Which policy form you actually have
The form is printed on your declarations page, and it decides what is covered before any endorsement does. A condominium owner holding an HO-3 is paying to insure a structure the association already insures. A landlord holding a homeowners policy may have no cover at all once the property is let.
The form number appears on the first page of your declarations, usually near the top. It is two characters and a number and it is easy to miss. Everything else in the policy — the limits, the endorsements, the exclusions — sits on top of what that form does and does not cover.
The forms you will actually encounter
| Form | For | Covers the structure? |
|---|---|---|
| HO-3 | An owner-occupied house | Yes, the whole building |
| HO-6 | A condominium or co-op unit | Interior only — from the walls in |
| HO-4 | A tenant | No — contents and liability only |
| DP-3 | A rental property you own | Yes, but written for a landlord |
| HO-8 | Older homes where rebuilding cost exceeds market value | Yes, on a modified basis |
The two mismatches that cost real money are a condominium owner on a homeowners form, and an owner who lets the property without changing from HO-3 to DP-3. The second is common with inherited property and with owners who move away and rent out their former home without telling anyone.
HO-6, and the gap either side of it
A condominium unit is insured twice, by two policies that are supposed to meet in the middle. The association’s master policy covers the building; your HO-6 covers the interior. Whether they actually meet depends on what the declaration says the association insures — and it varies more than people assume.
- Read the declaration alongside the master policy. Some associations insure original fixtures and finishes; some stop at bare walls. That determines what your HO-6 has to carry.
- Ask about loss assessment cover. If the association levies an assessment after a covered loss, this is what responds — and it is frequently set far too low.
- Check the master policy deductible. A large one can be passed through to owners, and loss assessment cover is what stands between you and that.
What no form covers without being added
- Flood. Every Florida policy excludes it. It is a separate purchase with an NFIP building ceiling of $250,000† and a 30 days† waiting period.
- Sinkhole. Only catastrophic ground cover collapse is mandatory, and that requires the structure must be condemned and ordered vacated by a government agency†. Ordinary sinkhole cover is optional and extra.
- Screen enclosures, frequently limited, excluded or separately deductible.
- Ordinance or law cover, which pays for code upgrades triggered when you rebuild. In Florida that gap is larger than it sounds.
The settings that matter more than the form
- The hurricane deductible, in dollars. It is a percentage of the dwelling limit rather than a flat sum, so two policies with identical premiums can differ by tens of thousands at claim time.
- Roof settlement basis. Replacement cost or actual cash value — on an older roof this is frequently the largest real difference between two quotes. Remember an insurer may not refuse or non-renew solely on roof age under 15 years†.
- Dwelling limit against rebuilding cost, not market value. They are different numbers and only one of them rebuilds the house.
- Whether you are with Citizens, and whether you still qualify — eligibility generally turns on private quotes exceeding it by more than 20%†.
Insurers are told about a change of use far less often than it happens. Letting a house, taking in a lodger, leaving it empty for a season, or running it as a short-term rental all change the risk — and a policy written for owner-occupation may simply not respond. Telling them is free; not telling them is an argument at the worst possible time.
A five-minute review worth doing annually
- Confirm the form matches how the property is actually used today.
- Read the hurricane deductible as a dollar figure, not a percentage.
- Check the roof settlement basis.
- Check whether flood cover exists, and whether it should.
- On a condominium, check the loss assessment limit against the master policy deductible.
- Confirm your wind mitigation credits are actually applied.
Related
Common questions
What is the difference between HO-3 and HO-6?
HO-3 insures an owner-occupied house including the whole structure. HO-6 insures a condominium unit from the walls in, because the association’s master policy covers the building itself.
What policy do I need if I rent out my Florida house?
A DP-3 or similar landlord form rather than a homeowners policy. An HO-3 is written for owner-occupation and may not respond once the property is let — and insurers are told about this far less often than it happens.
What is loss assessment coverage?
Cover on a condominium unit policy that responds when the association levies an assessment after a covered loss. It is frequently set far too low relative to the master policy deductible it is meant to absorb.
Does any Florida policy cover flood?
No. Every homeowners policy excludes it, whatever the form. Flood is a separate purchase with a 30-day waiting period and an NFIP building ceiling of $250,000.
What should I check on my declarations page?
The form number, the hurricane deductible expressed in dollars, the roof settlement basis, the dwelling limit against rebuilding cost, and whether wind mitigation credits are applied.
Policy forms are industry standard but what any individual policy covers is set by its own wording, endorsements and exclusions. Mandatory sinkhole and roof provisions are Florida statute. Read your declarations page and confirm with a licensed agent.