Personal Lines Insurance
Homeowners policies are packages. HO-3 insures the dwelling open-peril and personal property named-peril; HO-5 is open-peril on both; HO-2 is named-peril throughout; HO-4 (renters) and HO-6 (condo) cover personal property, loss of use, and liability but not a building the insured does not own. Coverages: A dwelling, B other structures, C personal property, D loss of use, E personal liability, F medical payments to others.
Limits and deductibles
Special internal limits truncate certain property before the deductible applies: modest amounts for money, theft of jewelry, silverware, and firearms (each form states its own). Deductibles apply to Coverages A-D but typically not to E or F. Extended or guaranteed replacement cost endorsements address rebuild inflation; some personal property settles at actual cash value.
Personal auto
The PAP has four parts: A liability, B medical payments/PIP, C uninsured/underinsured motorists, D damage to your auto (collision and other-than-collision). Other-than-collision includes fire, theft, vandalism, glass, and hitting an animal. Newly acquired autos get temporary coverage; the coverage territory includes the US, its territories and possessions, and Canada; livery or ride-hailing use is often excluded.
Traps
Applying a property deductible to a liability claim; assuming HO-4 covers the landlord's building; overlooking business-use or named-driver exclusions; forgetting that personal umbrellas require specified underlying limits.
Rule of thumb
Read personal lines as two stacks: a property stack with sublimits and deductibles, and a liability stack with occurrence limits, defense treatment as stated in the form, and required umbrella underlying limits.