8+ years writing about insurance and personal finance
Widely published insurance expert
Margaret has written extensively on personal finance topics, including insurance, taxes, budgeting, saving, and more. She’s also a marketing manager and an award-winning poet.
3+ years producing insurance and personal finance content
Main architect of the Insurify Quality Score
Courtney’s deep personal finance knowledge extends beyond insurance to credit cards, consumer lending, and banking. She thrives on creating actionable content.
Updated February 16, 2023 | Reading time: 7 minutes
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A car insurance declaration page is a summary of your auto insurance policy, including your policy’s coverage types, coverage limits, deductible amounts, and the cost for the coverage options in your policy. It also includes your policy’s term length, your policy number, and information about your car.[1] The car insurance declaration page is usually the first page of your auto insurance policy.
Quick Facts
Your car insurance declaration page summarizes your auto insurance coverage.
You can find your declaration page at the front of your car insurance policy.
A car insurance declaration page includes basic information about your coverage types, limits, deductibles, and costs.
Your policy likely includes liability insurance, which is required in almost all states, but it might also include optional coverages, like comprehensive, collision, and uninsured motorist.[2]
Your policy also comes with different coverage limits for certain types of coverage, such as bodily injury liability coverage or property damage liability coverage, as well as different deductible amounts.
Attached to the beginning of your car insurance policy, your car insurance declaration page is a straightforward summary of your coverage amounts, limits, deductibles, and the cost of your policy’s premium. It also includes other important information about your policy, like its term length and your car’s make and model.[1]
What’s on a car insurance declaration page?
Your car insurance declaration page is for your benefit — it helps you get a clear overview of the details of your policy. If you’re unsure about how much coverage you have or whether you should make any changes to your policy, the car insurance declaration page is a good place to start.
It includes all the basics of your policy, including which drivers it covers, how long the coverage lasts, and specific coverage types and amounts. Your car insurance declaration page also indicates how much you pay for each type of coverage, as well as your total car insurance premium.[1]
One of the most important pieces of information on your car insurance declaration page is your policy’s term information. This includes your policy’s start date and end date. This is generally one of the first pieces of information listed on a declaration page.
Your policy’s term information is important because it indicates how long your auto insurance coverage will last. Car insurance policy term lengths are often six months or a year. You’ll need to renew your policy or purchase a new one before the end date to ensure continuous coverage.
The names of covered drivers
The names of covered drivers are also listed on the declaration page. This includes the name of the policyholder, as well as any other drivers who have coverage under the policy.[1] If you’ve purchased a policy that covers yourself, your spouse, and your children, all your names should be listed on the policy.
If someone else occasionally drives your car, you may add them to your policy as a covered driver. Then, they’re covered if they get into an accident while driving your car.
Vehicle details
Your car insurance declaration page also includes some basic information about your vehicle. This includes the year, make, model, and VIN.[1] If you lease or finance your vehicle, it may also include information about your lender. If you have more than one car on your auto insurance policy, this section will include information for each one.
The vehicle detail section is important because it shows you which vehicles are covered under your policy. This section typically appears underneath the named insureds at the beginning of a car insurance declaration page.
Car insurance coverages
Liability insurance
Liability insurance, which is mandatory in almost all states, includes both bodily injury liability insurance, which covers injuries to other parties, and property damage liability insurance, which covers damage to another person’s vehicle or other property.
Personal injury protection (PIP)
PIP coverage is mandatory in some states and covers medical expenses regardless of who is at fault.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
If you’re in an accident with a motorist who is uninsured or has inadequate coverage, UM/UIM insurance will cover your damages.
Medical payments coverage
Medical payments coverage, also known as MedPay, covers medical expenses for you and your passengers, even if you’re at fault in an accident.[2]
Optional coverages, endorsements, and riders
Your auto insurance declaration page will also include any add-ons or optional coverages you have. These may include:
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive coverage covers noncollision vehicle damage, such as from theft, vandalism, or natural disasters. For example, if your catalytic converter is stolen or if a tree limb falls on your car, comprehensive insurance would cover it.
Collision coverage
Collision coverage covers damage to your own vehicle if you’re in an accident.
Gap insurance
Once you drive your car off the lot, it immediately depreciates in value, which means that you could owe more on your car loan than your car is worth if it’s totaled. Gap insurance, which is generally recommended for drivers of new vehicles, covers the difference when your car is worth less than what you owe.[2]
Roadside assistance
Many insurers also offer roadside assistance, which can help drivers with basic services such as towing, changing flat tires, and jump-starting batteries.
