Condo Insurance Vs. Homeowners Insurance – When it comes to homeowners insurance, the policy includes coverage for the dwelling, which refers to the physical structure of the house.
So, if your home sustains damage or is destroyed due to a covered incident, your insurance company will cover the costs of repairing or rebuilding it, up to the limit of your dwelling coverage.
However, condo owners have different insurance needs since they do not own the building’s physical structure.
Therefore, condo insurance operates differently from homeowners insurance, focusing on covering the interior of the unit, which may include walls, ceilings, and floors, rather than the building’s structure.
What Is Condo Insurance?
Condo insurance offers a blend of protective measures designed to safeguard your condominium investment against various risks such as fire, theft, liability for accidental injuries, and additional living expenses in the event of temporary displacement due to covered incidents.
This insurance provides coverage for situations that may not be included in the HOA master policy.
How Does Condo Insurance Work?
Condo insurance aims to secure and defend your personal possessions and the interior of your condominium from unforeseen events that could cause harm, such as theft, windstorms, snowstorms, fires, lightning, and vandalism.
Although condo insurance shares some similarities with a standard homeowner’s insurance policy, it provides limited coverage for construction due to the comprehensive protection of your building’s structure provided by the HOA master policy.
Therefore, if the coverage provided by your HOA master policy is insufficient, you can opt for condo insurance.
Fortunately, numerous homeowners’ insurance providers offer this type of insurance, allowing you to compare quotes from some of the top-rated companies online or through an insurance agent.
What Does It Cover?
A condo homeowner’s insurance policy, also known as HO-6 insurance, typically covers the following:
- Personal property protection.
- Loss of use.
- Liability coverage.
- Interior unit coverage.
What Does It Not Cover?
While condo insurance provides coverage for a certain number of perils, there are certain situations where condo insurance will not provide coverage.
- Water damage.
- Governmental action.
- Volcanic eruption.
- Requests for property repair, demolition, or renovation by the government.
- Earth movements.
- Land shock waves.
- Intentional loss.
- Nuclear hazard.
- Power failure.
Therefore, if you encounter any of these scenarios, you should not expect coverage from your insurance company.
What Is Homeowners Insurance?
Homeowners insurance is a type of property insurance that offers protection against losses and damages to your home, as well as your belongings and assets within the property.
Additionally, homeowners insurance includes liability coverage for accidents that occur on your property or within your home.
How Does It Work?
Generally, a homeowner’s insurance policy covers four types of incidents affecting the insured property: interior and exterior damage, loss or damage to personal property, and injuries sustained on the property.
When a claim is made for any of these incidents, the policyholder is typically required to pay a deductible.
Insurance providers offer optional add-ons, known as riders, that increase coverage for specific events, protect high-value property, and reduce deductible amounts, albeit at an additional cost.
In most cases, the insurance provider determines the value of the covered property based on factors such as age, condition, use, and useful life.
They then deduct the depreciation value from the replacement cost to calculate the actual cash value (ACV) that they will pay out to the policyholder.
What Does It Cover?
A standard homeowner’s insurance policy, such as an HO-3 policy, typically covers six key areas. They include:
- The physical structure of the home.
- Other structures are located on the property.
- Personal belongings.
- Liability protection.
- Medical expenses for guests.
- Additional living expenses are incurred due to property damage.
What Does It Not Cover?
However, it is essential to note that homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover certain events or items. They include:
- Flood damage.
- Earthquake damage.
- Regular wear and tear.
- Maintenance problems.
- High-value items like jewelry or art may require additional coverage.
These are some of the exclusions that homeowners’ insurance policies generally do not cover.
Condo Insurance vs. Homeowners Insurance
| Condo Insurance | Homeowners Insurance | |
| Average annual insurance cost | $445 | $1, 582 |
| Dwelling coverage | Covers interior damage caused by the listed problems. | Covers damage to the entire structure, excluding certain events. |
| Personal property coverage | Covers damaged from named problems | It covers damage from named problems, but “open peril” coverage is available. |
| Additional living expenses | Included | Included |
| Liability insurance | Included | Included |
| Medical payments | Included | Included |
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Difference Between Condo Insurance And Homeowners Insurance?
The main difference between condo insurance and homeowners insurance lies in the coverage of the structure of the home.
A homeowners insurance policy, or HO3 policy, covers both the outside and inside structure of the dwelling, while condo insurance, or an HO6 policy, usually only covers the inside of the individual unit.
The condo association’s insurance typically covers the exterior of the building, common-use areas, and the condo building’s surroundings.
Condo Insurance Vs. Homeowners Insurance: What Does Condo Insurance Cover That Homeowners Insurance Does Not?
Condo insurance covers the interior of the property, including walls, floors, ceilings, and built-in furnishings that are considered for the sole use of the condo owner.
It also covers personal property insurance for the owner’s belongings inside the condo, personal liability coverage, and additional living expenses if the condo becomes uninhabitable due to a catastrophe.
Is There A Difference In Liability Coverage Between Condo Insurance And Homeowners Insurance?
Both condo insurance and homeowners insurance provide protection for personal liability. However, the coverage works differently for common-area liability.
For example, if a guest is injured in a common area such as the pool, costs related to that injury may be covered by the association’s insurance in a condo setting.
In contrast, with the same injury at a house, the homeowner’s insurance can help cover the accident.
