Filing an HOA Water Damage Claim — Step-by-Step Process
HOA water damage claims involve your unit insurer, the HOA's master policy, and sometimes a neighbor's insurer simultaneously. Here is the exact order of steps to protect your claim.
Filing a water damage claim in a condo or HOA community involves parallel tracks: notifying your HOA and their insurer, filing with your own HO-6 insurer, and coordinating with any other affected unit owners. The order matters — filing with your own insurer first protects you from delays while HOA and neighbor liability is sorted out.
Step sequence: (1) Document all damage with video before any cleanup; (2) notify building management or HOA in writing within 24 hours; (3) call your HO-6 insurer to open a claim — give them the HOA contact and master policy number if available; (4) call an IICRC restoration company for immediate mitigation — do not wait for adjuster approval to begin drying; (5) request the HOA's master policy declaration page and their insurer's claim contact; (6) keep all receipts for hotel, meals, and emergency expenses.
Common mistakes: waiting for the HOA to 'handle it' while water sits and mold starts; signing the HOA's restoration contractor authorization without reading it; failing to document the building infrastructure failure independently (take photos before HOA maintenance covers the pipe). Your insurer and the HOA's insurer have different interests — having independent documentation protects your claim regardless of which policy pays.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I call my HO-6 insurer or the HOA first?
Notify building management immediately (so they can stop the water and document the building-side cause), then call your HO-6 insurer within the same hour.
Your insurer needs to open a claim before any major mitigation work starts. You do not need to know exactly who is at fault before calling your insurer — that is what subrogation is for.
Can the HOA require me to use their restoration contractor?
HOAs often have preferred vendors, but you generally have the right to hire your own restoration company for your unit's contents and interior. Review your CC&Rs (covenants, conditions, and restrictions) and your state's condominium act.
For building structure, the HOA's contractor typically handles their scope; for your personal property and interior, you can hire independently.
What if the HOA denies responsibility for my water damage?
Get the denial in writing, along with their reasoning (which policy clause they are citing). Provide this to your HO-6 insurer — they can pursue the HOA through subrogation on your behalf.
If the damage is significant and liability is genuinely disputed, a public adjuster or condominium attorney can advocate for your position without requiring you to personally litigate.
Who do I call right now for water damage?
Call (888) 840-6512. The line is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and connects you with an IICRC-certified water damage restoration company that serves your area. A recorded menu picks up first: choose water damage or mold, key in your 5-digit ZIP code, and hold through the short silence while the call is passed to the company.
Describe what you can see — where the water is coming from, how long it has been there, and whether it smells — the more specific you are, the faster the right company is on the line. If the source is a pipe or an appliance, shut the main water valve first. Have four things ready and the call goes quickly: the address, when the water started, what is wet now, and whether you have filed an insurance claim.
Still not sure which of these is your situation? (888) 840-6512 · toll-free · answered 24/7