Condo insurance in Las Vegas works in two layers, and most surprises happen in the gap between them. Here is what your HOA master policy must carry under Nevada law, what your own HO-6 policy should pick up, and how loss assessment works.
Las Vegas condo insurance, in 60 seconds
Condo insurance in Las Vegas means two policies working together: the HOA master policy insures the building and common areas, and your own HO-6 policy covers what the master policy leaves out, such as your belongings, upgrades, personal liability and your share of an assessment. Nevada law (NRS 116.3113) requires the association's property insurance to reach at least 80% of the insured property's actual cash value. How far it reaches into your unit depends on your building and your HOA's documents.
- Master policy: common areas, plus units as originally sold in stacked buildings.
- HO-6: belongings, upgrades, liability and loss of use.
- Loss assessment: your share of an assessment after a covered loss.
- Gaps: earthquake and flood are excluded unless you add them.
What to do: get your HOA's insurance summary, find out how far it reaches into your unit, then set your HO-6 walls-in and loss assessment limits to match.
A pipe bursts in the unit above yours. Or a letter from the HOA board announces a special assessment after the roof claim. Either way the first question is the same: whose insurance pays? In our experience helping Las Vegas condo owners since 2016, the answer is "some of each," written in documents most owners never open. Here is how our Las Vegas condo insurance team reads them.
What Is an HO-6 Policy for a Las Vegas Condo?
The short answer: An HO-6 is the condominium unit-owners policy, which the Nevada Division of Insurance says covers your belongings, interior coverings not originally installed and items the association's policy doesn't insure, plus personal liability.
An HO-6 policy is the homeowners form written for condo unit owners. The Nevada Division of Insurance's 2026 Consumer's Guide to Home Insurance describes it as coverage for a unit owner's property "or to cover any items not insured by the association's policy." It pays for personal belongings and "wall, floor, ceiling coverings, and any accessories not originally installed in the unit for the same perils as in HO-3," and it "also provides personal liability protection."
The Insurance Information Institute, an industry group, adds that it covers "any structural elements not covered by the master policy." That phrase is the whole game: your HO-6 fills whatever the HOA's policy leaves.
Personal property
Furniture, clothes and electronics. The master policy doesn't insure them.
Walls-in and upgrades
Flooring, cabinets and fixtures not original to the unit.
Personal liability
Defense and damages if you're legally responsible for injury or damage.
Loss of use
Some extra living costs while your unit is repaired after a covered loss.
Loss assessment
Your share of an assessment billed to all owners after a covered loss.
Add-ons
Earthquake and water backup are separate. Ask for them by name.
Sources: NV DOI, 2026 Consumer’s Guide to Home Insurance → · III, insuring a condo (industry) →
Nick Sakha
Nick founded Sakha Agencies in Las Vegas in 2016 after graduating from UNLV. His team helps valley families with auto, home, renters, condo and life insurance from the office at 4765 S Durango Dr, and reviews every guide on this blog for accuracy.
What Does Nevada Law Require an HOA Master Policy to Cover?
The short answer: Under NRS 116.3113, a Nevada condo association must carry property insurance worth at least 80% of the insured property's actual cash value, general liability and crime coverage, and in stacked or shared-wall buildings the property insurance must include the units.
A master policy is the insurance your homeowners association buys for the building and common areas, paid through your dues.
Per the Nevada Real Estate Division's insurance reference and the enrolled Assembly Bill 376 (2025), the association must carry, "to the extent reasonably available and subject to reasonable deductibles":
- Property insurance on the common elements, excluding land and foundations, worth at least 80% of actual cash value after deductibles.
- Commercial general liability, including medical payments, in an amount the board sets.
- Crime coverage for dishonest acts by board members, employees and the community manager.
The rule that matters most in stacked buildings
In a building where units sit on top of each other or share walls, the property insurance "must include the units" but "need not include improvements and betterments installed by units' owners." The Real Estate Division's 2020 advisory opinion puts it plainly: coverage for the unit must include restoring it to its condition when the developer sold it.
