Condo Insurance in Washington State: Master Policy vs. Your HO-6

By Vadim Marusin October 28, 2026 18 min read

For most Washington condos, those created after July 1, 1990, state law makes the association insure the building to at least 80% of its actual cash value, after deductibles, to the extent that coverage is reasonably available. It doesn't make the association insure against earthquake. In buildings under the newer law, the only limit it puts on the master deductible is that it be "reasonable," and it lets the association bill a unit owner for a loss that falls inside the master policy deductible if the declaration says so. Those three facts decide most of what your own condo policy needs to do.

Condo insurance in Washington State is really two policies working together: the association's master policy, paid through your dues, and the unit-owner policy you buy yourself, usually called an HO-6. The Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) describes them as policies that "work in tandem" (OIC). Where one stops and the other starts is set by state condo law and by your building's own declaration. Here's how to read both.

Minimum master property coverage, after deductibles80% of ACV

WUCIOA (ch. 64.90 RCW) applies to condos created on or afterJuly 1, 2018

Date WUCIOA applies to all condos; older acts repealedJan 1, 2028

Days the association has to furnish a resale certificate10

Source: RCW 64.90.470(1)(a), RCW 64.34.352(1)(a), RCW 64.90.360, RCW 64.90.640(2)(a).

Which Washington condo law covers your building

Washington has had three condo statutes, and until the end of 2027 the one that governs your association mostly depends on when the condominium was created.

Which statute governs a Washington condominium's insurance
Condo created	Main statute today	Insurance section	From Jan 1, 2028
Before July 1, 1990	Horizontal Property Regimes Act, ch. 64.32 RCW (plus listed parts of 64.34)	RCW 64.32.220	Ch. 64.90 RCW
July 1, 1990 to June 30, 2018	Condominium Act, ch. 64.34 RCW	RCW 64.34.352	Ch. 64.90 RCW
On or after July 1, 2018	WUCIOA, ch. 64.90 RCW	RCW 64.90.470	Ch. 64.90 RCW
Pre-2018 condo that amended its declaration to elect all of WUCIOA (RCW 64.90.370(1)(b))	WUCIOA, ch. 64.90 RCW	RCW 64.90.470	Ch. 64.90 RCW

Source: RCW 64.90.360, RCW 64.90.370, RCW 64.90.090, RCW 64.34.010, RCW 64.32.220. Chapters 64.32 and 64.34 were repealed by chapter 321, Laws of 2024, effective January 1, 2028.

The Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act (WUCIOA, chapter 64.90 RCW) took over for new communities on July 1, 2018. Before January 1, 2028, it applies to a community created on or after that date, and to an older community that amends its declaration to elect into it (RCW 64.90.360). An older association can opt into all of WUCIOA or only a listed set of sections (RCW 64.90.370).

A handful of WUCIOA sections already reach older condos no matter what, including the budget and special-assessment rules in RCW 64.90.525 and the reserve-study rule in RCW 64.90.545 (RCW 64.90.365). The insurance section and the deductible charge-back rule are not on that list. Opting into only that list under RCW 64.90.370(1)(a) doesn't bring in the insurance section; only a full election does. So if your building went up in 2005 and never elected into WUCIOA in full, the Condominium Act's insurance rules and your declaration still govern, for now.

That ends on January 1, 2028. The Legislature repealed chapters 64.32 and 64.34 effective that date, and WUCIOA becomes the law for all common interest communities. Not every older declaration will match WUCIOA overnight: RCW 64.90.375 says inconsistent provisions in a pre-2018 community's documents become invalid once it's subject to the chapter, with some exceptions. If you own in an older building, it's a good year to ask the board whether the documents have been reviewed against WUCIOA.

What the master policy has to cover

Both the Condominium Act and WUCIOA set the same core rule: starting no later than the first sale to someone other than the developer, the association must carry property insurance against risks "commonly insured against," at no less than 80% of actual cash value after deductibles, leaving out land, excavations and foundations. Both also require liability insurance with medical payments. The details differ in ways that matter to a unit owner.

