The association's master policy covers the building structure, common areas, and shared systems-but it stops at your unit's walls (or at the original interior finishes, depending on the policy type). Your HO-6 fills the gap: it covers your interior walls-in, personal property, personal liability, and additional living expenses after a covered loss. In Wisconsin, master policies and bylaws vary considerably between buildings, so reading both documents together is the only way to know exactly where the association's coverage ends and yours must begin.

The answer is in two documents: the master policy certificate and the insurance section of your condo bylaws or master deed. A bare-walls (studs-out) policy covers the structure up to the unfinished interior surface-drywall, flooring, cabinets, and fixtures are your responsibility. An all-in (single-entity) policy covers standard original finishes too, leaving you responsible only for upgrades and personal property. A modified all-in sits in between, with specific carve-outs. We'll read these documents with you and size your Coverage A accordingly.

Loss Assessment coverage pays your share of a special assessment levied by the HOA after a covered loss that exceeds the master policy's limits or triggers its deductible. For example, if a fire damages the lobby and the master policy deductible is $50,000, the association may spread that cost among unit owners-your Loss Assessment coverage absorbs your portion up to your chosen limit. In Wisconsin, many associations carry higher deductibles and older buildings face larger potential losses, so we typically recommend a limit that at minimum matches the master policy deductible. Ask your board or property manager for that figure before selecting a limit.

Water backup from drains, sewers, or sump pump overflow is excluded from most standard HO-6 policies but can be added as an endorsement. Wisconsin's harsh winters mean frozen pipes and sump pump failures are common, and units on lower levels face meaningfully higher exposure. Water damage from a backed-up drain in a neighboring unit can affect your unit even if your own plumbing is in good shape. We recommend higher sub-limits for lower-level units and for buildings with known winter damage history. Note that water backup is separate from flood-flood requires its own NFIP or private policy.

No-flood is excluded from both the HOA master policy and your HO-6 policy. A separate flood policy (NFIP or private) is required for flood coverage. Wisconsin faces real flood risk from heavy spring rains, snowmelt, and Great Lakes surges, and exposure exists even in areas not mapped as FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas. We use the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and Wisconsin DNR flood tools to assess your building's parcel-level risk and can pair a flood policy with your HO-6 if warranted.

When a covered loss triggers repairs to your unit's interior, local building codes may require upgrades beyond simply restoring what was there before-updated wiring, plumbing to current code, or accessibility requirements. Ordinance or Law coverage pays the cost of those code-mandated upgrades. In Wisconsin, where a significant portion of the housing stock predates modern building codes, this endorsement can make a material difference in what you recover after a loss. It should be on every HO-6 for units in older buildings.

Not adequately. A standard HO-6 is written for owner-occupants; once a tenant moves in, coverage gaps open up-particularly around liability and loss of rental income. We'll rewrite the policy on the appropriate landlord or condo-landlord form, which adds loss of rents coverage and reflects the correct liability exposure. Note that Wisconsin municipalities often require rental property registration and inspections, and state law sets minimum liability limits for rental unit owners. We'll align your policy with those requirements and issue any certificates needed by the city, your lender, or the association.

$300,000-$500,000 per occurrence is a common starting point on an HO-6. If you host guests regularly, own a dog, rent the unit, or have significant assets to protect, consider a Personal Umbrella policy that adds $1M-$10M of liability protection above your HO-6 and other underlying policies. The umbrella is typically modest in cost relative to the additional protection it provides. Your HO-6 liability also covers incidents originating in your unit that affect neighbors-a water leak from your unit that damages the unit below, for example-so adequate limits matter beyond just slip-and-fall scenarios.