Personal Insurance
Condo Insurance (HO6) in California
Your HOA master policy covers the building, not your unit. Condo insurance protects your interior finishes, personal belongings, and liability from the walls in. WeInsureCali helps California condo owners understand what their HOA covers and what they need on their own.
What Is Covered
Coverage at a Glance
Unit Interior Coverage
Your HOA master policy covers the building exterior and common areas. Your HO6 policy covers everything from the walls in: flooring, cabinets, countertops, fixtures, and built in appliances.
Personal Property
Covers your furniture, electronics, clothing, and other belongings against theft, fire, and other covered perils. Choose replacement cost coverage to get full value for damaged or stolen items.
Liability Protection
If someone is injured in your unit or you accidentally damage another unit (like a water leak from your dishwasher), liability coverage pays for legal defense and settlements.
Loss Assessment Coverage
If your HOA levies a special assessment after a covered loss (like a fire in the common area that exceeds the master policy), this coverage helps pay your share.
Additional Living Expenses
If your condo is uninhabitable after a covered loss, this pays for temporary housing, meals, and other increased costs while your unit is being repaired.
Improvements and Betterments
If you have upgraded your condo with custom flooring, new kitchen cabinets, or bathroom renovations, this coverage ensures those improvements are protected at their full value.
California Context
Why This Matters in California
Your HOA's master insurance policy typically covers only the building structure and common areas. Everything inside your unit, from your kitchen cabinets to your flooring, is your responsibility to insure.
California condos are densely packed, meaning a fire, water leak, or other disaster in a neighboring unit can easily damage yours. Without condo insurance, you pay for those repairs out of pocket.
HOA special assessments after major losses can be tens of thousands of dollars per unit. Loss assessment coverage protects you from surprise bills that your HOA master policy does not fully cover.
Condo values in California continue to rise, and so does the cost of interior finishes and improvements. Your coverage should reflect the actual cost to restore your unit to its current condition.
California's earthquake risk applies to condos too. A separate earthquake policy through the CEA is available and affordable for condo owners, typically under $200 per year.
Pro Tip
Ask your HOA for a copy of their master insurance policy. We review it free of charge to identify exactly where your HOA coverage ends and where your personal HO6 policy needs to begin.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Coverage Options
Protect Your Condo From the Walls In
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