Your home policy renewed again without anyone asking what changed. You added a car, your oldest got a learner’s permit, you finished the kitchen, and the life insurance you bought through work still names someone from ten years ago. None of that feels urgent until a storm, a crash or a funeral. Most coverage gaps aren’t found by reading a policy. They’re found by a claim that pays less than you expected.
This guide works the other way around: how to read your declarations pages, a whole-household gap checklist, when to review, and what to do if a claim goes sideways. It’s written by our team in Arlington, so the examples lean North Texas: hail, clay soil, creek flooding and long commutes.
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How do you read your home and auto declarations pages?
The short answer: Start with each declarations page, because it lists what’s insured, every coverage limit, every deductible and your optional coverages, so most gaps show up before you ever open the full policy.
The declarations page, or “dec page,” is the short summary at the front of every policy: it tells you what you actually bought. The Texas Department of Insurance’s declarations page guide (updated January 30, 2026) lists what each one shows. Here’s how home and auto dec pages line up, and what we check on each line:
| Section | Home dec page | Auto dec page | What we check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Policy basics | Policy number, effective date, mortgage company | Policy number, policy period, effective date | The dates match your renewal, and your lender is listed correctly. |
| What’s insured | Home address, age, square footage, construction type and roof age | Each car’s year, make, model and VIN, plus the drivers covered | Every car and every driver in the household is listed, and the roof age is right. |
| Coverages and limits | Each coverage type and amount, such as additional living expense | Each coverage type and amount | Limits match today’s rebuild cost and what you own. |
| Deductibles | Separate deductibles for wind and hail and for other damage | Deductible amounts | You could pay each one from savings next week. |
| Optional coverages | For example, water backup, identity theft and home sharing | For example, gap insurance | Add-ons you need but don’t have, and ones that no longer fit. |
One Texas rule makes the home dec page especially useful. Under Texas Insurance Code § 2301.056, added in 2013, a residential property declarations page must list each type of deductible and state the exact dollar amount of each one. If a policy provision can change a deductible, the page must point to it, and that provision must explain how the change is figured. No percentage math required.
When a family brings us a stack of dec pages, we also look for what’s missing. Flood, earth movement and a tenant’s belongings won’t appear on a homeowners dec page at all, because a standard homeowners policy doesn’t cover them.
Which coverage gaps should Texas homeowners check first?
The short answer: Check whether your dwelling limit matches today’s rebuild cost, how your roof is settled, your wind and hail deductible in dollars, whether you need flood coverage, and whether a foundation endorsement fits your house.
The TDI home insurance guide (updated June 1, 2026) is direct about the first one: “Make sure you have enough coverage to replace your home and property if you have a total loss. If you don’t have enough coverage, you’ll have to pay the difference yourself.”
Here’s the homeowners checklist we work through:
| Check | Risk if you skip it | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Dwelling limit vs. rebuild cost | HighA total loss pays up to your limit, not what rebuilding costs. | Renovations and higher building costs can push rebuild cost past an old limit. |
| Roof settlement terms | HighAn actual cash value roof can pay far less on an older roof. | TDI’s example: on a 20-year-old $10,000 roof with a $4,000 deductible, replacement cost pays $6,000 and actual cash value pays $0. |
| Wind and hail deductible | MediumA percentage deductible can swallow a whole roof claim. | TDI’s example: a 5% deductible on a $150,000 home is $7,500. |
| Flood | HighRising water isn’t covered by a standard homeowners policy. | NFIP policies generally take effect 30 days after purchase, so it can’t be a last-minute decision. |
| Foundation or slab | MediumUsually an add-on, and what triggers it varies. | TDI lists damage to foundations or slabs among available add-on coverages. |
| Water backup | MediumOften optional, so it may not be on your policy. | TDI lists water backup among optional coverages that appear on the dec page. |
Roofs deserve a closer look. TDI’s roof guidance notes that “as roofs age, some companies will switch to actual cash value,” and its replacement cost tip is the source of the example above. Flood surprises people most: FEMA’s FloodSmart says most homeowners and renters policies don’t cover it. See our flood insurance page.
When we review a homeowners renewal, the dwelling limit and the wind and hail deductible are the first two lines we check. Our guide to Texas homeowners insurance goes deeper on most items in this table, and our home insurance page covers how we quote it.
