Condo Insurance in Florida: HO6 Coverage, Costs & Requirements (2026)

Buying condo insurance in Florida isn't quite like buying homeowners insurance. There's a layer most first-time condo buyers don't fully understand: the relationship between your personal HO-6 policy and your condo association's master policy. Getting that relationship right determines whether you're actually covered when something goes wrong — or left holding a bill the association's policy won't pay.

Florida has the highest average condo insurance rates in the country, at $1,049 per year or about $87 per month, according to InsuredBetter's 2026 data. That's double the national average, driven by the state's hurricane exposure, coastal property values, and the complexity of Florida's condo insurance laws. This guide breaks down what HO-6 covers, what the master policy handles, what condo insurance costs across Florida in 2026, and what you need to know before buying.

What HO6 condo insurance covers

An HO-6 policy is the standard condo insurance form. It covers the parts of your unit that the condo association's master policy doesn't — typically the interior of your unit, your belongings, your personal liability, and your additional living expenses if the unit becomes uninhabitable.

Interior dwelling coverage (Coverage A) pays to repair or replace structural elements inside your unit that you own — floors, walls, ceilings, built-in appliances, and fixtures. The key word is "inside." Your HO-6 picks up where the association's policy ends.

Personal property coverage protects your belongings — furniture, electronics, clothing, artwork, kitchen equipment. Most policies settle at replacement cost value (RCV) if you opt in, meaning they pay what your items cost to replace new rather than their depreciated value. In Florida, where storm damage claims are common, the difference between RCV and actual cash value can be significant.

Liability coverage pays if someone is injured inside your unit or if you accidentally damage another unit — a water leak that damages the unit below you, for example. Standard limits start at $100,000, but $300,000 is a more realistic floor for most Florida condo owners. The incremental cost to step up from $100,000 to $300,000 is typically $10 to $20 per year.

Loss of use pays for temporary housing and additional living expenses if a covered event makes your unit uninhabitable. In South Florida, where a hurricane can displace families for weeks or months during peak contractor demand, this coverage matters more than in most markets.

Loss assessment coverage is one of the most important and overlooked components of Florida condo insurance. When a major event — a hurricane, a building fire, a common-area accident — generates costs that exceed the association's master policy, the association can assess those costs to individual unit owners. A $500,000 roof replacement gap could generate a $5,000 to $10,000 assessment per unit. Loss assessment coverage handles that. Florida condo owners should carry at least $50,000 in loss assessment coverage, and many experts recommend higher given recent legislative changes requiring structural reserve funding under SB 4D.

Florida condo costs 2026: what you'll actually pay

Florida condo insurance averages $1,049 per year according to InsuredBetter's 2026 analysis — more than double the national average of roughly $455 to $700 annually. ValuePenguin's data shows a range of $20 to $50 per month ($240 to $600 annually) for basic policies, rising significantly for coastal units with higher coverage limits.

What you pay depends on several variables that matter more in Florida than elsewhere:

Location: A condo in Boca Raton or Miami Beach carries higher wind and flood exposure than one in Orlando or Gainesville. Coastal ZIP codes consistently command higher premiums, and the specific distance from water affects where you land within the range.

Roof age and construction: Florida's wind mitigation credits reward buildings with newer, storm-resistant roofs. A condo in a newer high-rise with impact-resistant features may qualify for meaningful discounts that an older building can't access.

Coverage limits: A basic policy covering $25,000 in personal property and $100,000 in liability costs far less than one covering $75,000 in belongings, $300,000 in liability, and $50,000 in loss assessment. Building the right coverage level is more important than minimizing the premium.

The master policy type: Some condo associations carry bare-walls-in master policies, which cover only the structure from the studs outward. Others carry all-in policies, which extend into unit interiors including fixtures and appliances. Understanding which type your association carries determines how much interior dwelling coverage your HO-6 needs to fill the gap.

Master vs unit-owner policy: understanding the split

This is where most condo buyers get confused, and where gaps in coverage most often hide.

Your condo association's master policy covers the building's exterior, common areas, and shared systems. What it covers inside your unit depends entirely on the type of master policy:

Bare-walls-in: Covers only the building structure from the exterior walls inward to bare studs. Your unit's flooring, drywall, cabinets, plumbing fixtures, and appliances are all your responsibility. Your HO-6 needs to cover all of that interior build-out.

Single-entity (all-in): Covers the structure plus original unit fixtures and built-ins. If your building has this type, your HO-6 dwelling coverage need only address improvements you've made beyond the original build-out. You still need personal property, liability, and loss assessment coverage regardless.

The only way to know which type your association carries is to request a copy of the master policy declarations page and read it — or ask your insurance agent to review it with you. Assuming one type when your building has the other is one of the most costly coverage gaps Florida condo owners face.

Water damage exclusions and what's not covered

Water damage claims are among the most common and most disputed in Florida condo insurance. The source of the water determines whether your policy or the association's responds — and in some cases, neither does.

Sudden and accidental water damage from a burst pipe inside your unit is typically covered by your HO-6. Water that migrates from another unit — a neighbor's burst pipe that leaks through your ceiling — may involve both your policy and theirs. Water intrusion from a roof failure or common-area system is typically the association's responsibility.

Flood damage is the most significant exclusion across every standard condo policy. Storm surge from a hurricane, rising water from heavy rainfall, or overflow from nearby waterways — none of these are covered by an HO-6. Florida holds approximately one-third of all NFIP flood insurance policies nationally, which reflects how seriously residents here take that gap. The National Flood Insurance Program offers contents-only policies for condo owners, and private flood carriers offer alternatives. The standard NFIP waiting period is 30 days, which makes purchasing before storm season — not during it — the essential timing principle.

How to get the right condo insurance quote

Getting the right condo insurance in Florida starts with reading your association's master policy — or working with an agent who will do that with you. The Gordon Agency has helped Florida condo owners navigate the HO-6 and master policy relationship since 2000. As an independent agency based in Boca Raton, we compare rates across multiple carriers to find coverage that actually fits your unit and your building. For a free quote on condo insurance in Florida, call (561) 988-3330 or reach out online. We serve condo owners across Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, and throughout South Florida.