Condo Insurance in Marietta, GA
Coverage That Complements Your Association's Master Policy
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What Can Condo Insurance Help Cover?
Condo insurance—often called an HO-6 policy—is designed for the responsibilities that belong to an individual condominium owner. It works alongside the association’s master insurance policy rather than replacing it.
Before selecting coverage, review the association’s declarations, bylaws, insurance documents, and property responsibilities. These materials can help identify where the association’s coverage ends and where your personal policy may need to begin.
Interior Features and Improvements
Depending on the association’s master policy and governing documents, you may be responsible for portions of the unit’s interior. This could include flooring, cabinets, countertops, interior walls, built-in fixtures, appliances, renovations, and improvements.
Unit coverage may help repair or replace covered interior property following an insured loss, subject to the limits, deductible, and terms of the policy.
Personal Property
Personal property coverage may help repair or replace furniture, clothing, electronics, kitchenware, décor, and other belongings damaged or stolen because of a covered event.
Creating a room-by-room inventory can help you estimate the value of your possessions and identify items that may require additional protection.
Personal Liability and Medical Payments
Personal liability coverage may help if you are legally responsible for injuring another person or damaging someone else’s property. Medical payments coverage may help with certain medical expenses if a guest is injured in your condo, regardless of fault.
The circumstances of the incident and the policy’s limits and exclusions determine how coverage applies.
Additional Living Expenses
If a covered loss makes your condo temporarily uninhabitable, additional living expenses—also known as loss-of-use coverage—may help pay costs above your normal living expenses.
Covered expenses could include temporary lodging, meals, or other necessary costs while repairs are completed, subject to the policy’s terms and limits.
Loss Assessment Coverage
A condominium association may sometimes assess individual owners for certain costs involving shared property or association liability. Loss assessment coverage may help with an owner’s share of a covered assessment when the event and assessment meet the requirements of the policy.
This coverage does not apply to every special assessment, and the available limit may be lower than the amount assessed.
Understand the Boundaries of Condo Coverage
Condo insurance does not cover every part of the property or every expense assessed by the association. Coverage depends on your HO-6 policy, the association’s master policy, the governing documents, and the cause of the loss.
Reviewing these documents together can help uncover gaps before damage occurs.
Property Insured by the Association
The association’s master policy generally covers some combination of the building, exterior, common areas, and property owned collectively by the association. Your individual policy is not intended to duplicate property already insured by the association.
However, master policies differ. Some provide broader protection for unit interiors, while others leave more responsibility to individual owners.
Floods and Earthquakes
Standard condo insurance typically does not cover flood damage caused by rising or surface water. Earthquake and other ground-movement damage are also commonly excluded.
Separate coverage may be required if you want protection against these risks. The association’s coverage and an individual unit owner’s coverage may address different property.
Maintenance, Wear, and Pest Damage
Condo insurance generally does not pay for ordinary wear and tear, deterioration, pest infestations, or damage caused by neglected maintenance.
Maintenance responsibilities may be divided between the owner and the association, so review the condominium documents when determining who is responsible for repairs.
Valuable Items and Business Property
Jewelry, watches, fine art, collectibles, instruments, and other valuable belongings may be subject to special policy limits. Additional coverage may be available for items whose value exceeds those limits.
Coverage for business equipment and liability associated with operating a business from your condo may also be limited or excluded.
Assessments That Do Not Result From a Covered Loss
Loss assessment coverage does not automatically pay every assessment imposed by a condominium association. Assessments for routine maintenance, improvements, reserve-fund shortages, or events excluded by the policy may not be covered.
The reason for the assessment and the policy language both matter.
Condo Insurance Questions
What is an HO-6 condo insurance policy?
An HO-6 policy is a form of insurance designed for an individual condominium or co-op unit owner. Depending on the policy and the association’s responsibilities, it may cover portions of the unit’s interior, personal belongings, personal liability, medical payments, additional living expenses, and certain loss assessments.
What is the difference between condo insurance and the association's master policy?
The association’s master policy generally covers some combination of the building, common areas, and property owned collectively by the association. An individual condo policy addresses covered property and responsibilities belonging to the unit owner. The precise dividing line depends on the master policy and the condominium’s governing documents.
Is condo insurance required in Georgia?
Georgia law does not generally require every condo owner to purchase an individual policy. However, a mortgage lender may require coverage, and a condominium association may establish insurance requirements through its governing documents. Review both your loan agreement and the association’s rules before choosing coverage.
How much coverage do I need for the interior of my condo?
Start by reviewing the association’s master policy and governing documents to determine which interior features you are responsible for insuring. Then estimate the cost of repairing or replacing flooring, cabinets, countertops, fixtures, appliances, improvements, and other covered property for which you are responsible.
What is loss assessment coverage?
Loss assessment coverage may help pay an individual owner’s share of certain covered losses or liability expenses assessed by the condominium association. It does not apply to every special assessment. Coverage depends on the cause of the assessment, the policy terms, and the selected limit.
Does condo insurance cover water damage?
It may cover certain sudden and accidental water losses, such as damage resulting from an eligible plumbing incident. It generally does not cover flooding from rising surface water, ongoing leaks, neglect, or maintenance problems. Responsibility can also depend on whether the damaged property belongs to the owner or the association.
Do condo owners need separate flood insurance?
Standard condo insurance typically excludes flooding caused by rising or surface water. An association may carry flood insurance for portions of the building, but that does not necessarily provide all the coverage an individual owner needs for the unit or personal belongings.
The National Flood Insurance Program explains that flood insurance may be available to eligible property owners in participating communities. Condo owners can review FloodSmart’s official flood insurance eligibility information and compare it with the association’s existing flood coverage.
Local Condo Insurance Guidance Across Metro Atlanta
Condominium insurance decisions begin with understanding how responsibility is divided between the association and the unit owner. Two communities may have very different master policies, deductibles, maintenance requirements, and rules concerning unit interiors.
From our Marietta office, Sorrels Insurance Agency, Inc. assists condo owners in Marietta, Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta, Smyrna, and surrounding communities. Jerry Sorrels has worked with GEICO customers since 1982 and has operated his Marietta agency since 2006.
Our licensed team can help you prepare to:
- Review what the association’s master policy insures
- Identify interior features and improvements you may be responsible for
- Estimate the value of your personal belongings
- Consider liability and additional living expense limits
- Understand available loss assessment coverage
- Identify valuables or other property that may require additional protection
- Request a condo insurance quote through GEICO Insurance Agency
Bringing your association’s insurance information and governing documents can make the conversation more productive and help you request coverage that reflects your responsibilities as a condo owner.
Know Where the Association’s Coverage Ends
Understanding your condominium documents is an important part of choosing individual coverage. Request a condo insurance quote through our GEICO agency page, or call our Marietta office to discuss the information you may need before getting started.