Condo Insurance in Florida: What HO-6 Actually Covers
Condo owners in Hillsborough County frequently tell me their association handles the insurance. That is partly true, and the part that is not true is expensive. Association master policies protect the building shell and common areas. Everything inside your unit — cabinets, flooring, fixtures, appliances, your belongings, and your personal liability — sits on your HO-6 policy.
Read the master policy first
Florida associations carry either an all-in policy, which includes original fixtures inside units, or a bare-walls policy, which stops at the unpainted drywall. The difference can be tens of thousands of dollars after a loss, and it dictates how much dwelling coverage your HO-6 needs.
Ask the association manager for the declarations page and the current bylaws. Both matter, because the bylaws define who repairs what after damage.
Loss assessment coverage is not optional
When the association's policy falls short after a hurricane, owners get billed for the gap through a special assessment. Loss assessment coverage on your HO-6 pays your share up to the limit you select. Many policies default to $1,000, which is far too low for a coastal Florida building.
Raising that limit is usually inexpensive relative to the exposure, and it is the single most overlooked line on a condo policy.
Do not forget flood and liability
The association's flood policy protects the building, not the contents of your unit or your interior improvements. A contents-only flood policy for a condo is typically modest in cost and fills that gap.
Finally, keep personal liability at a meaningful limit. Shared walls mean a supply line failure in your unit can damage two neighbors. Send me the association declarations and I will build the HO-6 around it.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does an HO-6 condo policy cover?
- It covers your unit's interior — walls in, improvements, personal property, personal liability, loss of use, and loss assessments — everything the association master policy does not.
- What is loss assessment coverage?
- It pays your share of a special assessment charged by the association when its master policy does not fully cover a covered loss. Default limits are often far too low in Florida.
- Do I need flood insurance for a condo?
- The association typically insures the building against flood, but your contents and interior improvements are not covered. A contents-only flood policy is usually inexpensive.
- How much dwelling coverage does my condo need?
- It depends on whether the master policy is all-in or bare-walls. Bare-walls buildings require enough coverage to replace cabinets, flooring, fixtures, and interior finishes.
Let's make sure your coverage matches your life
I'm Chaz Toomey, right here in Ruskin. Send me a few details and I'll review your policy or build a quote — no pressure.