Master policy rules: older condos vs. WUCIOA condos
Rule	Condominium Act (RCW 64.34.352)	WUCIOA (RCW 64.90.470)
Property coverage	On the condominium; all risks of direct physical loss commonly insured against	On the common elements; risks of direct physical loss commonly insured against
Minimum amount	80% of ACV after deductibles, or more if the declaration says	80% of ACV after deductibles
Units and owner improvements	May, but need not, include improvements and betterments installed by owners	In stacked or shared-wall buildings, must include the units and, unless the declaration says otherwise, all improvements and betterments
Deductibles	Not addressed beyond the 80% math	"Subject to reasonable deductibles"
Liability	Liability with medical payments, at least the declaration amount	Commercial general liability with medical payments, at least the declaration amount
Fidelity (crime) coverage	Not required by this section	Required
If coverage isn't reasonably available	Prompt notice to each owner and eligible mortgagees; also if modified, canceled or not renewed	Prompt notice to all owners
Certificate of insurance	Insurer issues one to any owner on written request	Insurer issues one to any owner on a request made in a record
Shortfall after a loss	Cost beyond insurance proceeds and reserves is a common expense	Cost not paid from insurance proceeds is a common expense
Earthquake	Not mentioned	Not mentioned

Source: RCW 64.34.352, RCW 64.90.470. Pre-1990 condos: RCW 64.32.220 requires insurance only if the declaration, bylaws, a majority of owners or a mortgagee calls for it.

Three parts of these statutes protect you directly, and most owners never hear about them. Each owner counts as an insured under the master policy for liability tied to the common elements. The insurer waives subrogation against unit owners, so it can't pay for the building and then sue you for causing the loss under that policy. And one owner's act or omission can't void the policy for everyone (RCW 64.90.470(4)). The master policy is also primary when your own policy covers the same risk.

The phrase "to the extent reasonably available" carries weight. If the board can't buy the required coverage, the law doesn't force it to; it requires notice to owners. The OIC notes that insurance rates for condo and townhome communities "have gone up significantly since 2019" (OIC). Boards respond to that by raising deductibles, trimming coverage or both, and either one shifts risk to you.

All-in, betterments or bare walls: where your policy starts

The statutes set a floor. Your declaration, along with the bylaws and CC&Rs, decides the exact line between the association's insurance and yours. The OIC says master policies typically fall into one of three categories (OIC):

The three common master policy setups in Washington
Master policy type	What the association's policy covers	What falls to the owner
All-in	Exterior plus all interior finishes: doors, windows, siding, tub and shower, cabinets, paint, trim, light fixtures, flooring	The master policy deductible
All-in, excluding improvements or betterments	The unit to its original interior and exterior finishes	The master deductible plus anything upgraded from the original (granite replacing laminate, tile replacing carpet, a skylight a prior owner added)
Bare walls (walls out)	Everything outside your unit, up to uncovered sheetrock and subfloor: roof, possibly windows, fencing, hallways, common areas	The master deductible and all interior finishes

Source: WA OIC: Learn how condo insurance works. Your building's declaration controls.

For buildings created under WUCIOA, the default in RCW 64.90.470(2) leans toward all-in: in a building with units stacked over each other or sharing walls, the master policy has to include the units and owner improvements and betterments, to the extent reasonably available, unless the declaration says otherwise. Older Condominium Act buildings have no such default; the association's policy "may, but need not" cover them.

What this means at your kitchen table: open the declaration, find the insurance article, and write down which category your building is in. That single answer sets how much dwelling coverage your HO-6 needs. If you can't tell, the OIC's advice is to ask the board president or the property manager.

What an HO-6 policy does

Washington law doesn't require you to carry an HO-6. The statutes only say the association's policy doesn't stop you from buying your own (RCW 64.90.470(6)). Your lender, and sometimes your declaration, may require it. In 2023, HO-6 condo policies made up about 4.9% of the residential policy-years the NAIC counted in Washington (NAIC).

