Quick answer
There are eight standard HO policy forms, HO-1 through HO-8, plus a newer HO-9 form in some states, each built for a different type of home or owner. The HO-3 Special Form is the one most homeowners carry. It covers your dwelling on an open-perils basis and your belongings on a named-perils basis.
There are 8 standard HO policy forms (HO-1 through HO-8), plus a newer HO-9 form gaining traction in some states — each designed for a different type of home, owner, or coverage situation. The HO-3 Special Form is the one most homeowners carry. It covers your dwelling on an open-perils basis and your personal property on a named-perils basis, making it the sweet spot between affordability and protection.
How Many Home Insurance Forms Are There?
The short answer: eight officially recognized forms, numbered HO-1 through HO-8, developed by the Insurance Services Office (ISO) as standardized policy templates. Insurers can adopt them as-is or tweak them, which is why two HO-3 policies from different companies might not be identical. A ninth form — HO-9 — has appeared in some markets as a more robust alternative to HO-3.
The 8 HO Policy Forms at a Glance
| Form | Name | Who It’s For |
|---|---|---|
| HO-1 | Basic Form | Owner-occupied homes (very limited; rarely sold) |
| HO-2 | Broad Form | Owner-occupied homes; named-perils coverage |
| HO-3 | Special Form | Owner-occupied homes; most common policy sold |
| HO-4 | Renters Form | Renters; covers personal property, not the building |
| HO-5 | Comprehensive Form | Owner-occupied homes; broadest coverage available |
| HO-6 | Condo Unit-Owners Form | Condo owners; covers unit interior and belongings |
| HO-7 | Mobile/Manufactured Home Form | Mobile or manufactured home owners |
| HO-8 | Older Home Form | Older homes where replacement cost exceeds market value |
| HO-9 | Enhanced Homeowners Form | Owner-occupied homes; similar to HO-5, some states only |
ISO Homeowners Policy Forms Explained
ISO is a data and analytics company that provides standardized policy language to the insurance industry. When they write a form, it gives insurers a consistent starting point — so your HO-3 from Company A and HO-3 from Company B will have broadly similar structure, even if the details differ.
Not every state uses ISO forms exclusively. Some states (looking at you, Florida) have their own statutory requirements that push insurers toward modified or state-filed forms. More on that below.
HO Policies Chart: Quick-Reference Guide
| Form | Coverage Basis — Dwelling | Coverage Basis — Personal Property | Best Fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| HO-1 | Named perils (basic 10) | Named perils | Almost no one today |
| HO-2 | Named perils (broad 16) | Named perils | Budget buyers, low-risk homes |
| HO-3 | Open perils | Named perils | Most homeowners |
| HO-4 | N/A | Named perils | Renters |
| HO-5 | Open perils | Open perils | High-value homes, jewelry/art collectors |
| HO-6 | Named perils (unit interior) | Named perils | Condo owners |
| HO-7 | Open perils | Named perils | Mobile/manufactured home owners |
| HO-8 | Named perils or ACV | Named perils | Historic/older homes |
| HO-9 | Open perils | Open perils | Homeowners wanting HO-5-level coverage |
What Are the Three Main Types of Homeowners Insurance?
While there are eight-plus forms, three of them dominate the owner-occupied homeowners market. If you own a conventional home, one of these three is almost certainly what you’ll be offered.
HO-1: Basic Form
The HO-1 covers your home against a very short list of named perils — think fire, lightning, windstorm, hail, explosion, riot, aircraft, vehicles, smoke, vandalism, and theft. That’s roughly 10 perils. It’s so bare-bones that most states have phased it out entirely. If you see an HO-1 offered, approach it carefully — the gaps in coverage are significant.
HO-3: Special Form (the Most Popular)
The HO-3 is the industry workhorse. Here’s how it works:
- Your dwelling (Coverage A): Covered on an open-perils basis, meaning all causes of loss are covered unless specifically excluded. Common exclusions include floods, earthquakes, and normal wear and tear.
- Your personal property (Coverage C): Covered on a named-perils basis — only the causes of loss listed in the policy apply.
This combination is why HO-3 hits the sweet spot. Your house gets broad protection; your stuff gets adequate (if not comprehensive) protection. If you’re shopping for homeowners insurance quotes, HO-3 is likely what you’ll be comparing.