Two more rules shape claims: the association's policy is primary when an owner's policy covers the same risk, and owners get 30 days' notice before it's canceled or not renewed. AB 376 added a narrow exception for association wildfire policies that coordinate with owners' own.
These summarize NRS 116 as the Real Estate Division states it. For a dispute with your association, talk to an attorney.
Sources: NRED, Fast Reference: Insurance → · NRED Advisory Opinion 20-03 (2020) → · AB 376 (2025), enrolled → · NV DOI, 2026 home guide →
Is Your HOA Master Policy Bare Walls or Original Build?
The short answer: It depends on your association: some master policies insure only the bare walls, floor and ceiling, others insure each unit as originally built, and Nevada's rule for stacked buildings requires restoring units to their as-sold condition.
"Bare walls" and "original build" are industry descriptions, not legal terms. The Insurance Information Institute describes both: some associations insure "the bare walls, floor and ceiling," while others insure "the individual condo or co-op units, as they were originally built." "All-in" is common industry shorthand for broader policies; ask what yours includes.
| Item in your unit | Bare walls master policy | Original build master policy |
|---|---|---|
| Structure, roof, common areas | Master policy | Master policy |
| Interior finishes, original cabinets and fixtures | Your HO-6 | Master policy, per its terms |
| Upgrades you or a past owner added | Your HO-6 | Your HO-6 |
| Your belongings | Your HO-6 | Your HO-6 |
| Walls-in limit you need | The whole interior finish | Upgrades only |
Our team's summary of III and Nevada DOI wording. Your association's documents control.
Nevada's as-sold standard for stacked buildings works much like original build. Anything not original to the unit, even a previous owner's remodel, falls outside it and onto your HO-6.
If the board says "we're covered," ask: does it restore units to original condition, what's the deductible, and who pays it?
Sources: III, insuring a condo → · NRED Advisory Opinion 20-03 → · NV DOI, 2026 home guide →
What Should Your HO-6 Policy Cover in Las Vegas?
The short answer: A Las Vegas HO-6 should cover your interior upgrades, your belongings, personal liability, loss of use and loss assessment, with each limit set from what your HOA master policy leaves to you.
Size each of the five coverages to your unit:
- Walls-in (unit improvements). Add up what isn't original: flooring, counters, cabinets, built-ins. Under bare walls, the whole interior.
- Personal property. Price everything you'd take if you moved, room by room.
- Personal liability. Per the Division of Insurance, legal defense and losses if you're found responsible for injuries.
- Loss of use. Some additional living expenses during repairs after an insured event, per the Division.
- Loss assessment. See the next section.
Replacement cost versus actual cash value works as on a house; our guide to homeowners insurance in Las Vegas explains it, and our Nevada homeowners insurance guide compares the HO forms statewide.
Sources: NV DOI, 2026 home guide → · NV DOI, homeowners insurance → · III, insuring a condo →
What Is Loss Assessment Coverage on a Condo Policy?
The short answer: Loss assessment coverage reimburses your share of an assessment your association charges all unit owners after a covered loss, up to the limit on your HO-6, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
Loss assessment coverage pays when the association bills every owner for a loss. The Insurance Information Institute calls it unit assessment coverage and says it "reimburses you for your share of an assessment charged to all unit owners as a result of a covered loss."
Why assessments happen in Nevada: under NRS 116.31135, as the Real Estate Division summarizes it, "the cost of repair or replacement in excess of insurance proceeds, deductibles and reserves is a common expense," and common expenses are what owners' assessments pay for. A big deductible or a loss above the limits can become a bill split among owners. The Division's materials don't say, in general, who pays a master-policy deductible; your declaration decides.
The coverage follows a covered loss. A dues increase or a reserve top-up for routine upkeep isn't one.
Sources: III, insuring a condo → · NRED, Fast Reference: Insurance →
How Do You Find Out What Your Las Vegas HOA Insurance Covers?
The short answer: Read your declaration (CC&Rs) and bylaws, ask your board or community manager for the master policy's declarations page or certificate of insurance, and confirm how far it reaches into your unit and its deductible before setting HO-6 limits.
