Reevaluating Standardized Insurance Policies

This Article empirically debunks the common claim that homeowners insurance policies do not vary across different insurance carriers. In fact, carriers\u27 homeowners policies differ radically with respect to numerous important coverage provisions. A substantial majority of these deviations produce decreases in the amount of coverage relative to the presumptive industry standard, though some deviations increase coverage. Despite this substantial variability in policy terms, even informed and vigilant consumers are currently unable to comparison shop among carriers on the basis of differences in coverage. The Article reviews various regulatory and judicial options for responding to this lack of transparency in homeowners insurance markets. It closes by considering the broader theoretical implications of the findings for regulatory theory and the efficiency of standardized form contracts