The OIC lists six parts to ask about (OIC):

The parts of a typical condo unit-owner (HO-6) policy
HO-6 coverage	What it does	What to check on your declarations page
Dwelling (unit)	Covers the parts of the unit your governing documents make your responsibility	A limit that matches your building's category: small for all-in, large for bare walls
Personal property	Your belongings; often valued at actual cash value, with special limits on items like jewelry	Replacement cost or ACV; scheduled items for valuables
Loss assessment	Helps pay special assessments the association charges for community losses	The limit, and whether it applies to the master deductible
Additional living expense	Pays to live elsewhere if a covered loss makes the unit unlivable	Dollar and time limits
Personal liability	Claims someone makes against you	Limit relative to what you own; an umbrella can add more
Premises medical	Medical bills of others hurt at your unit	Per-person limit

Source: WA OIC: Learn how condo insurance works; WA OIC homeowner insurance guide. Policy wording varies.

Loss assessment is the coverage that ties your policy to the building. The OIC's example: wind damages the roofs of several units, the damage exceeds the master policy's limits, and the association charges owners a special assessment for the rest. Loss assessment coverage can pay your share. The OIC adds a rule of thumb worth memorizing: if the cause of the damage is covered under your unit-owner policy, the loss assessment for that cause is also covered. Some HO-6 policies include loss assessment in the base policy (OIC guide); ask what yours includes and how high the limit goes.

The gaps are the usual ones. The OIC says condo insurance doesn't cover community property, flood or earth movement, or wear and tear (OIC). Flood is a separate purchase; our Washington flood insurance page covers it. On contents, how the claim is valued makes a big difference; I explain the math in replacement cost vs. actual cash value.

How the master policy deductible lands on you

This is where condo owners get surprised. The OIC's claim guidance is blunt: "You may be responsible for paying the community master policy's deductible for damages to your unit." Often your HO-6 will cover your unit's damage up to the master deductible, but you still pay your own HO-6 deductible (OIC).

The law behind that depends on which statute your building is under.

WUCIOA buildings. RCW 64.90.480(8) says that when a loss to a unit would be covered by the association's property policy but falls within the deductible, the association "may assess the amount of the loss up to the deductible against that unit," if the declaration so provides. Two limits are written into it: it excludes "policies for earthquake, flood, or similar losses that have higher than standard deductibles," and it doesn't stop you from going after whoever actually caused the damage (RCW 64.90.480).

Fault is a separate track. Under RCW 64.90.480(6), the association can charge a unit for damage caused by the owner's or occupant's willful misconduct or gross negligence, by failure to meet a maintenance standard that warns owners they may be liable, or by ordinary negligence if the declaration says owners may be liable for it. Before doing that, the association must give notice and a chance for a hearing, and the charge is limited to its cost minus insurance proceeds, including a deductible gap (RCW 64.90.480(7)).

Older Condominium Act buildings. Chapter 64.34 has no deductible charge-back section. It lets the association assess a unit for a common expense caused by that owner's misconduct, and if the declaration requires it, assess insurance costs in proportion to risk (RCW 64.34.360). Beyond that, it comes down to what your declaration and any board policy say. Read them before you assume either way.

Example (hypothetical): you own in a WUCIOA building with an all-in master policy and a $25,000 deductible, and the declaration allows deductible charge-backs. A supply line behind your dishwasher fails and does $14,000 of damage to your unit's floors, cabinets and drywall. Nobody was negligent.

One water loss inside a master deductible (hypothetical)
Step	Amount
Damage to your unit (covered type of loss)	$14,000
Master policy deductible	$25,000
Master policy pays (damage is under the deductible)	$0
Association may assess to your unit	$14,000
Your HO-6 pays, if it covers this, after a $1,000 deductible	$13,000
You pay out of pocket with that HO-6 coverage	$1,000
You pay out of pocket with no HO-6 coverage for it	$14,000

Source: Hypothetical figures for illustration. Rule: RCW 64.90.480(8); OIC claim guidance: Filing a condo unit insurance claim. Whether your HO-6 pays depends on its wording and limits.

The practical move: find the current master deductible, then make sure your HO-6 can absorb it, either through the dwelling limit, loss assessment coverage or both, depending on how your policy handles deductible assessments. Ask your agent to show you which line on the declarations page does that job. If the board raises the deductible at renewal, revisit your own limits the same month.

