Best HO-6 Condo Insurance in Florida
Nationwide and Cypress are among the best companies for HO-6 condo insurance in Florida. Nationwide has the cheapest rate, but Cypress has a better customer service score.
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is the best choice if you can’t get an affordable rate from other companies.
Cheapest condo insurance in Florida
Nationwide has the cheapest HO-6 condo insurance in Florida. Its rates average $1,009 a year, which is 46% lower than the state average.
The next-cheapest HO-6 rates are $1,440 a year from Cypress and $1,451 a year from Citizens, according to the Florida Department of Insurance Regulation (FLOIR).
An HO-6 is homeowners insurance for condo-unit owners. Since each company’s rates vary by customer, it’s good to compare quotes from multiple companies when you shop.
Company | Annual rate | Monthly rate |
---|---|---|
Nationwide | $1,009 | $84 |
Cypress | $1,440 | $120 |
Citizens | $1,451 | $121 |
Florida Farm Bureau | $1,473 | $123 |
Cincinnati | $2,142 | $178 |
How much is HO-6 condo insurance in Florida?
The average cost of HO-6 condo insurance in Florida is $1,858 a year, or $155 a month.
The actual price you pay depends on factors such as:
- The amount of coverage you need
- The age and construction features of your unit and complex
- Neighborhood risk factors like crime and severe weather
- Your credit and insurance history
Florida condo insurance tends to cost more in areas with the most exposure to powerful coastal storms.
For example, condo insurance only costs an average of $1,119 a year in Duval County, compared to $2,667 a year in Miami-Dade County.
Florida condo insurance costs by county
County | Annual rate |
---|---|
Broward | $1,680 |
Duval | $1,119 |
Hillsborough | $1,428 |
Miami-Dade | $2,667 |
Orange | $1,230 |
Palm Beach | $2,132 |
Pinellas | $1,340 |
Florida’s best companies for HO-6 condo insurance
Nationwide and Cypress are the best companies to contact for HO-6 condo insurance quotes in Florida. Kin is the best insurtech company for condo insurance quotes, while USAA is the best option for military families.
Citizens is Florida’s insurer of last resort. It’s the best bet If you can’t find affordable rates from other Florida condo insurance companies.
Category | Company | Annual rate | Complaint rating |
---|---|---|---|
Best rates | Nationwide | $1,009 | 1.5 (Poor) |
Best overall company | Cypress | $1,440 | 0.6 (Above average) |
Best insurtech | Kin | Not available | 0.8 (Above average) |
Best for military | USAA | Not available | 0.4 (Excellent) |
Best fallback | Citizens | $1,451 | 0.3 (Excellent) |
Complaint ratings are from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). A company with a 2.0 rating has twice as many confirmed complaints as expected for its size. A 0.5 rating means half as many.
Best HO-6 condo insurance rates in Florida: Nationwide
Nationwide’s low rates on HO-6 condo insurance make it one of Florida’s best companies to contact for a condo insurance quote.
Nationwide offers all the protections most condo owners need. Plus, you can save money and get an even lower rate by bundling your condo insurance with a Nationwide auto policy.
However, Nationwide’s poor complaint rating is a cause for concern.
Florida’s best overall condo insurance company: Cypress
Competitive rates and a good complaint rating make Cypress the best overall condo insurance company in Florida.
Cypress’ rates are 22% lower than the state average, and it offers discounts for:
- Seniors and retirees
- Homes in secured communities
- Condo units with hurricane-resistant windows and roofs
- Homes with fire suppression sprinklers
Cypress does not offer instant quotes online, but its website offers an agent locator.
Florida’s best insurtech company for condo insurance: Kin
Established in 2016, Kin uses advanced technology to provide reliable condo insurance at reasonable rates.
Since Kin does not offer car insurance, you can’t get a discount for bundling your condo and auto policies. However, Kin does offer a variety of other discounts, including those for mature condo owners and to customers with a hurricane-resistant roof and/or windows.
Kin’s quotes are easy to obtain through its website or by phone. Unfortunately, FLOIR does not publicly disclose Kin’s rates.
Best condo insurance for Florida’s military families: USAA
USAA has a well-earned reputation for combining low rates with quality customer service. Among its accolades, it has the highest customer satisfaction rating among all U.S. home insurance companies from J.D. Power.
