The homeowners or condominium association provides the master condo insurance policy to cover the building, but it is not a comprehensive policy. The master condo policy typically protects only the shell of your unit, leaving your personal property and the unit interior at risk. We’ll make sure you understand your bylaws and have the protection you need.
Your condo association’s insurance policy likely covers certain aspects of your condo, such as common or shared areas. As a result, it may cover your condo unit, but not any improvements you make or fixtures you add to the condo. It also won’t cover your personal possessions.
To explain further, the master insurance policy will generally cover two areas: the association’s general liability and property damage for common areas. While the amount of coverage might differ, common areas usually include the following:
Condo insurance is designed to make up for this shortfall. It’s a mixture of the better-known landlord insurance and renters insurance, but is specially designed for your particular condo.
Condo insurance can also be called HO-6 insurance, which could include the following coverages:
Essentially, condo insurance (or HO-6 insurance) helps to fill the gaps of the master condo insurance policy so that you can have more comprehensive coverage of your home and possessions.
HO-6 insurance, or condo insurance, covers damage caused by theft, fire, severe wind, lightning strikes and frozen pipes. It’s important to note, however, that condo insurance does not usually cover flooding.
It can be confusing to figure out exactly what coverage you need for your condo unit, so we’re more than happy to work with you to find the condo insurance policy that’s right for you.
While homeownership and condo ownership seem similar, there are some important distinctions when it comes to insurance policies.
A homeowners insurance policy will typically cover the following:
A condo insurance policy will have similar coverages except for the actual building. As stated before, the exterior of the building and the common areas will be included in the master insurance policy that the condo’s association provides. Often the condo owners pay association fees, which are used to purchase the master policy.
As an independent agency, we offer multiple options at competitive prices. It is important that you get advice and direction from a knowledgeable insurance agent that can help you understand what your specific association’s master insurance policy covers and what type of condo insurance you should purchase to ensure that your property and possessions are covered. Contact us today!