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MS9 (California)
Posts: 13
Posted:
Our governing documents require home owners to carry HO6 insurance, but not everybody does that. I am looking to enforce this more rigorously. I would like home owners to turn in the proof of insurance once a year. So that if they don't, we can follow up with fines etc.
Has anyone else tried this.
Are there other ideas to enforce insurance requirement. Thanks in advance.
JohnB7 (South Carolina)
Posts: 176
Posted:
GOOD LUCK

I live in a 55+ community and the 'members' don't even know what I mean when I raise the very same point.

They rant and rave about 'privacy', fixed incomes, we never had a claim in the past, private property, etc --- anything to avoid their responsibilities under the documents.

We are 126 homes and carry $2,000,000 insurance but almost no member has 'loss assesment' coverage on their home. A $5,000,000 judgement against us would be about $24,000/home.

They can't afford $75/year for insurance but risk $20,000+.

Most HOA members are uninformed and/or idiots.
AnnaD2 (Florida)
Posts: 960
Posted:
Are you condos or stand alone homes? In Florida last year it was made a law that condo owners must have individual insurance policies. People (were supposed) to show proof every year that they carried such a policy. If they didn't, then the Association had the duty to buy insurance on that unit, (try) to force the owner to pay and if they didn't then a lien would be placed on the unit and the Association could eventually forclose.

That new law/statute raised quite an uproad this year with Condo Associations across the state. That law is forcing Boards to act as the "Condo Police" and dig into people's personal insurance information; then forcing them (the Board) with an additional burden of buying policies and all that good stuff, including filing liens.

There was a big push in the legislature to amend this statute but it was vetoed by our govenor. I (personally) as a board member feel this is not a "duty" I want added to my job description. It IS our duty to manage/purchase adequate coverage to the Association with our master policy; but I really don't want to play "big brother" because of this law.

MaryA1 (Arizona)
Posts: 7,043
Posted:
Anna,

Just one more reason why I will NEVER live in a condo assn (God willing, of course!).
JudyM5 (Ohio)
Posts: 36
Posted:
MS9 - In 2001, after having the basements of 30 units flood during a torrential downpour, the BOD that I was serving on worked with the Association's insurance broker and devised an "Insurance Requirement Policy", which was mailed, by delivery confirmation, to all 148 owners. That policy states that each unit owner is required to carry HO6 insurance and name the Association as additional insured. That way, whenever their insurance is cancelled, the PMC is notified that they no longer have HO6 insurance. Included in that policy is a detailed description of what types of extra coverage that they need to have added to their HO6 policy. These extra coverages include assessment coverage, additional betterments and improvements coverage if they have added many upgrades to the unit which were installed by the builder, drain and sewer back-up coverage, etc. In addition, they are plainly told that the unit owner is responsible for the first $5,000 damage, regardless of the cause. Therefore, their HO6 coverage must be for a minimum of $5,000. This $5,000 represents the Association's deductible under the master policy. During the past 8 years, the Association has adamantly held to the owner's responsibility for the first $5,000 damage, regardless of the cause of the damage. Do all the owners have HO6 insurance? No. If they do, do they all name the Association as an additional insured? No. Is enforcing this policy almost impossible? Yes. However, if an owner does not have the proper coverage on their unit, it is not because the Association has not informed them and required them to obtain the coverage that they need. This policy was incorporated into the community's Welcome Book, along with other community rules and regulations, and mailed to all new owners when their montly assessment coupons are mailed to them.

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