Personal Condo Unit Insurance Policies - Who Needs Them?

Most condo unit owners think that they are coveredThe good news is that the annual premium for such
by the Associations Master policy, and they arepolicies start as low as $500 per year, depending on
correct in thinking this. The problem is that thethe value of contents desired, and offers $300,000
Associations Master policy is limited as to what itof liability coverage , and also extends additional living
covers with regard to the personal property of eachexpenses incurred when you have to temporarily live
individual unit owner, and the unit owners liability.elsewhere. Condo unit owners who do not have this
It is the condo unit owner's responsibility to covercoverage in place are effectively self-insuring, and
the contents (televisions, clothing) and additions andthereby exposed to the losses resulting from
alterations (kitchen cabinets, flooring, fixtures) to theirdamages that effect their own unit plus liabilities to
individual unit, as this is not covered under theother units and other tenants personal property.
Associations Master policy. More importantly, anyIn our experience, we have encountered claims that
damage, be it property or bodily injury, which ishave surpassed $200,000 in damages, so we strongly
deemed to be the unit owners responsibility, will notrecommended this affordable piece of mind.
be covered by the Associations Master policy, i.e. aUltimately, this coverage relieves the Association, as
water leak caused by the unit owner which results ina whole, from having to respond to losses that
damages to units below.weren't caused by the Association.