Condo Insurance (HO-6): What Your HOA Doesn't Cover

Buying a condo comes with a common and costly misunderstanding: that the HOA’s insurance covers everything. It doesn’t — and the gap is exactly what an HO-6 condo policy is built to fill.

The split: master policy vs. your policy

Condo insurance is divided in two. The HOA’s master policy covers the building and common areas. Everything from your walls inward is yours — and that’s where an HO-6 policy comes in.

The tricky part is that master policies come in two flavors, and which one your association carries determines how much you need to insure:

• “Bare walls” — the master policy stops at the studs. You insure all interior finishes, cabinets, flooring, and fixtures.
• “All-in” / single-entity — the master covers original interior finishes. You insure upgrades and personal property.

How much HO-6 coverage do you need?

Because the split depends entirely on your association’s master policy, guessing is how owners end up under- or over-insured. The right approach is to read your HOA’s declaration page, see exactly where the master policy stops, and size your interior (dwelling) coverage to fill the gap — plus your personal property, loss of use, and personal liability.

The surprise: loss assessment coverage

Here’s what catches condo owners off guard. If a big common-area loss exceeds the master policy’s limits — or the HOA carries a large deductible — the association can assess every owner their share of the bill. That can be thousands of dollars out of nowhere.

Loss assessment coverage on your HO-6 helps pay that assessment, whether it comes from property damage or a liability claim. We include a sensible limit so a special assessment doesn’t blindside you.

Your lender will require it

If you’re financing a condo, your lender will require proof of an HO-6 policy before closing. Send us your HOA’s master policy details and your closing date and we’ll have coverage and proof ready in time.

Get a condo quote

We write HO-6 condo insurance coordinated with your specific HOA master policy. Request a quote or call 830-387-4032.