Earthquake deductibles and special assessments

Neither statute's insurance section (RCW 64.90.470, RCW 64.34.352) mentions earthquake or requires it, so whether your building carries earthquake coverage comes down to the declaration and the board. And the deductible charge-back rule in RCW 64.90.480(8) expressly excludes earthquake and flood policies with higher-than-standard deductibles.

That doesn't mean owners are off the hook. Under both statutes, repair costs that insurance doesn't pay become a common expense (RCW 64.90.470(9), RCW 64.34.352(7)). Under WUCIOA, common expenses are split among units by their common expense liability under the declaration (RCW 64.90.480(3)), and a large one can arrive as a special assessment. A special assessment takes effect unless owners holding a majority of the votes (or more, if the declaration says) reject it, and the board can let owners pay in installments (RCW 64.90.525).

The risk is real in the Puget Sound region: USGS puts the chance of a magnitude 6.5 or larger deep earthquake there at 85% over the next 50 years, and the chance of a magnitude 9 Cascadia Subduction Zone quake at 10% to 15% (USGS). The OIC says earthquake deductibles are usually 10% to 25% of the amount the insurance would pay for the building (OIC). On a building insured for tens of millions of dollars, that deductible is millions.

Example (hypothetical): a 60-unit building insured for $30,000,000, each unit carrying an equal 1/60 share of common expenses. Its earthquake deductible is 15%, or $4,500,000.

Earthquake special assessment per unit (hypothetical)
Scenario	Building damage	Master policy pays	Left for owners	Per unit (1/60)
Earthquake coverage, damage above deductible	$6,000,000	$1,500,000	$4,500,000	$75,000
Earthquake coverage, damage below deductible	$2,400,000	$0	$2,400,000	$40,000
No earthquake coverage	$6,000,000	$0	$6,000,000	$100,000

Source: Hypothetical figures; ignores reserves, policy limits and sublimits. 15% sits inside the 10%-25% range the OIC gives for earthquake deductibles. Shortfall as a common expense: RCW 64.90.470(9). Actual allocation follows your declaration.

Owner's share of an earthquake loss, by scenario (hypothetical) Dollars per unit, 60 equal units

Coverage, damage above deductible$75KCoverage, damage below deductible$40KNo earthquake coverage$100K

Source: Hypothetical example above; deductible range from the WA OIC.

Show the numbers

Scenario	Per unit
Coverage, damage above deductible	$75K
Coverage, damage below deductible	$40K
No earthquake coverage	$100K

Can your own policy pay that? The OIC says condo insurance doesn't cover earth movement, and that loss assessment coverage follows the causes your unit policy covers. So a standard HO-6 with loss assessment shouldn't be counted on for an earthquake assessment. If you add earthquake coverage to your unit policy, ask in writing whether it extends to loss assessments and what that limit is, then compare it with numbers like the ones above. And buy before you need it: the OIC notes that after an earthquake you usually have to wait before you can buy coverage. My full breakdown of earthquake coverage is in earthquake insurance in Washington.

Documents to get from the association

You have legal rights to most of what you need. Under WUCIOA, the association must keep copies of insurance policies on which it is a named insured and make its records available to owners upon 10 days' notice, and no later than 21 days without a court order (RCW 64.90.495). The insurer must issue a certificate of insurance to an owner who asks (RCW 64.90.470(7)). The OIC says owners receive a certificate each year when the community policy renews, confirming its limits and deductible.

Condo insurance checklist: what to request and why
Document	What to look for	Legal hook
Certificate of insurance (master policy)	Property limit, liability limit, every deductible (all-peril, water, earthquake if any), renewal date	RCW 64.90.470(7); RCW 64.34.352(6)
Declaration (CC&Rs) and bylaws	Insurance article; walls-in vs. all-in line; deductible charge-back clause; negligence liability language	RCW 64.90.480(4), (6), (8)
The master policy itself	Exclusions, earthquake and flood, how owner improvements are treated	RCW 64.90.495(1)(l)
Current budget	Reserve contribution, reserve deficiency per unit, projected common expenses by category (insurance should be one)	RCW 64.90.525(2)
Reserve study	Percent funded, planned special assessments, 30-year projection	RCW 64.90.545, 64.90.550
Resale certificate (buying)	Insurance carried and the broker's contact, pending special assessments, reserve study status	RCW 64.90.640; RCW 64.34.425

Source: RCW 64.90.470, RCW 64.34.352, RCW 64.90.480, RCW 64.90.495, RCW 64.90.525, RCW 64.90.545, RCW 64.90.550, RCW 64.90.640, RCW 64.34.425.

