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Condo insurance does not cover flood damage, earthquake damage, wear and tear, pest problems, or anything in the building’s common areas. Your HO-6 policy covers your unit’s interior, your belongings, and your liability. The roof, exterior walls, hallways, and grounds belong to the condo association’s master policy, and a standard list of exclusions leaves several expensive gaps with you.
Condo insurance is an HO-6 policy, the unit owner form of homeowners insurance. It was designed to dovetail with a master policy you do not control, which is why the exclusions confuse people. Some items are excluded because the master policy handles them. Others are excluded from both policies, and those are the ones that produce unpaid bills. Our guide to condo insurance costs and coverage explains what the HO-6 does pay for, so you can read this exclusion list against it.
What is not covered by condo insurance?
A standard HO-6 policy excludes flood and earthquake damage, gradual problems like wear and tear, rot, mold from neglect, and pest infestations, plus intentional damage and business activity in the unit. It also excludes everything the master policy owns: the building structure outside your unit’s interior, common areas, and shared systems. Progressive lists earthquakes, flooding, termite damage, and wear and tear among the standard HO-6 exclusions (Progressive).
The table below sorts the common gaps by who, if anyone, pays. Keep it next to your own policy’s exclusion pages when you check your cover.
| Item or event | Your HO-6 | Master policy | How it gets covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood from rising water | No | No | Separate flood policy, NFIP or private |
| Earthquake damage | No | Rarely | Earthquake endorsement or separate policy |
| Roof and exterior walls | No | Yes | Master policy |
| Hallways, lobby, pool, grounds | No | Yes | Master policy |
| Wear and tear, aging plumbing | No | No | You pay; it is maintenance |
| Termites and pests | No | No | You pay for treatment and repair |
| Your kitchen and flooring upgrades | Yes, if your limits allow | Usually no | HO-6 dwelling cover, set high enough |
| High value jewelry above sublimits | Partial | No | Scheduled personal property endorsement |
Does condo insurance cover flood or earthquake damage?
No. Standard condo insurance excludes flood damage from rising water and earthquake damage, and the master policy excludes them too, so neither policy responds. A burst pipe inside your unit is a covered water claim. Storm water coming under the door is a flood claim, and it needs its own policy through the National Flood Insurance Program or a private flood carrier. Earthquake cover comes as an endorsement or a separate policy in states like California.
MoneyGeek’s HO-6 guide makes the same point plainly: no HO-6 policy covers flood damage, and earthquake damage sits outside standard policies as well (MoneyGeek). Ground floor and coastal units carry the most flood exposure. If your building sits in a mapped flood zone, your lender may require the separate policy anyway.
What about the building and common areas?
Your HO-6 does not cover the building outside your unit or any common area, because the association’s master policy insures those parts. The split point depends on the master policy type. A bare walls policy stops at your unfinished drywall, leaving flooring, cabinets, and fixtures to you. An all in policy covers the original builder finishes, leaving your upgrades and belongings to you.
Getting this split wrong is the most expensive condo insurance mistake. Owners who assume all in cover under a bare walls building end up underinsured for their whole interior. Our comparison of your condo’s master policy vs your HO-6 shows how to find which type your association carries and where to set your own dwelling limit. The related guide to condo insurance cost by unit value shows what those limits do to your premium.
Are wear and tear, pests, and maintenance covered?
No. Condo insurance covers sudden, accidental damage from named events, and it excludes the slow kind: worn flooring, aging pipes, gradual leaks you ignore, rot, and pest infestations including termites. Insurers treat those as maintenance, and maintenance belongs to the owner. A pipe that bursts gets a claim. A pipe that corroded for a decade usually gets a denial for the pipe itself, though the sudden water damage that follows is often covered.
The practical line is speed. Fix small leaks when you find them and keep records of the repair. A documented, sudden failure supports a claim. A problem your own photos show developing over two years supports the insurer’s version instead.
What else does an HO-6 leave out?
An HO-6 also leaves out intentional damage, injuries or damage from business activity run out of the unit unless you add a business endorsement, and belongings of roommates or tenants who are not named on the policy. Jewelry, firearms, cash, and collectibles sit under low sublimits rather than a full exclusion, so a $8,000 ring may be covered for only a fraction of its value until you schedule it separately.
Loss assessment deserves a mention of its own. When damage to the building exceeds the master policy, the association can assess every owner for a share. Standard HO-6 policies often include only about $1,000 of loss assessment cover, and a major roof or liability shortfall can assess you for far more. Our guide to loss assessment coverage for condo owners explains how to raise that limit before an assessment arrives.
How do you close the gaps an HO-6 leaves?
Close the gaps in order of the damage they can do. Buy flood insurance if your unit has any real flood exposure, add earthquake cover in seismic states, and raise your loss assessment limit, which usually costs very little. Schedule jewelry and other high value items. Then read your master policy type and set your HO-6 dwelling limit to rebuild your interior as it actually is, upgrades included.
Key takeaways
Condo insurance excludes flood, earthquakes, wear and tear, pests, and everything in the common areas. Some of those belong to the master policy. Flood and earthquake belong to nobody until you buy separate cover. The owners who get hurt are the ones who never checked which master policy type their building carries, and insured an all in interior on a bare walls building.
Frequently asked questions
Does condo insurance cover water damage from a neighbor’s unit?
Usually yes for your own damaged property, when the water arrives suddenly, for example from a neighbor’s burst pipe or failed water heater. Your HO-6 pays for your interior and belongings, and your insurer may then pursue the neighbor or their insurer. Slow leaks and maintenance failures are the common exception, and our separate guide on neighbor water damage covers fault in detail.
Is the condo roof covered by my HO-6 policy?
No. The roof is part of the building structure and sits on the association’s master policy. If storm damage to the roof exceeds the master policy’s limits or deductible, the association can assess owners for the difference, which is where your loss assessment coverage responds, often starting at only about $1,000 unless you raised it.
Does condo insurance cover my renovations and upgrades?
Yes, through your HO-6, and usually only through your HO-6. Master policies commonly cover the unit as originally built, so a renovated kitchen or upgraded flooring is your responsibility to insure. Tell your insurer about major upgrades and raise your dwelling limit to match, or a claim will be settled against the value of the original finishes.
Are my belongings covered outside the condo?
Standard HO-6 personal property cover usually follows your belongings anywhere in the world, at a percentage of your property limit for items kept at another residence. Theft of a laptop from your car is a common covered claim, subject to your deductible. Sublimits still apply to jewelry, cash, and business equipment kept at home.
Does condo insurance cover damage my dog causes?
Your liability cover generally responds if your dog injures someone or damages their property, subject to your policy terms. Damage your own pet does to your own unit, like chewed flooring or scratched doors, is excluded as wear and tear or intentional household damage. Some carriers exclude specific breeds or require disclosure, so answer the dog questions on the application honestly.