The review we walk through with condo clients:
- Open your declaration and bylaws. Find the insurance article in your declaration (CC&Rs) and bylaws, where the Insurance Information Institute says the split should be spelled out.
- Ask for the master policy summary. Request the declarations page or a certificate of insurance from your board or manager, in writing.
- Find how far into your unit it reaches. Bare walls, original build or broader. The Nevada Real Estate Division recommends associations clearly disclose this, including wall, floor and ceiling coverings.
- Write down the master deductible. Note the amount and how your declaration charges it.
- Match your HO-6 limits. Set walls-in coverage for what the master policy leaves to you, and a loss assessment limit you could rely on.
- Know where to ask for help. The Real Estate Division's ombudsman office (702-486-4480, 3300 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 325) informs owners; it can't give legal advice.
Sources: III, insuring a condo → · NRED Advisory Opinion 20-03 → · NRED Ombudsman overview →
Who Pays When Water From the Condo Upstairs Damages Your Unit?
The short answer: In a stacked Las Vegas condo, the HOA master policy covers the unit as originally sold, your HO-6 covers your upgrades and belongings, and the upstairs owner's liability coverage applies only if that owner is legally responsible.
Cause matters: the Division of Insurance names accidental discharge of water from plumbing or appliances as a covered peril, while the Insurance Information Institute says wear and poor maintenance aren't covered.
| What got damaged | Usually responds | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Original drywall, ceiling and cabinets | HOA master policy | Stacked units must be restored to as-sold condition |
| Flooring or counters an owner added | Your HO-6 | Owner improvements aren't required on the master policy |
| Your sofa, TV and clothes | Your HO-6 | Personal property is the owner's to insure |
| A hotel while the unit dries out | Your HO-6 loss of use | After a covered loss, per policy terms |
| The master-policy deductible | Your declaration decides | No general Nevada rule in the sources we read |
| Damage from an owner's gross negligence | Can be charged to that unit | NRS 116.3115, per the Real Estate Division |
Badges are our team's grouping, not a published rating. Policy wording and your association's documents control.
The neighbor's HO-6 liability pays only if they're legally responsible. Nevada also requires the association's policy to waive subrogation against owners and their households.
Hypothetical. A second-floor Summerlin condo owner has an HO-6 with a $1,000 deductible and a $1,000 loss assessment limit. In March a supply line bursts upstairs. In August, monsoon wind damages the roof and the board assesses each owner $3,000 for costs the master policy didn't pay. Figures are invented.
Assumes each loss is covered; deductible rules vary. Not what any specific policy pays.
Sources: NRED, Fast Reference: Insurance → · NRED Advisory Opinion 20-03 → · NV DOI, 2026 home guide → · III, homeowners basics →
Does Condo Insurance Cover Earthquakes, Flash Floods or Renting Out Your Unit?
The short answer: Earthquake and flood aren't covered unless you add them, per the Nevada Division of Insurance, and renting out your Las Vegas condo is something to clear with your insurer before a tenant or guest arrives.
Earthquake. The Division says earthquake damage "won't be covered under your homeowners, renters or condominium insurance policy," and its 2024 earthquake guide says a condo policy needs an endorsement to add it. Ask whether your association's policy covers earthquake. Our guide to earthquake insurance in Las Vegas covers valley faults and deductibles.
Flood. The Division's home guide lists flood as a standard exclusion that requires a special policy. See whether home insurance covers flood damage in Las Vegas and our monsoon season insurance guide.
Renting it out. Policies treat rental use differently, so tell your insurer before you list the unit. Your tenant's belongings need their own renters (HO-4) policy, which the Division says covers a renter's personal property; send them our guide to renters insurance in Las Vegas and our tips on affordable renters coverage. In our experience, rental use is the detail condo owners most often forget to mention.
Sources: NV DOI, earthquake insurance → · NV DOI earthquake guide (2024) → · NV DOI, flood insurance → · NV DOI, 2026 home guide → · III, insuring a condo →
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does an HO-6 policy cover that my HOA master policy doesn't?
