Question 1

What is the difference between homeowners insurance and condo insurance?

Accepted Answer

The main difference is what the policy is built to protect. Homeowners insurance covers a whole house and the land it sits on, while condo insurance covers only the interior of your unit and your personal belongings. They are designed for two very different living situations. A standard homeowners policy protects the entire structure, the roof, the exterior walls, the foundation, and everything inside, plus your liability and the detached structures on your lot like a fence or shed. You own the building and the ground, so your policy has to cover all of it. A condo policy works differently because you share the building with other owners. The condo association carries a master policy that covers the exterior, the roof, and the shared common areas. Your personal condo policy picks up where the master policy stops, usually meaning the interior walls, floors, cabinets, fixtures, your belongings, and your personal liability. Knowing where the association's coverage ends and yours begins is the key. Two common arrangements exist: Walls-in: the master policy covers the bare structure, and you insure everything from the interior walls inward. All-in: the master policy covers fixtures and finishes, so your policy mainly covers belongings, upgrades, and liability. There are also differences in cost and in what you are responsible for. A homeowners policy tends to cost more because it insures the full structure, while a condo policy is usually cheaper since the association's master policy carries part of the load. Condo owners do share in the cost of that master policy through their HOA dues, and they may face a loss assessment if the association's deductible or a large shared loss gets passed back to unit owners. For example, if a fire damages a single-family home in Marietta, the homeowners policy pays to rebuild the structure and replace the contents. If the same fire hit a condo in Atlanta, the association's master policy would handle the building shell while your condo policy covered your cabinets, flooring, and belongings, perhaps $40,000 in interior damage. Buying the wrong type, or the wrong amount, leaves a gap. The master policy and your personal limits work together, so they are read together to find any gap. To check whether your policy matches whether you own a house or a condo, start a free coverage review at /coverage-review/.

Question 2

How do I know how much condo insurance to buy in Georgia?

Accepted Answer

Deciding how much condo insurance to buy in Georgia comes down to three questions: what the association's master policy covers, what it would cost to rebuild your unit's interior, and how much your belongings and liability are worth. Get those right and you will avoid both gaps and wasted premium. Start with the master policy. Ask your condo association for a copy of its insurance certificate and find out whether it is walls-in or all-in. A walls-in master policy means you must insure everything from the bare studs inward, including drywall, flooring, cabinets, and fixtures, so you need more condo insurance. An all-in master policy covers more of the interior, so you can carry less for the structure. Next, set your personal property limit. Walk through each room and add up the rough cost to replace your furniture, electronics, clothing, and kitchen items. Many condo owners are surprised to find $30,000 to $50,000 in belongings. Then choose a liability limit. This protects you if someone is injured in your unit or you accidentally damage a neighbor's property. Most owners start at $300,000 and step up from there. Loss of use, sometimes called additional living expenses, pays for a hotel and meals while a covered loss makes the condo unlivable. If a covered loss makes your condo unlivable, this coverage helps pay for a hotel and meals while repairs are made. Many owners set this at a few months of typical living costs so a long repair does not drain their savings. For example, a condo owner in Decatur with a walls-in master policy might carry $60,000 to rebuild the interior, $40,000 in personal property, and $300,000 in liability. If a pipe in their unit floods the condo below, the liability coverage helps pay for the neighbor's repairs. One more tip: review the master policy's deductible, because some associations can pass a portion of it to unit owners, and a loss-assessment add-on can cover that. To match your limits to your specific building and belongings, start a free coverage review at /coverage-review/.

Question 3

What is the most common coverage gap for Georgia condo owners?

Accepted Answer

The most common coverage gap for Georgia condo owners is the space between where the condo association's master policy stops and where the owner's policy begins, especially for interior finishes and the loss assessment exposure. Many owners assume the building's policy covers everything, then discover at claim time that it does not reach inside their unit. A condo association carries a master policy on the building and shared areas. That policy comes in two common forms: Bare walls covers the structure and common areas but stops at the unfinished walls, leaving the owner responsible for flooring, cabinets, fixtures, and built-ins. All-in (single entity) covers original interior fixtures but usually not your upgrades or personal property. The gap shows up in two places. First, the interior buildout. If your master policy is bare walls, your unit owner policy needs enough dwelling, often called Coverage A or building property, to rebuild flooring, cabinets, and finishes. Second, loss assessment. If a covered loss exceeds the master policy limit or falls under its deductible, the association can bill each owner a share, and a small loss assessment limit can leave you exposed. Here is an Atlanta example. A pipe break damages several units. The owner has a bare-walls master policy but only token interior coverage. Replacing the unit's hardwood and custom cabinets costs $22,000, most of which the owner pays out of pocket because the unit policy limit was too low. Ask your association for the master policy declarations so we can size your unit coverage to fit. See our condo insurance page for details, and request a free coverage review to close the gap.