Rental car reimbursement
If your car needs repairs because of covered damage, your insurer may offer to reimburse your rental car costs up to a certain amount under this coverage.
Accident forgiveness
Accident forgiveness can help prevent your car insurance rates from increasing after you cause an accident for the first time.
Car insurance discounts
Many insurers offer discounts to help drivers save on car insurance, and any discounts your insurer adds to your policy will be on the dec page. The most common of these is for bundling multiple policies with the same insurer. Some popular discounts include:
Bundling: Many insurers offer a discount if you buy more than one policy type together. Bundling homeowners and auto insurance is a common tactic for reducing overall rates.
Multi-car: Some insurance companies offer discounts if youinsure multiple carson your policy.
Pay in full: If you pay your policy in full in advance, you may be eligible for a discount. For example, you may pay for six months of car insurance coverage at the start of your policy’s term in exchange for a discount.
Anti-theft devices and safety features: Policyholders may be able to save if their car has certain anti-theft and safety features, like airbags or anti-lock brakes.
Good driver discount: Many insurers offer discounts for good drivers who have a history of safe driving or who haven’t been involved in an accident for a few years.
Organizational member discount: If you’re a member of a particular professional or academic organization, you may be eligible for a discount.[3]
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How to find your car insurance declaration page
If you choose to receive a paper copy of your car insurance policy, the car insurance declaration page will be the first page of your policy. If you choose to go paperless, you can access your car insurance declaration page online. While the process varies for every car insurance company, it’s generally included under the “policy documents” section.
State Farm’s car insurance declaration page is, unfortunately, not available online. While State Farm does include much of the same information in its customer portal, you need to contact your insurance agent to get your State Farm declaration page.
To find your car insurance declaration page from GEICO, you first need to log into your GEICO account. Find your auto insurance policy in your dashboard, then click “Manage Policy.” In the top right-hand corner, click “Policy Documents.” Then click on “Declaration Page” to view.
To find your car insurance declaration page from Allstate, you need to log into your Allstate account. From there, select your policy, then view your policy documents. Your car insurance declaration page will be included as one of the documents. You can also view your car insurance declaration page using Allstate’s mobile app.
If you have a car insurance policy with USAA, you can find your car insurance declaration page online by logging into your account.
You can find your car insurance declaration page from Progressive by contacting a representative over the phone or by logging into your customer account. Once logged in, select “Get Other Proof of Insurance,” then select “Declaration Page.”
Declaration page FAQs
Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about car insurance declaration pages.
What is a declaration page for car insurance?
A car insurance declaration page is a short, detailed summary of your car insurance coverage. It includes information about the covered drivers, covered vehicles, and what types of car insurance coverage you’ve purchased, including coverage limits and deductibles.
Is a declaration page the same as proof of insurance?
No, a car insurance declaration page isn’t the same as proof of insurance. Your insurance card holds the details for your proof of insurance, which is a physical card your insurer issues or a digital card you can access online or through your insurer’s mobile app. If you’re pulled over and need to show proof of insurance, you should use your insurance card, not your declaration page.
Do you get a new declaration page when you renew car insurance?
Yes, you get a new declaration page when you renew your car insurance policy because key items on the declaration page may have changed. For example, you may have added new drivers to your policy, purchased a new vehicle, or modified coverage amounts.
But even if your policy has largely stayed the same, one important piece of information will be different: your policy’s start or effective date and end date. For this reason, you’ll always get a new car insurance declaration page whenever you renew your policy, even if the other details of your coverage remain unchanged.
Why is the declaration page important?
The car insurance declaration page is important because it gives you a simplified overview of your auto insurance coverage. If you ever need to reference how much auto insurance you have or how much you’re paying for it, your car insurance declaration page will have the answers.
Margaret Wack is a personal finance writer with a master's from St. John's College. She has written about finance and insurance topics for publications including Investopedia, Bankrate, MoneyGeek, The Simple Dollar, Money Under 30, and more. She has also written for sites like Angi, US News & World Report, ArtfulTea, and Reviews.com. Connect with Margaret on LinkedIn.
3+ years producing insurance and personal finance content
Main architect of the Insurify Quality Score
Courtney’s deep personal finance knowledge extends beyond insurance to credit cards, consumer lending, and banking. She thrives on creating actionable content.
