Condo Insurance on St. Augustine’s Beaches: Your HO-6, the Master Policy and Assessments

Posted on by webbuilder in Blog, Home Insurance |

Updated October 30, 2026. Sources checked October 30, 2026.

If you own or are buying a condo unit in St. Augustine Beach, Butler Beach, Crescent Beach, Vilano Beach or the Ponte Vedra Beach and Sawgrass area, two insurance policies share your building. Your association’s master policy covers part of it, and your own unit owner policy, usually called an HO-6, covers the rest. Florida law draws the line between them, and your condominium declaration fills in the details.

According to our St. Johns County flood zones guide (data as of October 29, 2026), the county has 14,468 condo unit parcels, and 1,474 of them (10.2%) are in a FEMA high-risk flood zone. Condo units are counted at the building they’re in, so one complex in a high-risk zone can add dozens of units.

McGriff-Williams Insurance is an independent insurance agency in Gainesville, in business since 1983 and licensed in Florida. Because we’re an independent agency, a licensed member of our team may be able to compare options from the insurance companies we represent and explain the differences.

Who insures what: the master policy and your HO-6

Under section 718.111(11), Florida Statutes, for policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2009, the master policy must cover the condominium property as originally installed, or replacement of like kind and quality, following the original plans and specifications.

What the master policy must leave out

The same law lists items the master policy must exclude when they’re inside your unit and serve only your unit:

  • Floor, wall and ceiling coverings
  • Electrical fixtures
  • Appliances
  • Water heaters and water filters
  • Built-in cabinets and countertops
  • Window treatments, such as curtains, drapes, blinds and their hardware
  • Replacements of any of these items

Personal property in the unit or in limited common elements is excluded too. In the statute’s words, “Such property and any insurance thereupon is the responsibility of the unit owner.”

The association doesn’t have to pay to repair improvements that benefit only your unit and weren’t part of the standard original build-out, whether you, a past owner or the developer installed them (s. 718.111(11)(n)).

Florida law doesn’t use labels like “walls-in” or “bare walls,” so compare your declaration and the master policy’s declarations page with this list. Items not on it, such as heating and air conditioning equipment that serves one unit, depend on your declaration.

When the association’s costs come back to owners

Master policy deductibles and damage above the master policy’s limits are generally a common expense shared by the owners (s. 718.111(11)(j)). But if damage is caused by an owner’s intentional conduct, negligence, or failure to follow the declaration or rules, or by their family, tenants, guests or invitees, that owner pays the repair costs insurance doesn’t cover.

An association can opt out of this cost split with a majority vote of the total voting interests and a recorded notice (s. 718.111(11)(k) and (m)), so read your building’s recorded documents.

Your HO-6: what it usually includes

Condos usually go on a unit owner policy, often called an HO-6, and it’s separate from the association’s master policy. Policy forms vary, but an HO-6 commonly includes:

  • Building items you own, such as the interior items listed above and your upgrades
  • Your personal property
  • Loss of use
  • Personal liability and medical payments
  • Loss assessment coverage, covered below

Florida law says your unit owner policy is excess over any other policy covering the same property (s. 627.714(4)). Ask whether your unit coverage pays replacement cost and whether it includes ordinance or law coverage. Water damage, mold and water backup limits vary too. Check the dollar amount of each deductible on your declarations page.

Loss assessment coverage and special assessments

Loss assessment coverage

Loss assessment coverage pays your share of an association assessment for damage to property the owners hold in common, but only when your policy covers the cause of the loss. Florida law requires a unit owner policy to include at least $2,000 of loss assessment coverage, with a deductible of $250 or less (s. 627.714). And if a deductible was or will be applied to your own property loss from the same direct loss, no deductible applies to your loss assessment coverage (s. 627.714(1)). The Florida HO-6 forms we reviewed don’t cover assessments charged by a government body or assessments for earthquake damage, and because the coverage applies only to covered causes of loss, an assessment for wear and tear generally isn’t covered either. Policies vary, so check the loss assessment section of your own policy.

