Policy
The legal contract between you and your insurance carrier that describes what is and isn't covered.
A policy is the actual contract — typically 40-80 pages — that sets the terms of your coverage. The most important sections are the declarations page (the "dec page" — a one-page summary of who's insured, what's covered, your limits, your deductibles, your premium, and your effective dates), the coverage forms, the conditions, and the exclusions.
When something goes wrong and you file a claim, the carrier reads your policy line-by-line to determine whether the loss is covered. This is why phrases in the exclusions section like "earth movement" or "flood" matter enormously — those words are why people whose homes flood without flood insurance get denied.
The declarations page is the part most people actually read, and it's the part you should read carefully at every renewal. Verify the named insured (you, your spouse, anyone else who needs coverage), the property or vehicle being covered (right VIN, right address, right square footage), each coverage and its dollar limit, the deductible for each coverage, and the policy period (start and end dates). A wrong street number, a missing teenage driver, or a stale Coverage A limit can each be the reason a claim gets denied or paid short.
Beyond the dec page, the coverage forms describe each specific protection (Dwelling, Liability, Personal Property, etc.), the conditions section spells out your duties after a loss (notify the carrier promptly, protect the property from further damage, cooperate with the investigation), and the exclusions list the perils that aren't covered (earth movement, flood, ordinance or law, intentional acts, neglect). The exclusions section is the one most likely to surprise people at claim time.
Your policy doesn't stay frozen between renewals. Any change to who's insured, what's insured, or how it's insured is documented as an endorsement (sometimes called a rider). Adding a new driver, finishing a basement, installing a pool, swapping a vehicle, raising a coverage limit — each triggers an endorsement that becomes part of the policy. The carrier sends a written confirmation; keep it with the original declarations page so your records reflect the policy as it actually exists today.
Geneva will explain your policy in plain English when you bind it and again at every renewal. If your policy ever changes (carrier updates terms, you add a driver, you remodel your house), you'll receive an endorsement formally amending it — and we'll review the change with you so you understand exactly what shifted.
Related terms:Endorsement / Rider·Coverage·Underwriting·Deductible·Premium
Related Geneva services:Home Insurance·Auto Insurance