Question 4

What is the difference between a bare walls and all-in HOA master policy in Georgia?

Accepted Answer

The difference between a bare walls and an all-in HOA master policy is where the association's coverage stops and your personal condo coverage must begin. A bare walls master policy covers the building structure but not the interior finishes of your unit, so you are responsible for everything from the studs inward. An all-in, sometimes called all-inclusive, master policy covers the original interior fixtures and finishes too, leaving you a smaller gap to fill. Knowing which one your Georgia association carries is essential to buying the right condo policy. Your individual condo insurance, often called an HO-6 policy, fills the space the master policy leaves open. With a bare walls master policy, that space is large. With an all-in policy, it is smaller, but it still exists. Here is what your unit policy typically needs to cover under each type: Bare walls: drywall, flooring, cabinets, countertops, fixtures, built-in appliances, and any improvements, plus your belongings and liability. All-in: mainly upgrades and additions you made beyond the original construction, plus your belongings and liability. An example shows why this matters. A pipe bursts and damages your kitchen. Under a bare walls master policy, you are on the hook for the cabinets, countertops, flooring, and drywall, easily $25,000 or more, so your unit policy needs enough dwelling coverage, often called Coverage A, to rebuild that interior. Under an all-in policy, the master policy may cover the original kitchen, and your unit policy mainly handles the granite upgrade you added and your belongings. Reviewing the master policy's deductible also matters, because some associations can pass a portion of it to unit owners. Some Georgia associations carry a high master deductible, and the bylaws may pass part of it to the unit owner whose unit was the source of a loss, which is another reason to carry adequate loss assessment coverage. Two more points for Georgia condo owners: ask your association for the master policy declarations so you know which type applies, and add loss assessment coverage, which protects you if the association bills unit owners for a shortfall after a large claim or a master policy deductible. You can learn more on our condo insurance page. We will read your master policy and set your unit coverage to match the gap exactly. Schedule a free coverage review and we will make sure there are no holes between the two policies.

Question 5

What does condo owners insurance actually cover?

Accepted Answer

A condo owners policy, often called an HO-6, protects the parts of your home and life that the condo association's master policy does not. The association insures the building structure and shared areas. Your HO-6 covers the inside of your unit, your belongings, your liability, and gaps the master policy leaves behind. A typical Georgia condo (HO6) policy covers the parts the association master policy leaves to you: Interior and improvements (dwelling/Coverage A): Your floors, cabinets, built-ins, fixtures, and any upgrades you made inside the walls. This fills in where the master policy stops, which is often at the bare studs. Personal property: Your furniture, clothing, electronics, and other belongings, whether they are damaged at home or stolen away from home. Personal liability: If a guest is injured in your unit or you accidentally cause damage to a neighbor's unit, this helps pay legal and medical costs. Loss of use: If a covered loss makes your unit unlivable, this pays for temporary housing and extra living costs. Loss assessment: Helps pay your share when the association bills all owners for a covered loss that exceeds the master policy. The key is knowing where the master policy ends and yours begins. Many associations use a "bare walls" master policy, which means everything from the drywall inward is your responsibility. Others use "all-in" coverage. Reading your association documents is essential to set your dwelling limit correctly. For example, imagine a pipe bursts in the unit above you and ruins your kitchen. The master policy may repair the building shell, but your HO-6 pays to replace your cabinets, flooring, and damaged belongings, perhaps $18,000 worth, minus your deductible. Without an HO-6, that cost falls entirely on you. To confirm whether your condo limits match your association's master policy and your actual upgrades, get a free coverage review and a licensed advisor will check the fit.

Condo insurance covers what your association policy does not.

What a condo policy covers.

Interior dwelling coverage

Personal property

Personal liability

Loss assessment coverage

What a condo policy does not cover.

Flood damage

Earthquake damage

Master policy property

Business activities

Who needs Condo Insurance.

What you can expect to pay.

Claims tips

Carriers We Work With

AIG

Chubb

Nationwide Insurance

Openly Insurance

Safeco Insurance

Stillwater Insurance

Travelers Insurance

Georgia: HOA master varies, review declaration page before binding

If you have a claim in Georgia

Common Condo Insurance Questions

Condo Insurance: frequently asked questions

Buying or owning a condo?