What auto coverage gaps should Texas drivers look for?
The short answer: Compare your liability limits with what you own, match uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage to them, confirm comprehensive on cars parked outside in hail season, and make sure every household driver is listed.
Texas requires at least 30/60/25 liability coverage: $30,000 for injuries per person, up to $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage, according to the TDI auto insurance guide (updated December 11, 2025). That’s the legal floor, not a recommendation. TDI itself warns that “the minimum liability limits might be too low if you cause a multi-vehicle accident or the other driver’s car is totaled.”
The rest of the auto checklist:
- Liability limits vs. what you own. If you have home equity, savings or a paycheck to protect, state minimums may not be enough.
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. Texas insurers must offer it, and rejecting it must be in writing, according to TDI. We generally suggest matching UM/UIM to your liability limits, and checking whether you signed a rejection years ago.
- Personal injury protection (PIP). TDI says all Texas auto policies include PIP unless you reject it in writing.
- Comprehensive on cars parked outside. It covers damage like hail, fire, theft, flood and hitting an animal, according to TDI. It’s optional, so an older car may not have it.
- Every driver in the house. TDI’s teen driver tip says to tell your insurer about a learner’s permit, and warns that not disclosing a driver could lead to a denied claim, a voided policy or non-renewal.
Our Texas car insurance guide explains each of these coverages in detail, and you can see how we quote it on our auto insurance page.
Are renters, condo owners and landlords covered where they think they are?
The short answer: Often not: a landlord’s policy won’t cover a tenant’s belongings, a condo association’s master policy may not cover your unit’s interior, and a homeowners policy may not fit once you rent your house out.
All three come from the same assumption: someone else’s policy covers you. We hear it most as “my landlord has insurance, so I’m covered, right?”
Renters, including students
The TDI renters insurance tip (updated December 10, 2025) is plain: “Your landlord’s insurance won’t cover your personal items.” A renters policy covers your belongings, extra living costs after a covered loss, and personal liability. For college students, TDI’s life-stages column (April 2023) suggests renters insurance for off-campus housing. Our Texas renters insurance guide and renters insurance page walk through it.
Condo and townhome owners
According to TDI’s home insurance guide, condominium insurance covers your personal property and the interior of your unit, and provides liability protection and additional living expenses. For townhouses, TDI says your policy may need to cover the interior and exterior, or just the interior, depending on what the homeowners association’s master policy covers. Read the master policy next to your own HO-6 style policy to see where one stops. Our Texas condo insurance guide covers HO-6 and master policies in depth, and our condo insurance page shows how we help.
Landlords and homes that became rentals
The Insurance Information Institute says a standard homeowners policy “may not cover losses incurred while your home is rented out,” and that a longer-term lease will likely call for a landlord or rental dwelling policy. Your tenant’s belongings aren’t covered by your policy either, and TDI says most policies won’t pay for damages or injuries during short-term rentals. Our Texas landlord insurance guide and landlord insurance page cover the switch.
Does your life insurance still fit your family?
The short answer: Maybe not, if your life has changed: a marriage, a baby, a new mortgage or a new job can change how much coverage your family needs and who should receive it.
TDI’s life insurance tip frames the need around three questions: your age, your financial situation, and whether people depend on your income. It describes term life as “the simplest and least expensive option,” suited to times “when you have a family that depends on your financial support or while you have a mortgage.” If you own a permanent policy, TDI says to check with your agent each year to see how it’s doing.
TDI’s life-stages column adds that a growing family should think about housing, childcare, education and medical needs, and that both spouses may need coverage if both contribute financially. In a review, we look at two things:
- The amount and term. Does the benefit still cover the mortgage and the years of income your family would need, and will a term policy end too soon?
- The beneficiary. TDI’s life insurance guide explains that the money goes to the beneficiaries you designate. You can name more than one and say how the money is split. Check every policy, including coverage through work, after a marriage, divorce, birth or death.
Our Texas life insurance guide goes through how families size coverage. Ask us which life insurance options we can offer, or start on our life insurance page.