It’s easy to get a quote from USAA online or by phone. Unfortunately, USAA’s rates are also not available from FLOIR.
Florida’s best fallback choice for condo insurance: Citizens
Citizens offer attractive features and rates for Florida condo owners who meet the state-run company’s eligibility requirements.
You can only get condo insurance from Citizens if:
- Other Florida insurance companies won’t accept your application, or
- The cheapest rate other companies offer is at least 20% higher than the rate Citizens can give you.
More than 4,500 Florida insurance agencies are authorized to provide quotes from Citizens. These include well-known companies such as State Farm and independent agencies in your area.
Any authorized Citizens agent can help you determine your eligibility and rates. If you don’t know where to begin, check out the agent lookup tool on Citizens’ website.
Is HO-6 condo insurance required in Florida?
Your lender will require you to get HO-6 condo insurance if you finance your condo with a mortgage. Many homeowners associations (HOAs) also require condo insurance in Florida, regardless of your mortgage status.
However, condo insurance is not required by law. It’s still usually worth getting, even if you don’t have to for a mortgage or HOA, because it protects your investment in your unit.
What does HO-6 condo insurance cover in Florida?
In Florida, HO-6 condo insurance covers damage to your unit, your belongings, injuries to visitors in your home and certain other expenses.
Coverage | What it covers |
---|---|
Dwelling or building property | Built-in fixtures and appliances, including cabinets, HVACs and water heaters. |
Personal property | Your stuff, including furniture, clothing and plug-in appliances such as your refrigerator. |
Loss of use | Living expenses if covered damage leaves your home temporarily uninhabitable. |
Personal liability | Injuries or damage you accidentally cause to others, at home or anywhere else. |
Guest medical payments | Initial medical treatment for a guest injured in your unit, regardless of fault. |
Loss assessment | Assessments by your HOA to repair buildings or common areas in your complex. |
What does my condo association’s insurance cover?
HOAs typically have master insurance policies that cover buildings and common areas of a condominium complex. Unfortunately, these policies do not cover your possessions or guests injured inside your unit.
Most HOA policies cover damage outside your unit’s bare walls. However, some HOAs have all-in master policies, which also cover damage to wall and floor coverings, built-in appliances, cabinets and other fixtures inside your unit.
How much condo insurance do I need in Florida?
The amount of dwelling coverage you need in your Florida condo insurance policy depends largely on your HOA’s master policy:
- If your HOA’s coverage ends at your bare walls, you need a walls-in policy to cover built-in fixtures and furnishings in your unit.
- You need less dwelling coverage if your HOA has an all-in policy. However, you’re often responsible for the deductible in your HOA’s policy and improvements to your unit.
Most insurance companies use a computer program to figure out how much dwelling coverage you need. You just have to let them know about the type of coverage in your HOA’s master policy and details about your unit’s size and features.
You can determine how much personal property coverage you need by adding up the combined value of all your possessions. Consider adding a scheduled personal property endorsement to your policy to cover jewelry or other valuables you may own.
The rest of your condo insurance coverages come in default amounts, but you can usually adjust these:
- Loss of use: If the default amount shown in your quote does not add up to the going rate for at least six months’ rent in your area, ask for more.
- Personal liability: Your liability limit should match or exceed your net worth.
- Medical payments. The common default limit is $1,000, which is usually enough.
- Loss assessment: The standard limit is $2,000. If you live in an area with severe weather risks, consider bumping this up to at least $5,000.
Frequently asked questions
Condo insurance in Florida does not cover flood damage, but you can buy flood insurance separately. If your HOA has a master flood insurance policy for your complex, it provides limited coverage for flood damage to your unit, but not your possessions.
In some of Florida’s coastal areas, condo insurance does not cover wind and hail damage. In these areas, you can buy windstorm coverage separately. In all other parts of the state, standard condo insurance does cover wind and hail.
Florida condo insurance includes coverage for catastrophic ground collapse. The coverage kicks in for major sinkholes that leave your condo uninhabitable. A few Florida condo insurance companies, including Citizens, offer a sinkhole endorsement, which is optional coverage for less severe sinkholes.