The limit that applies is the one in force the day before the loss, so raising it after a loss won’t help for that loss. Some Florida HO-6 policies pay up to the loss assessment limit toward an assessment that comes from a master policy deductible, while others may set a lower limit for deductible assessments or handle them differently. A $2,000 limit may not go far against a large master policy deductible, so check your policy and ask whether higher limits are available.

Florida law also sets a deadline for loss assessment claims. Notice must reach your insurance company by the later of 1 year after the date of loss or 90 days after the association or its board votes to levy the assessment, and no later than 3 years after the date of loss (s. 627.70132(4)). The date of loss is the date of the covered event that led to the assessment, so report an assessment promptly. HO-6 policies commonly also include a separate liability loss assessment coverage, for an assessment tied to a covered injury or property damage claim against the association, or to an act of an elected board member who serves without pay.

Assessments that insurance generally doesn’t cover

Loss assessment coverage is tied to covered losses, and assessments for milestone repairs, reserves or deferred maintenance generally aren’t insurance losses, so plan for them in your budget rather than your policy.

Florida’s milestone inspection law (s. 553.899) applies to condominium and cooperative buildings 3 or more habitable stories tall. The first inspection is due by December 31 of the year the building turns 30, counted from its certificate of occupancy, and then each 10 years after that. Local officials may require it at 25 years based on local conditions, including proximity to salt water, so ask your association about your building’s schedule.

Buildings 3 or more habitable stories also need a structural integrity reserve study (SIRS) at least once each 10 years (s. 718.112(2)(g)). Owners must get written notice at least 14 days before a board meeting where a nonemergency special assessment will be considered (s. 718.112(2)(c)).

If you’re buying, ask for the milestone inspection summary, the SIRS and the budget before you close. McGriff-Williams Insurance doesn’t perform or review milestone inspections or reserve studies.

Flood: the association’s policy and yours

An association’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policy is the Residential Condominium Building Association Policy (RCBAP), which insures one residential condominium building. Its maximum building coverage is $250,000 times the number of units (44 CFR 61.6). A coinsurance penalty applies unless the building is insured to at least 80% of its replacement cost or the program maximum, whichever is less, which is one reason underinsured association flood coverage can lead to assessments.

Your own flood policy as a unit owner

  • Contents. The RCBAP covers the building, so your belongings need your own flood policy. The NFIP residential contents maximum is $100,000.
  • Building coverage. Your own NFIP policy can carry building coverage even when the association has an RCBAP. Combined building benefits for one unit under both policies are capped at $250,000, and an item paid under the RCBAP can’t be paid again.
  • Interior walls, floors and ceilings. A condo unit owner may use up to 10% of the contents limit for interior walls, floors and ceilings not insured by the association’s policy, and this doesn’t add to the contents limit.
  • Flood loss assessments. Your NFIP building coverage can pay your share of a flood loss assessment up to its limit, but it excludes assessments caused by the association’s deductible, assessments by a government body and assessments for personal property.

Private flood policies vary, and our NFIP vs. private flood guide explains the differences.

If your unit is insured by Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, Florida’s state-created insurer, note that as of the 2026 Florida Statutes, Citizens policyholders don’t have to buy flood insurance to keep policies that provide coverage under a condominium unit owners form (s. 627.351(6)(aa)3.b.). A mortgage lender may still require flood insurance. Citizens’ own FAQ (updated March 16, 2026) also lists condominium unit-owner policies as exempt from its flood requirement. Our Citizens flood requirement page covers the broader rule.

Renting your condo out

Condos usually stay on an HO-6 even when they’re rented out, with rental and landlord considerations added. Coverage for rental activity, liability to guests and theft by tenants varies by policy form and endorsement, so ask us to review yours.

