediately. They can also send it straight to a mortgage company, landlord, or escrow office on your behalf, which saves you the step of downloading and forwarding it yourself.
The Carrier’s Customer Service Line
If you do not have online access and did not use an agent, calling the insurer’s main customer service number works just as well. Have your policy number, the policyholder’s full legal name, and your mailing address ready. The representative will use these to verify your identity before releasing any documents.
You can ask them to email a PDF, mail a physical copy, or fax the page directly to a third party such as a lienholder or escrow company.
A Local Office
Some carriers and independent agencies have brick-and-mortar offices where you can walk in and request a printed copy on the spot. Bring a government-issued ID that matches the name on the policy. This option helps when you need a physical copy urgently and want to avoid mailing delays.
How Fast You’ll Receive It
Timing depends on the delivery method you choose.
- PDF download: instant through the insurer’s website or app. You can email, print, or upload to a lender’s portal within minutes.
- Email from the carrier: typically a few minutes to an hour after you request it through customer service.
- Fax to a third party: generally completes within an hour of the request, which is useful for time-sensitive closings.
- U.S. mail: five to seven business days for a physical copy on the insurer’s official letterhead.
There is generally no charge for a copy of your declaration page. It is part of your policy documentation, and insurers routinely provide it at no cost whether you download it, call for it, or ask your agent.
Automatic Copies at Renewal
You should receive a new declaration page each time your policy renews. For most auto policies that is every six months, and for most homeowners and renters policies it is annually. The updated page reflects any changes in coverage, premium, or deductible for the upcoming term. If you do not receive one before your renewal date, contact your insurer to confirm the policy has renewed and request the document.
What Should Be on the Page When You Get It
Once the dec page is in your hands, confirm the core details are correct before you forward it anywhere. The exact layout varies by insurer, but the content is consistent across auto, homeowners, and renters policies:
- The policyholder’s legal name and address, and the insured property’s location.
- The policy number and the start and end dates of coverage.
- For auto policies, the year, make, model, and VIN of each covered vehicle. For homeowners policies, the dwelling type and address.
- Each type of coverage you carry (liability, collision, comprehensive, dwelling, personal property, and so on) with the maximum dollar amount the insurer will pay for each.
- The deductible you pay out of pocket before coverage applies to each type of loss.
- The total premium for the policy period, often broken down by coverage type.
- Any endorsements or riders, such as scheduled jewelry coverage or umbrella liability.
- Any discounts applied, like multi-policy or safe-driver reductions.
- The name of any mortgage lender or lienholder with an insurable interest in the property.
- The name and phone number of the agent or broker who sold the policy.
Reviewing this page carefully each time you receive it helps you catch mistakes before they cause problems during a claim.
Fixing Errors on Your Declaration Page
Mistakes on a dec page are more common than you might expect: a misspelled name, a wrong address, an incorrect vehicle identification number, or a coverage limit that does not match what you requested. Catching these early matters, because an inaccurate dec page can create complications when you file a claim.
To fix an error, contact your insurer or agent and explain what needs to change. Minor corrections like a misspelled name or outdated address can usually be processed over the phone or through your online account. The insurer will issue a policy endorsement, which is a formal amendment to the original policy, and send you a revised declaration page reflecting the correction. Keep both the original and the corrected version for your records.
If Your Insurer Is No Longer in Business
If your insurance company has gone insolvent, retrieving your declaration page takes a different route. Each state operates a guaranty association that steps in when a licensed insurer is liquidated. The guaranty association in the state where you live, not the state where the insurer was headquartered, is responsible for continuing your coverage and processing your claims. These associations coordinate through a national organization so that policyholders deal with a single point of contact rather than navigating the liquidation process alone.
To obtain your records, contact your state’s insurance guaranty association or your state department of insurance. They can direct you to whichever entity assumed responsibility for your former carrier’s policies and help you get copies of your policy documents, including your declaration page. As long as you keep paying any required premium, your coverage should remain in effect through the guaranty association’s oversight.
One Note on Mortgage Closings
If you are requesting a dec page for a home purchase, be aware that what the lender needs at the closing table is often an insurance binder rather than a declaration page. A binder is temporary proof of coverage the insurer issues before the full policy is finalized, valid for roughly 30 to 90 days. The dec page arrives after underwriting is complete. Ask your lender which document they want, and ask your insurer to issue it. Federal law also requires lenders to confirm that borrowers in designated flood zones carry flood insurance for the life of the loan, so a separate flood policy dec page may be part of the closing packet.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 U.S. Code 4012a – Flood Insurance Purchase and Compliance Requirements and Escrow Accounts