General information, read from the wording
Read your policy before you need it
Policy Plain explains how insurance policies are built, which words carry weight, and what to check at renewal and at claim time. Your policy and your insurer decide what is covered.
Read a declarations page Browse the policy desk
Image by OleksandrPidvalnyi from Pixabay
At the front desk
Where to begin
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You have a new policy in hand
The declarations page is the summary at the front. This guide goes through it field by field and shows where the rest of the policy fits.
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A renewal notice has arrived
A checklist of what to compare between last year's terms and this year's, before the new term starts.
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Something has happened
The first steps after a loss, what to keep, and how to talk to the insurer so there is a record.
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A word on your policy is unfamiliar
Short definitions of the terms you will meet on a quote, a declarations page and a claim letter.
The stacks
Browse the shelves
Each shelf holds one subject, and its first page is an overview you can read in a few minutes.
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Shelf A
Business insurance
General liability, property, workers' comp and what small businesses tend to need.
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On the desk
Deductible break-even calculator
Enter two deductibles and their premiums to see the extra premium, the saving per claim and the break-even point.
Reader questions
Asked at the desk
Is Policy Plain insurance or legal advice?
No. The pages are general information about how policies are usually written. They cannot account for your policy, your state or your facts. For advice on a specific situation, speak to a licensed agent, your insurer or an attorney.
Who decides whether something is covered?
The policy as written decides, read together with the law of your state. Your insurer makes the first decision on a claim. If you disagree, you can ask for the reasons in writing, and your state insurance department takes complaints.
Where do I find the rules for my state?
Your state insurance department is the primary source. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners keeps a directory of every state department at content.naic.org, with contact details and complaint information.
Can you tell me which policy or coverage to buy?
No. What you need depends on your property, your work, your contracts and your state. Policy Plain explains the pieces so that the conversation with an agent is easier to follow.
Do the calculator and the examples show real prices?
No. Any numbers on this site are examples or your own inputs. Real premiums and deductibles come from a quote or from your policy.
Cataloging rules
How we read a policy
Each page is built the same way, so you know what you are getting.
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The wording comes first
We start from standard policy language and sample forms, then explain what a clause does and what it leaves out.
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Rules differ by state
Insurance is regulated state by state. Where a rule varies, the page says so and points you to your state insurance department.
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Information, not advice
We do not tell you what to buy. Your policy, your insurer and a licensed agent or attorney have the final word on your situation.
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Examples are labeled
Premiums and limits depend on the insurer, the state and the risk. When a page uses numbers, they are invented for the example and marked that way.