HO-5: Comprehensive Form
The HO-5 upgrades personal property from named-perils to open-perils coverage. That means your belongings — furniture, electronics, clothing, and everything else — are protected against any cause of loss not explicitly excluded. It’s the broadest coverage you can get on a standard homeowners policy.
The trade-off is cost. Expect to pay more for an HO-5, but if you own high-value items like jewelry, art, or collectibles, the broader personal property coverage can be worth it.
What Is the Difference Between Form 3 and Form 5?
The single biggest difference is how your personal property is covered:
- HO-3: Named perils for personal property. If a cause of loss isn’t on the list (say, you accidentally drop your laptop), it’s not covered.
- HO-5: Open perils for personal property. If a cause of loss isn’t explicitly excluded, it’s covered — including accidental damage in many cases.
Both forms cover your dwelling on an open-perils basis, so the dwelling coverage is similar. The gap shows up when something unusual happens to your belongings.
Homeowners Insurance Coverage ABCD
Every HO policy — regardless of form number — is built on the same four coverage pillars. Understanding them helps you compare policies apples-to-apples.
Coverage A: Dwelling
This covers the structure of your home — walls, roof, floors, built-in appliances, and attached structures like a garage. The coverage limit should reflect the replacement cost of your home, not its market value.
Coverage B: Other Structures
Covers detached structures on your property: fences, sheds, detached garages, gazebos. Typically set at 10% of your Coverage A limit automatically.
Coverage C: Personal Property
Covers your belongings — furniture, clothes, electronics, kitchenware. Whether it’s named-perils or open-perils depends on your form. Coverage C typically runs 50–70% of your Coverage A limit, though you can adjust it.
Coverage D: Loss of Use
If your home becomes uninhabitable after a covered loss, Coverage D pays for temporary housing, meals, and related living expenses while repairs happen. It’s often capped at 20–30% of Coverage A.
What Is the 80% Rule for Home Insurance?
The 80% rule is a guideline most insurers use: your Coverage A limit should equal at least 80% of your home’s full replacement cost. If you insure for less and suffer a partial loss, your insurer may only pay a proportional share of the claim — not the full repair bill. Some insurers push this to 100% (replacement cost coverage). Either way, underinsuring your dwelling is a real risk, especially as construction costs rise.
HO-2 Insurance: The Broad Form
What HO-2 Covers vs. HO-3
The HO-2 is a step up from HO-1 and a step down from HO-3. Both your dwelling and personal property are covered on a named-perils basis, but HO-2’s list is longer than HO-1’s — typically 16 perils, including everything in HO-1 plus falling objects, weight of ice/snow/sleet, accidental discharge of water, and a few others.
The catch: because your dwelling isn’t covered on an open-perils basis like it is with HO-3, any cause of loss not named in the policy isn’t covered — even for the structure itself.
Who Should Consider an HO-2 Policy?
HO-2 makes sense when:
- You’re in a low-risk area and the named perils list covers your realistic threat profile.
- You need to reduce premium costs and the gap in coverage feels manageable.
- Your lender accepts it (some mortgage lenders require HO-3 minimums, so check first).
In practice, many insurers have stopped offering HO-2 as a standalone product, nudging buyers toward HO-3 instead since the premium difference is often modest.
HO-9 Insurance Policy and Specialty Forms
Not every home is a conventional owner-occupied single-family structure. ISO created specialty forms to match non-standard situations.
HO-4: Renters Insurance
HO-4 covers your personal property and personal liability — it does not cover the building, because that’s your landlord’s problem. If you rent an apartment, house, or room, this is the form you need. It’s also among the cheapest insurance products you can buy, typically running well under $200 a year in most states.
HO-6: Condo Insurance
Condo ownership is a split-coverage situation. Your condo association’s master policy covers the building’s exterior and common areas. HO-6 covers your unit’s interior (walls-in), your personal property, and your personal liability. Check your association’s master policy carefully — whether it’s “bare walls” or “all-in” coverage changes how much HO-6 limit you need.
HO-8: Older Home Form
Historic homes and older properties sometimes have a replacement cost that far exceeds their market value — think Victorian-era craftsmanship that would cost a fortune to replicate. HO-8 insures these homes at actual cash value or a modified replacement cost rather than full replacement cost, making the premiums more manageable. The trade-off: payouts may not fully rebuild to original specs.
