California condo insurance (HO-6)
Your HOA's master policy stops at the walls. An HO-6 covers what is inside and what you are responsible for.
What the HOA policy covers - and what it does not
Your HOA master policy usually covers the building structure and common areas, but the split varies. Many are bare-walls-in, meaning everything from the drywall inward is your responsibility. An HO-6 fills that gap.
- Interior walls, floors, cabinets, and fixtures (per your HOA's coverage split)
- Personal belongings, including theft
- Personal liability and medical payments
- Loss assessment - your share of a covered loss charged by the HOA
- Loss of use if your unit is uninhabitable after a covered loss
Read your HOA's master policy first
Before setting limits, get your association's master policy declarations. Whether it is bare-walls, single-entity, or all-in changes how much dwelling coverage you need on your HO-6. We can help you interpret it.
What condo insurance costs in California
The average California HO-6 premium is 653 dollars a year, across roughly 1.05 million policy-years. That figure comes from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, whose California data is supplied by the California Department of Insurance.
An HO-6 is rated mainly on your Coverage C personal property limit, since the association's master policy carries the building. Here is how the California average moves with that limit.
| Personal property limit (Coverage C) | Average annual premium |
|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | $440 |
| $10,000 - $14,999 | $493 |
| $15,000 - $19,999 | $481 |
| $20,000 - $24,999 | $507 |
| $25,000 - $29,999 | $520 |
| $30,000 - $34,999 | $568 |
| $35,000 - $39,999 | $564 |
| $40,000 - $49,999 | $603 |
| $50,000 - $59,999 | $651 |
| $60,000 - $69,999 | $684 |
| $70,000 - $79,999 | $725 |
| $80,000 - $99,999 | $750 |
| $100,000 - $124,999 | $961 |
| $125,000 - $199,999 | $1,126 |
| $200,000 and over | $2,626 |
Notice that a condo policy costs roughly four times a renters policy at the same personal property limit. That is the loss assessment and interior-structure exposure an owner carries and a tenant does not - the part of an HO-6 people most often under-buy.
Loss assessment is the coverage owners forget
If a covered loss hits the common area and exceeds the association's master policy limit, the HOA can bill every owner for a share of the shortfall. That bill is a special assessment, and it can run into five figures.
Loss assessment coverage on your HO-6 responds to it, but the default limit is often only 1,000 or 5,000 dollars. In a California association facing a large fire, water, or liability loss - or an earthquake, if the master policy carries that coverage with a percentage deductible - that default will not go far.
- Ask what the master policy's deductible is; your assessment share of that deductible is a common exposure
- Raise loss assessment well above the default if your association's reserves are thin
- Check whether earthquake assessments are included or excluded, because that distinction matters enormously in California
- Re-check the limit after any large capital project or a change of master carrier
Frequently asked questions
Do I really need condo insurance if the HOA has a policy?
Yes. The HOA policy typically covers the building and common areas, not your interior finishes, belongings, or personal liability. An HO-6 covers those, plus loss assessments the HOA may charge you.
What is loss assessment coverage?
If a covered loss to shared property exceeds the HOA master policy, the association can assess each owner for a share. Loss assessment coverage on your HO-6 helps pay that bill up to your limit.
Does condo insurance include earthquake coverage?
Not by default. Earthquake is typically a separate policy or endorsement, which matters a lot in California. We can quote it alongside your HO-6.
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