Personal insurance guide
Condo and townhome insurance, explained
When you own a condo or townhome, your homeowners association carries a master policy, and you carry a unit-owner policy. Where one stops and the other starts depends on the association's bylaws, so reading both side by side is the most useful review you can do.
What condo commonly covers
Who usually carries it
- Condo owners
- Townhome owners in an association with a master policy
- Owners who rent out their unit (often with a rental endorsement)
Commonly covered
- Interior walls, floors, cabinets, and fixtures the master policy leaves to you
- Upgrades and improvements you or a past owner made
- Your belongings, at home or away
- Extra living costs if your unit is unlivable after a covered loss
- Your share of a special assessment after a covered loss to common areas (loss assessment)
- Personal liability for injuries in your unit
Commonly excluded or limited
- Anything the master policy is responsible for under the bylaws
- Flood and sewer backup, unless added
- Loss assessments above your loss assessment limit
- Rental use of the unit, unless the policy allows it
This page is general information about how these policies commonly work. Every policy's own forms, endorsements, and exclusions decide what it covers. For advice about your situation, talk with a licensed insurance agent.
Before your renewal
What to check on your own policy
- Your association's master policy type: bare walls, single entity, or all-in
- The master policy deductible, which you may have to pay part of
- Your dwelling (unit) limit compared with the interior you are responsible for
- Loss assessment limit
- Sewer and drain backup coverage, especially for lower-level units
Not sure what your policy says?
Upload your declarations page. The free AI coverage check lists your coverages, limits, and deductibles in plain language and flags items to discuss with a licensed agent.
Check Your CoverageCondo questions
Know what you're covered for before you need it.
Check your coverage free in about a minute, then talk with a licensed agent about anything you want to change or quote.