What You Need To Know About Condo Insurance

Written By: Ken Henry on December 23, 2009 No Comment

If you have recently purchased a condo, or are looking to purchase one, there are things that you should know about living in a condo that makes it very different than a home. Because of these differences, condo insurance is also very different. Knowing what the differences are can save you financial and emotional heartbreak should the worst happen.

A condo complex will usually have insurance through the condominium corporation and you may think that you are covered by that. This is definitely not the case. The insurance held by the corporation will not cover the contents of your condo. Only the items which are owned by the condo corporation are covered by the condo corporation policy.

Generally, while you will need to cover everything inside your condo unit, including structural upgrades, you will not need to have elevators, roofing or other items included in your policy. Upgrades may include brushed concrete flooring, improved cabinetry or appliances, and better windows or floor tiling. If you have luxury items, you may need a rider. This can make sure they are insured but it can add to the cost.

If there are specific unit holder responsibilities, you need to know what they are, and how they affect the price of your policy. If there are standard things that your condominium does not say are your responsibility, this may be causing you to pay more for your insurance than you need to. It is good to know about any areas where you can save money and also meet your obligations. To avoid buying more coverage than is necessary, consider finding out what your minimum coverage is. You may be able to find out information in your condo guide. If it is not there, consider asking the corporation. They should be able to tell you what your different requirements are concerning your insurance coverage.

There are many different areas where condo insurance may be more affordable, and there should be some wiggle room as far as pricing. One thing to ask about is the distance at which personal injury claims are covered under your insurance policy. A good range is one hundred and fifty feet. If the injury happens farther away than that it should be covered by the corporation policy. Since personal injury claims can be expensive, this may help you to lower your insurance costs.

Many insurance companies will drop their rates if you are also insuring a vehicle or other items from them. A bundled rate can be good, but don’t worry if you are not insuring anything else. You may still be able to get a deal if you go to the company which is also insuring the condo corporation. They may be able to give you a better group rate than a stand-alone policy through another company.

Condo insurance is different than homeowner insurance, but there are still ways to save money. This could include a higher deductible. The deductible is the amount of money you are required to pay out of pocket on an insurance claim. The higher the deductible is, the lower your premiums will be.

By asking the right questions in the right areas, you can make sure that you are getting the best condo insurance policy to cover you and your items. With luck, you will never need it. But in the event that you do, the last thing you want is to discover that there are problems or gaps that leave you out in the co

About the author: Ken Henry has some great suggestions on finding the solutions to your insurance questions. Get homeowners insurance advice and quotes from 5 top companies, plus get an exciting tip sheet on auto and homeowners insurance