Many people discover too late that they are not adequately covered by condominium association's policy. There are a few things that every individual who purchases a condo will need to be aware of, that will assist him or her in purchasing condo insurance. Most condo associations purchase adequate insurance to cover the building, but there are considerable gaps in personal cover and unit cover that need to be addressed by each individual. The trick about buying condo insurance is to be thoroughly aware. Ensure that you thoroughly read though the condo association insurance policy. If possible, get hold of a copy of the policy so that you may consult with a professional should the need arise.

Condo Insurance Essentials

The first thing to remember is that the condo association policy only covers the buildings structure, common areas and where specified, certain common furnishings like carpeting and decorative furnishings. It is important when first purchasing a condo to enquire with the association about the kind of insurance that covers the building and what aspects of the insurance cover any personal injury or property destruction or loss. This means that any personal injury within the condo unit or damage to property due to any reason will not be covered.

Essentially these are a few specific areas of insurance that you will need to look into. One of these is personal possession and title insurance. This insurance will cover you in case of forgery by the previous owner if any and any mistakes made in the property documentation when recording the sale to you. Ensuring that you are covered in case there is a challenge to your complete and absolute possession to the condo is essential.

Personal Property and Liability

Your policy should cover the entire cost of all the property contained within the condo. You should make an assessment of all the furniture and personal possessions contained in the condo and have these documented and listed with the insurance company. This will ensure that should there be any damage to your personal possessions like your furniture, you are adequately covered to replace these.

Insurance in due to water caused by the water utility is something else you should be aware of. Water is run through piping that may cause damage within your condo unit. This may require significant damage repair that may not be covered by the association policy. Besides this, you should also be aware of broad liability that may accrue to you if the building requires repairs and the common fund has insufficient funds. Ensure that you purchase coverage in case of such an eventuality.

If you have expensive items or collectables stored at home, you will definitely need floater coverage to insure these. Getting floater coverage will insure your precious items against damage and theft amongst other situations.

Finally, many condo association insurance policies do not cover unit damage caused due to earthquakes or natural calamities. This is something you will need to be aware of and find out about from your condo association.