Mainly your belongings, upgrades and personal liability. The Nevada Division of Insurance's 2026 home guide says an HO-6 covers personal belongings, wall, floor and ceiling coverings and accessories not originally installed in the unit, plus personal liability. Nevada's HOA insurance rule (NRS 116.3113) doesn't require the master policy to include improvements owners install, and the Nevada Real Estate Division says owners will still want their own insurance for personal property and improvements. Exactly where the line falls depends on your association's documents.
What is loss assessment coverage on a Las Vegas condo policy?
Loss assessment coverage pays your share when your association charges every owner for a covered loss. The Insurance Information Institute, which calls it unit assessment coverage, says it reimburses your share of an assessment charged to all unit owners as a result of a covered loss. In Nevada, repair costs beyond insurance proceeds, deductibles and reserves become a common expense under NRS 116.31135, as summarized by the Nevada Real Estate Division, and common expenses are paid through assessments. The coverage pays up to your HO-6 limit, under your policy's terms.
Does my HOA's master policy pay for upgrades I made to my condo?
Usually not, and Nevada law doesn't require it to. Under NRS 116.3113, as summarized by the Nevada Real Estate Division, a stacked or shared-wall building's property insurance must include the units but not improvements and betterments owners install. The Division's 2020 advisory opinion says unit coverage must restore a unit to its condition when the developer sold it. New flooring, quartz counters or custom cabinets added later fall to your HO-6, which the Nevada Division of Insurance says covers accessories not originally installed. Some associations insure more; ask.
Whose insurance pays when water from the unit upstairs damages my Las Vegas condo?
Usually several policies share it. In a stacked building, Nevada law requires the HOA's property insurance to include the units as originally sold, and that policy is primary when an owner's policy covers the same risk, per the Nevada Real Estate Division's summary of NRS 116. Your HO-6 picks up your upgrades, belongings and loss of use. The upstairs owner's liability coverage comes in only if they're legally responsible, and damage caused by an owner's gross negligence can be charged to that owner's unit.
How do I find out if my Las Vegas HOA has a bare walls or original build master policy?
Ask for it in writing. Start with your declaration, often called the CC&Rs, and your bylaws: the Insurance Information Institute says the split of responsibilities should be spelled out there. Then ask your board or community manager for the master policy's declarations page or certificate of insurance, how far into each unit it reaches and its deductible. The Nevada Real Estate Division recommends that associations clearly disclose what their policy covers, including standard wall, floor and ceiling coverings. Its ombudsman office answers owners' questions at 702-486-4480.
Related Questions
The Bottom Line on Condo Insurance in Las Vegas
The short answer: Learn what your HOA master policy covers first, then buy an HO-6 that fills the rest: upgrades, belongings, liability, loss of use and loss assessment.
Nevada law sets a floor for the master policy; your documents set the details. Size your HO-6 to the gap and decide on earthquake and water backup on purpose. Our condo insurance team in Las Vegas can line the two policies up with you, and we match you to the right market for your unit.
Keep reading
More from our team.
Earthquake Insurance in Las Vegas
Valley faults, exclusions and deductible math.
Read the guide → 🏠Homeowners Insurance in Las Vegas
Coverage, costs and local risks for valley homes.
Read the guide → 🔑Renters Insurance in Las Vegas
A guide to send your tenants.
Read the guide → ✅Free Quote Review
A licensed Las Vegas agent prices your condo coverage with you.
Start my free quote →About this guide. Written by the Sakha Agencies team and reviewed by Nick Sakha, a licensed Nevada insurance agent (NV Lic. #4371904). Sakha Agencies (Nicholas K Sakha Agency Inc, NV Lic. #6013538) serves Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas and all of Nevada from 4765 S Durango Dr, Las Vegas, and has since 2016. This guide is educational, not legal advice or a quote. Facts come from the named sources linked above, led by the Nevada Division of Insurance → and the Nevada Real Estate Division, with industry guidance (III) labeled, and are reviewed quarterly.
Last reviewed by Nick Sakha on October 27, 2026.