By clicking Get My Free Quote, I give Robinson Legacy Partners LLC, an Allstate agency, and its licensed agents my prior express written consent, by electronic signature, to contact me with calls and text messages — including marketing calls and texts made using automated technology or an artificial or prerecorded voice — and by email, at the number and email I provided, about my insurance quote and related insurance products and services, even if my number is on a Do Not Call list. My information is never sold or shared with other agencies for their own marketing. Consent is not a condition of purchase; I can call (817) 262-5300 instead. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, including the arbitration clause and E-SIGN consent.
When should you review your insurance?
The short answer: Review every policy once a year before renewal, and again whenever your household changes: marriage, a new baby, a new home, a teen driver, a renovation, renting out a home or retirement.
A renewal is the natural checkpoint, because it’s when terms can change and when changes are easiest to make. TDI’s declarations page guide suggests asking your agent each year whether there are new discounts you might qualify for. Life events are the other trigger. Each one below changes a specific line on a specific policy:
Two households become one, or split
Combine or separate policies, update drivers, and check beneficiaries.
More people depend on you
Revisit life insurance amounts and terms, and update who is named to receive each benefit.
New dwelling, new risks
Set the dwelling limit to rebuild cost and decide on flood.
A permit changes the auto policy
Tell your insurer when a teen gets a learner’s permit, and revisit liability limits for a new driver.
The house is worth more to rebuild
A new kitchen, room or roof can raise rebuild cost.
Owner becomes landlord
Ask whether a landlord or rental dwelling policy fits, and ask tenants to carry their own renters coverage.
Retirement belongs on the list too: your commute may end, and the savings you built are what higher liability limits protect.
Can a coverage review lower what you pay?
The short answer: It can, depending on your policy: a review may find bundling options, discounts you qualify for but aren’t getting, or a better-fitting deductible, though closing a real gap can also raise your premium.
For context, the Texas Department of Insurance reports the average Texas homeowners premium was $3,291 in 2024, with a preliminary $3,506 for 2025, in its homeowners insurance market overview. The NAIC’s national report, summarized by the Insurance Information Institute, put Texas at $2,397 for 2022, against a U.S. average of $1,569. They differ because they cover different years and the NAIC figure counts only HO-3 style policies. Both are statewide averages, not a quote.
What a review can do:
- Bundling. TDI’s guide to buying auto and home insurance notes you might be able to get discounts for having more than one policy with the same company. Home and auto, or renters or condo plus auto, may lower what you pay. Eligibility varies.
- Discounts you haven’t claimed. TDI says each company decides what discounts to offer and how much they’re worth. Ask us what’s available on your policy.
- Deductible tuning, with a cash test. TDI explains that higher deductibles mean lower premiums but more out of pocket at claim time. A higher deductible only saves money if you could pay it from savings.
- At 1%, a covered hail claim costs you the first $3,000.
- At 2%, it costs you the first $6,000.
What should you bring to a policy review, and how does it work?
The short answer: Bring the declarations page for every policy and a list of what’s changed this year; the review then follows seven steps, and with our team it usually takes about 15 minutes.
Gaps usually hide between policies, so bring everything: every declarations page (including life insurance through work), a list of what changed this year, and a home inventory if you have one. TDI suggests listing belongings with purchase dates, values and serial numbers. Then we work through the review in this order:
- Gather every declarations page
Put every household policy side by side.
- Confirm what’s insured is still accurate
Check the address, roof age, vehicles and drivers, including learner-permit drivers.
- Compare limits with real costs
Hold the dwelling limit against today’s rebuild cost and auto liability against what you own. Match UM/UIM to your liability limits.
- Turn every deductible into dollars
Make sure you could cover the wind and hail deductible from savings.
- Find the gaps no policy fills yet
Look for flood, foundation, water backup, renters coverage for tenants and students, and landlord coverage for homes you rent out.
- Update life insurance and beneficiaries
Check amounts, terms and every named beneficiary against the family you have now.
- Ask about discounts and schedule the next review
Ask which discounts may apply, then schedule the next review before renewal.
Before you share your policies with anyone, it’s fair to confirm who you’re talking to. TDI’s agent and adjuster lookup shows a licensed agent’s contact details and the types of insurance they’re licensed to sell. TDI also advises buying only from licensed companies, and you can check a company’s license through its Help Line or website.
What if you disagree with how a claim is handled?
The short answer: Know the claim deadlines TDI publishes, and if you still disagree, TDI lists appraisal, a written complaint through its online portal, and in some cases a lawsuit; its Help Line is 800-252-3439.
