What are the differences between an HO3 and a HO5 Homeowners?
The HO3 has been the standard homeowners policy for decades, and is adequate for most home owners’ personal insurance needs. For older homes, it’s still a good choice. But today, there’s something better, particularly for newer, well maintained homes. It’s known generically as the HO5.
While the HO5 is offered only on a limited basis – to newer homes, those with higher values, those meticulously maintained – we at Gordon Atlantic Insurance believe that if you’re eligible, you should protect yourself with this broader policy form. In some cases, depending on the year of construction, the town you live in, your claims history, and other rating factors, you can buy an HO-5 for about the same cost as a traditional HO3.
The starting point of the HO5 is how it covers your Contents (also known as Personal Property on your policy page). While the HO3 covers your Contents on a “named perils” basis, the HO5 covers contents on an “open perils” basis.
In addition, many of the limitations of the HO3 are removed, existing coverages expanded, and new coverages added. Several common provisions that have had to be added to the HO-3 by specific endorsement are included automatically in the HO5. For example, with an HO5, you don’t have to check to see if “replacement cost” coverage on your home and on your contents has been added to your policy as it’s included automatically.
Since we don’t know what the future brings, if you’re eligible for an HO5, get it.
Open Perils vs Named Perils – There’s a big difference!