HOA & Condominium Association Insurance

Protect the Property, Board and Association Behind the Community.

Associations face a unique combination of property, liability and governance risks. Briteline can help condominium associations, homeowners associations and community associations compare coverage across available commercial insurance markets.

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The Association's Master Insurance Program

An association policy can need to protect shared property, common areas, liability exposures and the people responsible for governing the association.

Master Property

Helps protect qualifying association-owned buildings, common property and other insured structures against covered causes of loss, subject to the policy's valuation, limits and deductibles.

General Liability

Helps protect the association against certain covered bodily injury and property damage claims involving common areas and association operations.

D&O

Directors & Officers

D&O coverage can help address certain claims alleging wrongful acts by board members or the association in connection with governance and decision-making.

Crime / Fidelity

Crime or fidelity coverage can help protect association funds against certain covered theft or dishonest acts, subject to the policy's terms and limits.

What Exactly Is the Association Responsible For?

Condominium association insurance is heavily influenced by the declaration, bylaws and other governing documents. Those documents help define which portions of the building and common property the association is responsible for insuring.

The answer can vary from one association to another, which is why simply copying the limits from another HOA or condo association can create problems.

Important

Master Policy ≠ Unit Owner Policy.

The association's master policy does not replace an individual unit owner's HO-6 policy. Unit owners may still need coverage for personal property, liability, building items they are responsible for and loss assessments.

Association Coverages Worth Reviewing

HOA and condominium insurance can involve much more than property and general liability. These are some of the areas worth reviewing.

Ordinance or Law

Can help with certain additional rebuilding costs caused by enforcement of current building codes following a covered loss.

Water Backup

Sewer or drain backup can create significant association losses and may require separate coverage or endorsement.

Equipment Breakdown

May provide protection for certain mechanical, electrical or pressure-system breakdowns involving qualifying association equipment.

Employee Dishonesty

Crime coverage can be structured to address certain covered dishonest acts involving association funds, subject to policy definitions and limits.

Cyber Liability

Associations storing owner information, banking data or other sensitive information may have cyber and privacy exposures worth reviewing.

Umbrella / Excess Liability

Additional liability limits may be available over qualifying underlying policies through commercial umbrella or excess coverage.

Workers Compensation

Associations with employees — and sometimes associations with other worker exposures — may need workers compensation coverage depending on applicable requirements and circumstances.

Garagekeepers / Auto Exposures

Associations with owned vehicles, maintenance equipment or specialized vehicle-related operations should review applicable commercial auto exposures separately.

Building Valuation

Replacement cost should reflect the association's actual reconstruction exposure, not simply the property's market value or assessed value.

Board Members Make Decisions. Decisions Create Risk.

Association boards regularly make decisions involving budgets, rules, assessments, maintenance, vendors and owners. Directors and Officers liability insurance can be an important part of protecting the association and its leadership.

Governance Claims

Claims can arise from alleged errors, omissions or wrongful acts involving association governance.

Board Decisions

Disputes involving rules, assessments, elections or other board actions can result in legal allegations.

Defense Costs

Subject to the policy, D&O coverage can provide defense protection for qualifying covered claims.

Different Communities Need Different Coverage.

Building type, ownership structure, amenities and association responsibilities can all affect the insurance program.

Condominium Associations

Multi-unit condominium buildings can require master property, liability, D&O, crime and other association coverages.

Townhome Associations

Townhome communities can have significantly different insurance structures depending on what the association owns and maintains.

Homeowners Associations

HOAs may insure common property, clubhouses, signs, fencing, pools, private roads and other shared exposures.

Small Associations

Smaller associations still face property, liability, crime and governance risks even when operations are relatively simple.

Associations With Amenities

Pools, clubhouses, playgrounds, fitness areas and other common amenities can increase both property and liability exposures.

Professionally Managed Communities

Management-company involvement can create additional contractual and insurance considerations that should be reviewed with the association's overall program.

Why Associations Work With Briteline

Association insurance requires attention to both the building exposure and the organization governing it.

Multiple Commercial Markets

Briteline can compare available association insurance carriers rather than limiting the community to one company's appetite and pricing.

Coverage Review

We can review property limits, deductibles, liability, D&O, crime and other available coverages instead of focusing only on premium.

Lender & Certificate Support

For policies serviced through Briteline, our team can help provide certificates and applicable insurance documentation based on the policy and carrier procedures.

HOA & Condo Association Insurance FAQ

What does a condo association master policy cover?

A master policy can protect association-owned property, common areas and certain portions of the building, along with the association's liability exposure. The exact property responsibility depends on the governing documents and policy structure.

Does the master policy cover everything inside each unit?

Not necessarily. Individual owners generally still need HO-6 insurance for their personal property, personal liability and portions of the unit that are their responsibility. Association documents should be reviewed to determine the division of responsibility.

What is Directors & Officers insurance?

D&O insurance can provide protection for certain claims alleging wrongful acts by an association, board or insured individuals in connection with governance and decision-making, subject to the policy's terms and exclusions.

What is fidelity or crime coverage?

Crime or fidelity coverage can address certain losses involving theft, fraud or dishonest acts affecting association funds. Coverage structure, limits and who qualifies as an insured person or organization vary by policy.

Does the HOA need workers compensation insurance?

It depends on the association's employees, worker relationships, applicable state requirements and other exposures. Associations should disclose employees and contracted work so workers compensation requirements can be evaluated properly.

Can Briteline issue Certificates of Insurance for unit owners or lenders?

For association policies serviced through Briteline, our team can provide applicable Certificates of Insurance and policy documentation based on the actual policy and carrier procedures. Documents controlled by the association, such as bylaws or declarations, are separate from insurance certificates.

How much property coverage should an association carry?

The appropriate limit should reflect the property the association is responsible for insuring and the estimated cost to rebuild it, subject to the applicable valuation provisions. Market value and rebuilding cost are not the same thing.

What information do you need to quote an association?

Requirements vary by carrier, but common information can include association name, location, number of units, building age and construction, replacement-cost information, amenities, prior insurance, loss history, governing documents and details about employees or management arrangements.

Your Association Has More to Protect Than the Buildings.

Send Briteline your current association policy and information about the community. We'll review the property, liability and governance exposures and compare available HOA or condominium association insurance options.