According to the TDI home insurance guide and auto insurance guide, after you file a claim a company generally must:
- Acknowledge your claim within 15 days.
- Accept or deny it within 15 business days of getting all the information it needs from you. If it needs more time, it must tell you why, and then has up to 45 days to decide, according to TDI’s homeowners bill of rights.
- Pay within five business days after it agrees to pay.
TDI notes these deadlines may be longer after major disasters. If you disagree with a settlement, TDI’s home guide suggests first telling the company why, then describes three paths: appraisal for disputes over the amount, where you and the company each hire an appraiser and those two choose an umpire; a written complaint through TDI’s complaint portal; or, in some cases, a lawsuit. TDI’s Help Line, 800-252-3439, is answered 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central, Monday through Friday.
If you’re not sure what your policy says about a loss, call us and we’ll walk through the wording with you.
The bottom line
A Texas insurance policy review comes down to four questions: is everything you own and everyone who drives listed correctly, do your limits match what you’d need to rebuild, replace or repay, do you know every deductible in dollars, and are there gaps between policies, like flood, a tenant without renters coverage, a condo interior no one insures, or a beneficiary who no longer fits. Answer them once a year and after every big life change.
Robinson Legacy Partners is an Allstate agency in Arlington, and a coverage review with our team is free. Send us your ZIP below or call (817) 262-5300, and bring your declarations pages. We’ll put your deductibles in dollars, check your limits and flag the gaps. Our team helps in English, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and Coptic, Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 5. Prefer to start online? Use our quote request.
By clicking Get My Free Quote, I give Robinson Legacy Partners LLC, an Allstate agency, and its licensed agents my prior express written consent, by electronic signature, to contact me with calls and text messages — including marketing calls and texts made using automated technology or an artificial or prerecorded voice — and by email, at the number and email I provided, about my insurance quote and related insurance products and services, even if my number is on a Do Not Call list. My information is never sold or shared with other agencies for their own marketing. Consent is not a condition of purchase; I can call (817) 262-5300 instead. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, including the arbitration clause and E-SIGN consent.
Texas insurance policy review FAQ
How often should you do a Texas insurance policy review?
Once a year is a good baseline, ideally a few weeks before your home or auto policy renews, because that is when terms can change and changes are easiest to make. TDI suggests asking your agent each year about new discounts you might qualify for. Review again whenever your household changes, such as a marriage, a new baby, a new home, a teen driver, a renovation, renting out a home or retirement. Treat a non-renewal notice as an immediate trigger, too.
What should you bring to a Texas insurance policy review?
Bring the declarations page for every policy in your household: homeowners, condo or renters, each auto policy, any landlord policy, and life insurance, including coverage through work. Add a short list of what changed this year, like new drivers or learner permits, vehicles bought or sold, a renovation or new roof, a move, or a new baby. If you have a home inventory, bring it. And write down any line on a declarations page you don’t understand.
Which life events should trigger a Texas insurance policy review?
The big ones are marriage or divorce, a new baby, buying a home, a teen getting a learner’s permit, a renovation or addition, renting out a home you used to live in, and retirement. Each changes a specific part of your coverage. A marriage should prompt a beneficiary check, a baby may change how much life insurance you need, a new home needs a dwelling limit based on rebuild cost, and a home you rent out may need a landlord policy.
What should you check first on a Texas declarations page during a policy review?
Start with what is insured: the address, roof age, vehicles and listed drivers should be current. Next, ask whether each limit matches what you would actually need, such as today’s rebuild cost or enough auto liability to protect what you own. Then read every deductible. Texas Insurance Code section 2301.056 requires a home declarations page to state the exact dollar amount of each deductible. Finally, note what is missing, such as flood.
How do you check a Texas insurance agent’s license or get help with a complaint?
The Texas Department of Insurance has an agent and adjuster lookup on its website that shows a licensed agent’s contact information and the types of insurance they are licensed to sell. TDI also advises buying only from licensed companies. If you have a problem with a company, agent or adjuster, you can file a written complaint through TDI’s online complaint portal. TDI’s Help Line is 800-252-3439, answered from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time, Monday through Friday.
Last reviewed by the Robinson Legacy Partners team on .
