Homeowners policy types: HO-1 through HO-8 explained

The "HO" number on a policy names a standard form from the Insurance Services Office (ISO). HO-3 is the workhorse for owner-occupied houses, HO-5 is the same policy with broader coverage on belongings, HO-4 and HO-6 are the renter and condo forms, and HO-2, HO-8 and HO-1 are older, narrower forms that survive in pockets of the market. Your insurer may sell its own version of one of these, so confirm the form on your declarations page before you compare anything.

Where the HO numbers come from

ISO, a Verisk company, drafts the forms; insurers file them with state regulators, adopt them as written, change them or replace them with their own. According to The Institutes' Property and Liability Insurance Principles text, the 2011 ISO program offered six forms: HO-2, HO-3, HO-4, HO-5, HO-6 and HO-8 (The Institutes, AIC 43). HO-1 and HO-7 are older labels, but the NAIC's 2026 homeowners market data call still counts policies by all eight, defining HO-1 as the basic named-perils form and HO-7 as the mobile and manufactured home form (NAIC definitions).

ISO revised the program with editions dated March 2022, which Insurance Journal called the first major revision in more than 11 years, and added a new renters form, the HO 00 14 (Insurance Journal, June 2021). Insurers move to new editions on their own schedules, and the form number on your declarations page ends in the edition date, such as 05 11 for May 2011. The Triple-I notes that forms are fairly standard nationwide, with Texas as the exception. ISO homeowners forms and why your policy may differ explains why your wording can differ from the published text.

The forms side by side

The perils columns follow the ISO standard forms. Premiums are NAIC averages for 2023 data, published in July 2026, and describe whichever homes happen to be written on each form, not what one form costs for the same house (NAIC report).

The HO-1 average is higher than the HO-3 average. That does not mean the basic form costs more. The homes that end up on it differ, so do not read these averages as a price list.

Using the same NAIC table, the HO-3 accounted for about 79.5% of owner-occupied house-years in 2023, the HO-5 for about 12.0%, the HO-2 for 6.4%, the HO-1 for 1.7% and the HO-8 for 0.4% (our calculation from the printed countrywide totals).

The forms in plain terms

HO-3. The default for a house you own and live in. The building is covered for any direct physical loss the policy does not exclude, and your belongings are covered for 16 listed causes. See The HO-3 policy explained: coverages, exclusions and gaps.

HO-5. Built like the HO-3 but with open perils on belongings too. Insurers often reserve it for newer or higher-value homes, and it costs more. Whether the upgrade pays depends on how the contents are valued after a loss; see The HO-5 comprehensive form: is it worth the upgrade?.

HO-2. Named perils on both the building and belongings. It covers the 16 listed causes and nothing else, so an unusual accident that is not on the list falls outside it. HO-2 broad form vs HO-3: what changes in a claim shows where the two forms diverge.

HO-8. For older homes whose rebuilding cost far exceeds their market value. It insures ten named perils and pays to repair using common construction materials and methods rather than matching the original (IRMI). Read HO-8 policies for older homes before accepting it.

HO-1. The original basic form, with a short list of causes. The Triple-I says it is no longer available in most states, though the NAIC still recorded about 1.2 million house-years on it in 2023.

HO-4 and HO-6. The HO-4 insures a tenant's belongings, loss of use and liability but has no building coverage. The HO-6 does the same for a condo or co-op owner and adds limited coverage for the unit's interior. See HO-4 renters insurance explained: coverage, limits and common gaps, HO-6 condo insurance explained: what it covers and how much you need and condo master policies: what the association covers and what you cover.

Who can buy which form

Eligibility is part of the form. The Institutes' text says the HO-2, HO-3, HO-5 and HO-8 can be issued only to the owner-occupant of a one- to four-family dwelling, not to dwellings on farm premises. The HO-4 can be issued to a tenant in any kind of building, and the HO-6 to the owner of a condominium unit or co-op share. Occupancy and rental rules vary, so tell the insurer if you rent the unit out.

A home you rent out, or a house that fails the insurer's underwriting standards, often lands on a dwelling fire policy instead; the NAIC definitions describe those as covering specified perils for properties that do not meet homeowners requirements. See Dwelling fire policies: DP-1, DP-2 and DP-3 and mobile and manufactured home insurance. Mortgage lenders add their own limits: Fannie Mae's Selling Guide says a one- to four-unit property should be insured on a "Special" form or equivalent (B7-3-02, version dated August 5, 2026), which can be a problem for named-perils forms. Ask your lender before you accept one.

How to find out which form you have

1. Open the declarations page and find the form line. It may read "HO 00 03 05 11" or carry the insurer's own form number.
2. Note the edition date at the end of the number. A 03 22 edition is the 2022 revision; a 05 11 edition is the 2011 text.
3. Match the form to the table. If the number is the insurer's own, ask the agent which ISO form it follows and where it differs.
4. List every endorsement. Endorsements, not the base form, often settle whether contents are paid at replacement cost, whether sewer backup is covered and how high the ordinance or law limit goes. See endorsements, riders and floaters: what the words mean.
5. Read your state's amendatory endorsement. It overrides the base form wherever state law differs.

Choosing a form

• You own and live in a house. Start from the HO-3. Price the HO-5 if your belongings are worth a lot or you have had losses that no named peril covered, and compare it with an HO-3 plus targeted endorsements.
• Your home is old and costly to rebuild. Compare the HO-8 with an HO-3 carrying a functional replacement cost endorsement, if your insurer offers one.
• You rent. The HO-4 is the standard answer; ask whether the insurer offers replacement cost on contents.
• You own a condo or co-op. The HO-6 should be sized to the association's master policy, not to the unit's market price.
• Not sure. The which homeowners policy form fits your home? sorts the options by how you occupy the home, and named perils vs open perils coverage explains the one difference that matters most.

Key takeaways

• The HO number identifies a standard ISO form family; your declarations page shows the exact form and edition your insurer uses.
• The HO-3 covers the house on open perils and belongings on named perils, and is by far the most common owner-occupied form.
• The HO-5 extends open perils to belongings; HO-2, HO-8 and HO-1 insure named perils only.
• HO-4 and HO-6 serve renters and condo owners, and HO-6 limits should follow the association's master policy.
• Average premiums by form reflect different mixes of homes, so they say little about what a given form would cost you.