The Condo & HOA Owner's Guide to Leaks, Shared Walls, Master Policies, and Insurance Claims. A plain-English guide for HOA boards, condo associations, property managers, and the owners they serve.
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General education only. Not legal advice, insurance advice, or public adjusting. This guide is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Dan Deines is not a licensed Indiana public adjuster or an attorney, and he does not review, handle, or negotiate individual claims. Please don't send claim details, policies, or photos. This form only asks for your name and email.
Water doesn't stay inside one unit, and neither do the questions. The guide explains how the pieces usually fit together so everyone can ask better questions and find the answers in their own documents.
Plain-language background on master policies, deductibles, and assessments to support conversations with your manager, agent, and association attorney.
A neutral resource you can share with owners who ask "who pays?" after a leak. You're welcome to share the PDF in its complete, unaltered form.
What your declaration, the master policy, and your own HO-6 or homeowners policy each usually cover, and the questions to bring to your agent and board.
12 short chapters, a printable toolkit, Indiana notes throughout, and a Texas Notes appendix. Start wherever your situation is.
Condo vs. HOA vs. townhome, governing documents, the master policy, and your own policy.
Unit boundaries, common and limited common elements, pipes, and shared walls.
Three questions that usually decide who pays, sudden vs. gradual leaks, and hidden damage.
Master policy basics: two deductibles, two policies, and how a deductible can land on one owner.
Why an assessment can follow a loss, and what to ask before you pay.
Two add-ons that matter more in a shared building than most owners realize.
Seven steps for the first day or two after water comes in.
What to record, the household inventory, and the kinds of policy deadlines to look for.
What to ask for, how to communicate, and a sample records-request email.
Asking for reasons in writing, state insurance departments, association processes, and when to bring in a licensed professional.
Read the rulebook and the insurance before you sign.
The folder that turns "I think the board said…" into a clear record.
Short boxes throughout summarizing Indiana condo and HOA statutes, with pointers to confirm details with an Indiana attorney.
The condo master policy statute, insurer claim timelines, policy time limits, TDI tips, and free Texas help.
Plus the Owner's Toolkit: the "Who Pays?" worksheet, questions for your insurance agent, questions for your board or manager, a loss log, and an emergency card. Facts come from state statutes, state insurance regulators, the NAIC, the Insurance Information Institute, and a published sample policy form, all listed in the Sources section.
Your own policy and your association's governing documents decide your situation. The guide helps you read them with better questions in hand.
One PDF, written for boards, managers, and owners. Share it as-is with your association.
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