If you're buying, the resale certificate does a lot of this work. The seller has to provide it before you sign, and under WUCIOA it must describe the insurance the association carries with contact information for its insurance broker or agent, list any expected expense over 5% of the annual budget, and say whether there's a reserve study (RCW 64.90.640). If there's no current reserve study, the certificate has to warn you that you may have to pay "on demand as a special assessment" your share of major repairs. Reserves apply to older condos too: the reserve-study sections of chapter 64.34 apply to all condominiums (RCW 64.34.010), and WUCIOA's reserve-study rule applies to pre-2018 communities (RCW 64.90.365).

A thin reserve fund and a high master deductible together are the combination I'd want to know about before closing. Call the broker listed on the certificate and ask what the deductibles are this year.

Filing a claim and getting help

A condo claim often runs on two policies at once. The OIC's steps, condensed (OIC):

Document the damage and stop it from getting worse. Keep receipts for emergency repairs.
Call the board or property manager right away so they can decide whether to open a master policy claim, and call your own insurer for your belongings, living expenses and anything the master policy won't cover.
Pull your CC&Rs and bylaws; your insurer will need a copy to settle the claim.
Expect two adjusters if both policies are involved. In leak cases the insurers sort out which policy is primary.
Keep a log of every call, email, invoice and payment.

If a neighbor's overflowing tub caused the damage, your HO-6 typically pays what the master policy doesn't, and your insurer may try to recover from the neighbor's liability coverage. If the association's insurer denies a valid claim, the OIC says the board has a duty to resolve it; if it doesn't, contact your own insurer and consider an attorney. One Washington rule helps on any property claim: an insurer can't depreciate labor when it calculates actual cash value (WAC 284-20-010).

When a claim stalls with your own insurer or the master carrier, the OIC's consumer advocates can step in. File online or call 800-562-6900, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (OIC). In 2025 the OIC processed 9,370 consumer complaints and recovered $49,271,841 for consumers (OIC). The step-by-step version is in how to file a complaint with the Washington Insurance Commissioner. A dispute with the board over a charge-back or assessment is a legal matter, not an insurance one; that's a question for an attorney.

FAQ

Is condo insurance required in Washington State?

For condos created after July 1, 1990, Washington condo law requires the association to carry a master policy to the extent reasonably available (older condos follow RCW 64.32.220 and their declaration), but it doesn't require unit owners to buy their own HO-6 policy. Your mortgage lender or your building's declaration may require one.

What does a condo master policy have to cover in Washington?

Under RCW 64.90.470 and RCW 64.34.352, the association must carry property insurance against risks commonly insured against, at no less than 80% of actual cash value after deductibles, plus liability insurance with medical payments. WUCIOA also requires fidelity insurance.

Can a Washington condo association charge me the master policy deductible?

In a building governed by WUCIOA, RCW 64.90.480(8) lets the association assess a covered loss to your unit, up to the deductible, if the declaration provides for it. That rule excludes earthquake and flood policies with higher-than-standard deductibles. In older buildings, it depends on the declaration.

Does condo insurance cover earthquakes in Washington?

The OIC says condo insurance doesn't cover earth movement. Earthquake coverage has to be added or bought separately, and neither statute's insurance section (RCW 64.90.470, RCW 64.34.352) requires the association's master policy to include it.

Your own policy wording, your association's declaration and Washington law control. Confirm your situation with a licensed agent or the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner, and talk to an attorney about legal questions such as assessments or how your declaration is read.

Sources

This article is for general educational purposes only and is not legal, tax or insurance advice. Coverage depends on the actual policy, its terms, conditions and exclusions, and state law. Maru Insurance · WA License (WAOIC) #1365574 · FL License #G363233 · NPN 22261820.