HOA Master Policy: Does It Cover Walls-In or Bare Walls?
Does your HOA master policy cover walls in, or only bare walls? What bare walls, single entity and all-in policies cover inside a condo, and how to tell which you have.
Quick answer
It depends on the master policy type and your declaration. A bare walls (studs-out) policy covers the structure, not what is inside your unit. A single entity policy also covers the unit's original fixtures and finishes. An all-in policy covers the interior, including many owner upgrades. None of them covers your belongings or your personal liability. Some states set the line by law. Ask the association for the master policy's declarations page and read the insurance section of your declaration.
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The Short Answer: Only Some Master Policies Cover Walls-In
“Walls-in” means everything inside the unit’s structure: drywall finishes, floors, cabinets, counters, fixtures and built-in appliances. Whether the association’s master policy covers those depends on which of three types it is.
| Master policy type | Also called | Covers inside your unit | Your HO-6 needs to cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bare walls | Studs-out, walls-out | Little or nothing past the structure | Nearly the whole interior, plus belongings and liability |
| Single entity | Original specifications | The unit’s fixtures and finishes as first built | Upgrades and betterments, plus belongings and liability |
| All-in | All inclusive | Fixtures and finishes, including many upgrades | Mainly belongings, liability, loss of use and deductibles |
Insurers and lawyers do not all use these names the same way. Some call a single entity policy “all-in.” That is why the name alone is not enough: read what the policy and your declaration actually say about the interior of the units.
No master policy type covers your furniture, clothes and other belongings, your personal liability, or your hotel bills if you cannot live in the unit. Those always need your own HO-6. See HO-6 insurance: what it covers and what it does not.
How to Find Out Which Type You Have
You do not need the full policy to get the answer. Work through these in order:
- The insurance section of your declaration. It usually says what the association must insure, often in words like “the common elements and the units, excluding improvements and betterments made by owners,” or “the common elements only.” This is the rule the association has to follow.
- The master policy’s certificate or declarations page. Ask the manager for it. Look for the coverage description and for the deductible, including any separate water damage deductible.
- The annual budget or insurance notice. Some states require it. In California, the annual budget report must summarize the association’s policies, limits and deductibles, and warn owners that the association’s policies may not cover their property or improvements (Civil Code 5300; see California condo law). In Arizona and Maryland, the association must tell owners each year about the deductible and their responsibility for it (Arizona, Maryland).
- Ask in writing. “Is the master policy bare walls, single entity or all-in? Does it cover owner upgrades? What is the deductible for water damage, and who pays it under our declaration?”
The Declaration and the Policy Can Disagree
Sometimes the declaration says the association insures one thing and the policy it bought covers another. If they do not match, raise it with the board in writing and tell your HO-6 agent. Until it is fixed, insure for the narrower of the two.
What State Law Says About Walls-In Coverage
In many states, the condo law sets a default for what the master policy must include inside the units, and the declaration can add to it. Examples from our state guides:
| State | What the association’s policy covers inside units |
|---|---|
| Florida | Leaves out floor, wall and ceiling coverings, electrical fixtures, appliances, water heaters, built-in cabinets and countertops, and window treatments, so owners insure them (s. 718.111(11)). See Florida |
| Colorado | In stacked buildings, must include the units but not their finished interior surfaces of walls, floors and ceilings (C.R.S. 38-33.3-313). See Colorado |
| Texas | If units are stacked, must cover the units but not owner improvements and betterments (Section 82.111). See Texas |
| Illinois | Must cover the units, including the bare walls, floors and ceilings unless the board decides otherwise; owner improvements such as appliances, cabinets and floor coverings need not be covered (Section 12). See Illinois |
| Georgia | Must cover full replacement cost, and the statute lists items within units, including drywall, floors, wall and floor coverings, plumbing, electrical lines, cabinetry and appliances (s. 44-3-107). See Georgia |
| Washington | In stacked or side-by-side buildings, must cover the units and, unless the declaration says otherwise, owner improvements and betterments (RCW 64.90.470). See Washington |
So a Georgia owner and a Florida owner can have very different HO-6 needs even in similar buildings. Check your own state condo law page and then your declaration, which can change the default in some states.
Walls-In Coverage and the Deductible
Even an all-in master policy has a deductible, and it can be large. Who pays it is a separate question from what the policy covers. Your declaration or a board policy decides whether it falls on the unit where the damage started, the units that were damaged, or all owners as a common expense. Some states cap or direct it:
- Maryland: when damage starts in a unit, that owner is responsible for the master policy deductible up to $10,000, and the rest is a common expense.
- Georgia: no more than $5,000 of a deductible may be allocated to one owner per loss.
If part of a deductible can land on you, the loss assessment coverage on your HO-6 is what pays it, up to its limit. Our guide to HOA insurance deductibles covers this in detail.
Practical Examples
Example 1: Bare Walls Policy, Leak From a Shared Pipe
A riser in the wall leaks and ruins your kitchen floor and lower cabinets. The association repairs the pipe and the structure. Under a bare walls policy, your floor and cabinets go on your HO-6, even though the pipe was the association’s. Your declaration may still say the association restores damage caused by a common element, so read its maintenance and insurance sections together.
Example 2: Single Entity Policy, Upgraded Kitchen
You replaced the builder’s laminate counters with stone. After a covered fire, the master policy pays to restore the kitchen to its original specifications. The difference between laminate and stone is an upgrade, so it goes on your HO-6 Coverage A, if your limit is high enough.
Example 3: All-In Policy, Small Bathroom Leak
A toilet supply line splits and damages your bathroom floor. The repair costs less than the master policy deductible, so the association does not file a claim. Depending on your declaration, you may owe the repair yourself. An all-in policy only helps once a loss is larger than its deductible, and your HO-6 may cover the smaller loss.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does an HOA master policy cover walls-in?
Only some do. A bare walls master policy covers the structure but not what is inside your unit. A single entity policy also covers the original fixtures and finishes. An all-in policy covers the interior, including many upgrades. State law and your declaration decide which type the association must carry.
What is the difference between bare walls and walls-in coverage?
Bare walls coverage stops at the structure, so drywall finishes, floors, cabinets and fixtures are left to the owner's HO-6. Walls-in coverage includes the interior of the unit. Your HO-6 should be sized to whatever the master policy leaves out.
Does the master policy cover my upgrades?
Usually not under a bare walls or single entity policy. An all-in policy may cover many upgrades. If the policy or the declaration excludes improvements and betterments, insure your upgrades under Coverage A of your HO-6.
How do I find out what my HOA master policy covers?
Ask the manager for the master policy's certificate or declarations page, and read the insurance section of your declaration. Some states, such as California, require the association to send owners a yearly summary of its policies and deductibles.
Does the master policy cover my belongings?
No. No master policy type covers your furniture, clothes or other personal property, or your personal liability. You need your own HO-6 for those.
Important Disclaimer: This article describes common master policy patterns and state law defaults. It is general educational information, not legal or insurance advice. Policy wording, declarations and state laws vary, and the names insurers use for policy types are not standard. Always read your own declaration and the master policy and talk to a licensed insurance agent or a community association attorney before you rely on any coverage.
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Who writes CondoWorkbook
CondoWorkbook guides are written and published by S-Block Technologies. Each guide is based on how condo declarations, CC&Rs, bylaws and master insurance policies usually split repairs, and on the state laws it names. We update a guide when a law changes or a reader tells us something is wrong. We are not lawyers, and no lawyer reviews these guides, so always check your own documents.
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