HO-9: The Enhanced Homeowners Form
HO-9 is ISO’s newer enhanced homeowners form, designed to offer HO-5-level open-perils coverage for both dwelling and personal property in a slightly different package. Not every state or insurer offers it, but where it’s available, it’s worth comparing against HO-5 since differences in exclusions and endorsements can affect which policy wins for your situation.
How Many Home Insurance Forms in California, Florida, and Texas?
State insurance markets aren’t uniform. Carrier participation, regulatory requirements, and local risk factors shape which forms are actually available to you.
HO Forms Available in California
California homeowners can generally access HO-1 through HO-8, though HO-1 is rarely sold. The bigger issue in California right now is carrier availability — major insurers have restricted or paused new policies in wildfire-prone areas, pushing some homeowners toward the California FAIR Plan (the state’s insurer of last resort), which offers more limited coverage than a standard HO-3.
HO Forms Available in Florida
Florida’s insurance market is one of the most stressed in the country due to hurricane exposure and litigation history. Many national carriers have limited their Florida footprint. As a result, Florida homeowners often work with state-specific carriers or Citizens Property Insurance (the state-backed insurer). Standard ISO HO forms are used, but policy terms, wind coverage, and roof-related exclusions vary significantly from carrier to carrier. HO-3 and HO-6 are the most commonly available forms for conventional homes and condos.
HO Forms Available in Texas
Texas uses its own policy forms in addition to ISO forms. The Texas Department of Insurance has approved several state-specific forms (labeled Texas Homeowners A, B, C, etc.) that parallel the ISO HO-1 through HO-3 structure. Most Texas homeowners end up with a policy equivalent to an HO-3 in coverage scope. Wind and hail coverage can be separate — the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) provides coastal wind coverage for properties that private insurers won’t cover.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many homeowners forms are available?
There are 8 standard ISO homeowners policy forms — HO-1 through HO-8 — plus an HO-9 form available in some states. Each form targets a different type of home or ownership situation. In practice, HO-3 is the form most commonly sold to owner-occupied, single-family home buyers, while HO-4 serves renters and HO-6 serves condo owners.
What is the most common homeowners policy form?
The HO-3 Special Form is the most widely used homeowners policy in the U.S. It covers your dwelling on an open-perils basis and your personal property on a named-perils basis. It balances strong dwelling protection with affordable premiums, which is why most lenders accept it and most insurers lead with it.
What is the difference between Form 3 and 5 homeowners insurance?
Both HO-3 and HO-5 cover your dwelling on an open-perils basis. The key difference is personal property: HO-3 uses named-perils coverage for belongings, while HO-5 uses open-perils coverage. That means HO-5 protects your stuff against more causes of loss — including some accidental damage scenarios — but costs more in premium.
Should I get HO3 or HO5?
Go with HO-5 if you own high-value personal property (jewelry, art, electronics, collectibles), want broader accidental damage protection, or simply want the most comprehensive coverage available. Stick with HO-3 if you want solid dwelling protection at a lower premium and your personal property doesn’t require the extra coverage. Get quotes for both and compare — the premium gap is sometimes smaller than people expect.
What is a Form 4 homeowners policy?
HO-4 is the renters insurance form. It covers a tenant’s personal property and personal liability but does not cover the building structure — that’s the landlord’s responsibility. If you rent your home, HO-4 is the policy you want. It’s inexpensive, widely available, and often required by landlords as a lease condition.
What is the 80% rule for home insurance?
The 80% rule means your Coverage A (dwelling) limit should be at least 80% of your home’s full replacement cost. If you’re underinsured below that threshold and file a partial loss claim, your insurer may reduce the payout proportionally. Many insurers now recommend — or require — coverage at 100% of replacement cost to avoid this problem entirely.
What not to tell a home insurance adjuster?
Avoid guessing or speculating about the cause of damage — stick to facts you observed. Don’t admit fault or minimize damage, and don’t sign anything or accept a settlement before you fully understand the offer. You have the right to get your own repair estimates. If the claim is complex, consider hiring a public adjuster or attorney before settling.
What is the average homeowners insurance on a $300,000 house?
There’s no official average for a $300,000 home specifically. The NAIC’s latest homeowners report (2022 data) put the national average HO-3 premium at about $1,569 a year, with Florida at about $2,677 and Texas at about $2,397 (NAIC). What you pay depends on location, construction type, claims history, and coverage level, and current quotes run higher than these 2022 figures. Getting multiple quotes is the only reliable way to know what you’ll actually pay.