Condo Insurance in California
Coverage for the inside of your condo and what your HOA policy leaves to you.
What Condo Insurance Covers, and What Your HOA Leaves to You
A lot of condo owners think the HOA's insurance covers them, so they don't need a policy. It doesn't work that way. The HOA has a master policy for the building and the shared areas. Condo insurance in California is your own policy, and it covers what the master policy leaves to you.
A condo policy is typically walls-in coverage. That means it covers your unit from the walls in, along with your personal belongings and your liability if someone gets hurt in your home and blames you. It can also pay for a place to stay if your unit can't be lived in after a covered loss.
The gap between the two policies has been growing. HOA master policies are covering less and less for the unit owner, and their deductibles have gotten very high. What the master policy doesn't pay comes back to the owners.
That's where loss assessment comes in. When the HOA has a big claim and bills every owner for a share, loss assessment coverage on your condo policy helps pay your share. It's one of the most important parts of a condo policy, and we always recommend the highest amount available.
The policy wording always decides what's covered. We go through the coverages with you before you sign anything, not after.
Tell Us About Your Condo
How Darlene Baxter Insurance Agency Finds the Right Condo Insurance
Darlene Baxter Insurance Agency starts with our main company, which is writing condo policies now. When it isn't the right fit, we look at other companies available through our brokerage.
Right now, our main company asks condo owners to have water leak sensors. Water is the most common claim our office sees, and in a condo a leak can reach your neighbors too. Our post on water damage explains what is and isn't covered.
We also recommend earthquake insurance for condo owners. It's usually inexpensive for a condo, and it matters most for loss of use: the cost of living somewhere else if the building can't be lived in after an earthquake. A condo policy by itself doesn't cover earthquake.
Darlene Baxter has been in insurance since 2009. She and Michelle Henning, our personal insurance agent, handle the condo policies themselves. One client wrote:
★★★★★
"Darlene and Michelle are THE BEST by far! They are very responsive, efficient and always friendly."
What to Expect When You Call About Your Condo
It starts with a conversation. Tell us about your condo: where it is, how big it is, any updates you've made inside, and whether you live there or rent it out.
Then we ask for one thing from your HOA: the insurance disclosures from the master policy. They show what the HOA covers, what it leaves to you, and how high its deductibles are. Your HOA or its management company can send them to you, and we read them so your policy picks up where the master policy stops.
Next we shop, starting with our main company. We lay the options out side by side in plain words: what each one covers, what it leaves out, and what it costs. You choose.
After that, we offer a review at every renewal. HOA master policies change, so it's worth another look when yours does. The review step in our process shows what that looks like.
We can't promise approval or a price. Those decisions belong to the insurance companies. You'll always know where things stand.
Condo Insurance Across California
The office is in Pleasant Hill, and we insure condos all over California. Most of it can be done by phone, text and email, so you don't have to live near us.
If you rent your condo out, that's a different policy. Our landlord insurance page covers it.
Get a Second Look at Your Condo Insurance
Buying a condo, a notice from your HOA, or a policy you haven't looked at in years? Call the office at (925) 940-6970, or send us a message. Tell us about your condo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Doesn't my HOA's insurance cover my condo?
Only part of it. The HOA's master policy covers the building and shared areas. A condo policy is typically walls-in coverage: your unit from the walls in, your belongings and your liability.
What is loss assessment coverage?
When the HOA has a big claim and bills every owner for a share, loss assessment coverage helps pay your share. We always recommend the highest amount available.
What do you need from my HOA?
The insurance disclosures from the master policy. They show what the HOA covers, what it leaves to you, and its deductibles. Your HOA or its management company can send them to you.
Do I need earthquake insurance for a condo?
We recommend it. A condo policy doesn't cover earthquake. Earthquake coverage for a condo is usually inexpensive, and it can pay for a place to live if the building can't be lived in.
Do I need water leak sensors?
Right now, our main company asks condo owners to have them. We'll tell you what's needed when we go through your options.
Do you work with only one insurance company?
No. We start with our main company. When it isn't the right fit, we look at other companies available through our brokerage.
Keep exploring
Want a second look at your coverage? Talk to Darlene Baxter Insurance Agency.