Named Insured
The person or people the policy officially covers — the names on the dec page.
The named insured is the person, or people, printed on the declarations page as the owner of the policy. That name does more than identify a customer. It sets who holds the rights under the contract: who can change coverage, who receives cancellation notices, and who the insurer answers to.
Coverage usually reaches further than that name. Most auto and home policies extend to resident relatives — a spouse, children, and other family members living in the household — without listing each one. Auto policies also generally cover permissive use, so a friend who borrows the car with permission is usually covered by the car's policy first, with that driver's own policy sitting behind it.
The gap is people who live in the home but are not related. Roommates, unmarried partners under some policy forms, and long-term guests commonly fall outside the definition. On renters policies in particular, roommates are typically not covered unless they are added as named insureds, and each person usually carries a separate policy instead.
Named insured is also not the same as the other names on a dec page. A lienholder or mortgagee is listed because it has money tied up in the property, and it can be paid on a damage claim without ever owning the policy. An additional interest, such as a landlord on a renters policy, is listed only so it gets notified about the policy, and it receives no coverage at all.
When more than one name appears, the first is often treated as the first named insured, and policy language may give that person alone the ability to cancel or accept changes. Households that split up run into this often, since the person listed second may not be able to alter the policy directly.
In real life
A couple shares a two-bedroom apartment with a third roommate. The renters policy lists both partners as named insureds. A kitchen fire destroys everyone's belongings. The two named insureds are paid for their property under the $30,000 limit. The roommate is not on the policy and is not a relative, so their $9,000 of losses fall outside it entirely.
Common questions
Who is covered under my car insurance policy?
Typically the named insured, a spouse, and resident relatives such as children living at home, plus anyone driving the car with permission. Coverage generally follows the vehicle rather than the driver. Anyone listed as an excluded driver is not covered at all, and a household member who drives regularly is usually expected to be disclosed to the insurer.
Can my roommate be on my renters insurance?
Some insurers allow it and many do not, limiting shared policies to spouses or relatives. Where it is allowed, both people are named insureds, both share the single set of limits, and both carry the claim history from any loss. Separate policies for each person are the more common arrangement in the US market.
What is the difference between a named insured and an additional interest?
A named insured owns the policy and receives its coverage. An additional interest, such as a landlord on a renters policy or a lender on an auto policy, is simply listed to be notified if the policy cancels or changes. Being listed as an additional interest provides no coverage at all to that party.
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Scan my policy — freeRelated terms
Definitions describe how these terms are generally used across the U.S. market. Wording, limits and exclusions vary by insurer, policy form and state — the policy you hold is what controls. See the full Insurance Glossary.