  • Loss of use and loss of rents are different. Loss of use is about your own costs when you can’t live in the unit after a covered loss, while loss of rents, or fair rental value, relates to rental income. Ask whether your policy includes it and for how long.
  • Guest liability. Short-term guests bring pools and beach walkovers into the picture, and a personal umbrella may add a layer of liability coverage, subject to its terms.
  • Tenants’ belongings. Your HO-6 doesn’t cover a tenant’s belongings, so ask tenants to carry their own renters policy.

A condo unit rented to short-term guests can be a vacation rental under Florida’s lodging law (s. 509.242(1)(c)), so state licensing through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and local rules can apply; check current requirements. And under section 718.110(13), an amendment that prohibits renting, changes rental terms or limits how often owners can rent applies only to owners who consent and to owners who take title after it takes effect.

Wind mitigation and condo units

Florida law (s. 627.0629) requires residential property rate filings to account for features that reduce wind loss. How that applies to a unit policy versus the master policy depends on the insurance company and form, and the roof and windows may belong to the association. If you’re considering a wind mitigation inspection, ask us first how it may apply to a unit policy. The inspection may be at your own cost. Learn more on our St. Augustine home insurance page.

The state’s My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program (s. 215.55871) is run by the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS), depends on annual funding and is open to associations, not individual owners. It covers buildings 3 or more stories tall with at least two units, within 15 miles of the coastline, for associations that are current on their milestone inspection and SIRS requirements. Grants are matched, with the association paying $1 for each $2 from the state, up to $175,000 in state funds per association, so check with DFS for current availability. McGriff-Williams Insurance doesn’t do wind mitigation inspections.

What to have ready when you ask about coverage

  • Building name, number of stories, year built and your unit’s floor
  • The declaration’s pages on insurance and maintenance, plus any opt-out notice under section 718.111(11)(k)
  • The master policy declarations page, with its limits, each deductible in dollars and any flood coverage and limits. Current association insurance policies are official records you can ask for (s. 718.111(12)(a)8.).
  • Your upgrades since original construction, such as flooring, kitchen and baths, and when they were done
  • Your current HO-6 declarations page, and your flood policy if you have one
  • How you use the unit: long-term, seasonal or short-term rental, and any management company
  • Any elevation certificate. Our St. Augustine home insurance page explains where to find one, along with local flood zones.

When you’re ready, request a quote. A licensed member of our team will review your request and contact you by phone or email. Coverage isn’t in place until it’s bound.

Frequently asked questions

Does my association’s master policy cover my kitchen cabinets and floors?

Generally no. Under section 718.111(11)(f)3., floor, wall and ceiling coverings and built-in cabinets and countertops inside your unit that serve only your unit are excluded from the master policy and are yours to insure. Check your declaration for your building’s details.

What is loss assessment coverage?

It pays your share of an association assessment for damage to property the owners hold in common, when your policy covers the cause of the loss. Florida law requires at least $2,000 of it on a unit owner policy, with a deductible of $250 or less (s. 627.714), and the limit in force the day before the loss is the one that applies.

Does the association’s flood policy cover my belongings?

No. The association’s NFIP policy, the RCBAP, covers the building, so your contents need your own flood policy.

Will my own NFIP flood policy pay an assessment caused by the association’s flood deductible?

No. The NFIP Dwelling Form’s loss assessment coverage excludes assessments caused by the association’s deductible.

Do condo unit owners insured by Citizens have to buy flood insurance?

As of the 2026 Florida Statutes, policyholders of Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, Florida’s state-created insurer, don’t have to buy flood insurance to keep policies that provide coverage under a condominium unit owners form (s. 627.351(6)(aa)3.b.). A mortgage lender may still require flood insurance. Citizens’ own FAQ (updated March 16, 2026) also lists condominium unit-owner policies as exempt from its flood requirement.

General information, not legal or coverage advice. Coverage depends on the policy issued, its terms and underwriting. Statute references are to the 2026 Florida Statutes, and sources were checked October 30, 2026.

Sources