What is the difference between HO5 and HO3?

HO1 covers your home and belongings on an open perils basis, meaning it covers damage from all events except those listed as exclusions. An HO3 policy insures the home on an open perils basis, but covers belongings on a named perils basis.

What does an HO5 policy cover?

HO5 policies cover all sources damage except the 20 it lists as exclusions, usually earth movement, war, intentional loss, etc.

What are the exclusions in an HO5 policy?

Earth movement; ordinance or law; water damage from flood, sewer backup, or water seepage; power failure; war; nuclear hazard; intentional loss; government action; collapse; theft to a dwelling under construction; vandalism or malicious mischief if vacant more than 60 days; mold, fungus, or wet rot; neglect, wear and tear, and deterioration; mechanical breakdown; smog, rust, and corrosion; smoke from agricultural smudging and industrial operations; discharge, dispersal, or seepage of pollutants; settling, shrinking, bulging, or expanding of your home’s foundation; infestation of birds, vermin, rodents, or insects; animals owned by insured.

HO5 policy

Q: What is an HO5 policy?

An HO5 policy is a type of home insurance that insures the home and personal property on an open perils basis.

A type of home insurance that insures the home, other structures, and belongings on an open-perils basis; also called the comprehensive form

What is an HO5 policy?

Sometimes called the comprehensive form, an HO5 policy is a type of home insurance written on an open-perils basis. This means your insurer covers damage to your home and personal property when it’s caused by an event, or peril, as long as it’s not listed as an exclusion in the policy.

What homeowners need to know about HO5 coverage

If an HO1 form is considered a bare-bones policy, then HO-5 is a robust homeowners insurance policy with all the bells and whistles. HO5 policies are written on open-perils forms, which means it lists the perils that your insurance doesn’t cover. HO5 usually excludes losses caused by:

Earth movement
Ordinance or law
Water damage from flood, sewer backup, or water seepage
Power failure
War
Nuclear hazard
Intentional loss
Government action
Collapse
Theft to a dwelling under construction
Vandalism or malicious mischief if vacant more than 60 days
Mold, fungus, or wet rot
Neglect, wear and tear, and deterioration
Mechanical breakdown
Smog, rust, and corrosion
Smoke from agricultural smudging and industrial operations
Discharge, dispersal, or seepage of pollutants
Settling, shrinking, bulging, or expanding of your home’s foundation
Infestation of birds, vermin, rodents, or insects
Animals owned by insured

Unlike HO3, which offers open-perils protection only for the home and other structures, HO5 is written as open-perils for your home, other structures, and your personal property.

Let’s say, for example, a neighbor drives their car through your living room. HO5 may pay for both the damage to your dwelling and the furniture inside. Other forms typically won’t cover that cause of damage to personal property. They cover more typical incidents, like damage caused by windstorms, fire, theft, etc.

Like an HO3 form, HO5 policies also include personal liability and medical payments coverage.

Broader coverage often costs more, and HO-5 policies are no exception. You need to weigh the extra premium against the value of the additional protection.

3 questions to ask about an HO5 policy

Before you buy your home insurance, ask your agent:

Is this an all-risk or open-peril policy? The HO5 form is standardized across the industry, but insurance carriers may market it under different names. Make sure you understand whether your policy is written as an open-peril or named-peril policy.
Are there any additional exemptions? HO5 may be called the comprehensive form, but that doesn’t mean it covers all property in all instances. Most policies have limited coverage for high-ticket items and may exclude others completely. That’s when scheduled personal property coverage comes in handy. It extends your limits on specific items to make sure they’re properly insured.
Does this policy pay the full replacement costs? Most home insurance is written as actual-cash value policies, which offers you less financial protection and only pays out what the depreciated item is worth. That’s why Kin only sells replacement-cost coverage – it actually helps you replace your lost items with new ones.

As a reminder, an HO5 policy is robust, but an HO3 policy is a good fit for those who want reliable, extensive coverage that’s also affordable. Ask your agent what is appropriate for your needs.