Summary: The coverages of the standard homeowners forms (Forms HO 00 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 08, and 14) are designed to provide the kinds of insurance protection that most homeowners will need. However the needs of individual insureds can diverge, so endorsements are used to tailor coverage to meet these needs. Additionally, insurers may use endorsements to limit coverage, like when the windstorm or hail exclusion endorsement is attached to coastal homeowners policies.
The endorsements discussed here are those under the jurisdiction of Insurance Services Office (ISO). They do not constitute the extent of tailoring possible with respect to homeowners forms. The introduction in the ISO homeowners manual to the program's general rules state that "in all cases not specifically provided for in this manual," the rules, rates, forms, and endorsements of individual insurers govern each coverage. This makes it possible for insurers to develop special endorsements as the need arises, assuming, of course, that the proposed risk is considered insurable and that an appropriate premium can be obtained.
The homeowners program was revised in 2022, with previous versions of 2011 and 2000. Comments relating to individual endorsements below are based on form designations and language of the 2022 ISO homeowners program unless otherwise indicated. The edition date of the 2022 endorsements are generally 03 22; the 2011 endorsements are generally 05 11. Differences from the 2011 program in language or coverage provisions are noted. This discussion is on multistate forms; endorsements limited to one or two states have not been included.
The endorsements are discussed in numerical order. Because there are so many endorsements, we have split the discussion into multiple sections:
Part 10 HO 24 01 to HO 24 70
Part 11 HO 24 71 to HO 34 03
Numerical list of Endorsements:
The base homeowners forms exclude coverage for the use, sale, delivery, or possession of a controlled substance, including cannabis. This endorsement, new with the 2022 program, provides coverage for lawful use or possession of cannabis.
The endorsement makes an exception to the exclusion found in Coverage E - personal liability and Coverage F - medical payment to others, thereby providing coverage for bodily injury or property damage due to the legal use of cannabis.
This endorsement can be used with all forms except HO 00 14.
This new endorsement allows the insured to schedule additional locations listed in the schedule as an insured location.
Previously, personal liability coverage could be scheduled in the declarations for locations other than the residence premises where an insured resides, provided that location was insured for Section I coverage under another insurance policy. This endorsement allows locations that would not fit under that definition, such as land where only structures other than dwellings are present, to have personal liability coverage.
There is a condition added where the insurer can ask for information about the number and type of buildings and structures at the location.
The base homeowners forms provide Section II coverage for motor vehicles designed for recreational use off public roads and not owned by an insured. This new endorsement gives insurers the option to exclude liability coverage for non-owned motorized bicycles and motorized scooters. Renting scooters and motorized bicycles is not an option in many areas.
This endorsement can be used with all forms except HO 00 14, and cannot be used when HO 24 13 Incidental Low Power Recreational Motor Vehicle Liability Coverage is part of the policy.
Homeowners form HO 00 14 provides liability coverage for a motorized bicycle or motorized scooter. This new optional endorsement can be used to remove that coverage. It’s important to note that the exclusion applies to vehicles registered for use on public roads or that for which such registration is required for the place where the vehicle is being used. An exception applies to vehicles used to assist the handicapped or that are parked on the “insured location”
This endorsement can only be used with HO 00 14.
This endorsement provides personal injury coverage on an aggregate limit basis. The aggregate limit of liability can be scheduled in the endorsement. The insurer will not pay more than the limit regardless of the number of insureds, offenses, claims made, or suits brought.
“Personal injury” is defined to mean injury arising out of false arrest, malicious prosecution, wrongful eviction, slander or libel, or invasion of privacy. The insurer will pay for damages resulting from personal injury for which an insured is legally liable, and will provide a defense for a suit brought against an insured.
Exceptions include personal injury: caused knowingly by an insured; injury arising from an oral or written publication that was published before the beginning of the policy period; injury arising out of a criminal act committed by an insured; injury arising out of a business conducted from an insured location; injury arising out of civic or public activities performed for pay be an insured; and injury caused by pollution or fungi, wet or dry rot, or bacteria.
This endorsement can be used with all forms except HO 00 14.
The base homeowners policies provide liability coverage for some incidental low power recreational vehicles such as toy vehicles for children, vehicles powered by one or more batteries, or vehicles not built to exceed 5 miles per hour on level ground.
This endorsement broadens coverage to include certain other incidental low power recreational motor vehicles. The 2022 revision of the endorsement expands coverage to include owned motorized bicycles and motorized scooters while being used off an insured location. These were previously excluded in the 2011 version. There still remains no coverage for mopeds or motorized golf carts.
The 2022 revision also increased the speed limitation to better account for the increases in technology of motorized bicycles and scooters. The previous limit of 15 miles per hour on level ground is now 28 miles per hour.
Insurers who would prefer not to provide this coverage can use HO 24 03, discussed previously.
This endorsement can be used with all forms except HO 00 14.
This endorsement may be used to cover the premises liability exposures of a homeowners insured engaged in the business described in the schedule of the endorsement that is conducted at a residence other than the insured residence premises. The liability coverage provided by the endorsement does not apply to bodily injury to an employee of the insured, except for residence employees in the course of their employment.
This endorsement differs significantly from permitted incidental occupancies (residence premises) HO 04 42, discussed previously, in that only liability coverage is provided by this endorsement. There is no coverage for property used in business other than the $500 for property used primarily in business that is away from the residence premises.
This endorsement can be used with all homeowners forms except HO 00 08 and HO 00 14.
This endorsement is nearly identical to HO 24 10, discussed previously, except this endorsement is for use only with the HO 00 14 policy.
This endorsement provides personal injury coverage on an aggregate limit basis, which can be scheduled in the endorsement.
“Personal injury” is defined to mean injury arising out of false arrest, malicious prosecution, wrongful eviction, slander or libel, or invasion of privacy. The insurer will pay for damages resulting from personal injury for which an insured is legally liable, and will provide a defense for a suit brought against an insured.
Exceptions include personal injury: caused knowingly by an insured; injury arising from an oral or written publication that was published before the beginning of the policy period; injury arising out of a criminal act committed by an insured; injury arising out of a business conducted from an insured location; injury arising out of civic or public activities performed for pay be an insured; and injury caused by pollution or fungi, wet or dry rot, or bacteria.
This endorsement can be used with form HO 00 14.
This endorsement provides liability coverage for use of an owned snowmobile away from an "insured location" as defined in the policy under B.10. a., b., d., e.,or h. The defined locations are the “residence premises”, the part of other premises, structures or grounds used by the insured as a residence which is shown in the dec or acquired during the policy period for use as a residence, any part of a premises not owned by an insured and where the insured is temporarily residing, vacant land other than farm land, or any part of a premises occasionally rented to an insured for other than “business” use. The make or model and serial or motor number must be scheduled in the endorsement. The endorsement includes as an “insured” any person or organization legally responsible for the snowmobile, provided they have permission from the owner.
This endorsement can be used with all forms except HO 00 14.
This endorsement provides personal liability and medical payments coverage with respect to the insured's liability arising out of the ownership of a residence regularly rented to others. The residence can be scheduled in the endorsement and will be considered an “insured location.” This endorsement can be used with all forms except HO 00 14.