Coverage for What Your HOA’s Master Policy Doesn’t Touch
Condo insurance — an HO-6 policy — covers your personal belongings, your liability, your share of association deductibles, and any part of your unit your association’s master policy doesn’t insure. Your HOA’s policy protects the building; your HO-6 protects you. Nationally, the average condo policy runs about $500–$660 per year according to NAIC data — a fraction of standard homeowners coverage, because the building itself is already insured.
Boyd Insurance Brokerage has insured Spokane condo owners since 1996, from downtown and Kendall Yards to the South Hill and Spokane Valley. As independent agents quoting 150+ carriers, we read your association’s declarations before we quote — because in Washington, what your HO-6 needs to cover depends entirely on what your HOA’s master policy already does.
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Washington Condo Law Changed — Your Coverage Should Match It
Most condo insurance advice online is written for other states. Washington is different, and the law just changed again:
- Every residential condominium in Washington is now governed by WUCIOA (RCW 64.90), the Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act — regardless of when the building was built. The old Condominium Act and HOA Act are repealed effective January 1, 2028, per the Washington State Bar.
- Under WUCIOA, your association must insure the common elements and — unless the declaration says otherwise — the units themselves at replacement cost. That’s broader than the “walls-in vs. studs-out” rule of thumb used in most states, and it means many Washington condo owners are either over-insured (paying for dwelling coverage the master policy duplicates) or under-insured (assuming the master policy covers upgrades it excludes).
- Your association can pass its deductible to you. Washington law allows loss or damage covered by the association’s policy to be assessed to the unit owner up to the amount of the master deductible. With association master deductibles now commonly $10,000–$25,000 — and rising as building premiums climb — that’s a check you could be writing after a loss that wasn’t your fault. The right HO-6 absorbs it.
This is why we don’t quote condo insurance from a generic checklist. We match your policy to your declaration.
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What an HO-6 Policy Covers
Building Property (Dwelling) Coverage — The interior finishes, fixtures, and improvements you’re responsible for under your declaration: flooring, cabinets, countertops, and any upgrades you or a previous owner made. If you renovated a Kendall Yards kitchen, the master policy likely covers the original builder-grade finishes at best — your HO-6 covers the difference.
Personal Property Coverage — Furniture, clothing, electronics, and everything else you’d carry out of the unit. Most owners underestimate this; a walk-through inventory usually lands between $35,000 and $60,000. High-value items like rings and watches may need scheduled jewelry coverage.
Personal Liability Coverage — If a guest is injured in your unit, or your washing machine hose floods the unit below, liability coverage pays their damages and your legal defense. Water from your unit damaging a neighbor’s is one of the most common condo claims there is.
Loss Assessment Coverage — When a major loss to common areas exceeds the master policy — or the association assesses owners for its deductible — this coverage pays your share. The default limit on many policies is $1,000; we typically recommend substantially more, matched to your association’s actual deductible.
Additional Living Expenses — Hotel and living costs if a covered loss makes your unit uninhabitable while repairs are made.
Local & Family Owned
We are a medium-sized insurance brokerage that was established in 1996. As Independent Agents, we represent you, the CLIENT. Although we write all types of insurance, we specialize in auto and home insurance in the Northwest.
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How It Works: A Spokane Example
Say you’re at fault in an accident on Highway 195 and the injured driver wins a $900,000 judgment. Your auto policy carries a $250,000 bodily injury limit. Your auto insurer pays its $250,000 — and without an umbrella, the remaining $650,000 comes from your savings, your home equity, and potentially garnished wages for years. With a $1 million umbrella, the policy pays that $650,000 and your assets stay yours.
What Umbrella Insurance Costs in Washington
Umbrella coverage is one of the cheapest lines of insurance per dollar of protection. The Insurance Information Institute puts a $1 million policy at roughly $150–$300 per year, with each additional $1 million costing significantly less. Carriers require minimum underlying limits to qualify — commonly $250,000/$500,000 on auto and $300,000 on homeowners liability. When we quote your umbrella, we review your auto and home limits at the same time so everything qualifies and stacks without gaps. Bundling all three often costs less than you’d expect.
Who Should Carry an Umbrella in Spokane
You don’t need to be wealthy — you need to have something to lose or a way to lose it:
- Homeowners with equity (at Spokane County’s median value, that’s most homeowners)
- Anyone with teen drivers on their auto policy
- Dog owners — see also our pet liability coverage
- Landlords and short-term rental hosts
- Boat, RV, snowmobile, and motorcycle owners
- Households with pools, trampolines, or frequent guests
- Anyone with retirement savings or future earnings a judgment could reach
Local & Family Owned
We are a medium-sized insurance brokerage established in 1996. As Independent Agents, we represent you, the CLIENT. Our office is at 103 E Sprague Ave Ste 102 in downtown Spokane — call (509) 340-2693 or contact us for a free umbrella quote. Most quotes take one short phone call.
A few questions away from saving up to 40% on your insurance.
FAQ
What’s the difference between the HOA master policy and my condo insurance? The master policy insures the building and common areas — and in Washington, often the units themselves under WUCIOA. Your HO-6 covers your belongings, your liability, your improvements, your share of association deductibles or assessments, and your living expenses after a loss. The two are designed to fit together, which is why we review your declaration before quoting.
Is condo insurance required in Washington? Not by state law, but your mortgage lender will require it, and many association declarations require unit owners to carry HO-6 coverage. Even without a requirement, the master-deductible assessment risk alone justifies the premium.
How much loss assessment coverage do I need? At minimum, enough to cover your association’s master policy deductible — ask your board or property manager what it is, because it has likely increased at recent renewals. Many default policies include only $1,000; raising it to $25,000–$50,000 typically costs very little.
Can my HOA really bill me for its insurance deductible? Yes. Washington law permits associations to assess damage covered by the master policy back to unit owners up to the deductible amount, and many declarations adopt exactly that model. Loss assessment coverage on your HO-6 is built for this.
Does condo insurance cover water damage from another unit? Damage to your property from a sudden covered event — like a burst pipe upstairs — is generally covered under your policy, and your insurer may recover from the responsible party. Slow leaks, seepage, and flood are treated differently, and sewer backup usually requires a specific endorsement. We’ll walk through the water coverages carefully; they’re the most common condo claims in our climate.
I’m buying a condo in Spokane — when should I get insurance? Before closing. Your lender will require proof of coverage, and quoting takes one short call. Send us the resale certificate or declarations when you get them and we’ll flag anything unusual in the association’s insurance requirements before you’re committed.