HO-1 to HO-8: Comparing home insurance policy types

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Protect your home sweet home.

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If you’ve ever shopped for home insurance, you were probably offered a few choices. But did you know there are eight distinct policy types? Some policies, like the HO-1, are bare-bones. The most common policy is HO-3 insurance—an all-perils policy that most single-family homeowners buy. There are specialized policies for renters, condo dwellers, and even mobile homes.

Knowing the type of home insurance policy you need is critical for peace of mind and your wallet. After all, the point of insurance is to cover you in case of a loss. Having incorrect—or inadequate—insurance coverage could mean either spending too much on coverage you don’t need, or the flip side—not being covered when you go to file a claim.

HO-1 is the most basic homeowner’s insurance policy available. According to the Insurance Information Institute, these policies have very limited coverage, often for a specific list of 10 perils:

HO-1 policies are known as “named-perils” policies. If your home was damaged by a peril not named above—such as a sewer backup—your loss won’t be covered. These policies may not cover personal belongings. Because the coverage is so narrow, many states do not allow these policies to be sold.

This policy type—also of the “named-peril” variety—builds upon the specific named perils in the HO-1 and adds further protection for your home. Those six additional perils include:

An HO-2 policy covers the dwelling (i.e., the home’s structure) at its replacement cost value, plus personal belongings at actual cash value. This policy is a step up in coverage (and cost) from the basic HO-1 policy, but there are still some losses it doesn’t cover. If you want comprehensive protection, you may want an HO-3 policy.

This is the most common type of homeowner’s insurance policy sold to owners of single-family homes. It’s sometimes called an all-risks or all-perils policy. Unlike an HO-2, the HO-3 policy covers all damage aside from a few notable exceptions, including:

Under an HO-3 policy, your home and other structures on the property, such as a garage or shed, are covered at replacement cost, and your personal property is covered at its actual cash value. If you keep a special collection at home or have expensive jewelry, you can get a rider, also known as an endorsement, for an additional fee.

Homeowner’s policies also offer some liability coverage in case visitors hurt themselves at your home. If you’re found legally responsible for another person’s injury who doesn’t live at your home, liability coverage pays for your legal fees or the person’s medical expenses.

If your home was damaged under a covered loss and you cannot live there temporarily, HO-3 policies include loss-of-use coverage that pays for extra living expenses, such as living in a hotel while your home is being repaired.

Do you rent instead of owning a home? You should know about renter’s insurance. Think of it as one of those “career start-up” costs—it’s the coverage you need once you’re no longer living with your parents and have struck out on your own.

Your landlord should have insurance that covers the actual building that houses your apartment, but the landlord’s insurance won’t cover your personal belongings; an HO-4 policy will. HO-4 policies even cover your stuff when it’s not at home, such as if your phone was stolen at the coffee shop or after you finished taking selfies at the Eiffel Tower. These policies will give you the replacement cost for lost or damaged goods.

Renter’s insurance covers the 16 perils found in the HO-2 and HO-3. And like special form policies, renter’s insurance has liability and loss-of-use coverage.

Much like HO-3, the HO-5 comprehensive insurance covers policyholders from “all perils.” The main difference is that an HO-5 policy offers the replacement cost for both the dwelling and your personal belongings. Recall that an HO-3 policy only covers your stuff at its actual cash value, which is inevitably less than the replacement cost. One of the pluses for an HO-5 policy is that you get higher coverage limits for pricey personal items, such as jewelry, furs, or some electronics. High-net-worth individuals usually opt for HO-5 insurance if they have expensive property or live in a high-risk area.

Also known as “unit-owners form,” this insurance suits people who own a condo or a co-op. Each condo or co-op board has—or should have—insurance policies that at least cover the common areas of the building and the landscaping. Condo dwellers should read and understand what their condo association’s insurance covers so they won’t be over- or underinsured.

HO-6 insurance covers the part of the building you own, plus your personal belongings and improvements made to the unit. These policies also offer the liability and loss-of-coverage insurance seen in other policies. Co-op owners should also opt for HO-6 insurance versus HO-4 insurance because they own a share of the building itself, rather than just their individual unit.

Mobile and manufactured homes aren’t covered under HO-3 policies; instead, these homeowners have policies designed for their needs. HO-7 policies can cover the same perils as an HO-1 or as many perils as the HO-3 policy. Note that coverage is only in effect when the home is stationary. If the home is in transit, coverage is not in effect.

HO-7 policies cover the following types of mobile homes:

In other words, a motor home—a recreational vehicle (RV) with its own engine and steering wheel (i.e., one that you drive)—is not a mobile home. It may be your primary residence if you’ve chosen that nomad life, but if it’s a drivable vehicle, your coverage will be a specialized form of auto insurance.

Suppose you live in a historic home with fancy curlicues or other ornate details and features no longer found in today’s homes that would be difficult to replace if damaged. These homeowners can usually only get coverage from an HO-8 policy, since the replacement cost of the dwelling is higher than the market value of the home.

The Insurance Information Institute says these policies are similar to the HO-1 limited perils policy, which only covers the 10 named perils. Additionally, the insurance company will cut a check only for the actual cash value of a covered loss, rather than the standard replacement cost.

Some insurance companies have been pulling out of high-risk areas, such those prone to hurricanes and wildfires.

Some special state insurance policies offer limited protection. For example, California’s FAIR Plan offers dwelling policies to residents who cannot find other insurance. This is a named-perils plan that provides coverage for losses resulting from fire and lighting, internal explosion, or smoke. Coverage for other perils, such as vandalism, come at an added cost.

Similarly, Citizens Property Insurance Corporation of Florida offers personal residential coverage for homeowners who are unable to find insurance in the private market. However, certain coverage may not be available for all homeowners.

Whether you own a home or rent one, having the right property insurance can cover you in case of a loss of your property and/or belongings. Before signing up for insurance, though, understand what the policy covers and what it doesn’t. Often, standard homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover flooding; that requires separate flood insurance. The same may be true for earthquakes and other so-called “acts of God.”

The right insurance offers peace of mind to policyholders who know they’ll be covered when disaster strikes.